A/N: hey people!
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Francis ended up sleeping at her apartment as well. Since she only had one bed, and despite both of their insisting that they could sleep on the floor, they ended up sharing the bed and curled around one another.
As Francis held her as he slept Louise was suddenly bombarded with just how lonely she had been the past year. She had never been a physical person in the least but when she was younger she would always sleep in the same bed as someone, be it Matthew or Francis.
She suddenly realized just how starved she was for human contact. The warmth and comfort of another human being. Linda would occasionally place her hand on Louise's shoulder or give into a maternal instinct and hug her.
But those touches had been fleeting and unfamiliar. Francis was such a big part of her past that during the year Louise had constantly wondered sometimes just how she was living without him.
But then she remembered Matthews's heart stopping under her hands and she remembered why and how.
Her mind went to Alfred at the moment. The name was unfamiliar and unsettling on her tongue. Francis said he looked like Matthew to the point where they could be mistaken as twins. If he was anything like Matthew then he would be quiet and patient. Kind and loving. Blending into the background. The one who would always have an open ear and open arms for his friends. A lover of animals, of hockey, maple syrup and all things sweet. If he was like Matthew then he would love to whisper in the middle of the night when they were supposed to be asleep. And despite quietly protesting whether they were doing something illegal he would aide her regardless in every way that he possibly was able to.
But in no way, shape, or form would he ever be able to replace Matthew. Regardless of how much they were alike, he could never be Matthew.
Somewhere in the middle of her musings and where the clock on her bedside read that it was nearing midnight she fell into an uneasy sleep.
Her dreams were the same as they always were. Feeling her bones being cracked and twisted and shattered. Feeling blood on her hands. Hers and Matthews mixing together. Her screaming and begging for him to just keep breathing. Just keep breathing.
She awoke with a scream trapped in her throat and Francis' concerned gaze staring down at her.
"You were screaming in your sleep." he told her. "What's wrong? What were you dreaming of?"
Wordlessly Louise shook her head and turned onto her stomach. Her hands came up to clutch at her head as she pushed it deeper into the pillows.
Francis's hand was rubbing her back soothingly.
"It's okay." he murmured. "It's okay."
She continued to shake her head. No. Nothing was okay. Nothing would ever be okay.
"First thing first. We are getting you back in shape, no doubt you haven't been keeping with your training." Arthur told her.
They were in a limo on the way to the airport where the private jet was waiting to take Louise back to the one place she had never wanted to return.
"All your old teachers are still there of course. They'll be wishing to train with you again to bring to top shape once more." Arthur continued.
"No." Louise said. The first thing she had said since they had met again.
"Pardon?" Arthur asked looking honestly confused.
"I don't need anyone to help me." Louise said. "My training can be done by myself and myself alone. I won't have the teachers breathing down my neck again."
Arthur smiled thinly at her. "As much as this independence is noted I'm afraid that I will have to disagree. The teachers will be there with you."
"The teachers will not be there with me." Louise said. "I graduated from them, and I have the certificate that you people insisted on us getting, to prove it. I don't need them."
Arthur's patience seemed to be running thin. "You don't seem to understand. Your teachers will-"
Francis cleared his throat. When Arthur glanced at him their eyes met. A few moments passed before Arthur gritted his teeth together almost audibly and turned away.
"You have two months." he spat at Louise. "Two months to get yourself back into shape. If you don't reach our desires by that time your teachers will be in charge of you again."
"Sounds reasonable." Louise said sweetly. As she nodded her thanks to Francis, who accepted it with a smile. "And don't worry, I will."
Arthur huffed as he crossed his legs, obviously displeased at how the situation was going so far.
"I want to know something." Louise said. "I want to know more about Alfred Jones."
Arthur started at her question, obvious by his narrowed eyes and barred teeth she wasn't supposed to know the name let alone the person. His eyes flew to Francis in an accusation who simply shrugged in innocence.
"You weren't supposed to know about him until you two were partnered for your first mission." Arthur said.
Louise tilted her head to the side. "Partnering someone with a new partner, especially after I have been out of the work for the past two years almost, is a suicide mission. Partners need to train together in order to learn about each other." Her own eyes narrowed. "Are you trying to have us killed, Arthur?"
He watched her silently. "Then do as you will. Train with the boy then."
"I want more information on him." Louise said. She leaned forward. "I know he is Matthews's brother. Tell me more about him. Such as, why was he so important that despite my class being the last of children that you were to train he was granted to be trained and placed as an agent?"
"Because he was Matthews brother and he showed the most promise." Arthur said. "A good agent he is, despite being a bit loud and annoying at times. Brothers, yet nothing alike."
Louise took in a deep breath. "So he is nothing like Matthew?"
"Nothing." Arthur said. "Nothing at all."
She felt herself relax slightly. "Why partner him with me though?"
Arthur shrugged. "You and Matthew were great partners, you worked together very nicely and performed the missions wonderfully. We are hoping that the same will happen with Alfred."
"You do realize that they are different people and therefore there will be differences in how we conduct our missions now, right?" she asked.
"Details." Arthur said waving his hand. "We have the utmost trust in you."
"You shouldn't." Louise said under her breath. However only Francis heard her.
"First things first, you need to put on weight." the doctor said. "I am really concerned over just how much you lost."
Louise refused to flinch. The doctor at the base, one Ekaterina Braginsky, always had an effect on people to make them feel bad or young. She was an older sister through and through and she knew how to use that to her advantage.
Not to mention the fact that she was freakishly strong just as her brother was and had nothing against using her strength to hold her patients in place.
Louise had always liked Ekaterina. The woman was open and kind and very loving. She enjoyed playing the older sister role to everyone regardless of age and if Louise didn't go to Francis or Matthew or just wanted a more feminine touch she had always gone to Ekaterina. The woman was truthful and she honestly cared about everyone in her care.
Not to mention she was always quiet whenever Louise or Matthew would sneak in alcohol and would give them cures to their hangovers with no lecture or disapproving gaze.
"I almost hate to ask how much I've lost." Louise said.
Ekaterina looked at her notes. "The last time I saw you was about a year ago. You were recovering for quite a while, six months in fact you spent in my hospital bed, and at the end for the last diagnosis you weighed a healthy one hundred and thirty pounds; mostly muscle." she said lifting her notes to find the numbers. "Now? I will be generous and say that you weigh one hundred pounds."
"And if you're not being generous?"
"Ninety five." Ekaterina said promptly. "And that's counting your clothes. Tell me the truth, how much did you eat in the past week at least?"
Louise lowered her gaze. "I know I had lunch every day." she said slowly. "The place I worked at ensured that. Breakfast I don't know and dinner I had at least every two days."
"No wonder I need to squish the part of me that wants to feed and fatten you up." Ekaterina said. She picked up Louise's arm and dropped it. "You're skin and bones."
"I need to get back in shape and I have two months before I'm given over to my teachers." Louise said. "Suggestions on how to start?"
"Running first." Ekaterina said after a few moments of thinking. "Take everything slow, don't sprain or push yourself too much for now. Running and swimming is good for the beginning, those two train all the muscles in your body. Do it for a week and come back to me and I'll tell you if you can go to the weights and hand to hand combat. If in two months you're still not in shape I'll write something to the boss to make sure that you won't get under your teachers again."
Louise smiled, in a sense she smiled in reality she was lifting the side of her mouth, at Ekaterina. "Thank you."
"I don't think I'm ready for this." Louise confessed to Francis as they walked down the hall.
"Bosses orders." Francis said apologetically. "I'm sorry but you need to meet with your partner."
They stopped outside of a door. Francis turned to Louise.
"Just brace yourself." he told her. "He honestly does look a lot like Matthew."
Louise nodded as she steeled herself.
Francis looked at her once more in concern before he opened the door. Louise noticed a boy with his back to her talking with another agent.
"Alfred Jones." Francis said getting the boys attention as he slowly turned around. "This is Louise Beilschmidt."
I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter.
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Until next time.
This is Phoenix-Fire Power over and out.
