Grey Area
'But we found out: the drink could not sate us, and the food turned to ash in our mouths, and no amount of pleasant company could ease our torment. We are cursed men.' (Curse of the Black Pearl'
It amazed him how even unconscious Lisa still managed to look distressed and he couldn't remember a time when he saw her face unguarded and at peace. He smirked to himself as she resembled perfectly a damsel in the arms of her own white knight that saved her from the cruel and wicked world; but of course, there was no role for him or for her in this tale, there is no black and white, but a grey area in the real world. He wondered briefly how she was but the slight tickle in his throat warned him not to. A dangerous wave of anger smashed his drifting thoughts and he resumed placing her - not too kindly in the backseat. She went to slip down the seat in her unconscious state as Jackson bent over to get the seat-belt.
"You should get a move on, the.. Errr, Kerfuffle back there made some noise."
Jackson caught her head before it hit the seat, sharply snapping the seat-belt into place before glaring up at the amused profile of his partner, sunglasses in place,regardless of the night sky and smoking in the front seat of the car.
"There is no need to point out the obvious Kellerman. I know what to do. You do your job and leave me to mine." Jackson snapped.
"Then lets hope that that knowledge of yours has improved from your last job, eh?" Kellerman supplied sardonically, twisting briefly in Jackson's direction. A pause ensued before the snide remark and the anger that Jackson masked professionally lessened.
"Don't smoke in my car." He shot back, earning a small chuckle from Kellerman in the front seat, who took one last long drag before the window lowered down and he slowly flicked it out of the window. Meanwhile, Jackson, still holding Lisa's head , lowered it to the seat and betrayed his logical reasoning by sliding a curl from her cheek. He leaned back slightly, pushing his hair from his eyes before withdrawing and straightening his Jacket. Closing the door, he let out a sigh before returning to the seat of his car and leaving Lisa's condo. The cigarette scolding the scatter of Crocus's next to Lisa's pathway.
Opening her eyes slowly, blurred images and a headache assaulted her at once, making her nauseous. Contradictorily, she felt extremely comfortable, looking sideways she saw that she was placed on a beautiful bedspread, soft and clean, briefly she stroked the fabric. panic shot through her suddenly and she reached down for her clothes, realising that they were still the same as she had placed them that morning - or was it that same day? How long had she been out for? Another presence in the room made her stop in her thoughts, agonizingly slowly, she turned her head in the other direction to see a man she had never seen before standing a few feet away. Immediately she scrambled into a sitting position, a shot of pain rang through her head and her vision blurred, making her more nauseous. She thought she heard a brief chuckle and the soft click of a door closing. Her vision began to return.
"What's going on here?" She heard a low voice demand. A voice she knew all too well. His figure came into focus, his cystaline blue eyes focused on her but his question aimed at the other man. She glanced at him, her hand lowering from her head, a smirk appeared on his face and he gave no indication that he was to answer Jackson.
"Leave her be." She whipped her head back to Jackson, his face still unreadable. The cold tendrils of fear, that she hadn't known for many months, began it's course up her spine. In the corner of her eye she saw the man smirk wider and then turn to leave, she couldn't decide what was worse, both of them or dealing with Jackson alone. After hearing the soft click of the door, immediately Lisa sought a weapon or escape. She heard his footsteps and flinched backwards as his hand shot out - only to hand her a glass of water.
There was a tense silence, as if a string had been stretched to the point of snapping if pulled any tighter. The fragile bond between them existed only in the pretense of a co-operation that Lisa was unwilling to comply with. Regardless of his motives, she could still feel the gag of the chloroform and the sting of the glass in her knees, for her that was enough to remind her of his anger and his violence. Taking a sip of the water, she abruptly threw the contents into Jackson's face and swung her leg round to kick him in the groin. He stumbled backwards, spluttering and Lisa immediately stood to run and was shocked to find the familiar creep of blackness in her vision as she became dizzy once more, it wasn't two steps before she stumbled and felt an arm around her waist, seemingly to keep her upright.
"You never learn do you, Leese?" He hissed, a slight rasp to his voice. Pushing backwards onto the matress as she still continued to fight the dizziness.
"What have you done to me?" She asked in a small voice, footsteps ensued as she shut her eyes tightly against her headache.
"It was only water, Leese." She heard him insist above her. She opened her eyes and searched his.
"I don't believe you." She replied quietly, her voice fearful and un-trusting. Impatiently, Jackson put the glass on the side table , his movements eliciting her own. She stood again, intent on the exit.
"Keep away from me!" She called, hysteria evident in her voice. Grappling the doorknob, Lisa felt a barrage of anger and upset about the situation, he hadn't explained himself as of yet but either way, she was tired of it all. She shrieked as the solid mass of Jackson's chest knocked into her before hauling her backwards. Clawing at the hand that held her and kicking at anything she could, it granted her no escape from his hold.
"No! Jackson! Don't! You don't understand, I had to save him, I had to!" She screamed. The air was knocked out of her lungs as she was thrown on the mattress, by this point, fearful sobs wrenched from her throat. Jackson came to sit at the edge of the bed beside her, his hand resting lightly on her throat and collarbone in-case she moved.
"Lisa, look at me." He commanded softly. She shook her head in defiance, too afraid to lock gazes with him.
"Yes, Lisa, look. At. Me." He punctuated with the slight shake of her face. She opened them and he looked as if he was to say something, instead he searched her eyes for something, the search made her uncomfortable and his behaviour so far made her wary.
"Tell, me Leese, did you save Keefe because you wanted to save his life or did you do it to save yourself?" He asked snidely, all traces of softness leaving his face. She quickly sat up and slapped him round the face in fury.
"Your pathetic!" She spat furiously. Her fury quickly dissipated when Jackson moved his face back to face her, a dangerous glint in his eye as his cheek grew an angry crimson. She gasped, realising her actions and moved backwards away from him, he snatched her wrist in a bruising grip, yanking it harshly toward himself. She could hear his breathing, laboured in his anger.
"I will never apologise for what I did, especially to you." She continued, her voice twisted in pain.
"I don't want your apologies, Lisa...This isn't revenge." He replied in a quiet and dangerously calm voice. Throwing her arm away from him harshly.
"As fate would have it, this is a job." He continued with certainty.
"A job? What do you mean a job, a job from who?" She demanded with a silent fear. He watched her closely as he spoke his name slowly.
"Keefe." He supplied, standing and then proceeding to the bathroom with the empty glass. She thought over what he said, he had always spoken cryptically, always with a subtext or a hidden motive but none of this was making sense. He wasted no time and swiftly re-entered the room with a, now, full glass.
"I don't unde-"
"Here, drink this, it'll make you feel less nauseous and dizzy." He interrupted, his stance looming above her as he stared her down. "It'll all be over soon." He added.
"What do you need me coherent for this time, Jack?" She bit out, matching his words from the flight, before taking the glass from him and then taking large swallows of the liquid.
"Who said anything about coherent, Leese?" He replied sardonically, a smirk in place. She stopped drinking, looking at the glass and back at him as she felt drowsiness invade her mind and thoughts.
"What have you done?" She gasped, staring at him wide eyed as panic battled the tiredness spreading like a disease in her mind. He leaned down and pulled her down until her head was on the pillow.
"I do understand Lisa, Which is why, Im sure you'll understand that I have to do this." He stated, sitting down next to her as tears slid down her face, into her hairline. He looked her over and back at her eyes as he pulled back down her skirt that had ridden upwards. She gasped in fright.
"I want out." He added with finality.
"You lied." She chocked in her tired state, betrayal and fear evident in her eyes and voice as she thought of what she would have to face when she next woke. He gave a small smile.
"You should know better than anyone that I don't lie... Don't fight it Leese, it's for your own good." He promised. She stared up at him until her eyes closed.
He was certain she was asleep, yet the distress etched on her face didn't seem to sate his satisfaction. He found himself wishing that she could find solace and peace in sleep that he knew she couldn't find in her conscious existence. Which may account for why he swiped the tears glistening on her face and then slowly brushed down her forehead and cheek with his knuckles in an almost soothing manner. He stood slowly, eyes still on her as he got out his phone.
"We got her, we'll be there in 2 hours - she's fine." He spoke quickly, intent, more than ever, to get this over with. He shut the phone. The room was silent.
"We both know that fine isn't good enough." He whispered to her.
So - Its been a while, but I often find that I have to get in the 'writing zone' in order to write such a difficult chapter. Lisa and Jackson's first interaction is always prominent in Red Eye fics, not to mention the most difficult. I think authors have to decide whether Lisa is defiant/shocked/afraid/hysterical and likewise, Jackson to be either violent/angry/obnoxiously charming/vulnerable. Its hard to get a balance of what readers want, so I hope it did justice. For anyone that has seen 'Prison Break' - it inspired The Company that Jackson discusses - Kellerman is an agent on the show that inspired the basis of my version of Kellerman - he contains hints of Krendler from 'Hannibal.'
Let me know what you think! B x