Alrighty, folks. Sorry for the wait, but I promise it'll be worth it. I've been talking with the lovely Teddy'sTwin, and we've decided that our stories go together beautifully, so we'll be doing some co-writing in the near future. We had to work out some details before I continued. Also, this is an excellent time, if you so desire, to go check out her story, Hope Rising. And without further ado...
The rooms were beautiful.
Seriously, Asa wasn't sure if she'd ever seen such skillful interior decorating. She was sure that the basic architecture was a subtle nod to Andrew Lloyd Wright at his finest, but the materials were a beautiful balance between natural and sleekly modern. The living space faded seamlessly into what appeared to be a totally empty kitchen, and an archway at the opposite end lead to a hallway sporting three doors- hinge kinds, not the kind that slid shut behind them upon entering. There were no windows, but the height of the ceiling and the well-lit proportions almost made up for it. She whistled in appreciation; Hawkeye stared around impassively.
"I'm so glad you like it." Liretto slithered around from behind them into the living room. "It's very important to me that my guests are comfortable." She began to stalk around, explaining things as she reached them.
"You'll notice that there are no useful tools anywhere- not even the kitchen. No electricity, except for the lights, which were specially matched to the color of the walls." They followed her reluctantly into the hallway. "Bathroom through here; it's rather rudimentary I'm afraid, but it'll do. Bedrooms," she opened two doors opposite each other to reveal two identical bedrooms. "Everything is made in one piece, and all of the furniture is attached to the floors. You can't even take the drawers out of the walls." Asa peered around the doorframe to where Liretto was demonstrating the dressers, which were indeed set directly into the walls next to the beds. "And of course, you don't have much to put into the drawers anyway, but I thought they were a nice touch. Homey." This entire time, Hawkeye had been watching everything with rapt attention, no doubt searching for anything that might aid an escape. Asa thought that he was less than pleased with what he saw.
"You'll be monitored, of course, but other than that, do feel free to make yourselves at home. I'll come round to visit later." Liretto smiled ferally at them, then paced to the door, which slid shut behind her. Hawkeye stood utterly still until she'd been gone for a full minute, then began a brisk investigation of the rooms. He tapped on walls, tested joints, and opened cupboards. Occasionally he would pause, leaned slightly forward as though listening, then move on. After having investigated every square inch of their cell, he came and sat in a chair next to Asa, perched on the very edge.
"She's right. There's no way out, and every word we say is being recorded. No video feed, though. Even Liretto would need some kind of camera for that."
Asa pursed her lips tightly together until he finished, then burst out, "What is up with this? I mean, if we're prisoners, what's with all the luxury?" She'd been bouncing ideas around in her head since they'd arrived, but wasn't pleased with any of them.
Clint's eyebrows furrowed slightly.
"Comfort. She wants us to lower our guard. Talk freely. That's why all the bugs are hidden. Listen to me, Asa." He looked her straight in the eyes. "There's no telling what she's going to do to us. She'll know that you don't have any valuable information. But soon, I may not be in any state to think clearly. You cannot let me relax. You cannot let me speak." Asa chewed her lip nervously, sifting through the implications of his words. "Do you understand?"
He was saying that Liretto was going to torture him. To hurt him until he was no longer lucid, then toss him back in here. In that state, there was no telling what secrets he could inadvertently let slip.
She nodded. He kept her gaze for a moment more, then stood with a sigh.
"Alright, then. We should get some sleep."
Asa closed her bedroom door behind her. It was illogical, but it made her feel a little safer.
There was no way to mark time, but Asa tried anyway. Mostly, she just assumed that Clint knew what he was doing and measured her days by the internal clock that seemed to guide him. Going by that standard, they were only left alone in the rooms about a week.
It felt like a year.
Clint spent the week in a host of mysterious tasks, mostly inspecting things that Asa couldn't seem to be able to see. She could only assume that he was looking for a way out, and judging by the fact that they never went anywhere, he was obviously less than successful. The door was impenetrable, there were no objects of any kind except furniture, which appeared to be all one piece with the floor, and they didn't even have running water. Sinks, yes. But not taps which could potentially be pulled off and used as weapons. Food came only when neither of them were in the front room, and it seemed the only things the guards were capable of making were peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
Asa spent the week pacing, and worrying. At least once during every waking period, she spent a few hours dancing. It was longer than she'd spent at the barre in a long time, and her body protested at first. Glad for the distraction, she pushed herself harder, but her body picked up old habits fast, and soon it wasn't enough to keep her safe from own thoughts.
At best, she paced. She paced carefully, refusing to let herself run, or stop. Running, she told herself, wouldn't help. She couldn't outrun people who held her captive. There was nowhere to run. So she walked slowly. For something to do, she told herself.
At worst, she sat in the middle of the floor and hugged her knees to her chest. At worst she chewed on her lips and remembered. Memories of seeing herself, being threatened by her own mirror image, made her heart pound in her chest. The balcony, too, was a recurring theme, standing out in the cool, humid air in her new dress, and watching the sweet man she'd just danced with get shot in the chest. The dull thud of the arrow, the look of surprise on his face… she couldn't stop thinking about it.
At the worst, she remembered what it felt like when she pulled the arrow out of him. There had been a moment, just a single moment, when she thought she could save him. One moment when she had wanted to leave the arrow in, when that cursed instinct that she'd fought with her whole career had told her, "You can do this." As impossible as it seemed, something had told her that it made sense to heal the wound as she pulled the arrow out. That if she could do it slowly, it would be alright. But that was impossible. There was no way to close up the wound without removing the arrow first. So, just as all of her teachers and mentors had taught her, she shushed the voice and made a choice. She couldn't save him; there was too much damage. But still, she'd pulled up all of her medical training, known that the heart couldn't continue to beat around the barbed head, and removed it.
She'd been right. He bled out through her hands, and she couldn't stop it.
Asa shook her head, told herself to stop being a baby. She'd seen people die before. People she liked, cared about. People she was supposed to be able to save.
But this was different. It was never her fault, before. She was just an intern. Ultimately, it wasn't her decision. When the voice in her head told her to do something, she could suggest it, and let a qualified doctor make the decision. Sometimes it helped, sometimes it didn't. Most often, her suggestions were considered and discarded. Medicine was a science, not an art, and instincts were no match for years of research and facts. So it wasn't her fault. At the end of the day, she could tell someone's family that they had done everything they could.
Not this time. This time, she'd been too slow. She'd hesitated for a second, let herself wonder if there was another way to do it, and a man had died.
That was what really kept her pacing. That was what always drove her up onto her feet again, wouldn't let her sleep, and made her long for something other than this constant tedium. Anything was better than sitting around with nothing better to do than sit around and wonder 'what if.' Anything at all.
Bum bum bum! What now? Well, keep reading and find out...
Also, by the way, you guys rock. Seriously, you're the best readers Of. ALL. TIME.