AN: 3.7

Flame

Holder lays a hand on her shoulder and rubs gentle circles there. She's high-strung, afraid, so on edge that the slightest unexpected touch might make her shrink away. The last thing she'd felt had been the point of a gun on her head, after all.

He wants to pull her closer, to hold onto her tight to make sure she's really there and safe. Instead, he gives her some space because he knows what's going on in the inside of her mind and it's not the time for that, if there ever is a time.

Holder grabs her by the back of the neck and shoves her as hard as he can. She's a junkyard lying little bitch and he has no mercy for her. He was a fool to have trusted her and he wants her to know that she'd pissed off the wrong person.

He doesn't know what he'll do if she doesn't get out of his sight. Everything about her screams dirty and scum and trash. He doesn't understand how she could turn on him. How, after everything, that she could possibly do that.

He shows up with some blissfully greasy take-out. For some time, they eat in silence.

He's screaming at the top of his lungs and he doesn't care who hears.

"I thought I'd lost you there for a second. Just when I was getting used to you."

"Yeah, that's right. I'm not your friend. I don't give a shit about you. You're just a nobody, nothing, punk-ass kid. Now get out!"

Desperation makes Holder destroy everything in his path to get to the thing he wants. He'd told himself he'd change and he has. But some things are so deeply rooted in who you are that they stay with you regardless of how long you've stayed off the drugs (or sex, or meat, or…). Regardless, the danger has passed now and they can get back on track, together.

Desperation makes Holder destroy everything in his path to get to the thing he wants. He'd told himself he'd change and he has. But some things are so deeply rooted in who you are that they stay with you regardless of how long you've stayed off the drugs (or sex, or meat, or…). Regardless, this friendship is over. She is an unreliable C.I. and there is nothing left to talk about.

In that moment, the most important thing to him is Linden.

At that moment, he couldn't hate Bullet any more.

I'm glad you're okay.

I hope you're okay.

You can trust me.

I'm here.

I've got your back.

I'm glad I found you.

I'm glad I got there in time.

I should have gotten there sooner.

Liar.

LIAR.

I don't care about you.

Nobody does.

'Cause that's what you are.

A nobody.

Now get out.

Leave.

Disappear.

Burn.

-End-