j-amiemcarthur

[j-amiemcarthur]

As quickly as the other boy had disappeared, Carmen was appearing in her line of vision giving orders to the guards that had just broken through. Jamie pulled herself up, still leaning back against the wall, but now she could see Chris being pinned to the floor by the guy who looked alarmingly like him and a panic washed over her. They were going to take him away. "No." It came out as a whisper, barely even a breath. Chris was going to disappear and she would never get another chance; not that she did too well this time.

Carmen moved in front of her, shifting her attention from Chris and her head shook automatically at her words. "I failed. I wasn't strong enough... I couldn't-..." Jamie was still firmly on the floor, but the room was spinning and forming sentences was hard. She had been so stupid. How could she have ever thought that she was capable of taking down a vampire. She was just a stupid girl and that's all anyone would ever see when they looked at her; the idiot kid that thought she could take down Chris Andrews.

His voice reverberated through the room and the words hit her- brother. There was another Andrews brother? Jamie's eyes darted to the figure backing away into the other cell and she suddenly became aware of the fact that he had been there the entire time, watching the entire interaction between them. She might have taken a moment to feel embarrassed about that if Chris' voice hadn't chimed in again, this time calling out to her- calling her name. Jamie scrambled forward, peering around Carmen as a syringe was plunged into his neck. She felt as desperate to get to him as he had sounded, but she stayed put; it wouldn't do to look like she cared. "What are they going to do to him?"

@kxllercarmen

Here's the thing: Carmen wasn't going to let Jamie McArthur die. There was a certain risk factor, sure. She'd made it more than clear that she was willing to take the hits to get the job done. Carmen respected that, and she wanted to give Jamie a chance. Was it "ethical"? Was it "protocol"? Was it what the "Institute 2.0" was striving to achieve in this new world? No. But it was effective.

If the prisoner hadn't held Hostile 0622 - Christopher Andrews - back, Carmen would have decapitated him herself. Simple as that. The door practically exploded open, and she was barking orders with ease. "Take him to the sublevel, maximum security. Tell Xav it's now or never, I want him ready to go. And do yourself a favour - knock him the hell out before taking him down. No one wants to hear it." She eyed the prisoner with suspicion as the team rolled in to take care of Chris Andrews. "And what the hell are you doing?"

Glaring a moment longer, she turned to ignore them both and headed over to Jamie. She kneeled down, face and tone suddenly softening as she looked down at her. They were so close and there was so much commotion, no one else would hear them. At least, no one important. "You did good, McArthur." And she meant it, too. Jamie might not have been able to finish the job, but she'd given it a hell of a shot. This had been her shot, though. As far as Chris Andrews goes, this was it for her. "Gotta let my boys have him now."

@christopherbites

[j-amiemcarthur]

"Yeah, I've been going out of my mind a little. Next time there's a supernatural attack, I'll need to remember to pack a jigsaw." Her attempt to keep the conversation light fell a little flat as she trailed off, memories from that night trickling back in. Jamie took a deep breath and lowered her hand from her ribs, the pain finally settling again. "Definitely not an experience I had on my bucket list." She laughed a little when Blair told her not to move. "Just help with the tech? This place would fall apart without people like you! Do you think if things ever chill down here, you could teach me how to hack something?"

Not that Blair wanted to judge (it was just that being judgmental was a thing that happened, almost a state of being for her) but if she were the one lying in a makeshift hospital bed, having survived a supernatural attack, she did not think she could manage to be so perky. It was cool that Jamie McArthur had a good attitude about things. "It's good to be prepared. And not bored. Especially down here."

Her eyes narrowed when Jamie flinched. She was no doctor, but that wasn't a good sign. "And especially when cracked ribs are involved. I've heard those can be a real pain in the ass. Try not to...well, move." Yeah, not so helpful. At Jamie's next comment, Blair shrugged, trying to not blush at the compliment. "I just help out with the tech. This-" She gestured around the room. "This is an all-hands on deck type deal."

[j-amiemcarthur]

"Yes, because stealing a vampire from another vampire isn't the height of irresponsibility." She snapped, her heart not entirely in it. Jamie had been so giddy to find out about Scott and Carrie, despite the Alex of it all. She had never meant to throw it in his face like this. But the longer he spoke (which was much longer than she had ever heard him speak before!), the less she cared. "And who exactly are we classing as adults? The hundred-plus year old vampires? The thirty-year-olds running the place? You're three years older than me, Scott. Does that make you more qualified to make a decision? Does being an admin for the Resistance?" She was being petty and she knew it, but ever since the dome had come down, Jamie felt like her life was spiralling out of control. Killing Chris Andrews was something she could control.

"Jess was locked up, she escaped. Charlie was locked up, they released him. Institutes around the world fell, releasing hundreds of dangerous captives and you think this place is going to hold Chris Andrews?" She challenged, an eyebrow raised. "I don't care if it turns the tide or if it's barely a drop in the ocean... I want him dead."

She didn't have to justify herself to him, that was true, but that only meant that it was open season for his judgement. "Sure, I won't be be able to physically stop you." He could feel the tension build in his jaw as she confronted him with her apparent knowledge of Carrie's earlier visit. "You're comparing that to this bloody peak of irresponsibility and naivety?" Had the proposed killing of Chris Andrews not been the focus of this argument, he might've been embarrassed. Right now, however, he was furious. "If it's death you want, Jamie, then you will fucking have it. It's him - just him, or you, and every poor asshole standing in his way while he tears himself out of here. All because you believe that you, and you alone, have the guts to do what professional, goddamn adults can't. What does it fucking matter if they keep him alive? He's still locked up. You think killing Chris Andrews is somehow going to turn the tide in our favour? You think the manor is just going to crumble at the knees at your prowess for killing a tiny piece of their goddamn fucking army?"

[j-amiemcarthur]

Upon hearing Carrie's footsteps exiting the room, Jamie's eyes shot open and she sat upright, her eyes frantically moving between Scott's sleeping form and the door. Her mouth opened and closed multiple times before settling on a silent scream. Had she been the only one to hear every single second of that? Did she actually just hear Scott Smith tell Carrie McReid that he wants her and thinks about her all the time? And that she wants him too? Had she fallen into a rom-com? This was so overwhelmingly romantic! Jamie dropped back into her pillow and desperately fought the urge to squeal and kick her feet.

For a while he'd feared that he'd said too much, or too little, as she stayed quiet, and her quiet was always deafening now. The silence that filled the space that once was her steady breath amplified his own. The way her body could stay so incredibly still making him all too aware of the heart fighting against his own chest. The ambient noise of medical equipment and that ever persistent beeping filled the void with such intensity he could hardly keep himself sane. He flinched at the immediate dispersal of it all as her fingers tapped warmth across his cheek. Instinctively his hand clasped around hers, bringing it to his lips before resting it between his palms.

I wouldn't be okay. Neither would he, but he wasn't ready to face that. He smiled tentatively, a short chuckle escaping as he thought about her words. "You're right. I should've told you to fuck off a long time ago, McReid. Look at us now," he said, with affection, "two fools."

Relief had blanketed him as if their confessions had released half of his pain and discomfort, and he was fighting to stay awake. His gut told him she wouldn't be there in the morning, as he knew she couldn't be. He'd loathe to burden her with the judgement of their peers. Jess's words still sat like lead in him. He fought to keep his eyes on Carrie, with her hand held safely in the palms of his, but it wasn't long before he was drifting to sleep.

[j-amiemcarthur]

Jamie tilted her head back as his hand reached for her throat, not wanting him to get the upper hand, but not willing to back off. It was a foolish move; she should have taken the opportunity to run. The adrenaline was wearing off and exhaustion was hitting her hard. Her one chance to take him out and she had fucked it. She should have run. His touch was terrifyingly gentle- more gentle than she would have ever imagined him capable of- and his words... God, those words. Her eyes closed for the briefest moment, but she snapped them back open, refusing to break eye contact- refusing to feel... whatever she was feeling.

And just like that, his grip tightened, cutting off her oxygen as she was pulled upright. Jamie wasn't quick enough this time. Before she could even think of shifting to escape him, she was being thrust across the room and collided with-... Was that the control panel? Pain shot through her entire body, her vision going in and out of focus as she lay crumpled against the wall. Scott's voice echoed in her mind as she tried- and failed- to get back to her feet.

'It’s him - just him, or you, and every poor asshole standing in his way while he tears himself out of here. All because you believe that you, and you alone, have the guts to do what professional, goddamn adults can’t.'

He was going to escape and it would be entirely her fault. What had she been thinking? Who was she trying to fool? The spiralling internal monologue was cut off by Chris lunging for her, fangs bared, and she closed her eyes... only, nothing happened. Suddenly, hands were holding her so tenderly, lifting her head to get her attention. Jamie's eyes opened and a gasp escaped her as a beautiful man asked her if she was alright. "I-..." She was struggling to focus on him, but as his fangs extended and his eyes darkened, she was horrified to realise that he looked like him. And then he was gone.

@kxllercarmen

In all the time that Chris' humanity had been off, he hadn't felt quite so alive than at this moment. He hadn't been close to someone like this... maybe ever. Jamie couldn't kill him, despite giving it everything she had, and yet she stayed planted in her fury. Her breath was ragged, bloody lips and fangs mere moments away from his own. Chris had felt empty, forever seeking something to make his heart feel like it was beating again, his blood pumping like it had to again. Jamie McArthur got the job done.

His laughter quietened as she leaned even closer, deadlier and more impressive than ever. It was excruciatingly intimate. As her venom poured into him, he wondered if the rest of the world had ceased to exist. Chris couldn't focus on anything else. He had no idea if the Institute were about to break in, he hadn't given one thought to his new brother, who was watching this performance from the front row. No, Chris only saw her. Only felt her. Her claws pressed into his skin and he reached for her throat, but he was just as gentle. "That sounds like the beginning of a love story," he said in a low voice, just for her. "Not the end."

A minute or an hour could have passed between them as their eyes locked. Then, suddenly, Chris' grip tightened, and he was back on his feet with Jamie in tow. She was thrilling, yes. Delicious. A drug he could see himself succumbing to. But the facts remained, he had to get the hell out of here. With that, he threw Jamie with all that was left of his strength, and she hit the wall, hard. Something had broken, he could hear the electrical sparks of broken wires, but it didn't matter. He didn't notice that Percy Andrews' adjoining cell had opened, he was too focused on her. "But I've been wrong before," he said, moving to pounce and finish this before it had a chance to become ruinous.

@p-ercyandrews

[j-amiemcarthur]

Jamie couldn't think, couldn't process the surrounding information. There was only Chris and her, and her useless hand that wasn't strong enough to do what she needed it to; she wasn't strong enough. She felt like a child having a tantrum, kicking and screaming at the mall because her parents wouldn't buy her an ice cream. She roared until she couldn't- until her throat dried out. She pushed into his chest until she couldn't- until the muscle in her arm went limp. It wasn't fair!

And he was laughing.

His hand gripped hers and pulled, mocking her with an attempt to help. Jamie could feel her fingers sliding in deeper, but the ache in them made her sure that if he kept going, it was more likely that her bones would break before his. Her gaze was full of venom as she stared down at him, breathing heavily- panting, even. She tried to ignore the shiver that ran down her spine when he called her baby, convincing herself that it was disgust, but pressed up against him like this, she was struggling to formulate a coherent thought.

The pain in her wrist as he tightened his grip and tore her from his chest, snapped her somewhat back to reality. A whimper escaped her as her bones threatened to shatter under the pressure, but she held her position mere inches from his face. "Like you?" Jamie scoffed, leaning impossibly closer, their noses brushing, as she spoke through gritted fangs. "I abhor you. I detest you." Her other hand seized his jaw, claws gently imbedding themselves in his skin. "With everything that I am, I loathe you, Chris Andrews."

There was a brief moment when they both stood, staring each other down, her breath coming sharp and fast. It was like music to his ears. Chris rarely felt as if he were prey, but now... he did. Her eyes were burning, her pretty features turned animalistic, as his blood dripped from her claws. Chris thought she was devastatingly beautiful. Mercilessly enchanting. A face he could enjoy being the last thing he ever saw on this mortal coil. With all that in mind, he still wanted to kill her.

Charging at her had been a mistake, one she quickly rectified by throwing him to the ground. Before he knew it, he was pinned to the ground, unable to look away from her. He could feel her heart racing, her blood pounding. The adrenaline that coursed through her veins felt like it was coursing through his. This was it, the big finish. He wanted it. Even as he screamed in protest, sounding more like a dying animal than anything else, a part of him welcomed it. Jamie McArthur could have him.

The feral growl echoed in his head, her hair cascading around him as she bared her teeth and plunged her claws into his chest. He couldn't look away. She was magnificent. And then... nothing. Searing pain, yes. She was desperate to get her hands on his heart, yes. But she couldn't do it. Suddenly, a delighted and unhinged laugh erupted from Chris' lips. It was loud and chilling, and entirely genuine. "Oh, baby," he choked out, bloody grin on his face, "You just can't let me go, can you? Come on. Come on-," he punctuated it by grabbing tightly to her wrist, pushing her hand, but not enough to kill him. His grip tightened more then, yanking her hand from his chest with a pained growl. "I knew you liked me."

[j-amiemcarthur]

Her whole body tingled when he screamed in pain. She had done that; she had hurt him so badly that he had to cry out. She wanted him to make that sound again. The accusation bellowed through the room and Jamie couldn't stop a delighted, sadistic laugh from escaping her lips. His fury thrilled her. His tousled hair, the gleam in his eyes, the fangs... thrilled her. Maybe when she was back in her bed later tonight, she would unpack all of these twisted thoughts, comb through them one at a time to analyse what the fuck was wrong with her, but for now, she was content to ignore it all in favour of her adrenaline high.

After sweeping his leg, she swiftly stood upright, but it still wasn't faster than him. He was back on his feet before she could even catch her breath. There was a brief moment where they were both just standing there, staring at each other. Jamie was alarmed to realise that she could have stayed like that for an eternity; watching him watch her, the anticipation of what was to come. She had never in her life felt anything so raw, and aggressive, and... passionate.

Chris charged at her, and she did the only thing she could think to do- drop. The momentum of his attack sent his body stumbling over her and she grabbed him from below, flipping him fully over so that his back was to the ground. This time, however, she pinned him in place, straddling him for extra support. Jamie knew that she should shift- her body was screaming at her to- but she wanted him to look into her human eyes when she ended him. Fangs bared and hair falling down towards his face, she released a feral growl before sinking her clawed hand into his chest; only... she could only force her way in through is ribcage up to her knuckles, and no amount of screaming could give her the strength to get further.

She was magnificent, wasn't she? Ferocious, furious... feral. Chris' undead heart was racing, his whole being elated as she snarled at his grip. He should have finished her off. He didn't want to. In fact, in this moment, he truly wondered if he could. Chris was older, stronger, and he had no humanity to weigh him down.

But Jamie, she was fuelled by emotion. She didn't hesitate, she didn't slow down. Chris had been starved, weakened by whatever they were pumping into his cell - some magic, he suspected - and she was taking full advantage. She wanted to kill him, and he wanted her to. He wanted her to get closer than anyone ever had before, and want it too much - want him too much - to finish the job. "I don't be--," the words were cut off by an animalistic scream as Jamie's claws tore into his flesh, dragging down from his face to his chest, blood running fast from him. His healing was sluggish, but it was still working.

"Cheater!" he roared as she shifted away from him, only to return moments later to kick him to the ground. Chris landed harshly, groaning as he did so. He rolled, rising to his feet fast enough, fangs bared again as he saw red. He should have run. He should have put distance between them. Instead, he came charging at her again, half-cocked and full of rage. Desire. Want.

[j-amiemcarthur]

"Romantic fantasy." She stated as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, and completely ignored his raised hand. "Usually it's about humans falling in love with shifters, and the fae, and... vampires." She coughed a little, flinching as pain radiated through her ribs. Jamie grinned at him, grateful that he wasn't fussing over her and that he was still making jokes. It was easy to keep up the guise that she was fine when he was rambling on like his usual self.

Jamie was happy to see the relief on his face at the news that Bobby was okay, but it quickly faded into something else. "Robbie, that's a bit dramatic." She rolled her eyes, hiding her own hurt at the fact her own boyfriend hadn't wanted to take her to prom. It was for the best, in the end. "He had plans with friends and it-... it was just a silly school dance." Repeating his words felt wrong- she hadn't believed them before and she certainly didn't believe them now, but she felt an insane need to defend him. "It doesn't matter."

"What the hell is a romantasy?" He asked, immediately raising his hand to stop any answer as he the recognised the risk of actually finding out. He was not about to be sucked down into a rabbithole of wordy pages about Roman anything. "You won't trick me this easily, McArthur." He smiled at her, choosing to keep the mood light despite recognising the pain behind her own smile. He was sure she had enough people tending to her injuries, so he'd tend to her humour instead. "Excellent. My lawyer will contact your lawyer."

Robbie couldn't help but sigh with relief as she confirmed his cousin was, most likely, okay. "Oh good, that's a rel- hold on." The reason why his asshole cousin was okay hit him like someone had just insulted his mother. "Bobby didn't take you to prom?" Now he was just straight up pissed off. "I'll murder him."

[j-amiemcarthur]

destroy the idea that i will ever calm down

[j-amiemcarthur]

Jamie still wasn't fully healed and she could feel it when her body collided with his, knocking them both to the ground. Her right arm was no longer in a cast, but the vibration caused a sharp twinge of pain and when a furious snarl ripped from her throat, her ribs burned from the pressure. Looking into his eyes, though, she barely felt any of it. As quick as she was on him, he was sliding out from under her and she rolled to the side into a crouched stance, ready to pounce again.

She could see that his fangs were out too and she made a mental note to avoid them at all costs. Because they hadn't been feeding him, he would be in a much weaker state; the last thing she needed was to be giving him an energy boost. Jamie watched him carefully with fully blown pupils and a smile still on her lips. She hated him. With every fibre of her being, she hated him. But there was something else stirring beneath the surface. No matter where she went, Jamie always found her eyes scanning the room for him. Something inside her actively sought him out- wanted him to antagonise her, to look at her like that. She had never felt more alive than when Chris Andrews had his full attention locked on her.

Jamie lunged for him again, but he was too quick. His hand encased her throat and she gasped, unable to take a full breath. Her body shuddered as he spoke, one hand trying to loosen his grip and the other reaching out, though she wasn't sure if it was to pull him closer or to try to push him away. An animalistic snarl escaped her before she responded, "Good. Because if anyone in this room will be begging, it'll be you." Her outstretched hand whipped forward, her claws catching the side of his face and dragging down his neck to his chest. In a fluid motion, Jamie started shifting into a smaller form to escape his grasp, but quickly reversed the transition and remained in human form, her leg kicking out as she dropped to the floor to sweep at his legs.

Chris watched with anticipation as her hand pressed against his, imagining the glass wasn't between them. Her heart was racing, she was exhilarated, and he wanted nothing more than to know why. He wanted to join her, to follow her down this darkening path she was on. Jamie McArthur wanted to kill him, to tear him apart, and he couldn't think of a better way to die. When they'd last danced, it had been vicious and feral, the embodiment of feeling alive.

There was something different about this time. There was something different about her. He canted his own head, curious. He was desperate to know what she was doing, what her grand plan was. What could she possibly have up her... sleeve? The realisation dawned on him slowly, his eyes unable to take themselves off her. The implications, the manipulations, what she must have done to get them - the codes - his codes. This was his chance to escape. This was his chance.

When she turned back to face him, he could hardly contain his excitement, a new wave of energy rushing through him. He should run. Damn it all, he should have ran. But before he knew it, he had been tackled to the ground by her. Claws and fangs, but still her. He was so taken aback by the look in her eye, the sound of her heart, that he didn't react. Not until her teeth and claws were once again trying to tear him apart. He was slower, more sluggish, but he still managed to get out from under her. His own fangs were bared as he dodged her next brutal attack. She can't have been fully healed herself, could she? And yet, here she was. "If you were so desperate to get your hands on me again, you could have just asked." With that, he rushed back towards her, hand moving to grab her by the throat. "Go on, you won't even have to say 'please'."

[j-amiemcarthur]

Jamie's chest rose and fell in rapid succession as she watched him approach the glass, her eyes scanning him all the way from his head to his toes. They really were starving him. His hand pressed against the glass and her hand raised too, the motion completely out of her control as her hand aligned with his. She could feel her heart racing and knew that he would be able to hear it, but for once she didn't care. In fact, she liked that he could hear it; that he would know how excited she was for what she was about to do to him. The anticipation was euphoric.

As Chris spoke, her head tilted, a shiver running through her at the nickname he had bestowed upon her years ago. It disgusted her; it thrilled her. Jamie turned her attention to the control panel on the perpendicular wall to her right, eyes lingering for a moment before returning to meet his again. With her left hand still against the glass and without breaking eye contact, Jamie used her other hand to roll up her sleeve, revealing the code written on her arm.

Her smile widened as she wordlessly backed away from the glass, turning her back on him to input the code into the control panel. With a finger hovering over the last button, Jamie turned back to the cell to watch as the glass containing him dropped into the floor. "Who says we can't?" Claws extended from her fingertips, her canines elongated, and Jamie launched herself at Chris Andrews.

Christopher Andrews had a reputation in this town. Ever since he'd turned off his humanity, ever since the dome had come down, he'd taken to being the bad guy with ease. It was a part to play, and he played it beautifully. Being a monster, a vampire, was his speciality. In the last 3 years, though, it had become increasingly difficult to fill the empty void that came as a consequence of flipping that little switch. Jamie McArthur had been a welcome surprise, even before Founder's Festival.

He was in the corner of his cell now, eyes closed, as he focused on remaining calm. He could get out of this, or someone would come for him. Edward wouldn't leave him down here. Unfortunately, Chris knew there were worse fates than death for a vampire in the clutches of the Institute. He replayed prom night, her prom night, in his head. It helped him drown out the sound of the worst case scenario. It helped him ignore his newfound brother, Percy, in the adjoining cell. Jamie McArthur had almost killed him.

His eyes snapped open at the sound of the deadbolt locking them in. Speak of the devil, and she shall appear... Chris was on his feet immediately, closing the distance between them until they were separated by only his cell door. She had sunk her teeth into him, clawed at his body, tried to tear him to pieces. Jamie's eyes burned, the rage inside of her taking hold. It was a familiar look now, and he had longed to see it again. That night, he'd only had eyes for her. Chris' smile mimicked hers as he pressed his hand against the glass between them. "I knew you couldn't stay away," he said. Even in this state, starved and still wounded, he couldn't help smirking. "Too bad we can't finish what we started, angel."

[j-amiemcarthur]

Leaving the training room with the codes for Chris Andrews' cell scrawled over her arm made her feel like she was walking through the halls of the underground with a bomb strapped to her chest. Her eyes kept dropping to her arm; even though they were hidden by her sleeve, she swore she could still see them like a burn on her retinas. This was crazy. She was being crazy, and reckless, and it felt like every eye in the Resistance was on her, but it didn't matter. Jamie McArthur would never know peace until he was dead.

It didn't take her long to make her way to the holding cells. It wasn't exactly a secret where they were- they didn't expect anyone to be capable of doing what she was about to do, and secrets were a foreign concept when everyone lived in such close quarters. There were guards posted outside, of course. While Jamie knew that people were allowed to visit prisoners, she didn't want to risk having to explain herself, so before turning into the corridor, she turned herself into a fly and opted for entrance by vent instead.

In one smooth movement, she lowered herself to the ground on the other side of the door and shifted back into her human form. Jamie's back was to the cells as she bolted the door from the inside. It wouldn't keep them out indefinitely, but it would slow them down, at least. Taking a steadying breath, she turned around. The air was immediately seized from her lungs again as her eyes landed on him. It wasn't an active choice to start walking towards his cell- it was like a magnet was pulling her closer to him, stopped only by the glass of his cage. Her rage vibrated through her with every inhale, rendering her incapable of speech. Jamie just stared at him, hatred burning in her eyes as her lips curled into a smile... and she waved.

@christopher-bites

[j-amiemcarthur]

Jamie's head slowly turned when he started to clap. In all honestly, she had kind of forgotten that she wasn't alone in here, but it was too late for her to resurrect her faux fear. For a flicker of a moment, the image of her going down there specifically to tickle Chris crossed her mind and she wasn't sure if she should laugh or cringe. Thankfully, her face settled on an indignant eye roll. "I don't have to justify myself to you." Jamie hated the way he was looking at her- like she was some stupid kid with a death wish. No one had seen the state that she had left Chris in that night. If she hadn't left to help her friends, she would have killed him; she still could. "I heal faster than you, I won't be stuck in this bed much longer." Her fists were clenched in the sheets at her side, livid that he was sticking his nose into her business. After the things she had heard from his bedside, he had the audacity to judge her? "How about you just worry about your own Andrews brother and leave me alone to deal with mine."

Scott had unfortunate front row seats to the frankly incredible performance between Danny and Jamie as he was still stuck in med bay, and still neighbours with the poster child for fucking terrible ambition and determination. He watched as Danny made his exit scene right and Jamie dropped her act for the curtain call, before turning to her with a slow clap, "bravo." He'd seen Jamie's brain churn through the performance, and it was pissing him off that the foresight on this girl could be so lackluster. "What's the plan? You think you're gonna waltz in there and give him a final tickle?" Her insane, but valiant, obsession with the death of Chris Andrews was abundantly clear, regardless of her plan to see it happen. "It's bloody reckless. Use the remainder of neurons left in your noggin to realise that this is best left this to the Institute. You're fucked up enough as it is."

[j-amiemcarthur]

With tears still in her eyes, Jamie watched him stand from the chair and head to the exit. At his words, a knot twisted in her stomach. She didn't like manipulating him like this and he certainly didn't deserve her dramatics, but this was something she had to do. She smiled at Danny and continued to watch him until he was gone, hoping that he would forgive her. Sure that he wasn't coming back, Jamie dropped her knees back down and wiped the remaining tears from her eyes, her sad expression long gone as she sighed away the last of her lies.

@scott-smith-hih

Danny let out a relieved breath when she said 'okay'. Even if everything was far from it, at least this was a step in the right direction. With time, she could heal. Maybe even make her peace with it. Danny had to believe that there would be an after, that this fight would come to an end. That there was a future for them without monsters like Chris Andrews. He watched her closely, wishing again that he could do more for her. When Jamie gestured to the pillow, he nodded. "Of course," he said softly, pushing himself up from the chair at her bedside. He turned to leave, before pausing, giving her one last look back. "Hey... You were a badass out there. Rest up, and let the doc know if you need anything." With that, he turned again and left med bay, and Jamie McArthur, to rest.

[j-amiemcarthur]

Jamie pressed her lips together as he spoke and nodded her head as she squeezed out a few more tears that she pretended to try to control. "Okay..." She said quietly, letting him believe that she was accepting that they knew best- that Chris Andrews would never see the light of day again. The reality was that her mind was reeling, already throwing together a plan. Whatever it took, she would get her hands on those codes, she would find her way past the guards and the magic, and she would end Chris Andrews. Were there worse people out there that she could be devoting this much energy into taking off the board? Most definitely. But did any of them get under her skin like he did? None even came close.

A small sigh left her as she rested her chin on the knees that were still pulled close to her chest. "I'm tired, Danny. Do you mind if I-...?" Jamie indicated the pillow with her eyes, knowing fine well that she wouldn't be sleeping any time soon.

Danny's heart was breaking watching her cry, knowing there was very little he could do about it. He could be here, try to reassure her, but at the end of the day... Chris Andrews was in the basement. And she was in a hospital bed. Danny didn't blame her for her reaction, it was beyond valid. He wished there was something he could do about it. He'd learned that there were things you had to stomach, or sacrifice, when it came to the bigger picture. The damned greater good. "Yeah... we're the good guys."

When she finally looked back up, his brow furrowed as he looked at her helplessly. Danny didn't have a clue. He believed her wholeheartedly, and would have jumped through any hoop to make her feel better. She was scared, wasn't she? And she'd been through hell. He could only imagine how she must have felt after all that, to then find out about Chris Andrews. All he wanted was to reassure her that she was safe. "Yes, he's really that secure. The cell will keep him weak with whatever magic or science Xav had cooked up. It's impenetrable. He's not being fed, he's not being made comfortable. Hell, I bet he's even been put on mute. Chris Andrews is not getting out of here unless someone opens the door and carries him out."

[j-amiemcarthur]

Jamie's face was buried in the sheets against her knees as she sobbed softly. The tears were real enough- it wasn't like she didn't have any to spare- but she had to keep from shaking too much or she would aggravate her injuries. Did she feel bad about manipulating him like this? Yes. Did she also feel good that Danny McReid cared about her enough that she was able to? Also yes. All in all, it wasn't her best moment, but she needed to do this. No one else was going to.

"I know we're the good guys..." Her voice was muffled in the sheets, but her shoulders sagged as she made a show of resigning herself to the fact that Chris Andrews would have to live. Jamie lifted her head slowly to look at him. Maybe if he had looked close enough, he would've seen beyond the furrowed brow and the tears, and noticed that her eyes were sharp, focused. But no one ever really looked at her closely. After all these years, she was still just Jesse's little sister. Being popular in high school really didn't account for much when the world was falling apart. If she took out Chris Andrews, maybe people would start taking her seriously. "He's really that secure? Codes, guards... magic?"

Danny shook his head at Jamie's words, trying his best to keep her calm. He didn't totally disagree with her, it would have been safer to kill him on sight and be done with it. The complications, the nuance, that came with who he was to Corey and Alex were another thing. He didn't appreciate her dig about Ruby and Carrie, and chose not to address it. They weren't the same. His cousins, his family, had been through enough. "Jamie, they know what they're doing. The Institute has been around a long time, and sure, they haven't always had the best track record-" to put it generously- "But this is the Resistance. We're the good guys. Can't you trust that?"

That's when her tears started flowing, and he'd already lost the fight. She looked and sounded so scared, Danny didn't know what to do. How to make it better. How could he convince her that she was safe from the very vampire that had put her here? "Hey, hey... Jamie, come on. Nothing is going to happen to you, okay? He is not coming back for you, he's not going to get anywhere near you." He felt his words hit the brick wall of her fear. His shoulders deflated, and his voice softened when he said, "Chris is in one of the most secure holding cells. Xavier has it maxed out on security. No one gets in or out without the codes, and only a handful of people have them. And it's only, like, the very top. People like Ana and Carmen, and they would never let that monster hurt you. Okay?"

[j-amiemcarthur]

"He'll get out." She retorted. "He's too dangerous to be down here, Danny. If he gets loose, he'll have access to everything; Xavier's weapons, our surveillance data, the people we love. And will anyone take him out before he reaches the surface?" Jamie scoffed, "He's Corey and Alex's brother. No matter what he's done, do you think they'll stand by and let the Resistance kill him? Would you let the Resistance hurt Ruby or Carrie if they switched off their humanity?" Her head shook as she slid as far back from him as she could. "They should have killed him the second they had the chance."

A plan was forming in her head as she ranted. She didn't want to know what these plans for Chris were. The Resistance was playing with fire and, if she didn't take matters into her own hands, they were going to get burned. Jamie shook her head, allowing the tears she had been holding back to form in her eyes. "I'm not safe. If he's alive, I'm not safe." She let her anger shift to a forced fear, and she ran a shaky hand through her hair. "He'll get out, he'll come back for me." Was she laying it on a bit thick? Maybe.

Danny could only watch as Jamie revealed some of what happened that night, her eyes closing. He wished there was something he could do to ease her suffering. He wished this had never happened to her. It wasn't right, and it wasn't fair. Most of all, he hoped she didn't let the guilt eat her alive. "Jamie-...," he started, but it was too late. Her hand was gone, she was sat fully upright, and he couldn't take back what he'd just said.

"I-... He was captured," he answered. Danny opened, then promptly closed his mouth at her questions. For a moment, he was reminded of when his mom found out what the Institute had done with Charlie. They had promised to take care of him, they'd assumed that meant kill him. Danny could only wonder about a world where they'd kept that promise. This wasn't what the Institute used to be, he knew that. But what they had planned for Chris, he didn't know. They needed all the advantages they could get, even if it wasn't right or fair. "I don't know what they're planning to do," he admitted, sitting back from her. "I'm sure they're not gonna let him go, though. You're safe, Jamie."