#spann stan 2k20

[slash-em-up]

Marry Your Monsters Pt. 10

In which life is not at all like a box of chocolates; but it’s true you never know what you’re going to get...

Again, TW: for self-harm and suicide attempt

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What was she doing, what was she doing, oh GOD what was she doing?!

Red was all Miranda could see for a moment as a trickle of blood slid past the hideously sharp knife and down her wrist – droplets peacefully gliding down to splatter on the floor, unaware of their origin.

Eyes wide, her brain warred within her.

‘Pull the knife, make it end..’

‘Stop!! Stop and fight!!’

Peripherally, Miranda was aware that she was hardly in a fit state of mind to be making any decisions at the moment; but the deciding factor came as her stomach heaved with a small but mighty kick – as if her daughter could sense her mother’s distress.

With a strangled cry, Miranda withdrew the knife from her arm and tossed it as hard as she could across the dark room.

She collapsed back, heaving with emotion, and frantically began attempting to staunch the bleeding.

The thin linen of her dress wasn’t ideal; but the pain that came from her tight wrapping grounded her, and gave some momentary clarity.

Only to be interrupted by the office door being pushed open.

“Jesus, FUCK!”

Spann looked like a woman who was rarely surprised and quite frankly the expression didn’t suit her.

Miranda was sure she looked like a fucking mess, from her sweaty, tousled hair to her hiked up dress and blood-stained skin.

Delightful.

Before she could do more than open her mouth Spann was by her side, eyes taking in the lay of the room – specifically the empty video tape cases.

Another muttered “fuck” and Spann had whipped out her phone and sent off a text to parties unknown.

“Don’t… please, Spann..”

Spann jerked her sharp gaze up to meet Miranda’s.

“Don’t what?”

“…don’t call Jesse…”

The snort that followed her comment was unexpected.

“No, I like my spleen right where it is, thanks. I’m getting you some help, I can’t stop this bleeding alone.”

Miranda hissed in pain as Spann’s hands joined hers in putting pressure on her wrist.

Without looking up Spann spoke.

“What were you thinking, Miranda?”

A fresh wave of tears dripped down Miranda’s face.

“He… he killed those women… he tried to kill that other girl… oh God, his face… and I would have done the same thing! He’s a murderer - you’re ALL murderers!”

Spann raised a brow, finally looking Miranda straight in the eye.

“Yes, he is. I don’t expect you to understand why we do what we do; but the Organization has been around long before you or I, and it’ll be here long after.”

Shaking her head, Miranda tried to make sense of what Spann was saying.

“The Organization? So this is some kind of organized crime thing?”

A shrug.

“I suppose that’s one way of putting it… we, and especially your husband, are tasked by some very powerful people to… remove certain individuals from general society.”

“Jesse hired a fucking whore and then tried to kill her…”

“I suppose from an outside perspective it’s a bit hard to understand…”

Miranda gasped out a harsh laugh.

“It’s fucking psychotic is what it is!”

Spann sighed.

“That’s between you, Mr. Cromeans, and hopefully your marriage counselor.”

The curl of Miranda lip at that comment was completely involuntary.

“If I see Jesse right now, he won’t live long enough to make it to therapy.”

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Preston whistled a jaunty tune as he strode down the halls of the chrome-plating factory.

God, what a dump.

And he knew it wasn’t for lack of funds. The Organization and by extension the Cromeans family had been keeping his life-style firmly in the ‘more than comfortable’ category for years. If they’d wanted they could all be floating in a giant chrome blimp for Christs sake. But no, gotta keep things under-wraps in anticipation of the next big screw-up.

Like this fucking nightmare. Preston didn’t know how; but it was beginning to seem like Jesse was aware of Preston’s… corporate climbing.

He’d gone completely off the rails and taken Jessica Cannon - who was supposed to be 100% off limits.

‘I catch my own fish… mother fucker.’

In his opinion, Jesse should have had the common decency to put a gun in his mouth the moment he came back to consciousness.

If his face had been turned into dog food by some no-name whore… Well, he was too smart to let that happen anyway.

Preston smirked in remembrance of the look of shock on that Tommy kids roommates face as he’d plunged his knife into her chest. He was getting turned on just thinking about it, and Prestons hands itched for the flunkies in the armory to finish up his own knife.

Maybe he’d break it in on Jesse or his cunt of a wife.

He’d admit that plan had gone mildly off course… where was the bitch anyway?

This train of thought was interrupted as his phone buzzed in his coat pocket.

His new toy was ready. How exciting.

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The blood flowing from Miranda’s wrist had slowed, as had the conversation.

Both women now sat at the desk, awkwardly looking anywhere but at each other - neither in the mood for a deep conversation on the ethics of The Organizations serial-killing/assassinating/black-mailing business.

Miranda was beginning to regret asking Jesse out for a drink all those years ago. She could have just stayed in her lane and married a nice boring lawyer who’d cheat on her with some barely legal co-ed and then she’s make bank on the divorce settlement.

Fuck, that was sounding pretty appealing right now.

The sound of a steady knock on the door brought both women out of their thoughts.

Spann rose, giving Miranda a reassuring look, and walked to the door - opening it to meet a tired-looking woman dressed in pajamas and a pea-coat.

“Hey.”

The woman smiled.

“Hi.”

“Thanks for coming.”

Leaning in, the woman placed an affectionate kiss on Spanns lips and walked through into the office, pulling her coat from her shoulders and dropping a leather back-pack onto the floor.

“You must be Miranda? I’m Doctor Lisa Bhasin. I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Miranda gave a shallow nod.

“I hope all good things; but since you know Spann and probably my husband I’m guessing not…”

Lisa looked at her sympathetically as she unzipped her pack, pulling a trauma kit and some quick-clot gauze from its depths.

“Yeah, it takes some getting used to being ‘the spouse of’… but I promise it does get easier. And if it doesn’t, after the baby is out I can prescribe some Xanax.”

Spann let out a short giggle as Miranda gaped up at Lisa.

“…You’re joking.”

Lisa laughed and met Miranda’s startled look with a kind, understanding one of her own as she began examining the cut on Miranda’s arm.

“Maybe a little…”

While Lisa carried on with her exam, Spann moved behind her to boot up the computer on the desk - quickly cycling through a series of cameras until she stopped with a loud curse.

“Fuck, that son of a bitch!”

The other women startled at her tone, looking over her shoulder to see the screen.

Lisa gasped.

“Oh shit…”

Miranda felt her heart plummet. The shining chrome-skull mask was now an all-too familiar sight, and the man wearing it was striding towards a clearly-wounded woman, some kind of spinning blade held casually in his hand.

“Wait…” Miranda narrowed her gaze, pulling herself closer to the screen. “That’s not Jesse…”

“No.” Spann agreed, sounding angrier than Miranda had ever heard her.

“That’s Preston.”

Both Lisa and Miranda spoke at the same time.

“Preston?!”

“What?!”

Spann sat back in the chair, clearly deep in thought.

“He’s been trying to weasel his way into Mr. Cromeans positon in The Organization for a while. Looks like he’s finally making his move.”

Miranda sneered.

“Fine, he can have it.”

Lisa and Spann looked at each other briefly before Spann wet her lips and responded.

“I don’t think you understand, Miranda. This isn’t just a case of Preston getting an inflated ego… You don’t just leave this job... He’s going to try and kill Mr. Cromeans, and you too if I had to guess. Frankly, I’m surprised you’re still alive”

Miranda raised her bandaged wrist, waggling it in front of Spann.

“Well…?”

Spann rubbed her face tiredly.

“Jesus, all you Cromeans are the same…”

She raised a serious gaze to Miranda

“Look. I get you’re not happy with what you’d found out about your husband, I do. But right now, protecting his position in The Organization is the only way you and the baby are going to stay alive. It sucks; but that’s just how it is.”

Miranda sat back in the chair, looking from Spann to Lisa to the bloody horror occurring on the screen.

Unthinkingly, her hand rose to settle atop her distended stomach.

“Fuck. Fine. What do we do to help Jesse?”

Spann smirked.

“I’m glad you asked…”