Unraveled Ch.1: Introductions

Unraveled Ch.1: Introductions

Ch.2

My original name is Elswyth Carlisle, but my friends now call me 'Elspeth' or 'Els', and to strangers I always introduce myself as 'Carlisle'. 

I am a 5"6 female with short, black hair, brown eyes so dark they could be considered black if the sun wasn't shining into them, and light honey colored skin.

I moved to Broadchurch not too long ago. My childhood friend and I both worked together as D.I.'s, and ended up going through a very serious case, and I simply couldn't stand being there anymore after it all fell apart, so I packed up and switched stations to one of the quietest places I could find, Broadchurch. 

I never did tell my friend where I was going or that I was even leaving, but that's because even just seeing him brought back memories of the case and the poor family. Not to mention he would probably somehow talk me out of leaving.

So far my life could be better, I suffer from depression, insomnia, and anxiety because of my last case. Panic attacks are something new that I've gotten since moving to Broadchurch because of a traumatizing event happening to me here, which I've made sure absolutely no one knows about. Though I've gotten a little bit better over the time that I've been here. I don't really want to go into detail at what happened to me, I wasn't even in Broadchurch when it happened, I was actually on my way home from a friend's party. As I said, I won't go into detail, but that event left me traumatized and reclusive, and it has led to me having reoccurring nightmares, and the scars on my wrists don't exactly make it easy to forget.

Luckily no one here knows about my relation to my past case, they simply think I'm a city D.I. who was looking for a quiet town; which is really good because I think my new best friend, Ellie, would hate me if she knew the truth. So far Ellie has been the most welcoming person, inviting me over, helping me get settled, and introducing me to all her friends and family, who quickly became my friends; we all became really comfortable and close to each other in the year that I've been here. 

I remember the first time I arrived at the station everyone gave me a warm welcome with faces clad in friendly smiles, it really helped me to move past some of the traumatizing events.

Ellie and Beth have even learned about some of my health issues and are trying to help me, though I refuse to go to therapy or the hospital, luckily they don't ask about my past or what caused these problems. Not to mention I'm really good at hiding them when I'm going through a serious episode, I never allow anyone of the public to see my issues, only Beth and Ellie know about them.

I pray nightly that this life of mine will only continue to improve, but like all good things, they never do end up lasting as long as you'd like.

Ch.2

Senseless Reality

It was early on a Thursday morning when she received the dreadful news that her husband was dead.

She had been wondering why he didn't return home last night, even waiting by the phone, eventually calling him but never receiving an answer.

She had just walked her children, Lisette and Alonso, down their lengthy driveway to the school bus awaiting, softly waving goodbye as it noisily drove away, finally letting her smile and hand fall as the bus went out of view.

Turning back to walk home she realized the birds were being particularly quiet, abnormally so, it made the silence uncomfortable as she was trapped with her ceaseless thoughts; not even the breeze rattling the fallen leaves was as loud as usual. She smoothed her black braided hair to the side before tugging uneasily on the sleeves of her blue-grey sweater, tightly wrapping her arms around her body as she began the walk back home, listening closely to the crunch under her shoes, her mind still wandering in confusion as to where her husband, Ryker, was.

A few steps away from her porch she slowed her walking as she heard the sound of a car, her steps faltering slightly as she turned around, revealing the stand-out black and white pattern of a Belmont, Ohio police car driving towards her. The glare against the windshield from the grey sky made it impossible to see who was driving, leaving her unsure whether to feel overjoyed or distraught at it's surprise appearance.

The closer it drove the quicker her heart beat, taking in shallower breaths as she watched the car pull to a stop a few feet away. Her hands subconsciously wringing each other as she waited for the car door to swing open, suddenly feeling uncomfortably hot even though it was fairly chilly. She knew the dangers her husband was in due to his line of work, and knew that he could be injured or killed on any call-out; but nothing would prepare her for the despondent look on the officers face as he stepped out of the car.

Ryker was on call with his partner for a breaking and entering in a residential zone, the criminal had gone out the back and rounded the house to come up behind them as they went to enter through the busted doorway, shooting both several times in the back before running. The police were currently searching for him, but only have two witnesses, one who glimpsed him as he began to bust open their door, and a neighbor who saw what was happening and called the cops.

As the officer explained what happened her mind went blank, the already dampened noise of the forest completely disappearing and that uncomfortable heat suddenly vanishing, leaving her body instead feeling empty. She quickly found herself forced back into reality when the officer had reached out to touch her shoulder, it wasn't rude or unwelcome since this officer was real good friends with herself and Ryker, but the sudden and unexpected contact shocked her enough to jerk her shoulder away and take a step back. He immediately withdrew his arm, his gaze cast down towards the floor, whilst she dawned a regretful look as she realized her actions.

She finally said, "I'm sorry Carter, I-I just feel slightly overwhelmed at the moment." Her voice timidly quiet, a slight stutter as she tries to understand and control all the emotions suddenly running through her. A look of understanding washes over his face before nodding his head solemnly and turning back to his car, "Goodbye Saden." Carter spoke, offering a brief, sad smile before stepping into his car and driving off.

There were many thoughts rushing through Saden's head, all of the news not hitting her fully yet. With her mind racing she slowly made her way into her cabin home, locking the door before resting her forehead harshly against the stained wood, giving herself one moment of peace before pushing off and heading to the phone to make a couple of calls.

-------

The house is dark, giving off an unsettling and discomfited aura; the sun not having risen yet and no lights nearby, yet here is a boy with his school uniform and backpack on quietly closing the front door. He starts walking away from his house quickly, the anxious atmosphere surrounding him slowly dissipating the further he got, his tensed shoulders and on-edge look lessening to simply slight paranoia.

He has a scar above his eye, its somewhat red color making it obvious against his pale skin. He got this scar the same time he lost his mother and half-sister, the car crash was brutal, only him and one of the other cars passengers having survived.

He shades his eyes away from the blinding headlights that pass by every so often as he walks down the pavement, his paranoia disappearing the closer he nears Bingham's Pond. He finds a spot away from the road, setting his bag down as he observes the slumbering swans and ducks. A small smile graces his features as he remembers when he and his mother, Liz, would come here early in the morning to talk and watch the sunrise before school; his smile disappearing as quickly as it had arrived as he realizes he can only come here alone now. He could always ask his step-father Alec to come with him, but he dreaded any response Alec gave, especially now that he was the only one to survive the car crash.

In an attempt to shake his thoughts away from the past he glances back to the swans, admiring their beauty against the dark water. The first few sun rays start to glow against the dim sky, a slight breeze causing him to shiver as he has no uniform jacket since that costs extra money. As he sits down and leans against a tree he winces at the pain flaring up in his back before shaking it off and pulling his bag towards him, unbuckling the freezing metal and reaching in, pulling out a folder containing unfinished homework; a lot of them had crumples and tears even though he kept them neatly in a folder.

Releasing a weary and exasperated sigh he began working, starting with his name, 'Archer Carlisle', his cold hands making it harder to write and a look of aggravation flashes through his eyes as he knows that he will not get all this homework done before school; dread filling him at the thought of having to tell Alec about the bad grade even though his unfinished and torn homework was Alec's fault. With another sigh he got back to work, attempting to finish as much of it as quickly and as accurately as possible.

-------

It's been a week since I was told about his death, I already knew that I couldn't stay in our comfy Ohio home, especially since Ryker built it; just walking through the door caused a nauseating feeling to wash over me knowing that I'll never see him again.

The funeral was yesterday afternoon... The black dress I wore is now a pile of grey ashes in the firepit. My daughter Lisette went with me, it was a windy day with a sprinkle of rain dusting the ground outside; it seems that the world was even mourning the loss, but that's probably just me putting meaning into simple things.

My son Alonso took the death of his father very hard, I know how close they were, and seeing my son crying made a tear break through my facade of strength, but I had to quickly wipe it away as I embraced my weeping son. His cries lasted for an hour, Lisette began to cry as well when she saw Al's shaking form being comforted by mine. That night I stayed with them in their room, sitting on the carpeted floor between their two beds, one hand grasped in each of mine as I told them stories to lull them to sleep. When I knew they were asleep, I continued to hold their hands, leaning my head back against the wooden wall as I stared up at the ceiling, the light from the moon creating shadows of tree branches against the opposite wall. I simply sat there, thinking about the calls I made the day I received the news; by next week, what's left of my family will be in our Scotland cottage, away from here, away from him.

I still need to tell the kids, I'm not sure how to tell them we're moving away, away from everything that reminds us of their father. I can only hope they will not despise me for this decision, but just staying in this home causes my mind to wander in a direction I will not allow myself to go in.

------

The bell rings loudly as I rush into the closing door of my classroom, glancing around the room I see everyone already seated and the teacher watching me pointedly. Lowering my gaze, I straighten out my homework and turn-in the messily finished pages to the basket before traipsing past my teacher's desk to reach my seat, avoiding his and everyone else's gaze at all times.

I know I shouldn't be frightened by my teachers, but Mr.Curraigh has the same stern voice as Alec, and I can't help but be anxious whenever I step foot into his class; his strict rules and intimidating stature don't exactly help me when trying to differentiate the two.

Mr.Curraigh glances up from his computer to me, I swallow nervously and shuffle slightly in my seat as I look down to the paper I delicately placed onto my desk. The class's quiet chatter had resumed a few moments ago, but was quickly halted again when Mr.Curraigh pushed his leaning figure off of his desk and leisurely strided to the front of the class.

"Mr.Carlisle, wish to explain to the class why you were late? Again." His nonchalant first sentence greatly contrasted his harsh enunciation of 'again'. Subconsciously I lower my head as the class is silent, other classes might giggle, but they know not to screw around in this class.

I shake my head 'no' not fully trusting my voice to answer without stuttering.

"I can't hear you Archer. Will you explain to the class why you were late." His sharp, accented voice rang out against the stillness and left no room to avoid his question. I know he is looking at me as he awaits his answer. I finally look up at him, answering quietly as my gaze constantly flickers between him and the ceiling.

"I overslept sir, I won't let it happen again." I tried to present a calm face to hopefully stop him from calling me out again, my mind inside is blaring with thoughts of whether he will accept the excuse or not. A second passes before he walks back to the whiteboard and begins writing, everyone quickly copying it down in their notebooks, the conversation seemingly forgotten. An inkling of worry continued to nag in the back of my head that he knew my excuse was a fake, but I had no time to give it any contemplation as I was already falling behind on the notes, and my recent wrist injury isn't exactly going to benefit me either.

Class has finally ended, most people were packed up and waiting by the door for the bell, only a few people were sitting at their desks. I tuck the assigned homework into their folder, placing my notebook in my bag as well. I reach for the folder when another hand grasps it first, a hand belonging to no student. I keek my eyes up before quickly looking down at the desk, it was Mr.Curraigh who was holding my homework folder, he was leaning against the desk as he skimmed through the now open folder.

"Y'know, your organization and care doesn't add up when you turn in ripped papers." He states as he slowly closes the folder, holding it out for me to take, which I quickly follow through with, silently placing it in my bag.

"You want to tell me the real reason you always seem to be running late?" Mr.Curraigh questions, his normally loud and stern voice now quieter and containing a hint of concern. It's been a few moments and I have yet to respond when he voices,

"Archer, if you have a real reason as to why you are late, I understand, but I can't accept these fake excuses anymore. This is the 10th time you've been late. If you can't give me a real reason then I have to give you detention." His voice was never very strict or harsh throughout the sentence, having more of a warning tone to it, but all I can muster as a response is to uneasily shake my head 'no' as I look up to meet his gaze. Mr.Curraigh simply looks forward for a second before releasing an exasperated sigh and pushing off of the desk.

"Don't be late for detention Mr.Carlisle." Is all he says before walking back to his desk, the bell ringing and the students rushing out of the door, myself following immediately as to not be late to my next lesson. My thoughts for the rest of the day are clouded with how Alec will react when I come home late, how he will react when I tell him I got detention again. The dread pools in my chest, making it feel tight, the air suffocating me as I trudge through the day.

------

First day in our new home, it was a cottage that my parents owned and I inherited. Far away from Ohio, far away from Ryker, all the way in Glasgow, Scotland, located in a nice area with lolling green fields and a stone wall neatly surrounding it.

Lisette and Alonso had taken the move better than I expected, it would seem they wanted to get away as much as I did. I had called ahead to make sure the cottage was ready for when we arrived, and a friend of my parents is coming over to watch my children since I have to go to my job as soon as possible.

Rushing out of the house, I briskly give the friend a hug, quickly stating the time I'll be home before racing over to my rented Volkswagen vehicle. My bags strap twisting as I attempt to situate everything in the car, I quickly shove it into the passenger seat before adjusting the mirrors and heading off to my new job.

The grey clouds littering the sky remind me a lot of home, but this busy city is exactly what I need to get away from my small town life. Driving on the left side is quite odd though, something that'll take some getting used to.

As I pull into the parking lot I notice that school is nearing the end of the day, I hope I won't get fired before I even start. Quickly stumbling through the office door, I straighten my posture and shirt before walking to the front desk and stating I am the new science teacher. The woman smiles before phoning someone, I assume the principal or maybe another teacher.

After waiting for around 2 minutes, the office door loudly clamors open, a tall man with thick light brown hair and an intimidating stature strides in, giving a small nod to the woman before approaching me. I stand up and shake his offered hand.

"Hello there, I am Mr.Curriagh or Aric, I am here to escort you to your class." His voice has a thick accent to it, something I will have to get used too now since I'm living in Scotland. His intimidating posture seems to contrast with the friendly smile he offers.

"Pleasure to meet you Aric, I'm Saden." I politely respond before allowing him to lead me out of the office and down the hallway.

"So, you're the new science teacher?" He voices in slight curiosity, continuing to navigate the empty halls.

"Yes, what do you teach?" I question, walking faster to keep up with his brisk pace.

"Oh me? I've always been a literature person." His charismatic response causes a small smile to appear, the fact that people here are so nice and welcoming is something I adore. We come to a halt after another moment of walking.

"Well, this is your class, though you arrived a bit late." He explains as we watch through the window as students packed their bags. I release a quiet sigh, of course I would miss the whole first day of my job.

"Don't worry about missing your class, you can pop in to help with detention or explore the grounds." Aric states as he flickers his eyes from the window to me, I'm about to respond when the bell rings loudly, echoing through the empty halls before the classroom doors swing open and students file out. We both stand near the window of my classroom until the halls quiet down again, only a few students standing around, whilst some are just now finishing packing up.

Aric turns to speak to me again when his gaze turns to something behind me, his sudden shout startling me, and I quickly turn around to see the culprit.

A young boy with dark brown hair immediately halts, his eyes going wide at being shouted at, his arm tightening its hold around his book clutched against his chest.

"Archer. Detention is in the other direction." Aric states as he walks up to the student. I would expect any student to be nervous at being called out by a teacher, but this student, Archer, appeared downright terrified.

Before Archer is able to respond, Aric begins to speak again. "This is the second time you've attempted to skip detention, Archer." Giving a slight break as he waits for a response, after receiving none he let out a groan of irritation before stating, "Come with me Archer." Beginning to walk back over to me, Archer trailing a few steps behind with his eyes trained on the floor.

"I'm sorry to cut your tour short, but I have to escort this student to detention." Aric states as he glances back to Archer.

"Quite alright Aric, mind if I come with? I did miss my first day after all." I question, glancing at Archer, his eyes not having moved from the floor the whole time. Aric briefly nods his head before leading the way to detention. I quickly follow, attempting to keep up, listening as Aric describes the parts of the school we pass through.

------

Who is this person? Is she the new teacher? She did say she missed her first day here, and our new teacher for science was unable to show up.

I lift my head up, my eyes looking at her for a moment as I contemplate whether I should ask my question or not. Finally giving in to curiosity, I ask, "Are you the new science teacher?" My question seems to startle them both out of their small talk, Mr.Curraigh now silent as we await her response.

She turns to me and offers a friendly smile before responding, "Yes that's me, you can call me Mrs.Monroe." Her response is nice but short, and her voice seemed to waver slightly when she said her last name, causing my head to tilt ever so slightly in confusion at her reluctance to speak her last name.

"It's nice to meet you Mrs.Monroe, my name is Archer." I respond, my voice seeming more confident and louder than my normal tone, though I barely give it any thought. For what time was left of the walk to detention, I spent it talking to Mrs.Monroe, I don't know why, but she seemed easier to talk with, it could've been from her non-intimidating stance and height, or possibly that she reminded me of my mother, both of which are plausible.

We were talking about the book I was holding, "Great Expectations", when Mr.Curraigh comes to a halt, the room that detention is held in being right in front of us. I reach out to grab the handle, momentarily forgetting about my wrist injury until I release a grunt of pain, immediately pulling my wrist back and holding it against my chest as the harsh gripping agony floods my system, reminding me of yesterday.

Both Mr.Curraigh and Mrs.Monroe seem shocked at my sudden outburst of pain, Mrs.Monroe is about to say something but I have no time to think, stumbling backwards I turn slightly and run off. I go to the only place I feel safe, Bingham's Pond, or Swan Pond as my mother used to say; just remembering that causes a wave of anguish to sweep through my body, all these things that keep happening are too overwhelming. First I lose my mother and sister in a car crash, then my step-father(who already disliked me) blames me for it, and now I have a teacher who reminds me exactly of my mother, I simply don't know how I should feel or respond to these situations anymore. I'm so caught up in these prolific thoughts and aching pain that I fail to hear the footsteps approaching me.

It was the sudden hand on my shoulder that caused me to gasp in surprise at the presence of another person. Quickly turning my head I expect to see an angry Mr.Curraigh or possibly Alec, but I am instead met by Mrs.Monroe's sad smile as she crouches next to me. Reaching out her hand for my wrist I flinch away, but after another second I allow her to see my wrist, ignoring the possible consequence that she might question how I sustained this injury.

It was the slight widening of her eyes that caused me to follow her gaze, I chose to never look at my injuries, so seeing my wrist all swollen and bruised causes my eyes to widen as well. She lightly touches my wrist and I immediately pull away, the pain scorching through my arm. She seems to sit there in a moment of thought, as though contemplating what she should say.

"Archer. How did this happen?" There it was, the one thing I didn't want to hear. I shake my head and look away, only now realizing that a few tears had streamed down my face, quickly wiping them with my free hand. I don't hear a response to my refusal so I glance back, seeing Mrs.Monroe holding back tears as well, though why, I do not know. Shaking her head, she pushes herself off of the floor, and reaches out a hand for me, which I slowly take. Now standing I dust myself off with my good hand, loosely holding my backpack as I await her questions.

All she does is, seemingly shake her head to herself, before motioning for me to follow her. She leads me back to school, never speaking or glancing to me, just staring forward, almost emptily. She takes me to the medical room and tells me to wait by the door as she walks away to converse with a nurse. I wonder what she is saying, does she suspect that my step-father caused these injuries? Or does she think another student did this to me? Should I just run while I still have the chance? My thoughts are abruptly halted as both Mrs.Monroe and the nurse walk over to me, my nervousness kicking in at another person now being present.

I attempted to not pay attention to the flare ups of pain as the nurse wrapped my wrist in an ice bag, the freezing cold making me shiver as the weather outside was already chilly. After a few minutes of icing my wrist she brings out a compression bandage, snuggly wrapping my wrist and hand, the pain has lessened, but maintains a steady ache that surrounds my whole arm. When she finishes she gives me instructions to do daily, and a note for class seeing as that was my writing hand.

Walking over to the door, I spot Mrs.Monroe waiting there, her friendly smile replaced by a serious and stern look, one that makes my steps a little more hesitant. We leave the med room and walk out into the quiet, desolate hallway, her face still serious as we both stop.

"How did you get that injury Archer." It wasn't a question, but something that demanded an answer, one I was extremely reluctant to give. Angling my face away from her I shake my head 'no' again, not wanting to tell her the truth, my mind blaring that it would cause more pain than good, that even if she did believe me no one else would.

"Archer, if you don't tell me, then I will have to tell the office to call your dad." She states, her voice losing some of it's sternness as she attempts to get me to answer.

Hearing her call Alec my dad causes all these feelings to just explode, my anger is flowing freely, and I can't help but react chaotically, "HE'S NOT MY DAD!" My shout echos down the hallway, the silence left in its wake is uncomfortable, all that anger-driven confidence quickly leaves my body as I exhale. She's not stupid, she's going to figure out what's going on, I'll be taken away from my home, the last place that reminds me of my mom and sister.

Her posture seems to stiffen after hearing my response, I can only hope she won't be angry with my outburst.

"I'm only going to ask you one more time. Who did this." Her voice was deathly quiet, the second sentence being harshly enunciated and leaving no room for excuses. I finally face her, though my head is still lowered, my eyes flickering up to her every so often as I contemplate what I am about to say.

"....Alec." My voice practically a whisper, though I know she heard it, and knowing that someone else is aware of this secret just causes me to feel... vulnerable.

Unraveled Ch.7: Frustration

Ch.6 Ch.8

After the conference I had a feeling Alec was withholding something from me, something that brought back bad memories for both of us. I let it slide for now though, simply happy to have him back as company, though this time a little bit more than friendship.

Afterwards we both went back to his room, laying down and talking a little more, I invited him to stay at mine instead of living in a hotel, even offered him my spare house near the pier if he didn't want to stay with me in my other isolated house on the hills, but him being him, he refused, and I know better than to try and change his stubborn mind. I left his room afterwards and drove to my small home near the water, falling into another night of nightmares, waking up several times as the haunting experiences continued to replay in my mind.

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Waking up early after barely having slept, I throw on my normal work clothes, tucked in shirt with trousers and a jacket, only eating a piece of toast with black coffee; a habit I've gotten into, slowly having it become what I'm living off of, with the random dinner invitation from Ellie every month or so.

Walking outside I am immediately greeted by the eager waves splashing about, and the sun already having risen slightly. Pulling the cover off my car and sliding into the leather seat, pushing the stick shift into gear and speedily heading off towards work.

Clearly, I still don't get up early enough to beat Alec, running into him up as I reach the steps to the station. Both of us glance up from the ground, and smile when we see each other. Alec is about to say something to me when a little demon from the past decides to make an abrupt appearance.

Karen White. The reporter who ruined our lives. Well not exactly, more like turned us over.

I hide behind the side profile of Alec, hoping his hunched over self would be able to hide me from this reporter, and Alec seems more than willing to oblige in hiding me.

"D.I. Hardy. Karen White, Daily Herald." She states as though he's never met her before.

"I know. You came to the briefing last night." Alec responds, trying to keep her attention away from me and on him. My anger was growing though, who does she think she is, coming here, acting like we've never met her before, acting as though she never did what she did to us.

"I just wondered if I could buy you a cup of tea." Karen asks, completely taking me off guard on how casual she can be after what she did to us. Clearly Alec feels the same as he suddenly stops right before the door, I didn't expect it, so I kept walking, allowing Karen to finally see me. Her eyes instantly widening at the sight of myself, clearly only thinking Alec was on this case.

"D.I. Carlisle? Can I buy you a cup of coffee?" Karen immediately asked, causing me to glare at her, about to respond and say 'piss off', but Alec beat me to it.

"You're astonishing." Clearly pissed at her question, walking over and holding the door open for me, then quickly following me inside.

"Well, if you need me I'm staying at the Traders." Karen manages to get in just before the door shuts.

"This is bloody great! Now she knows we're both here, and bonus, she's staying in the same hotel as you!" I exclaim in sarcasm, tossing my short messy hair out of my eyes as Alec rolls his. We continue in silence and walk into a VERY busy reception.

"Oh, sir, for you. You need to get yourself organized up there. It's Saturday, the phone lines can't cope." The uniformed officer states, handing Alec some papers whilst I wait at the elevators.

As we enter our area, the busy reception seems like nothing, people are moving benches, some moving tables, everyone noisily at work as we both walk over to his office.

"Morning. We got you a coffee." Ellie says in an attempt to be nice to her grumpy boss.

"Oh no, he doesn't drink coffee" "I don't drink coffee." Alec and I state at the same time as he walks into his office. I let out a humorous laugh as Ellie replies,

"Course you don't." Making me give a small smile and walk over to her.

"I'll take the coffee since grumpy doesn't want it." I reply as I reach over and take it from her, getting a slightly shocked look from her due to how I openly called him grumpy in the office without even lowering my voice. I go over to my desk and sit down, straightaway not liking how busy the office feels, and getting slightly uncomfortable at the strangers who are putting in the phone lines. After trying to work for several moments I give up, walking over to Alec and Ellie at the whiteboard while trying not to run into anyone.

"SOCO are at work on the beach, it's going to be a long one. Oh, we're still going through the Latimer house." Ellie states as she leans against the whiteboard, smiling over at me in acknowledgment before looking over at the distracted D.I. Who was looking at Danny's photo in thought.

"Sir, are you listening?" Ellie questions.

"Danny's skateboard. Danny's mobile - Priority. Also, main suspects. Both of you know this town, I've heard you're pretty popular Carlisle, who's the most likely?" Alec questions, causing me to back up at having to think about any of these people as murderers, but I quickly shake the feeling off as Alec continues.

"If the boy was killed before he was left on the beach, where's the murder scene? What're you doing now?" He suddenly asks, catching Ellie off guard, myself being used to his multiple questions and then a sudden blunt one.

"We've managed to find a Family Liaison Officer, I'm gonna take him over to the Latimer's. Oh. And Jack Marshall, owns a paper shop, rang in. He said he'd remembered something." Ellie says, walking over to her desk, then back with a paper in hand, Alec grabbing it and heading off, grabbing my arm and pulling me along with him. Ellie giving a confused look whilst saying,

"You're welcome." Although Alec, ever the rude one, never said thank you. Almost dragged out of the office by Alec, I quickly shout a 'thank you' to Ellie and wave before out of hearing range. Alec dragged me down to the parking lot, myself grabbing the keys, unlocking my door then leaning over and unlocking his. Watching his tall frame squeezing into my two seater literally made my day.

"Jesus Els, I don't know how I forgot how small your car was." Alec sighs in annoyance as he lowers and backs up the seat to make leg and head room. I simply let out a laugh, reaching over and ruffling his hair slightly, earning a playful glare from him as he returned the gesture and ruffled mine, making it even more messy.

"Oi, don't mess with the driver or you'll be walking." I threaten jokingly as I point at him, Alec holding up his hand in fake surrender. I put the car in reverse, then switched into first gear and exited the lot.

"So where are we off to then?" I question as I can hardly remember the conversation.

"Have you been spacing out?" Alec asks right back, seemingly genuinely concerned at how much of the conversations I've been missing. The spacing out is an effect from the thing that happened when I got to Broadchurch, so I'll have to make something up.

"I don't know what you're talking about Hardy. Now answer the question, where are we heading?" I state sassily as I shift gears.

"You don't get to call me Hardy, it's Alec to you. And we're heading to Jack's shop, I'm sure you know where that is." Alec states pointedly at first, then drifting off as he looks out of the window.

"Spacing out Hardy?" I say mockingly as he takes his attention away from outside and gives me a playful glare, earning a smile from me.

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"Couldn't stop thinking about him all last night. I help run the Sea Brigade. Danny had been coming for about 18 months, on and off. Cheeky lad, but a good heart. It matters, a good heart." Jack finishes, I smile slightly, knowing Alec cares little for sentiment. His arms are crossed, and that scowl on his face looks permanent. The wind blowing his hair slightly as I hear him breathing in before speaking,

"You said you remembered something about seeing Danny." Alec voices, clearly wanting to get to the point as to why he's here. I give him a glance at his impatience as we listen to Jack.

"Must've been end of last month. Around a quarter to 8:00 on a Wednesday morning. On the road leading up to the cliff tops on the way to Lingo Hull, I saw him." Jack states as he leans against his shop, remembering the occurrence.

"What was he doing, Jack?" I inquire.

"Talking to the postman. Well... Not talking. More like arguing. He was quite a way away. But the body language was pretty clear. Then Danny stormed off. The postman was calling after him." Jack says, wandering into his store as he continues work.

"You're certain it was the postman?" Alec questioned as he leans against the cash register.

"Well, he has a bag. And one of those high-visibility jackets. Who else is going to be out that time in the morning." Jack responds, I watch him as Alec takes out his notepad.

"Can you describe him for me?" Alec questions, clearly wanting to get the information and interview the guy already.

"Well, he was a long way off. Medium height, short brown hair, I think. It was only after you were in yesterday that I remembered. I should've mentioned." Jack says as Alec looks up at him. I have a feeling Alec doesn't trust Jack at all, and I know that I'm not supposed to take sides, but I just know that Jack would never hurt Danny, especially after what happened to his son.

Alec heads off to the car after getting a call from Ellie, I stay back a bit to speak to Jack real quick.

"I urge you to tell them about your past, Jack. Alec is already suspicious of this sudden sighting, please, just tell him, I'll make sure to find the truth, but he will never trust you if you don't tell him and it gets out!" I state, exasperated at this whole situation.

"I've already told you Elspeth, my past is mine, and mine alone." Jack states stubbornly. I walk over and calmly place my hand on his arm as I stare,

"I know Jack, but..." I'm cut off as Jack turns and harshly grabs my arm, backing me up a few steps as his grip tightens.

"But nothing Elspeth, you promised to speak nothing of it and you will keep to that if you don't want everyone knowing what happened to you!" Jack coldly threatened. He was the one who found me after the altercation, that is one of the reasons why we had become so close.

I look at Jack with fear in my eyes at his betrayal, ripping my arm away from him and leaving. I pull down my sleeve and I slip into the car, knowing that my wrist is going to bruise from his tight grip.

"What took you so long." Alec sighs as I start up the car.

"Just wanted to check out the newspapers." I state, looking over my shoulder as I reverse, too lazy to think of a better excuse. Alec leaves it alone after hearing my tone, instead telling me to head over to the hotel where we would meet Ellie. I'm mulling over my thoughts, thinking about what happened back there at Jack's. All I had been trying to do was help him, but he took it as a threat and threatened me back. Christ knows everyone would treat me like a fragile piece of glass if they found out, and Alec, well Alec would either leave me, or kill the person who did it.

————————

"So why are we meeting Ellie at the hotel?" I questioned as I pulled in across the street.

"I don't know, why don't you want to tell me what really happened back there at Jack's?" Alec asked back, his question seeming to hold a sarcastic sass to it whilst remaining completely serious.

"Don't start Alec, I'm not in the mood." I nearly growl as I get out and slam my door shut after locking it.

"Lock your door." I yell before walking over, not caring to wait.

Inside the hotel we take Becca into an empty room before talking to her.

"Chloe Latimer says you supplied her with a wrap of cocaine." Ellie suddenly states, causing me to almost do a double take out of surprise. I already don't like Becca, but this made it worse. The thought of Becca supplying someone I thought of as my niece with cocaine made my blood boil.

"What? You're kidding?" Becca replies, myself maintaining a glare at her, which Becca promptly avoids.

"Why would she say that if it's not true?" Ellie replies, probably wanting to find out the truth as much as myself. Becca lets out a sigh as she thinks about how she's going to answer us.

"Tell us the truth, or I will get your license removed." I harshly threaten as I eye her coldly. Ellie looked over at me, not only surprised by my tone, but also by the fact that I said that, Alec also gave me a questioning glance before returning it to the now fearful hotel owner.

"There was this couple down from London for a long weekend, in a suite, spending money. They asked me if I could get them some coke." Becca replies after a sigh and stumbling upon her words slightly as my threat floated in the air.

"Chloe was working for me that weekend. I asked her if she knew where I might find some. She took so bloody long, the couple had gone. I just gave it back to her." Becca continued exasperated at how she might get in trouble. My glare on her only got colder as she continued, making her squirm, slightly uncomfortable. Alec, with his arms still crossed, slightly nudged my ribs, making me turn to him, his facial expression telling me 'lighten up, being a hard ass is my job'. I almost listened, but then remembered how Becca just asked my "niece" where to find cocaine.

"Where did Chloe get it from?" Ellie continued questioning, both Alec and I staying silent with our arms remaining crossed.

"Um, she said a friend. She didn't tell me his name. She said he didn't deal, but he knew where to get stuff." Becca replies, slightly calmer since I'm no longer glaring daggers at her.

"Did her brother have anything to do with it?" Alec suddenly questioned. Getting looks from both Ellie and Becca at his question.

"It's, it's nothing to do with that." Becca replies. A moment of silence ensues as we all mull over a possible connection, even Ellie thinking about it while Becca just looks more and more nervous about the situation.

"Do I get arrested?" Becca suddenly asks.

"We will have to process the offense." Ellie responds, myself looking around now bored of this conversation.

"Is there any way we could keep this quiet? As Elspeth clearly said, I could lose my license." Becca questions, nervously glancing over at my rigid form.

"Fix a time to come down to the station, make a formal statement." Alec explains. Becca gave an anxious and questioning look between all of us before nodding.

We leave the hotel, Alec and myself getting into my car. Still angry and shocked at my conversation with Jack I tightly clench my fists around the steering wheel before I place my hand on the stick, about to shift gears when Alec gently places his hand on top of mine. The frustration in my mind suddenly stills, I feel slightly calmer as I slowly look at our hands before looking up to him.

"Y'know, out of all the people I thought you'd snap on, the hotel owner was not who I expected." He says in an all too familiar tone, picking up my hand and lightly gliding his thumb over the top. I let out a sigh in displeasure knowing that my frustration was so obvious. Letting my head fall back against the headrest lazily, I stare up at my car's ceiling before responding.

"I'm just having a bad day." Blunt, vague, but that was how it would stay. I'm taking no risks on anyone finding out about Jack, because then they would find out about me, and that is not something I need during this case.

"You want to talk about it." Alec asks softly as he looks over at me. I really do, but I know I can't.

I pause in thought, letting a few seconds of silence float stiffly in the air before replying, "Nope."

Taking my hand out of his, throwing the car in reverse then into gear, heading back to the station in silence, mostly because Alec rarely ever sees this side of me.

Ch. 6 Ch.8

Scar: What Did I Do?

Imagine being Scar's daughter, and Mufasa hates you:

— Lil warning: Mufasa is an ass, violence —

I was born several months before my cousin Simba, a small cub that most thought wouldn't survive; I never got to know my mother as she died during my birth. I apparently look just like her, my fur is a light grey, almost like the foggy mist that gathers in the morning before sunrise, and my eyes are a warm amber.

I am currently 5 months old, the lionesses and lions still towering over me. Luckily I have other abilities, such as how good of a hunter I've become, and the fact that I am one of the fastest runners pride.

———————

"DAD! DAD!" My roared pleadings seemed to fall on deaf ears. 

I' m currently being chased out of Pride Rock by my uncle, Mufasa. I can practically feel his anger, large paws pounding against the ground as growls continuously emit throughout the air.

(I'm not sure why, but he's hated me for as long as I can remember. He never lets me play with the other cubs, and he makes sure the lionesses ignore me. I'm not sure why he's so cruel to me, I don't think I've ever done anything to offend him.)

My body tiring quickly, I've been running for a while — and though I may be fast, I really need to work on my stamina.

I'm about to call for my father again when a sharp pain is felt in my right hind leg, I yelp loudly, tripping over my feet and tumbling to the ground. I curl into myself, afraid of what will happen to me. I suddenly hear a growl thundering around me, but this growl doesn't sound like my uncle.

I sense movement, two lions are fighting, snarls and swipes being exchanged. I slowly uncover my face, eyes cautiously opening. I immediately see Mufasa, his large stature stiff and puffed out, he still looks furious; the other lion being none other than my father. My father is smaller in size, but he is quick, dodging most of the attacks while landing a few of his own. Eventually they are circling each other, heads low and claws bared.

"Stand down brother." Mufasa slowly orders, but my father refuses to comply.

"Why, so that you can kill my daughter?" Father sneers, his eyes narrowing.

"What did she do this time? Run too fast? Ask another annoying question? Or did her presence simply offend you?" Each question was growled in a harsh, agitated tone, each word emphasized by a swipe taken at Mufasa. My father was extremely pissed, but who could blame him? This is probably the fourth time Mufasa has gotten angry with me, but it is the first that he has attacked me; every other time he just made me really scared or embarrassed.

After the barrage of attacks, both lions backed away slightly, heavy breathing and growls being the only thing heard as venomous glares were traded. Mufasa holds his head up, looking like he wants to retaliate, but decides to release a loud huff instead, turning to walk back to Pride Rock.

"Get control of your daughter or I will." He snarls slowly as he passes Scar, glaring at me when he stalks by. My form seems to only wilt further, fear of punishment from father now making me regret calling for him.

Scar turns away from Mufasa, diverting all attention to my wounded form. He walks over to me, making his way closer to check on my injuries, but quickly stops when he notices me flinch away from him. His brows furrowed in confusion for a moment until understanding occurred.

"Y/N, you have nothing to fear, I promise I will never hurt you, okay?" His normally cynical voice is nearly unrecognizable, tone gentle and nurturing as he gazes down at his wounded daughter. I glance at him in uncertainty for a moment before stumbling up from the ground and running over to him.

He carefully comforts me, his paw lightly resting on my back as I begin to cry against him. As he comforts me, he quickly assessed my leg, it looks like a superficial wound, his claws seemed to have slipped right off of it.

"I-I don't-t even know w-what I did-d wrong." I whimpered quietly, my cries having simmered down to just tears blurring my vision

Unraveled Ch.2: Unhappy Ellie

Ch.1 Ch.3

It's my first day back to work in a week since I was called out on a family issue back in Scotland, and luckily I had a week of vacation days stored up. Ellie has been out too on a family vacation to Florida, and we decided to meet up and go to work together.

Walking down the sidewalk, I ran into her and Joe pushing around little Fred with Tom walking alongside them, talking with a joyful Mark. As soon as Ellie saw me her smile grew even wider.

"ELS!!!!!"

"ELLIE!!!"

Ellie quickly handed the stroller over to Joe before tackling me in a hug, nearly squeezing the life out of me as I returned the favor to her. We finally separated after a few more seconds of hugging, smiling widely at each other before I looked over to greet her family.

"Hello Joe, Tom, little Freddy!" I exclaimed, my Scottish accent thicker than normal due to my visit back to Scotland. I lean down to tickle Fred, his laughs of glee ringing through the crisp morning air, helping to renew my spirits.

"Hello Els, are you coming to sports day with us?" Joe questioned as we recommence walking, the stroller being returned to Ellie as he pulls Tom into his side to ruffle his hair.

"Of course, I wouldn't miss seeing my favorite godson play." I state as I ruffle Tom's hair as well. Him laughing, pushing my hand away before hugging me quickly.

"So Miller, first day back at work, how do you feel?" I question sarcastically, falling in step next to the family as they continue along.

"Honestly Els, we've known each other for almost a year and you still call me Miller sometimes." Ellie states in fake annoyance, having grown accustomed to my habit.

"I know Ellie, but it's a habit, just think of it as my nickname for you." I respond honestly, frowning slightly as I briefly think back to who gave me this habit.

"Fine. I'm super excited to be back, because they said I would have the D.I. job, so I can't wait!! How about you, CARLISLE. I know you just got back from a week off, so how are you feeling?" Ellie smirks as she mocked me using last names.

I let out a slight huff at her, "I'm feeling the same as always, just can't wait to get back to work. Being with my family is overwhelming sometimes."

"Hope your family is doing alright... How about you come with me to drop the kids off and then we can go to work together." Ellie smiles as she looks at her family quickly.

I smile back and nod in agreement.

——————————

"Morning! Hi! Hiya, morning! Hi, I'm back!" Ellie exclaims jubilantly in her happy personality, everyone clapping as they welcome her back. I simply lean against the counter of the small kitchen area with a small smile as I watch her enjoy herself and give gifts to some people. Everyone always loves Ellie's warm and welcoming personality.

Stuck in my thoughts, the sounds and the applause starts to fade into background noise, my skin beginning to sweat slightly and my eyes shuttering closed. I quickly get up and walk as calmly and casually as possible, slipping out the door and rushing into the bathroom, locking the main door after assuring that it's empty. My memories are fighting me, forcing me to relive the case that caused all these problems, all the welcoming and cheering that mixed together at Ellie's return sounded far too similar to the sound of rushing water. It didn't help that on my visit to my family they brought up that dreadful case.

I try to calm my quick breathing, desperately attempting to think of something else but the only image in my head is of my friend and I looking into the water and him immediately rushing in with myself following soon after, watching him nearly drown before dragging him and the body out of the water. I can still feel the icy water encompassing my body, my lungs being suffocated by water as I allowed myself to be pushed under so that I could push my friend up.

I almost stumble to the floor, grasping onto the counter for stability as I try to steady my breathing, slowly pulling myself up and patting my face with wet paper towels before looking at my reflection and seeing a tired and lonely person.

Ever since I was called out to my family the flashbacks have increased and have been stronger than usual. I have been avoiding my family because they remind me of the case and of my childhood best friend; the sudden rush of having to see them, and then being forced back into a life of crime solving was a little much. But I have to pull myself back together, this is Ellie's day after all, she's going to get the job she wanted, and I can't trouble her with my stupid issues.

Putting on a facade I walk out of the bathroom, heading back to the room to see it quieting down. I stride over to Anna and quickly ask, "Hey Anna, do you know where Ellie went?" My eyes scanning over the room to see no sign of her jubilant self.

"Oh yes Els, she just got called in by the head, most likely telling her the bad news right now."

"Alright." I say about to walk off to the office before immediately stopping as I comprehend what she said.

"What do you mean 'bad news'?" I question, the confusion overflowing my voice as I look at Anna. Her face showed slight surprise before remembering I was gone. I don't wait for a response, rushing over to the office only to run into a very unhappy Ellie.

"Can you believe this Els! They gave my job to someone else! And a man at that!" Ellie whisper-shouted at me as she dragged me outside of the station. Her anger was overflowing, so I tried to calm her down, but my attempts were futile.

"And not only a man, but one with a case so bad that it's going to screw our station over!" She exclaimed as she stomped her foot in contempt.

"Alright, easy Ellie, I had no idea this was going to happen and it's awful, but let's evaluate the situation. If he's as bad a D.I. as you say then you will get his job, if he's a good D.I. then we should try and learn from his experience. I know you may not like it, but you haven't experienced a lot in this station. I've been through homicides and rapes on a daily basis, but the worst you get out here are misdemeanors. So let's calm down." I explain firmly as I grasp her shoulders, making her look at me. She lets out a slight huff of irritation, knowing that I'm right in that she does lack some experience to be a D.I.

"Fine, let's just go back inside and see how it goes." She mutters before trudging back inside. I can tell she's going to definitely hold a grudge against this new D.I., and it's going to be a new experience, because an angry Ellie has never been seen so far.

Ch.1 Ch.3

Jack Celliers: Sadie

Imagine your husband(Jack) finds you in the POW camp:

I've been here for so long that the beatings don't seem to hurt anymore. It's like I'm not quite in my body anymore, instead I'm watching it, almost as though I'm just an onlooker.

I don't know how I managed to get here, all I know is that I tricked my military into thinking I was a man, and next thing you know I'm out here fighting a war, only to be caught. My trial was short, I was nearly sentenced to death, but by a stroke of luck I was detained as a prisoner of war. That's not to say that I feel lucky, most definitely not, you have no idea how hard it is to hide being a female when you are a prisoner.

I've lost so much weight that I no longer have my period, so that is a big help, but I also know that this quick weight loss is incredibly unhealthy. Now the only issues I have include hiding the fact that I wrap my chest, as well as making sure that I consistently lower my tone.

I don't socialize too much with the other soldiers, I barely even talk to Lawrence, and the only reason I do is because he goes out of his way to initiate conversations with me. I think he has assumptions about my true identity, he does have quite the analytical mind, and I would have to be an award winning actress to pull the wool over his eyes; but as of yet he has made no mention of this towards me, my only evidence being the cautious glances as well as a sudden protective nature.

_______

I can't say for sure how long I've been here, but I know it's been at least a couple of months now. I've gotten closer with Lawrence, no longer minding our occasional chats. I seem to be the preferred punching bag for the guards, so I told Lawrence early on, that should anything ever happen to me, I want only him to treat me; I don't care how bad my injuries are, only he is allowed to treat me.

This is the third time this week I've ended up in our makeshift hospital, no one but Lawrence will even come near me in fear that my bad luck might rub off on them. I'm more than sure Lawrence knows I'm a woman, but he still hasn't said a thing about it to me.

All I know is that I can trust him... I hope.

_______

Lawrence's POV:

Bailey Stevens... quite a good soldier from what I remember, but I barely know him really, or should I say 'her'; because I obviously know that this soldier is a woman, and I suspect that she knows of my assumptions.

She's extremely reserved, which is expected from everything she's been put through; the guards here seem to love beating on her. I'm not sure whether it's due to her being physically smaller than everyone, or because she has an intrinsic need to act; probably both.

I can't help but feel a need to protect her, she's like the rebellious sister I never had. I can't allow the Japanese - or anyone for that matter - to figure out that she is a woman. Who knows what they would do to her.

_______

She's been unconscious for a couple of days now, only having brief periods of consciousness where she might drink some water, or says 'hello' before going back under. I don't know what to do anymore, I've told our doctor everything, and I've done everything he's told me to do, but she still sleeps the days away.

To add on, I've got another friend here now, Maj. Jack Celliers, another determined soldier who was born to act. I know I'll have my hands full with these two when they both get back on their feet.

__

It's late into the night when her form begins to stir, I quickly sit up, wondering if today will be the day her strength returns. I must admit that I've missed her rebellious spirit, though I also fear how she will react to having possibly lost sight in her right eye.

Her eye flutters open, wandering around the rundown building before focusing on me. She tugs the covers tightly against her chest, and I can see the underlying fear emanating from within her gaze, I can only offer her a soft smile to try and calm her down.

"I know Bailey... I know. No need to worry, your secret is safe with me." My tone is gentle and friendly, and I can see her body losing the tension that had been building. Releasing a quiet sigh before bringing a hand up to her face, gently running her fingers over the gauze covering her right eye. I feel my body slightly go rigid as she looks to me for an explanation.

"Bailey, during your last beating... you were struck quite a few times to the head... It caught you right in the eye. We're not sure whether you'll have sight in it when it's healed...I'm sorry."

_______

Bailey Stevens' POV:

My chest tightens at the explanation, knowing you might lose sight in one of your eyes is an incredibly scary thing to be told. Especially in a place like this where surviving is already hard. I raise my gaze to Lawrence and see the sadness in his eyes, he looks ashamed of telling me about my injuries, almost as if feeling at fault.

I reach out my left hand, softly resting it atop his.

"It's alright, it's not your fault." I offer him a gentle smile as he gives me his own. Our moment is interrupted by the groaning of another person, I look to him in question as to who it is. He responds with another smile before shaking his head.

"That's another troublemaker quite like yourself, Bailey." His voice contains a sad humor in it, one that makes me want to laugh and frown at the same time.

"What's his name?" My voice is a whisper, but I have switched to my normal tone, it feels refreshing not having to hide who I am.

"That would be Jack Celliers. He quite reminds me of you actually, almost ironically." His tone once again holds that same gloomy humor. I however feel my eyes widen in shock as I hear his name, my heart rate increasing at the thought of it being my Jack Celliers.

"Jack Celliers?" My voice holds confusion as well as surprise, I never thought I would see him again until the war ended, that or in heaven. When he left for the war, I knew he might never return, so I put on my disguise and rolled the dice. It's been so long that I thought I might never see him again, but here we both are, stuck in the same POW camp.

"Yes.... Do you know him?" Lawrence looks confused at first, but upon seeing the worry on my face, he quickly contorts into a knowing gaze; a small smirk grazing his features at my lack of response.

"Ahh, so you do know him." His voice raises above a whisper slightly, and I quickly shush him, not wanting anyone to wake up and hear our conversation.

"Yes... Yes, I do know him. Is he alright? What's happened to him? Is he going to be oka-"

"Slow down there Bailey... When he arrived his condition was just as bad as yours, but the doctors say he's recovering quite well and will be good as new soon." My whole body relaxes at hearing he's getting better and will be alright. As I lean back, a strong sense of sleepiness rushes over me, that and the pain of my beatings; but I've never fought harder in my life to keep my eyes open, I know Lawrence can tell I'm struggling.

"Is there anything you might want me to tell him should he wake up before you?" He speaks quickly, wanting to give me enough time to respond before I lose consciousness.

"Tell him.. tell him Sadie says 'hi'." You can practically hear my smile as I tell him to use my real name. He also gives me a smile, and that's the last thing I see before darkness consumes my vision once more.

_______

Lawrence's POV:

Sadie, what an oddly fitting name for the girl who acts to survive.

I quietly walk over to Jack's bed to see if he's is awake. I'm not sure this is the best time to tell him, but at the same time, who am I to withhold this information.

As I reach his secluded sleeping arrangement, I watch as he turns slightly, his eyes fluttering open. Recognition flows through them as we look at each other.

"Hello Jack."

"Lawrence." His voice is gravely, and I can tell his body is exhausted. I slowly sit on the bed beside his own, rubbing my hands together in thought. He looks at me as he awaits what I am clearly contemplating saying.

"Jack... Is there the possibility that you know someone named Sadie?" My voice is hesitant as I speak, but the look of recognition over hearing her name immediately tells me everything I need to know. He carefully nods his head, his eyes now fixed on me with a new sense of focus.

"I only ask because another soldier recognized your name and asked me to tell you 'hello'." I can see the confusion swirl in his mind as to how another soldier knew your name, or why they would ask me to say 'hello'.

"Jack... That soldier is a woman, who goes by the name of Sadie, and claims to know you. Is there something I should know?" When he hears that the said soldier is a woman, his body jolts forward, not only in shock, but concern as well. I don't know their past, but the way they react to hearing about each other tells me they are much more than friends.

"I have to see her." Jack gasps, hurriedly stumbling to get out of his bed. I immediately rush forward, providing support for him as he attempts to stand.

"Are you sure about doing this right now? How about in the morni-"

"No, I need to see her. NOW." He doesn't raise his voice at all throughout his sentence, but the way he speaks is with such conviction, such certainty and determination that I know there will be no talking him out of this. I hesitantly nod my head, helping him walk over to her own secluded sleeping area, carefully setting him down on the bed beside hers.

He just sits there, staring longingly at her unconscious form. He looks sad, depressed even, at the sight of her. His hand slowly reaches out, softly gliding his fingers over the rough gauze that covers the right half of her face.

"How... What happened?" His tone exudes concern, but his face remains stoic.

"She tried to stop the guards from harming another soldier, I suppose you could say she got their attention." My sentence is formatted in a humorous way, but my tone remains serious. She nearly died from this, I don't find anything about that to be funny.

Jack sat there for a few more moments, just silently thinking to himself as his fingers continuously drift along the gauze.

"Will she be alright?" His tone is slightly higher, like what happens when your throat tightens up in the early stages of despair. I can tell that seeing Sadie like this brings him immense pain, maybe even guilt, but I know that he probably doesn't want me to bring it up.

"She's quite the fighter, just like you. The doctor says she should be fine, but we have no conclusive evidence on what will happen to her eye. Odds are 50/50." I try not to sugarcoat anything, but I also try to be respectful of what I say. This is the woman he loves, the last thing he needs to hear is that she might not make it.

Jack solemnly nods his head. I move forward to help move him back to his bed when he suddenly looks up to me.

"Can I stay here? In this bed?" His eyes are pleading for me to say yes, and I know that if the woman I loved were here, I too would want to stay right next to her.

"... Alright, you can stay here. But there are some things you should know first. No one else but us two know that she is a woman, alright? And she goes by the name Bailey Stevens, so when she does come around, and others are awake, just call her Bailey, alright?" Jack's eyes burn with curiosity at hearing her chosen name, but he nods his head in understanding.

I say goodnight to him, before turning and walking off a little bit. Slightly intrigued, I turn and watch from afar as Jack gently kisses one of her hands before laying down in his own bed, not once facing away from her. My mind only has one thought running through it the entire time:

"This could either be really good, or really bad."