Killian was asleep in the living room with an astrology book open on his lap. It had only been five minutes since he drifted off when Lex teleported in. Her sudden collapse onto the floor startled him awake.

"Lex?" what was up with her voice? It sounded like she was in pain.

His vision was blurry, but as it cleared, his eyes widened at the sight of her. She was beaten and battered. "Lex, what the hell!" he leaped off the couch, book thrown to the ground as he came to her aid.

An outstretched hand reached out to pull her slowly up from the floor. "What happened? Who did this to you?"

Alexandra Briarwood

To her surprise, he’s there. His voice is a welcome sound. An immediate sense of relief washes over her. She’s safe, loved, protected.

With his help she stands, clinging to him with an unfamiliar desperation to know he is safe and well. Gavin’s threats against his life still echo through her mind. This was all her fault. Again.

He asks questions, ones that would take too many painful words to answer. Instead, she steps closer and buries her face into his chest, reluctant to let him see the extent of the damage. There’s a subtle tremble with each breath, “I’m sorry,” she forces out in an unrecognizable voice.

Killian Decker

Questions he'd expected answers to are met with silence. Killian's too focused on her condition to notice, however. Given how she looks, he's not sure if embracing her is the best idea. But it's all he wants to do.

He tries to get a better look at Lex's face as he helps her stand. She makes it hard by quickly hiding against his chest. A shaky voice then carries her apology to his ears. Concern twists his stomach into a knot.

"Lex, it's okay - just tell me what happened." tentatively, he places his hands on her shoulders.

Alexandra Briarwood

Lex runs through the order of events in her mind while she stays close to him, letting his scent comfort her and bring some sort of ease. A part of her is still in shock, not quite sure how it all happened and how she survived. New details were revealed to her each time she played a rerun of it through her mind.

“Someone tried to kill me,” and almost succeeded. That was the short of it, and all she could get out before she began coughing violently, wincing at the pain that forces her to take a step back, “Fuck,” she whispers, gingerly touching her neck with her fingertips.

Killian Decker

Anger gnaws at the concern knotted in his stomach. "What?" anger turns to fury when she steps away, coughing. He can see the full extent of her injuries now. Arms bruised, face swollen, and eyes black.

His brow furrows, but his eyes still swim with concern.

Immediately his thoughts jump to one person. "Was it Lulu?" there's venom in his voice. "I swear to god if that bitch hurt you again." he'd what? Things hadn't exactly worked out for him last time.

Alexandra Briarwood

Lex can feel his eyes bearing into her, studying the state of her broken body. She freezes like a Deerling in headlights. Not because she is afraid, but because there is nothing to hide. No secrets, no lies. Lex peels her hair back to reveal the striking hand shaped bruise curled around the fair skin of her neck that the assailant left when he tried to choke the life out of her.

Recently they had both been known to get unpredictable and rash when angered. She could see Killian seething now, “No,” she quickly responds when he asks if it was Lulu. Was Gavin to blame? Technically yes, he locked them in a room and told them to fight to the death. Would he have let her die? Killed them both if they refused? Perhaps. Lex didn’t know who to trust anymore besides Killian, “I don’t know his name,” she admitted, letting her eyes find Killian’s for the first time, “But I killed him,” There was obvious conflict in the way her eyes showed regret but her tone reflected bitterness. Like Gavin said, she did what she had to do. But is that what she really believed?

Killian Decker

He breathed a sigh of relief, but it was short-lived. Yes, it wasn't Lulu Flint - but Lex had just admitted to killing a man. Something she'd never done before. He could see the conflict in her eyes.

Killian tensed, his anger apparent. He wouldn't waste his breath asking if she was okay.

"Sit down, Lex. I'll get Quiet's Poke Ball and have her heal you." he guided her carefully to the couch.

Alexandra Briarwood

He was angry, as he should be. Lex would be furious if Killian showed up in the state she was in. Not just angry, terrified at what might have happened if the opponent succeeded in their mission. If it wasn’t for her dumb luck, she probably wouldn’t be standing here.

His anger worried her, but she hoped knowing that the man was dead would bring some solace and lead to him not making any rash decisions.

Lex simply nodded, her gaze moving back towards the carpet and away from his as she sat down on the couch. She sank into the comfort of it with a sigh, surprised at how casually she had just mentioned killing a man, “It was by accident,” she continued in a quiet voice. Her gaze moved down to her hands which were still stained with his blood, “I got lucky,” she whispered, her voice quivered when she remembered what it was like to press her thumbs into the soft flesh of his eyes, “I- I- I killed someone,” she gasped, the weight of her actions finally bearing down on her, threatening to suffocate her.

Killian Decker

Killian doesn't leave her sitting alone for long. He quickly darts to his study for his Poke Balls. On his way back to the living room, Killian stops by the kitchen for a rag. It's a struggle to keep himself composed. All he can think about as he wets the cloth under warm water is revenge.

On who, he's not sure. The man who hurt is already dead, killed by Lex's own hands. Then why can't he shake the feeling that there's something more?

"Later." he mutters, stepping out of the kitchen.

Quiet is released, and the Hatterene immediately sets about treating Lex's wounds. A Heal Pulse washes over the redhead's body as Killian sits beside her on the couch.

Gently, he takes one of her hands and starts to wipe away the blood. He takes his time, thoroughly cleaning each finger in an almost sensual manner. It's been a while since they've been this close. All the fighting and tension made it difficult to be intimate.

It pains him that it took her being battered and bruised to bring them together.

"I need you to tell me what happened, the whole story." Killian's trying his best to keep his voice calm, to let concern overpower his anger, but it's hard.

Alexandra Briarwood

The weight of her actions bear down on her in an overwhelmingly oppressive manner. Her breath quickens, coming in uneven shudders as the knot in her chest twists painfully until it feels like she can’t breathe. Tears threaten to return as the corner of her bruised eyes glisten. It is then Killian returns with Quiet and a warm washcloth, and not a moment too soon.

Lex shudders under the chill of the HEAL PULSE as it snakes its way through her body, searching for what is broken. The heal pulse may be what starts to take the pain away, but it is Killian’s touch that is the most healing. There is an intimacy to it that only he could bring and with it comes a renewed sense of comfort that untangles the knot in her chest. Her breathing steadies and the tension she has been holding on to releases her as she sinks deeper into the couch. She lets her gaze watch him as he gently and methodically works through her fingers. There’s something symbolic hidden within it, the way he washes her hands clean of her sins. Acceptance.

“Yes,” she agrees, noticing the pain of speaking starting to grow into more of a dull ache, “Promise me you won’t do anything rash,” amber eye floated back up to meet his, just as much concern in her eyes as there is anger in his.

Killian Decker

Heal Pulse isn't enough to mend her wounds completely, but it at least takes away some of the pain. He can feel the tension leave her through her hands. The steadying of her breathe soon follows.

He's finished wiping away the blood from one hand and moving onto the next when she speaks. He watches the washcloth slide between the creases of her fingers, eyes refusing to meet hers. Killian's hesitant to give her an answer. He doesn't want to lie. They've done enough of that to each other already.

"I can't do that." honesty wins out in the end.

Alexandra Briarwood

Well, at least he’s honest. He won’t look at her but Lex frowns, shifting her position on the couch to face him while he takes her other hand into his. Lex waits a moment, absorbing the renewed sensation on her second hand. It’s hard to ignore the intimacy of his touch that she has been starved of recently. She doesn’t want it to stop, but she knows eventually it will and things will fade back to their new normal: A distant, angry Killian and a desperate, bitter Lex.

“I’m serious Killian, you’ll get us both killed,” she warns as she looks back up at him.

Regardless, she tells him. No secrets, no lies.

“Gavin called me to the sub,” she begins, clearing an itch in her throat, “He thought I was the traitor from the Cave of Origin mission. Knocked me out, tied me up with a Shadow Hold, interrogated me,” she sighs, reliving the haunting grip the Shadow Hold left, “Eventually he believed me after he threatened your life and my story still didn’t change,” she pauses before continuing, a tremble returns to her hands, her voice breaks, “Then he uh, threw someone in there with me. Some guy. Told us to show no mercy, fight to the death,” she swallows, her free hand subconsciously moves to touch her neck, “I didn’t want to fight, I tried to get out,” she shakes her head, as tears pinch out of the corner of her eyes, “I thought I was going to fucking die,” she inhales sharply to stifle a sob, “Gavin said if I show any disobedience it would be you they come after,” she is sure it works both ways. After her encounter with Darkrai and Gavin’s ruthlessness, she has no doubt it is well within their power to go through with the threat.

“Killian,” she pleads, scooting closer to press her forehead against his, “Please, I can’t lose you, I’m sorry,” she shakes her head as a few more tears fall, “I- I- didn’t know this is what it was going to be like,” she pleads for forgiveness that at this point she knows she doesn’t deserve.

Killian Decker

A storm builds inside his chest. Thunderous claps warn of an angry hurricane ready to overtake him. It bleeds into his eyes, rage filling them and disappearing in rapid flashes like lightning streaking across the sky.

What an idiot he'd been to take Gavin at his word. After the situation with Lulu, he should have known better than to trust Rocket. But he'd been too focused on getting the power to protect Lex. That saving her from the very people they were working for hadn't crossed his mind.

It should have.

The rag wrapped around her fingers comes to a sudden stop. Killian's eyes shut as he fights against his instincts. They're violent and urge him to seek revenge. He can picture it on the back of his eyelids. Visualize Gavin's bloody and broken body lying limp before him. His hands tremble at the thought.

Like always, it's Lex who pulls him away from the edge. The warmth of her forehead against his and her desperate plea anchor him. Somewhere in there, she's asking for forgiveness too. But none of this is her fault. It's not Killian's either. Gavin is the one to blame.

The pain in Lex's voice reminds Killian that it's not about him and his anger at this moment, however. It's about her. She needs comfort more than he needs revenge. That's what he focuses on to keep himself sane.

His fingers trace a sensual line up her arm. "You won't lose me, Lex." he pulls the bloodstained rag away from her hand and drops it to the floor. Lips press gently against her forehead before he stands.

"Come on, you need a shower."

Alexandra Briarwood