Terra Nova - Things Lost in the Fire ch10 [Skye/Lucas]
Title: Things Lost in the Fire
Fandom: Terra Nova
Ship: Skye/Lucas
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: bad language, sexual situations, AU
Chapter: 10/?
Summary: Pre-Series. AU story. Skye meets a strange man at Snakehead Falls and ends up falling in love. But can happiness built on anonymity last, when the world around them is on fire?
Author's Note: I spent two days rereading earlier chapters, and hitting my head against the wall because of the grammar, the typos and just... gaaaaaaaahhhhh. Ok, I'm done. I don't even care anymore. This story's coming out either way ;)
Things Lost in the Fire
10. We can't go on like this
Voices in the corridor, arguing, sounded to her cell even through the door. She couldn't quite make out the words or details, but it was quite clear it was about her. Why else would they be here?
Ever since Taylor had left, she'd felt this strange premonition, a sensation that something was wrong. It hadn't been that long either, not even an hour, and already the fighting had been going on for several minutes. Uncertainty had a hold of her now, uncertainty that the universe was about to throw her life into freefall again just when she'd gained a foothold since the last fall.
She waited patiently for the noise to end, for the sparring voices to reach a decision that could change her life. Banishment was more and more on her mind as the most probable punishment. She knew it wasn't what Taylor wanted, yet it was certainly what was expected of him. He couldn't falter if the criminal happened to be a loved one, part of his family. He had to blindfold himself from those feelings, cut them off and treat her with justice.
There was a bang in the distance, and the door opened a moment later, bringing her face to face with Taylor. With one glance she could tell he wasn't happy, but terribly conflicted. Skye rose and walked to the bars to meet him, clemency and forgiveness already on her lips. She didn't want to part ways with hatred in her heart.
"What is it?" she asked patiently.
"I've been offered a trade," he revealed, trying to conceal his feelings on the matter, even as they shined through his demeanor clearly. "The Sixers want to give us the medicine and your mother in exchange for you."
By the Sixers he obviously meant Lucas, because he was the only one among them who'd want her after her days as a spy were over. Something swelled inside her, this information roused those feelings: the faith she'd held onto. He wanted her back even after everything.
"I…," she started with uncertainty, yet got cut off by her impatient guest. "Don't you dare throw yourself in the fire again for your mother! If you want to stay, then you stay," Taylor demanded.
His tone was definitely harsh as he urged her to think for herself, reminding her vividly of her mother. The mental image wasn't comforting; she realized Deborah's only shot was here at Terra Nova. Taylor saw this as blackmail, clearly thinking the worst of Lucas, whereas she realized this was a way for him to help her without losing face. He hid his well intentions behind the charade, refusing to run after her like a knight. Instead he bargained, showing himself to his father, risking everything.
"Do I have an option?" Skye asked curiously, seeing how reality reached Taylor again. Some hours ago he hadn't seen much light at the end of the tunnel for her.
"Nothing is set in stone, Skye. But if you leave with them, then you'll just be proving the rumors and slander true," he tried to get it to her head, knowing he couldn't help her once she walked outside those gates.
Skye considered his words for a second, biting her lip furiously whilst she contemplated her options. Leaving here would hurt like hell, like a piece being torn from her, yet she couldn't see a scenario less painful either. At least with them she'd be with him finally, and rest well with the knowledge that Taylor would keep her mother safe, nurse her back to health. She didn't want to think any further than that, because she didn't want to think of the part where being with the Sixers meant she'd be joining another side in this civil war.
"And if I can bring him around? Help end this struggle? Isn't it worth a shot?" she questioned him, faith strong with her ability to reach Lucas. She'd live with that faith or go down with it, depending on what life would throw at her.
Taylor didn't respond at first, he was stricken by her calmness, by her rational approach to this. He swallowed hard ready to accept the truth he hadn't wanted to voice. "If you go with him, you'll be choosing to side against Terra Nova. Do you understand that Skye?" he asked, hoping she would open her eyes for real. If she went with him, he could not ask anyone to spare her once the fighting started.
"I have no options!" she suddenly burst, snarling at him in her despair. "You can't even say if I'll ever get out of this cell should I stay. When the other option is being with him, being free, how can you ask me to stay?"
Her hands were clutching the bars, their cold surface digging into her flesh eagerly, spreading the numbness. She stared at him, waiting for his answer, some sort of acknowledgement that she was right and he was being unreasonable. It never came.
"Turn around," Taylor requested, defeat tangible in his voice. Her right hand grasped her left wrist gently, confusion visible on her face. Skye didn't follow his intentions immediately, but when she saw him hold out a pair of handcuffs, she understood. Her wrists were still bruised from yesterday, yet he asked her to submit to this treatment again.
"It's not exactly a secret that we have Sixers outside the gates," he then explained in shame. "I can't walk you outside without these."
She pushed the hesitation and shame aside and turned around, bringing her hands behind her back and backing up to the bars. He took her hands one by one, cuffing her as gently as possible, feeling how the act froze her still. A criminal, a prisoner, a Sixer being transported - that's all she was to them.
Once he was done, he opened the door and took her by her shoulder. They began their silent march outside, tension building with each step. Almost like the long walk towards execution and rebirth, Skye wondered, bowing down her head as they stepped outside.
The heat brushed against her, penetrating every layer of clothing she wore. Sunlight and sound brought the world alive around her. She was greeted by familiar faces, Washington and Elizabeth standing by the door, each paralyzed by the sight of her and Taylor. Had they argued against this? It seemed plausible to her.
Soldiers approached them and joined their walk, acting as escorts. They had an audience as well, heads turning to them where ever they walked. No one dared to make a sound though; it was clear this wasn't something anyone could protest. Shadows hung on Taylor's face, his usual confidence gone, replaced by shapeless melancholy. And so they walked all the way to the gates, all eyes upon them.
Skye spotted Josh in the crowd, holding hands with his little sister. Tasha was leaning onto Max, anguish all over her face. She tried to approach when she noticed Skye, but Max held her still, reminding her of the armed soldiers between them. Hunter stared at Skye intently, heartbreak all over him. Something about him made her look at him a bit longer than the others, and he recognized this too, mouthing to her, Stay strong.
They stopped at the gates, Taylor signaling a few more soldiers to walk up to him, while his hand slid down from Skye's shoulder, allowing her to stand still for a moment and just take everything in. He asked them to bring the stretchers, fetch Deborah once given permission. Skye's eyes wandered outside though, her gaze seeking for Lucas. She spotted him seconds later, speaking with the Sixers, nearly inseparable from their midst.
Taylor walked around her, speaking her name one more time, pleading silently for her to voice any doubts she had. He'd turn them right around with just one word, to the hell with the consequences, he promised. Skye simply nodded to him, accepting this and everything that would follow. Maybe it was better this way?
The crowd began buzz once they started to walk in unison towards the Sixers. A pair of soldiers followed, holding onto the stretchers. They had stripped their weapons and walked behind Skye and Taylor, keeping a close eye on Taylor's example. Skye's eyes were upon Lucas. She watched him react as he realized they were coming, how he stood different, looked different in an instant, acting almost thunderstruck.
Mira stepped out of the rover she'd been sitting in, stretching herself slightly and calling a few helpers as she opened the backseat door. Skye's eyes shifted to her immediately, upon realizing she was prepping her mother for transportation. Disappointment washed over her when she realized her mother wasn't even conscious. Taylor motioned for the soldiers to go to Mira, and they followed his instructions warily.
Lucas walked up to them, eyes cast on his father, downright ignoring Skye.
"You came to your senses," he commented to his father, refusing to look at the girl Taylor was still holding in his grasp.
Taylor's hand rested on Skye's shoulder, but the grip became tighter once Lucas made his move. Skye didn't like being a bargaining chip in their exchange, but saw no reason to start complaining. This was the wrong place and wrong time for that. She just wanted it to be over. Her eyes wandered back to her mother, observing as they lifted her to the stretcher and began carrying her away.
"You didn't leave us much of a choice," Taylor countered his son, referring to them as a unit rather than speaking just for himself. It irked Lucas so clearly, but he held his temper, glancing at Skye for the first time.
His expression softened. "I can imagine it must've been difficult," he said, still talking to his father, mocking him between the lines. He figured she'd jumped at this chance to be reunited, seeing how she'd been caught against her will. He couldn't afford to believe anything else really.
Taylor resented the way Lucas looked at her, like she was his possession being returned. He didn't realize it was show put up just for him, that Lucas fought his urges harder than ever.
"Hand over the medicine," he urged his son. Distrust screamed at him, begged him to proceed with caution.
Lucas shifted his gaze to his father again and dug up a small bag from his pocket, tossing it to his father carelessly. "And there you have it," he whispered with a deceivingly pleased tone, actually flashing his trademark grin at them.
Taylor caught the bag with a quick move. He held it inside his fist, feeling its contents with his fingers through the fabric. It appeared to hold some sort of powder inside.
Lucas then extended his hand to Skye, his eyes sliding to her. Sensing that she was being observed, Skye turned back to Lucas with uncertainty. She saw his hand and wanted to reach for it, but the cuffs were still on, digging into her bruises as she moved her hands, having forgotten all about her restraints. She winced in pain, biting her teeth together, realizing to her displease that his expression grew colder again at this display of pain.
Lucas looked straight at his father, his expression downright poisonous as he withdrew his hand. "Release her," he instructed, a threat included in his comment.
Taylor reached for the handcuffs and opened them slowly, while Skye burned between the two men. She didn't exist when they were in the same space, she just shrunk into nothingness. Everything needed to be forced; every action, every word was fought for. She swore they could've already been at each other's throats if the rules of the game didn't exclude that option.
Then the cuffs clicked open and Taylor's hand vanished from her shoulder. She was free.
"I hope you know what you're doing," Taylor whispered to her, before stepping back.
Skye was suddenly very aware of her standing, how she was between them. They both waited for her to move, each believing she would solve their issues, show who was right. It left a bad taste in her mouth.
But when Lucas extended his hand again, she reached for it. He closed her hand inside his, pulling her closer carefully, eyes already examining her condition, the bruises and cuts, with displease. After she reached his side, he turned his attention to his father again, his eyes holding a spark, perhaps a sign of gratitude.
"I'll be seeing you old man," he smiled with confidence, his final insinuation meant to dent his father's determination. It didn't really, but you couldn't blame Lucas for trying.
Taylor faced his opposition calmly. "Not if I find you first, son," he menaced before walking away.
Lucas didn't stay and watch his father go; he signaled his troops to leave as well, while Skye's eyes sought for the soldiers who were carrying her mother again. She realized to her disappointment that they had already reached Terra Nova, when Lucas threw his arm around her and guided her with him towards the rovers. He didn't say anything; even the way he held her was distant. She hadn't expected miracles, but maybe a warmer welcome at least?
He led her to one of the rovers, opening the door for her and helping her inside as he circled to the driver's seat himself. While she sat down, inhaling freedom with reserve, Lucas stopped at the door to exchange a few words with Mira. They spoke in hushed tones, more than aware that they were being watched. Then they agreed on something and parted ways. Lucas stepped inside afterwards.
He didn't say anything to Skye and she didn't call for him either. Skye just leaned against the door, head pressed to the window. Her wrists were aching again, and she didn't know what to expect from the future.
The hum of the engine alerted her to the start-up, and she realized they were the first car to leave. The others made sure they got away before joining them in a cavalcade of sorts. She waited for an intervention, a cataclysm that would prevent their leaving, yet none arrived. She hadn't obstructed the will of god with her actions, and Taylor hadn't been able to turn this into a victory. Sadly she accepted that everything was in her hands now.
The road was bumpy, and Lucas seemed focused on driving, judging by the way his hands grasped the wheel a bit too tight, and his lips remained sealed. The field vanished as they set off into the jungle, their speed picking up.
After several minutes of this silence, she just couldn't hold off speaking anymore, even if it meant she was the first to break. Skye turned to look at him, his tense form showing all the signs of irritation, of malaise.
"I didn't think you'd come," she told him honestly.
He tried to suppress his frown, keep up the angered front. "You thought wrong," he then corrected her; stealing a glance at the rearview mirror to make sure the others were still following.
Skye opened her mouth to comment, to ask, but nothing came out. She was left in silence, it embraced her willingly. No matter what she did, someone gave her this same treatment, this sick game of avoidance and silence. It had to be a Taylor-family special, probably fed to them with mother's milk, she thought with hurt.
They took an unexpected turn off the road some time later, which worried her. Skye turned to Lucas for answers but he remained tight-lipped even after she saw the other vehicles pass them by and continue down the road.
"Where are we going?" she asked with a frown, suddenly disliking being in the dark about his plans. She'd been willing to follow him, because she'd thought she knew where they were headed. Now she wasn't sure of much anything anymore.
"Does it matter?" he responded, avoiding her question, her face, everything about her.
"Of course it matters!" she snapped, moving closer to him on the seat, demanding to be heard. "Lucas what the hell!"
He glanced at her quickly, returning his eyes on the terrain almost immediately. "There's something we need to do first," he then explained boldly. His tone rubbed her just the wrong way, and she was about to express her vexation in a more outspoken manner, when he began to slow down and eventually halted the car.
Lucas released the wheel and pulled the handbrake switch, his eyes moving onto her next. "Get out," he said calmly, resting his hand on his knee, his other hand reaching for something on his belt. Her eyes followed his hand, her body frozen still, tension rising between them.
"Skye," he urged her in a gentler manner, "Go outside."
She grabbed the handle, yanking the door open with too much strength as she jumped out. Her throat was full of pain, everything felt backwards. Why was he acting like this!
Skye moved towards the front of the car, realizing they had arrived to a small waterfront. It was bright and hot, but cooler near the body of water. Lucas followed suit almost mechanically, hand grasping his knife. She didn't notice it though; her attention was focused on the beauty around them, the wild nature. And she breathed in the scents of nature like it was the first time.
When he reached her side, towering above her ominously, she didn't even want to face him. How had they wound up like this? Had it been her pride or his that sought to tear them apart?
"Skye," he called her, his voice getting a response from her body whether she wanted to or not. It had the ability to make her weak and strong, to anger her and throw her into arousal, but it also had the power to break her. She turned to him unwittingly, expecting for something terrible.
"Take off your shirt," he prompted her, recalling the last time he'd done so under very different circumstances. That memory rippled across her body as well, a fitting response gripped her insides, filling her with false anticipation.
She didn't ask why when she peeled the cardigan from her back and proceeded to pull her tank top over her head. Lucas watched intently, appreciating the sight despite her banged appearance. He assumed the worst, of course, thinking that she'd had to learn her lesson the hard way. It only made him grasp the handle of his knife harder.
"Turn around," he whispered, and she did what he wanted, staring at the clear blue waters ahead. She was biting her teeth together, mind in disarray, as he started to feel her skin with his fingers, moving across her back, pressing at her bruises. There were pain, flinching and gasps, but nothing made him stop. He progressed with precision, eventually finding a spot that was particularly tender and felt strange.
Lucas stopped, breathing in deep. He then laid his hand on her shoulder, taking hold, support. She braced herself silently, fisting hands, focusing on the butterflies and their colorful flight in the distance.
"I'm not going to lie Bucket," he told her, "This will hurt."
She accepted it, realizing only now that the spot was the same that Elizabeth had worked on. Skye closed her eyes when he cut her, a cry escaping her lips. It was followed by a series of involuntary movements, her body acting on its own, while he struggled to hold her still. She made more noise, trying to keep it down while he slit her skin open.
There was more blood than he'd expected. They had buried it deeper than he'd assumed. Lucas didn't give up though; no, he searched in spite of her pain, whimpers and squirming. After two long minutes he found the tracker, digging it out with the knife, and releasing her from his hold, as he stopped to examine the little chip on his hand. She pulled away, reaching for her backside with her hand, grimacing as her fingers were stained in blood almost immediately. A red trickle advanced down her backside.
Her cut was shallow, something they could fix back at the camp now that it was safe to proceed, but it didn't stop her sobbing frame from damaging him. Lucas buried that emotion deep, reluctant to show her that side of him for now.
Skye grabbed her cardigan from the hood of the car and pressed it against the wound, shooting blaming looks at him, at his detachment. Lucas simply responded by showing her the tracker in his hand, hoping to awaken her for good from her delusions that concerned his father.
She observed the small chip on his hand with disgust, watching how its metallic surface repelled her blood, all the while betraying their location to his enemies. Had this been Taylor's intention? Have Elizabeth trick her and implant that under her skin, and then snatch them all in the cover of night, ending everything in a swift surprise attack? Again she understood the tactic, but hated being the pawn.
"Fuck you! And fuck him!" she cursed loudly, trepidation spreading into her body as she pushed the cardigan sharply against the cut. Her curses only made Lucas smile though; he tossed the chip at the water bank, watched it sink with a blip. Then he moved next to her, his cold demeanor melting away.
She didn't ask him how he'd known or suspected. She didn't care. He'd gone at it the way insolent jerks did, commanding her around just because he could, instead of telling her why. When he tried to touch her, she moved from his reach, pulling her shirt back on and then her cardigan defiantly.
Lucas stared at her intently. Seeing her like this was spreading unease across his body, thrusting him into an emotional maelstrom. Of course he'd known what his father had planned, he knew the man all too well. And the worst part was he would've done the same himself with no doubt. She made him realize how twisted their game really was, how destructive.
"Are we going?" she asked, unwilling to decipher his moods or emotions. It was clear he was sulking at her like a child, holding a grudge when she'd just given up everything to come with him. Taylor had been right, she was off her goddamn mind, no clue what she was doing.
He sheathed his knife, after wiping its blade to the side of his cargo pants mutely. She stood at a distance, holding onto her shoulder with her hand, fingers grasping her hair nervously, like she'd been violated. He could tell she was deeply upset, and he let her be. He remembered his promise to Mira all too well: keep her at a distance.
"It had to be done, Bucket," he stated blankly. "Did you think breaking free would be easy?" A hint of malice snuck into his voice, he mocked her assumptions, her optimism. Skye wrapped her hands around herself tightly, hoping to shield herself.
"I expected you to at least try and a forgive me," she shot back. "Not stab me in the back - literally - like you actually enjoyed it."
Ah, but it was so difficult to cut the umbilical cord that had grown out of nowhere. He saw it tie her down, restrict her movement. She really was proving to be far less rebellious than he'd hoped, and it was a shame for he'd truly fallen in love with that unpredictable girl at the cliffs, who'd seduced him on whim.
"I forgive you," he said, meaning every word. "I'm just not ready to forget yet."
He couldn't surrender at the sight of her; lose his independence, his free mind just because she beckoned him. Lucas fought the impulses, the desires. She was a treacherous creature, something he hadn't fully understood when he'd given himself to her. He'd offered her everything and had it slammed right to his face. It wasn't something he could just brush away.
Her anger died a little at his words. She considered them and the conflicted emotions that were the source of these words. It was unrealistic to expect them to just go back where they'd left things. He'd lied to her, and she'd left him. His work was lost because of her, and she'd paid for that by giving up her home and family. Heavy casualties on both sides, and all for a strange love she couldn't explain or comprehend herself.
She took an awkward step towards him and then another. She watched him stir as she moved closer, unprepared for her change of mind. Skye stopped next to him, looked up to his face, how this expression was empty, like he wasn't her Lucas at all.
"Let's go home," she asked, slipping her hand into his with care. He didn't reject her touch, he allowed her to entangle their fingers and squeeze his hand. It felt right. Lucas had followed her hand with his eyes, but he returned them to her now. She looked at him tentatively, hoping he wouldn't say no.
He tugged at her hand acquiescently and they moved towards the car in unison. He was ready to lead her to a new life, a rebirth.
TBC
Fandom: Terra Nova
Ship: Skye/Lucas
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: bad language, sexual situations, AU
Chapter: 10/?
Summary: Pre-Series. AU story. Skye meets a strange man at Snakehead Falls and ends up falling in love. But can happiness built on anonymity last, when the world around them is on fire?
Author's Note: I spent two days rereading earlier chapters, and hitting my head against the wall because of the grammar, the typos and just... gaaaaaaaahhhhh. Ok, I'm done. I don't even care anymore. This story's coming out either way ;)
Things Lost in the Fire
10. We can't go on like this
Voices in the corridor, arguing, sounded to her cell even through the door. She couldn't quite make out the words or details, but it was quite clear it was about her. Why else would they be here?
Ever since Taylor had left, she'd felt this strange premonition, a sensation that something was wrong. It hadn't been that long either, not even an hour, and already the fighting had been going on for several minutes. Uncertainty had a hold of her now, uncertainty that the universe was about to throw her life into freefall again just when she'd gained a foothold since the last fall.
She waited patiently for the noise to end, for the sparring voices to reach a decision that could change her life. Banishment was more and more on her mind as the most probable punishment. She knew it wasn't what Taylor wanted, yet it was certainly what was expected of him. He couldn't falter if the criminal happened to be a loved one, part of his family. He had to blindfold himself from those feelings, cut them off and treat her with justice.
There was a bang in the distance, and the door opened a moment later, bringing her face to face with Taylor. With one glance she could tell he wasn't happy, but terribly conflicted. Skye rose and walked to the bars to meet him, clemency and forgiveness already on her lips. She didn't want to part ways with hatred in her heart.
"What is it?" she asked patiently.
"I've been offered a trade," he revealed, trying to conceal his feelings on the matter, even as they shined through his demeanor clearly. "The Sixers want to give us the medicine and your mother in exchange for you."
By the Sixers he obviously meant Lucas, because he was the only one among them who'd want her after her days as a spy were over. Something swelled inside her, this information roused those feelings: the faith she'd held onto. He wanted her back even after everything.
"I…," she started with uncertainty, yet got cut off by her impatient guest. "Don't you dare throw yourself in the fire again for your mother! If you want to stay, then you stay," Taylor demanded.
His tone was definitely harsh as he urged her to think for herself, reminding her vividly of her mother. The mental image wasn't comforting; she realized Deborah's only shot was here at Terra Nova. Taylor saw this as blackmail, clearly thinking the worst of Lucas, whereas she realized this was a way for him to help her without losing face. He hid his well intentions behind the charade, refusing to run after her like a knight. Instead he bargained, showing himself to his father, risking everything.
"Do I have an option?" Skye asked curiously, seeing how reality reached Taylor again. Some hours ago he hadn't seen much light at the end of the tunnel for her.
"Nothing is set in stone, Skye. But if you leave with them, then you'll just be proving the rumors and slander true," he tried to get it to her head, knowing he couldn't help her once she walked outside those gates.
Skye considered his words for a second, biting her lip furiously whilst she contemplated her options. Leaving here would hurt like hell, like a piece being torn from her, yet she couldn't see a scenario less painful either. At least with them she'd be with him finally, and rest well with the knowledge that Taylor would keep her mother safe, nurse her back to health. She didn't want to think any further than that, because she didn't want to think of the part where being with the Sixers meant she'd be joining another side in this civil war.
"And if I can bring him around? Help end this struggle? Isn't it worth a shot?" she questioned him, faith strong with her ability to reach Lucas. She'd live with that faith or go down with it, depending on what life would throw at her.
Taylor didn't respond at first, he was stricken by her calmness, by her rational approach to this. He swallowed hard ready to accept the truth he hadn't wanted to voice. "If you go with him, you'll be choosing to side against Terra Nova. Do you understand that Skye?" he asked, hoping she would open her eyes for real. If she went with him, he could not ask anyone to spare her once the fighting started.
"I have no options!" she suddenly burst, snarling at him in her despair. "You can't even say if I'll ever get out of this cell should I stay. When the other option is being with him, being free, how can you ask me to stay?"
Her hands were clutching the bars, their cold surface digging into her flesh eagerly, spreading the numbness. She stared at him, waiting for his answer, some sort of acknowledgement that she was right and he was being unreasonable. It never came.
"Turn around," Taylor requested, defeat tangible in his voice. Her right hand grasped her left wrist gently, confusion visible on her face. Skye didn't follow his intentions immediately, but when she saw him hold out a pair of handcuffs, she understood. Her wrists were still bruised from yesterday, yet he asked her to submit to this treatment again.
"It's not exactly a secret that we have Sixers outside the gates," he then explained in shame. "I can't walk you outside without these."
She pushed the hesitation and shame aside and turned around, bringing her hands behind her back and backing up to the bars. He took her hands one by one, cuffing her as gently as possible, feeling how the act froze her still. A criminal, a prisoner, a Sixer being transported - that's all she was to them.
Once he was done, he opened the door and took her by her shoulder. They began their silent march outside, tension building with each step. Almost like the long walk towards execution and rebirth, Skye wondered, bowing down her head as they stepped outside.
The heat brushed against her, penetrating every layer of clothing she wore. Sunlight and sound brought the world alive around her. She was greeted by familiar faces, Washington and Elizabeth standing by the door, each paralyzed by the sight of her and Taylor. Had they argued against this? It seemed plausible to her.
Soldiers approached them and joined their walk, acting as escorts. They had an audience as well, heads turning to them where ever they walked. No one dared to make a sound though; it was clear this wasn't something anyone could protest. Shadows hung on Taylor's face, his usual confidence gone, replaced by shapeless melancholy. And so they walked all the way to the gates, all eyes upon them.
Skye spotted Josh in the crowd, holding hands with his little sister. Tasha was leaning onto Max, anguish all over her face. She tried to approach when she noticed Skye, but Max held her still, reminding her of the armed soldiers between them. Hunter stared at Skye intently, heartbreak all over him. Something about him made her look at him a bit longer than the others, and he recognized this too, mouthing to her, Stay strong.
They stopped at the gates, Taylor signaling a few more soldiers to walk up to him, while his hand slid down from Skye's shoulder, allowing her to stand still for a moment and just take everything in. He asked them to bring the stretchers, fetch Deborah once given permission. Skye's eyes wandered outside though, her gaze seeking for Lucas. She spotted him seconds later, speaking with the Sixers, nearly inseparable from their midst.
Taylor walked around her, speaking her name one more time, pleading silently for her to voice any doubts she had. He'd turn them right around with just one word, to the hell with the consequences, he promised. Skye simply nodded to him, accepting this and everything that would follow. Maybe it was better this way?
The crowd began buzz once they started to walk in unison towards the Sixers. A pair of soldiers followed, holding onto the stretchers. They had stripped their weapons and walked behind Skye and Taylor, keeping a close eye on Taylor's example. Skye's eyes were upon Lucas. She watched him react as he realized they were coming, how he stood different, looked different in an instant, acting almost thunderstruck.
Mira stepped out of the rover she'd been sitting in, stretching herself slightly and calling a few helpers as she opened the backseat door. Skye's eyes shifted to her immediately, upon realizing she was prepping her mother for transportation. Disappointment washed over her when she realized her mother wasn't even conscious. Taylor motioned for the soldiers to go to Mira, and they followed his instructions warily.
Lucas walked up to them, eyes cast on his father, downright ignoring Skye.
"You came to your senses," he commented to his father, refusing to look at the girl Taylor was still holding in his grasp.
Taylor's hand rested on Skye's shoulder, but the grip became tighter once Lucas made his move. Skye didn't like being a bargaining chip in their exchange, but saw no reason to start complaining. This was the wrong place and wrong time for that. She just wanted it to be over. Her eyes wandered back to her mother, observing as they lifted her to the stretcher and began carrying her away.
"You didn't leave us much of a choice," Taylor countered his son, referring to them as a unit rather than speaking just for himself. It irked Lucas so clearly, but he held his temper, glancing at Skye for the first time.
His expression softened. "I can imagine it must've been difficult," he said, still talking to his father, mocking him between the lines. He figured she'd jumped at this chance to be reunited, seeing how she'd been caught against her will. He couldn't afford to believe anything else really.
Taylor resented the way Lucas looked at her, like she was his possession being returned. He didn't realize it was show put up just for him, that Lucas fought his urges harder than ever.
"Hand over the medicine," he urged his son. Distrust screamed at him, begged him to proceed with caution.
Lucas shifted his gaze to his father again and dug up a small bag from his pocket, tossing it to his father carelessly. "And there you have it," he whispered with a deceivingly pleased tone, actually flashing his trademark grin at them.
Taylor caught the bag with a quick move. He held it inside his fist, feeling its contents with his fingers through the fabric. It appeared to hold some sort of powder inside.
Lucas then extended his hand to Skye, his eyes sliding to her. Sensing that she was being observed, Skye turned back to Lucas with uncertainty. She saw his hand and wanted to reach for it, but the cuffs were still on, digging into her bruises as she moved her hands, having forgotten all about her restraints. She winced in pain, biting her teeth together, realizing to her displease that his expression grew colder again at this display of pain.
Lucas looked straight at his father, his expression downright poisonous as he withdrew his hand. "Release her," he instructed, a threat included in his comment.
Taylor reached for the handcuffs and opened them slowly, while Skye burned between the two men. She didn't exist when they were in the same space, she just shrunk into nothingness. Everything needed to be forced; every action, every word was fought for. She swore they could've already been at each other's throats if the rules of the game didn't exclude that option.
Then the cuffs clicked open and Taylor's hand vanished from her shoulder. She was free.
"I hope you know what you're doing," Taylor whispered to her, before stepping back.
Skye was suddenly very aware of her standing, how she was between them. They both waited for her to move, each believing she would solve their issues, show who was right. It left a bad taste in her mouth.
But when Lucas extended his hand again, she reached for it. He closed her hand inside his, pulling her closer carefully, eyes already examining her condition, the bruises and cuts, with displease. After she reached his side, he turned his attention to his father again, his eyes holding a spark, perhaps a sign of gratitude.
"I'll be seeing you old man," he smiled with confidence, his final insinuation meant to dent his father's determination. It didn't really, but you couldn't blame Lucas for trying.
Taylor faced his opposition calmly. "Not if I find you first, son," he menaced before walking away.
Lucas didn't stay and watch his father go; he signaled his troops to leave as well, while Skye's eyes sought for the soldiers who were carrying her mother again. She realized to her disappointment that they had already reached Terra Nova, when Lucas threw his arm around her and guided her with him towards the rovers. He didn't say anything; even the way he held her was distant. She hadn't expected miracles, but maybe a warmer welcome at least?
He led her to one of the rovers, opening the door for her and helping her inside as he circled to the driver's seat himself. While she sat down, inhaling freedom with reserve, Lucas stopped at the door to exchange a few words with Mira. They spoke in hushed tones, more than aware that they were being watched. Then they agreed on something and parted ways. Lucas stepped inside afterwards.
He didn't say anything to Skye and she didn't call for him either. Skye just leaned against the door, head pressed to the window. Her wrists were aching again, and she didn't know what to expect from the future.
The hum of the engine alerted her to the start-up, and she realized they were the first car to leave. The others made sure they got away before joining them in a cavalcade of sorts. She waited for an intervention, a cataclysm that would prevent their leaving, yet none arrived. She hadn't obstructed the will of god with her actions, and Taylor hadn't been able to turn this into a victory. Sadly she accepted that everything was in her hands now.
The road was bumpy, and Lucas seemed focused on driving, judging by the way his hands grasped the wheel a bit too tight, and his lips remained sealed. The field vanished as they set off into the jungle, their speed picking up.
After several minutes of this silence, she just couldn't hold off speaking anymore, even if it meant she was the first to break. Skye turned to look at him, his tense form showing all the signs of irritation, of malaise.
"I didn't think you'd come," she told him honestly.
He tried to suppress his frown, keep up the angered front. "You thought wrong," he then corrected her; stealing a glance at the rearview mirror to make sure the others were still following.
Skye opened her mouth to comment, to ask, but nothing came out. She was left in silence, it embraced her willingly. No matter what she did, someone gave her this same treatment, this sick game of avoidance and silence. It had to be a Taylor-family special, probably fed to them with mother's milk, she thought with hurt.
They took an unexpected turn off the road some time later, which worried her. Skye turned to Lucas for answers but he remained tight-lipped even after she saw the other vehicles pass them by and continue down the road.
"Where are we going?" she asked with a frown, suddenly disliking being in the dark about his plans. She'd been willing to follow him, because she'd thought she knew where they were headed. Now she wasn't sure of much anything anymore.
"Does it matter?" he responded, avoiding her question, her face, everything about her.
"Of course it matters!" she snapped, moving closer to him on the seat, demanding to be heard. "Lucas what the hell!"
He glanced at her quickly, returning his eyes on the terrain almost immediately. "There's something we need to do first," he then explained boldly. His tone rubbed her just the wrong way, and she was about to express her vexation in a more outspoken manner, when he began to slow down and eventually halted the car.
Lucas released the wheel and pulled the handbrake switch, his eyes moving onto her next. "Get out," he said calmly, resting his hand on his knee, his other hand reaching for something on his belt. Her eyes followed his hand, her body frozen still, tension rising between them.
"Skye," he urged her in a gentler manner, "Go outside."
She grabbed the handle, yanking the door open with too much strength as she jumped out. Her throat was full of pain, everything felt backwards. Why was he acting like this!
Skye moved towards the front of the car, realizing they had arrived to a small waterfront. It was bright and hot, but cooler near the body of water. Lucas followed suit almost mechanically, hand grasping his knife. She didn't notice it though; her attention was focused on the beauty around them, the wild nature. And she breathed in the scents of nature like it was the first time.
When he reached her side, towering above her ominously, she didn't even want to face him. How had they wound up like this? Had it been her pride or his that sought to tear them apart?
"Skye," he called her, his voice getting a response from her body whether she wanted to or not. It had the ability to make her weak and strong, to anger her and throw her into arousal, but it also had the power to break her. She turned to him unwittingly, expecting for something terrible.
"Take off your shirt," he prompted her, recalling the last time he'd done so under very different circumstances. That memory rippled across her body as well, a fitting response gripped her insides, filling her with false anticipation.
She didn't ask why when she peeled the cardigan from her back and proceeded to pull her tank top over her head. Lucas watched intently, appreciating the sight despite her banged appearance. He assumed the worst, of course, thinking that she'd had to learn her lesson the hard way. It only made him grasp the handle of his knife harder.
"Turn around," he whispered, and she did what he wanted, staring at the clear blue waters ahead. She was biting her teeth together, mind in disarray, as he started to feel her skin with his fingers, moving across her back, pressing at her bruises. There were pain, flinching and gasps, but nothing made him stop. He progressed with precision, eventually finding a spot that was particularly tender and felt strange.
Lucas stopped, breathing in deep. He then laid his hand on her shoulder, taking hold, support. She braced herself silently, fisting hands, focusing on the butterflies and their colorful flight in the distance.
"I'm not going to lie Bucket," he told her, "This will hurt."
She accepted it, realizing only now that the spot was the same that Elizabeth had worked on. Skye closed her eyes when he cut her, a cry escaping her lips. It was followed by a series of involuntary movements, her body acting on its own, while he struggled to hold her still. She made more noise, trying to keep it down while he slit her skin open.
There was more blood than he'd expected. They had buried it deeper than he'd assumed. Lucas didn't give up though; no, he searched in spite of her pain, whimpers and squirming. After two long minutes he found the tracker, digging it out with the knife, and releasing her from his hold, as he stopped to examine the little chip on his hand. She pulled away, reaching for her backside with her hand, grimacing as her fingers were stained in blood almost immediately. A red trickle advanced down her backside.
Her cut was shallow, something they could fix back at the camp now that it was safe to proceed, but it didn't stop her sobbing frame from damaging him. Lucas buried that emotion deep, reluctant to show her that side of him for now.
Skye grabbed her cardigan from the hood of the car and pressed it against the wound, shooting blaming looks at him, at his detachment. Lucas simply responded by showing her the tracker in his hand, hoping to awaken her for good from her delusions that concerned his father.
She observed the small chip on his hand with disgust, watching how its metallic surface repelled her blood, all the while betraying their location to his enemies. Had this been Taylor's intention? Have Elizabeth trick her and implant that under her skin, and then snatch them all in the cover of night, ending everything in a swift surprise attack? Again she understood the tactic, but hated being the pawn.
"Fuck you! And fuck him!" she cursed loudly, trepidation spreading into her body as she pushed the cardigan sharply against the cut. Her curses only made Lucas smile though; he tossed the chip at the water bank, watched it sink with a blip. Then he moved next to her, his cold demeanor melting away.
She didn't ask him how he'd known or suspected. She didn't care. He'd gone at it the way insolent jerks did, commanding her around just because he could, instead of telling her why. When he tried to touch her, she moved from his reach, pulling her shirt back on and then her cardigan defiantly.
Lucas stared at her intently. Seeing her like this was spreading unease across his body, thrusting him into an emotional maelstrom. Of course he'd known what his father had planned, he knew the man all too well. And the worst part was he would've done the same himself with no doubt. She made him realize how twisted their game really was, how destructive.
"Are we going?" she asked, unwilling to decipher his moods or emotions. It was clear he was sulking at her like a child, holding a grudge when she'd just given up everything to come with him. Taylor had been right, she was off her goddamn mind, no clue what she was doing.
He sheathed his knife, after wiping its blade to the side of his cargo pants mutely. She stood at a distance, holding onto her shoulder with her hand, fingers grasping her hair nervously, like she'd been violated. He could tell she was deeply upset, and he let her be. He remembered his promise to Mira all too well: keep her at a distance.
"It had to be done, Bucket," he stated blankly. "Did you think breaking free would be easy?" A hint of malice snuck into his voice, he mocked her assumptions, her optimism. Skye wrapped her hands around herself tightly, hoping to shield herself.
"I expected you to at least try and a forgive me," she shot back. "Not stab me in the back - literally - like you actually enjoyed it."
Ah, but it was so difficult to cut the umbilical cord that had grown out of nowhere. He saw it tie her down, restrict her movement. She really was proving to be far less rebellious than he'd hoped, and it was a shame for he'd truly fallen in love with that unpredictable girl at the cliffs, who'd seduced him on whim.
"I forgive you," he said, meaning every word. "I'm just not ready to forget yet."
He couldn't surrender at the sight of her; lose his independence, his free mind just because she beckoned him. Lucas fought the impulses, the desires. She was a treacherous creature, something he hadn't fully understood when he'd given himself to her. He'd offered her everything and had it slammed right to his face. It wasn't something he could just brush away.
Her anger died a little at his words. She considered them and the conflicted emotions that were the source of these words. It was unrealistic to expect them to just go back where they'd left things. He'd lied to her, and she'd left him. His work was lost because of her, and she'd paid for that by giving up her home and family. Heavy casualties on both sides, and all for a strange love she couldn't explain or comprehend herself.
She took an awkward step towards him and then another. She watched him stir as she moved closer, unprepared for her change of mind. Skye stopped next to him, looked up to his face, how this expression was empty, like he wasn't her Lucas at all.
"Let's go home," she asked, slipping her hand into his with care. He didn't reject her touch, he allowed her to entangle their fingers and squeeze his hand. It felt right. Lucas had followed her hand with his eyes, but he returned them to her now. She looked at him tentatively, hoping he wouldn't say no.
He tugged at her hand acquiescently and they moved towards the car in unison. He was ready to lead her to a new life, a rebirth.
TBC