Eraserhead and Scribe V

Chapter 11

Chapter 11

"At least we know she's safe." Scribe sighed, looking at her hands folded on the conference table in the police station.

Aizawa wondered if she was trying to convince herself of this or if she really believed Spinner. He knew the meeting had shaken her, especially the parts she'd told them about what Spinner had said about Shigaraki's condition.

"The information you got out of him will definitely be valuable, too." Tsukauchi looked over his notes. "Any idea what he meant by 'He's doing what he has to'?"

Scribe rubbed her left arm in a nervous gesture that made Aizawa frown. She wasn't an overly nervous person but her contact with Spinner had affected her in an odd way.

"I asked him about Shigaraki. I told him when I saw him he was bleeding and looked...looked like he was going to die. I think he was trying to reassure me." She glanced at Aizawa. "He thought I was upset at that time."

Aizawa nodded. He understood she was saying that she'd let Spinner see that she was upset. He's doing what he has to. Spinner meant Shigaraki was doing something to himself to insure he could achieve his final goal. A world without heroes. Did the man even care that the woman he loved was a hero? Would he fight her like the rest of them? Did he have a plan for when he met Scribe on the battlefield?

Or would whatever he did to himself drive him so far over the edge of insanity he'd no longer care? From Scribe's description of him in her dream, he thought this was likely.

"You did a great job, Scribe." Tsukauchi's voice broke into Aizawa's thoughts. "We know we're looking for a nurse with some tie to the Paranormal Liberation Front. And she's trusted by Shigaraki. So there must be a trail." He looked up from his notes. "It was when you said Shigaraki wanted to use the girl that Spinner became suspicious?"

Scribe nodded. "I should have known better."

"How so?" Tsukauchi looked confused.

Aizawa answered for her. "Because he doesn't use children. Shigaraki. Not young ones, anyway. He actually helped Scribe figure out that the Piper was using children's quirks to form an army before our first mission with Jeanist. And he's never shown any interest in trying to take Eri, even though he knows Chisaki used her to make the bullets."

Scribe glanced at him, her expression a little surprised, but she nodded agreement. "He considers young children off limits, I think. Probably why he decided to help the girl who attacked me."

Tsukauchi nodded and stacked his papers. He rubbed the bridge of his nose wearily. "I guess even Shigaraki has to have some redeeming qualities."

Scribe straightened, her expression grim. She took Aizawa's hand. "It's his story. We all have a story, and his childhood was more tragic than most. But he'll have to decide how it ends."

Aizawa stood, helping his wife to her feet. He could feel how tired she was. The day's emotions had drained her. Once again, he thought of what Kamui Woods had said. If this day's operation had been so draining, how could she face an actual battle, especially one where she would almost inevitably come up against Tomura Shigaraki?

***

Scribe leaned her head on Aizawa's shoulder on the train ride home. She didn't sleep, though, the memory of her last nightmarish vision of Shigaraki still too fresh. Why can't I shake this feeling?

She'd come so close to convincing Spinner to tell her what had happened to the girl. Why did I have to tip him off like that? She groaned inwardly, trying to keep her frustration from Aizawa. Of course, it didn't work.

You did the best you could, love. He put his arm around her and pulled her close. She let her head rest against his chest, ignoring the scratchy capture scarf.

I feel like I could have done more. He...Spinner...he wanted to believe me. I could see that. She paused, and somewhere in her memory she saw Spinner again, his eyes astonished, looking from her to Tomura and back again with wonder.

"Hey, Spinner, thanks for pulling me out of the ditch today."

"Uh, yeah...Sure thing. I'll, um...I'll just get right on that...that thing you wanted me to do, boss. If you're sure you really want—"

She frowned, pulling herself out of the memory to find Aizawa looking at her. "Did you just remember something from the day you were with Shigaraki?"

"Yes. I think so." She raised her eyes to meet Aizawa's, her face burning. "I'd just taken a shower and there were no clothes for me to put on. I went to find Tomura to ask him where all my clothes were and he was talking to Spinner. I think he was telling Spinner to find out what had happened to me." She stopped because suddenly she felt as if everything that had happened that day was within reach of her memory. Like she was standing in front of a shelf and the memories she'd locked away were there. But she was frightened, too. Uncertain about what might happen when she remembered. And if she made the tiniest move they were all going to come crashing down from the shelf onto her head. She looked up at Aizawa.

"What is it?" He brushed a gentle hand across her cheek. "Are you remembering more?"

Words echoed in her head, bits of memories she didn't want but couldn't escape: I love you...dance with me...I'm so glad I have you...I don't see the scars, all I see is you...come to bed, Tomura...I do. I love you...

"Oh God." Her heart thudded in her chest and she winced. I said all those things. But I don't love him. I don't love Tomura Shigaraki. I love Shota. But the feelings had been there. And if she let herself remember that day, she knew they would come flooding back. And there was no stopping them now. How can I love him? I'm going insane.

"Scribe!" Aizawa had seized her shoulders and shaken her a little. She shook off the fear and loathing to focus on her husband. He drew a relieved breath when he saw her look at him. "What's happening?"

"I...I remembered it. All of it." She shook her head, feeling as if the memories of the one day she'd been in love with Tomura Shigaraki were going to take over and push all other memories from her heart. Her hands tightened on his arms. "God, I wish I hadn't."