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epilogue ━━━━━━━━━━━━ 2024
Sam's hesitating, too. It's evident by the hand wavering over the play button, where his eyes try to search Annalise's, but her eyes are glued to the floorboard, a crease between her brow. Her hands are folded, elbows pushing into the chair, her jaw clenched slightly. "Are you sure?" Sam questions, finally composing himself. He's pulling all his VA moves, but Annalise doesn't mind. If anyone else had, she'd be mad, but it seems for everything, Sam is the exception. "I want you to know if you aren't ready, we don't have to do this. There's always tomorrow, Anne." Sam reassures.
With a deep burning exhale, Annalise nods. Sam doesn't move—hoping for words. Noting this, Annalise cards through her thoughts, trying to pick and reach for pliable words. "I'm sure—never been so sure. I trust you more than anyone, Sam. I can't control what follows but I want you to know if this doesn't go to plan, it isn't your fault." Annalise informs, trying to offer a smile but her lips quiver in the process. He knows she means it. He nods.
Annalise attempts to settle her stiff bones back into the chair, her pathetic attempt at trying to relax. It doesn't work of course—her body only seizing up when that music begins to play. Her eyes involuntarily screw shut, the lyrics seeping into her ears like a venom. Breathe. Breathe. Remember. Annalise's eyes open again, going back to the floorboard. Run, rabbit, run, rabbit, run, run, run. A muscle in her neck protrudes painfully, from where her jaw is in a tight clench, teeth grinding down.
For a moment, it feels like Annalise's veins are burning again. The sickly burn of the serum residing in her—altering her. The familiar feel of leather around her arms, the room encased in blood colored lights, the speaker echoing the same forsaken song over and over. Lauf, hase, lauf! The burning swarms to her eyes, pooling into tears, her jaw loosening just enough to swallow hard and suck in through gritted teeth, trying to suppress a sudden sob. Facility walls appear in her mind, shutting her off from the life she's meant to have. The sob escapes her as Annalise blinks the tears down, rolling down her cheeks. The crackling of the earpiece is there again—the base's attempt to get to her. Mission failure, she remembers.
The song sings loudly. Fun, fun, fun. Annalise can remember the pain, the hopelessness. It's all settling again, drowning her like she's at the bottom of a well. It clouds her vision, the familiar suffocation making her drowsy. Schlafen. Annalise forces herself to look up, towards the sun pouring into the room. Here, not there. Eyes fall to the phone playing the music—its just a phone. She then looks to Sam, who's staring at her, worriedly. Sounds of an IV dripping faded, Annalise stares back at Sam. The song fades, too.
Annalise comes feels the slap of reality before she's leaning forward and gently grabbing Sam's face against her own body's wishes. A breath left Sam's lips as she wrapped around her slowly, a hand cradling the back of her head. For a moment, he was at a loss for words. He always knew what to say to Bucky, or rather had a plan of his choice words if something were to ever go wrong—but now? His tongue felt numb, and he couldn't even speak. Annalise's head fell to the crook of his neck, shoulders shaking with sobs. She wasn't expecting for him to speak, but her sobs got harder when he broke the silence.
