Only Human

15: Breathe

Madelyn and Lincoln's day was nothing compared to the team's. While theirs was full of interviews and dirty looks from ATCU agents Madelyn was full of silence (except for the low sound of "The Simpsons") on the tv and looking through the window.

"Come sit," Lincoln told Madelyn from the couch "watching through the window is not going to help"

"Eating either" Madelyn bluntly answered "sorry"

"Gordon hasn't reached yet," he said after a moment of silence

"He's weak"

"Are you sure you don't want to send the signal?"

"Yes"

"Why?"

"We would have to move again"

"They would know what's going on"

"They probably know, your face is everywhere"

"They would know you are compromised"

Suddenly the tv went silent for a second before the news appeared, Analise Williams was on the screen with Gregory beside her.

"We are sorry for interrupting your Chanel, but we need your help," probably took some notes from JJ "the criminal Lincoln Campbell has taken one of the FBI's most precious agents" talking Madelyn up to create national pain "and we need to bring her back home. They were last seen leaving Quantico in a gas station, if you have any kind of information please contact this number or call 911. Thank you" the image of Analise fainted and 2 pictures appeared, Madelyn's ID picture and Lincoln's picture appeared on the screen.

Lincoln grabbed the control and shut it off while Madelyn walked towards the door. Lincoln hurried to follow her to the car. About after 20 minutes of pure silence while driving they finally stopped. It was a small town, about 12,000 people, the kind of little town where everyone fake smiled because everyone knew your business. But it had some more important characteristics, number one? No earthquakes, ever.

Lincoln and Madelyn got out of the car and sat on a bench. Madelyn then slowly started to release energy onto the ground. Keyword: slowly. Lincoln watched Madelyn while she kept her eyes closed. Suddenly the ground started to shake, just a little, not more than a 3,2. Then it wouldn't stop, about 5 seconds had gone by and it was now at 4,3. Then Lincoln grabbed Madelyn's hand and she opened her eyes but the shaking continued. Lincoln tightened the hold and Madelyn just started to hyperventilate.

"Breathe, slowly, just breathe with me, in... and out... in... and out" they kept doing this until the shaking stopped (and the screaming).

Soon they got back in the car and drove back to the safe house. Back to where they had nothing to do. And Madelyn just felt horrible. The guilt was coming back. She wasn't ashamed of being inhuman, but she had kept it a secret for so long that she just forgot how it felt. She took something out of herself, and now that she had it back, she didn't know who she was.

But she also felt relieved, a shiver of all the energy she had kept inside had finally gone away. Had finally left her body, even though it was going to come back soon.

Lincoln and Madelyn sat on the couch. Screen off even the both of them were staring at it, too scared to turn it on as it was probably going to be another misunderstanding that was turning the world against them. Then a phone rang. Both of them turned to an old-style red phone. Madelyn answered and Lincoln waited anxiously.

"...hello?" A whisper barely recognizable from the other side said

"Harper?... are you okay? How are you? How's Freddy"