The Rabbit Hole || ONC 2023 ||

Chapter 7

Marie blinks a few times, her gaze blurry. She slowly sits up and stretches. What a weird dream.

She feels around for her blanket, not yet ready to give up the warmth of it. But as she feels around for it she doesn't find it. Or her bed.

Her eyes snap open.

Now wide awake she doesn't find herself in her room. Instead she's in her practice room at work. Did she fall asleep here?

She looks around. It looks normal enough. But she doesn't remember falling asleep here. She remembers a scream and then orange and red and... Finn!

She jumps off the couch and zooms for the door. How did she fall asleep? How did she get back into this room? She bursts out into the common space, expecting to find Finn on fire or sitting on the couch with his burns. But when she gets out there she finds Mike and Roan.

She can't help but remember their strange looks that they shared before everything went black.

"Where's Finn?" she asks, looking around for him like he'll appear out of thin air. Which wouldn't be all that strange at this point.

The two men both look up at the sound of her voice. Both of them seem surprised to see her.

"You're awake," Roan says.

"He's at the hospital," Mike answers, recovering the fastest.

Marie ignores her partner's surprise. Why wouldn't she be awake? "Will he be okay?" She takes a seat on one of the blocks. The one farthest from both of these men.

Mike nods. "Just some minor burns."

Marie sighs in relief. She was sure he would have severe burns from how that fire was climbing all over him. She takes a deep breath. Now that she's asked and shown concern for her co-worker it's time to ask the real questions. "So what's going on here?"

They share a look.

"Nothing?" Roan says it like a question. "We're just waiting for some more news about him and Nayoko."

She waves a hand at him, almost like wagging a finger at him. "That's not what I meant." And I think you know that.

They share another look. This one longer.

"Stop that!" Marie exclaims.

They turn and look at her.

"Stop doing that weird look between each other like there's some big secret!" Then it dawns on her. She leans closer to them and lowers her voice. "Is there some big secret?"

Roan sighs. "She deserves to know."

She nods. Finally agreeing with her partner on something.

Mike sighs and shakes his head. "It's too soon."

Roan scoffs. "Too soon? Nayoko has a broken leg! Finn has severe burns! What's next? Amy gets put into a coma? Something happens to me?"

At that Mike glares at him. "You know he would never hurt you."

"Who?" Marie chimes in. Her gaze jumping between the two of them.

Roan shakes his head. "My brother."

Maries brows furrow. "Your brother is doing all of this?"

Mike sighs and leans back on the couch. "Now we have to tell her," he grits out.

Roan side-eyes him but ignores him. "He doesn't mean to. It's the part of him that wants revenge for all those years ago. It's the part of him that enjoys doing it."