Partners In Crime: Watch Them Break

Chapter 14: You're My...

"Fell in love with the lamb. What a stupid lamb. What a sick, masochistic lion."

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The room was dimly lit.
Beth clenched her fists, going to a chair in the center of the room. It was surprisingly nice. Not old and rotten like she would expect. It was plush, and grey. Her favorite color. In front of it was a small wooden table. It had a cup of coffee resting on a saucer. She smelled it - no smells of poison or chloroform. No chemically smell that warned her. Instead she smelled... rum and chocolate? Taking a tentative sip, she frowned. Rum and chocolate coffee. She had expected cyanide. Yet it didn't smell or taste like bitter almonds. She continued sipping, eyeing the small bowl of pretzels to the right of where the coffee had been. Pretzels... Rum and chocolate... All her favorites.
She stood, reaching into her purse. Those idiots hadn't searched her. She still had her emergency knife and pepper spray. She readied it, knife tucked in the pocket of her coat and pepper spray concealed in her bra. She could get it out and within use somewhere between 5 and 10 seconds. She hadn't used or even held her knife in months. She let herself smile a little as she held it in her hand. The familiarity of the textures and scents was like coming home after a long time away. The grip was rubbery. Silicon, she recalled. It fit her hand so perfectly, just as it always had.
A metallic sound dragged her from her memories.
"Who's there?!" She called as she put down the cup of coffee. She was tempted to smash it against the floor - it would look more intimidating, after all. Yet she didn't.
She heard footsteps. Too far away to see the figure, but close enough to hear.
"Tell me! Now!" She held her knife in her hands, snarling her words. The footsteps were closer now. The figure must have had a limp - the footsteps were uneven. Irregular. An occasional grunt of pain came with every few steps. She could see a vague outline of him now. Loose clothes, unruly hair. Beth and ready to strike.
"Show yourself!"
The footsteps were so close. It was all so dim.
A few months ago, she would have stood her ground. Laughed and slashed her knife out at him. Yet now... She was scared. She couldn't help it. Her hands started to shake. She squeezed her eyes shut, blinking back a few terrified tears. Her feet took a few steps away from him.
"Go away~!" She cried.
The lights turned on, and she squeezed her eyes shut at the sudden change.
"Hey, Bee."
That voice.
She was hallucinating again. He couldn't be here. He couldn't.
"Bee. Open your eyes." His voice was closer now, and her hands turned to fists. The knife slipped from her hands.
"Bee... Please?"
Grey eyes popping open, she couldn't help but tear up.
Jamie.
His hair was messy and chin length. His clothes were loose. There were bruises around the bridge of his nose and bandages around his leg.
No. It had to all be in her head. It had been before. She was crazy. Everyone knew that.
"James?" Her voice cracked as she reached out for him. She expected him to fade away like dust when she touched him. Yet her hand went to his cheek. The warmth and feel of his skin made her jerk back, and he took her hands in his own.
In every dream, he never touched her. He would always be just out of reach.
She forced herself to look at him. His eyes. They were a little more hazel than normal. But it looked just like little Eliza's eyes.
She nearly fell into his arms.
Jamie. Her Jamie.
"But how-" she gasped for air, sobbing harder, grasping his shirt, "How? You're dead, Jamie! You're dead!"
He chuckled, "Oh, Bee, you should know that I'd never leave. Blank bullets and blood bags, dear. It's simple. You once did it yourself, remember?"
She nodded.
"I've been trying to keep tabs on you. But I havent seen you in months. I figured it would be safe to see you now. So, what have I missed?"
Beth wiped her face with her sleeve, "So much, Jamie. So much."
"How's Tiger? He miss me?"
"Of course. But he's found comfort in something else. I have too."
James gave a mock scowl, "And what might that be? Nothing's allowed to replace me."
"... Eliza."
"Oh, does Basher have a girl now? 'Bout time. I thought he was gay for a while there-"
"Your daughter," Beth smiled, "You have a daughter."