John is left behind by Leilah and Seraphina during their escape from the facility. Left at the mercy of Keon and the authorities, he soon becomes one of EMBER's most prized Assets.
Is he truly unStoppable?
(This is set in the unCHANGED AU so if yo...
Sitting beside John on the bed, Leilah reached into the box and dug through its contents. John cautiously watched her work. Her wavy hair bounced from her shoulders down to her waist - the backdrop to her soft, rosy face.
"You see," John perked up, waiting for her to continue, "I was packing up my sister's room and I came across a few things I think you'd like to see. Here." She pulled out a small, Polaroid-like photo. She held it out to him.
Knitting his brow, John held the corner of the glossy paper between his right thumb and forefinger. It was a photo of Sera with a large boba and, in the back, there was a boy with greasy black hair. He was grinning while gesturing a peace sign to the camera.
"That's Sera and... me?" John tilted his head, wrinkling his nose as he took another look. It had to be him.
"You sound surprised." Leilah noted, "There are plenty more of those buried in here" she dived back into the carton, rummaging through more miscellaneous memorabilia. John couldn't pick out any significant objects, all of them blurring with Leilah's haste.
"This one seems to be of you two at the park." She held the photo so close to his face that he was forced to back up. Lifting the picture out of her hand, he placed it alongside the previous on his lap.
"See, you even have your casual hair here." Leilah tapped on the image of John's confused half-grin as he was about to sip from his water bottle. Sera was in the foreground, as usual. "When was this anyway?" she asked, resting her elbow on the rim of the box.
"This...I..." he stammered. Should he tell her the truth or not? "I'm not sure."
Leilah shrugged, tapping on a book in the box and searching through the carton again, "Shame."
These photos were special, to him, to Sera and to Leilah too - they captured her sister in a time she was happy; in her element. She yearned to hear countless stories about Seraphina - she'd already heard plenty about her and John's adventures form the girl herself, but they were tainted by a melancholic filter as John was their focal point. Hoping John would indulge her hidden wishes, she pulled out another polaroid.
"What about this one?" The picture was of an irritated John, standing in front of and open closet, while Sera winked at the camera, styling a tan, oversized hoodie. "What's going on here??"
John nodded his head, letting it hang low. Peeking through the curtain of hair, he looked from the photo to the woman, then back again. "I don't know." he whispered, "I don't remember" his voice grew even quieter.
Dissatisfied, Leilah crinkled her nose, "Are you sure? Nothing?"
"Nothing."
She was desperate, "Alright, please, can you tell me any stories? I want to know what she didn't share..."
John closed his eyes, fiddling with the corners of the polaroids, "I'm sorry Leilah...I-" he stifled a sob and dropped his face into his hand, "These photos don't mean anything to me..."
"What?! How dare you say something like that?!" she was stunned, frowning.
"I know they're supposed to. I want them to." he said, "But I don't remember anything." Heat flooded his cheeks and he bit his lip. He wouldn't let her witness him crying again.
She tilted her head, putting the box down on the floor, "How can you not remember? You were best friends!"
His voice cracked, "I know. Just a few blurred images...nothing worth holding onto, but it's all I've got." He turned to face her, the woman's quizzical but worried expression made his jaw quiver and his brows crease. "Keon is a natural at his job huh?" he joked flatly.
Leilah's eyes widened, "Keon did what? Wait- elaborate, please." she leaned forward, cupping his arm.
Staring down at the photos on his lap, John said, "I haven't told anyone... if dad found out I don't remember him, his heart would break. He can't know. No one can." Without meeting her gaze, he passed the photos back to her, standing up and beginning to pace to the door, "I'm sorry, but I can't satisfy your curiosity. Believe me, I want to hear those stories too."
"You don't have to apologise, John." she said sternly, "You're a victim in all of this."
"Thanks...but I'm no saint either." He turned to look at her, placing a hand on the door frame. "Never forget that." He stepped foot past the threshold of the room-
"She loved you."
He stopped in his tracks, staring ahead at the wall.
"When you were in the facility, she didn't move on." Leilah said "She lived in the past for a long time, until she decided to become a vigilante. She began to live again. But she did it for you. To make you proud." she shook her head, "That's Seraphina for you... cold, distant and callous. Unless it comes to you. You were her hero."
"Why are you telling me this?" he clenched his fist, "My sins are too much for me to handle anyway...what am I supposed to do with myself, knowing I betrayed her in every way known to man?!"
"I was trying to help. You wanted to know, so now you do." Leilah said, "The truth is, neither of us are saints. We both played a major role in her death."
"That's one way to say it."
"John, half the time I can't stand to be around you. I'm trying to forgive you, but I'll never forget what you did." she stated, crossing her legs, "But I hate myself for what I did to you. Every day, I wish I could change what happened. Not only to save my sister, but for your sake. Because even if sometimes I can't cope with being in your presence, I can't hate you. I sometimes really want to despise you. But I'm unable to do so."
He shook his head, "Please, never become a therapist." he laughed quietly, "And you should probably consider getting one yourself."
"Probably a good idea." she smiled softly, "My point is, focus on getting your life back. If I don't have it in me to hate you, then I doubt anyone else will."
He scratched the base of his hair, "Thanks...I guess. To be honest, I can't hate you either and I'm trying to forgive you too." They shared a glance.
Leilah massaged her temple, starting to laugh, "Sera would be rolling her eyes if she could see us now. I feel like this scene would be too wholesome for her tastes."
"I don't know about you, but best-friend-and-sister-murder and a mutual inability to hate each other doesn't qualify as wholesome." despite the content of what he had said, John found himself smiling. Leilah's grin was contagious, but it wasn't like he had done much to stop the spread.
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Hey guys, been a long time coming for this chapter. Goodness I haven't written in a while. Thank you all for waiting! I'm forever grateful :') I decided to start February strong with an update. Hopefully I'll return to my beloved schedule without too much difficulty.
