Executing Phaseshift

part three of three.

❛ please, __, stop and listen to me. there’s something i need to tell you. ❜

❛ you’re too important. ❜

❛ what are you talking about? ❜

❛ the games you enjoy, you can have them all. ❜

❛ do you believe in magic? ❜

❛ do you trust me? ❜

❛ are you afraid of dying? ❜

❛ i need courage. ❜

❛ mmm. that tea smells like roses and lemon. ❜

❛ don’t worry… you can hold my hand if you want to. ❜

❛ is this… a kiss? is this really happening? ❜

❛ you are stronger than you think. ❜

❛ you’ve been knocked down before… did you let that stop you? ❜

❛ i’m very disappointed in you, __! ❜

❛ please, stop playing games. ❜

❛ i trusted you. ❜

❛ you can’t make me! ❜

❛ you can’t say that! ❜

❛ i won’t tolerate this behavior. ❜

❛ now when i look at this, i can see what __ tried to warn me about… ❜

❛ i don’t like being alone. ❜

❛ wow, you had one hell of a day, __! ❜

❛ have you ever heard voices in your head? ❜

❛ beware of the consequences. ❜

❛ __ was warning me all the time… and i couldn’t see it… ❜

❛ congratulations, you reached the end of my game. ❜

❛ i don’t even care anymore. ❜

❛ stop talking, please. ❜

❛ stop ruining this! ❜

❛ no deal! none! no! ❜

❛ you promised it wouldn’t be like the last time. ❜

❛ no, you lied to me. i don’t want to play this game anymore. ❜

❛ you’re scaring me! stop it! ❜

❛ open this door, right now, __! ❜

❛ teach me how to be brave… ❜

❛ so now we’re playing hide-and-seek? i love this game. ❜

❛ is that one more of your lies? ❜

❛ he’s been trying to take you away from me all this time. ❜

❛ i want you to leave, right now… ❜

❛ you don’t have a clue about what’s going on. ❜

❛ this is only the beginning… ❜

❛ you’re mine to play with, for eternity! ❜

❛ i’m sick of you being a bully! ❜

❛ there’s nothing you can do! ❜

❛ is everything back to normal now? ❜

❛ i guess i’ll have to rebuild this… i’ll make some improvements. ❜

❛ he is the voice in your head, driving you mad. ❜

❛ __, don’t ignore me! ❜

❛ are you angry because i couldn’t get the happiness for you? ❜

❛ this must be a bad dream… ❜

❛ oh, no, what have i done…? ❜

❛ oh, __, you’re back. i thought i lost you too… ❜

❛ i guess i was your little misfortune for a while… but you need to find your own happiness now. ❜

❛ i’ll love you forever. ❜

❛ oh, __! i’m so happy to see you again! ❜

if you want to stop by and finish this conversation, you're welcome anytime.

you really believe your little story's gonna make a difference when there's a gun to our heads?

it was dreadful of me to even suggest it.

one day you'll meet someone and it'll literally take your breath away.

i thought somebody stole it.

so it's always just about sex, then?

welcome to new york!

you really are something.

i'm ready to be done with this.

oh, i'd like that.

and i thought i performed the perfect murder.

we're not together.

we made history today.

how does a man get shot from the front and have the body land here?

we've been over this before.

the whole country is watching you. they just don't know it.

be careful with that thing.

there are only bad options. it's about finding the best one.

i'm starving.

here. buy yourself a personality.

i'm gonna leave this coat in the car.

i took this meeting out of respect, because i wanted to say no to your face.

what is it about me that you find so irresistable?

it's gonna haunt you for the rest of your days.

you won't be alone.

i've been in love. i went down the rabbit hole.

i really have to stop buying into this bullshit hollywood cliche of true love.

remind me never to play poker in this town.

no one will think less of you.

you know what i discovered?

you can walk away.

my ears pop in an elevator.

let me clear your head up for you. i had absolutely nothing to do with the crime.

in your condition, i should call the police.

i knew you could do it!

why do i get the feeling this is the first real commitment you've ever made?

you have a boat?

if we wanted applause, we would have joined the circus.

maybe i'll give it to you.

this is what i do. i get people out. and i've never left anyone behind.

you know i love you, don't you?

you got a gun on you?

i'm trying to explain something that is not explainable.

you've been checking up on me.

i really don't have any choice.

i would like you to bullshit me.

could you do me a favor?

you are trespassing. get down from the sign.

this is the best bad idea we have.

what, you guys going out now?

sometimes a man has to be big enough to see how small he is.

whatever i hear, i won't believe.

would you order me something while you're there?

why in the shit would we do that?

i saved myself.

i wouldn't qualify for that.

i don't remember having a good time.

don't fucking shoot anybody.

i'm just doing my job.

this is your last warning.

are you trying to make me mad?

why are you telling me this?

then why the hell did you agree to do it?

do you want to live here?

you've got a good ear for music.

what an unpleasant surprise.

i hope you were watching carefully.

no, we're just friends. we're messing around a little bit.

brace yourself. it's like talking to those two old fucks on the muppets.

i've been poor my whole life.

how's someone supposed to make a living here?

how the fuck have you managed to stay out of prison for a year?

how are you doing today?

i'm not here to pry into your personal life.

how keen of you to notice.

who's the target audience?

i'm tired of the way they look at me.

now if we get separated, i'll know where to meet up.

i like this side of you.

you say one more word, and i'll cut you down right here.

i'm not gonna kill you. not like this.

we did suicide missions in the army that had better odds than this.

you want me to be honest with you?

i didn't know, but i'm always glad to hear that.

you'll fit right in.

give me your pants!

i forgot to add the iced tea.

why don't they ever make a movie about what happens after they kiss?

❝ this is what we do, right? it’s nothing the two of us can’t handle together. ❞

❝ i don’t understand you. ❞

❝ stop. don’t come any closer. ❞

❝ who are you? ❞

❝ get out of my house. ❞

❝ hey, i was just thinking about you. ❞

❝ i like your makeup. ❞

❝ i really like your freckles. wish i had them. ❞

❝ what’s on your face? ❞

❝ were you having a nightmare? ❞

❝ you’re just acting kind of weird. ❞

❝ did i say something wrong? ❞

❝ it made her so happy… and that made me happy. ❞

❝ i hate you. i wish you were dead. ❞

❝ why are you wearing that? ❞

❝ what’s going on? you’ve been acting… ❞

❝ i’m just worried about you. ❞

❝ let me out! please! ❞

❝ are you okay? ❞

❝ fine. don’t talk to me. but when i’m gone, you’ll have no one left to keep your secrets from. ❞

❝ what’s inside? ❞

❝ i never thought i’d be in the same room with you again. ❞

❝ what else have you been lying to me about? ❞

❝ what do you wanna know? ❞

❝ is that what you believe? ❞

❝ i don’t believe in superstition. ❞

❝ do you want me to do your hair? ❞

❝ i just think it’s so funny… i mean, how lame can you get? they literally have nothing better to do than gossip about you. it’s pathetic. ❞

❝ oh, god. i can hear myself turning into my mother. ❞

❝ ____ is such a good kid, you know. just talk to her. ❞

❝ i think we were happy. ❞

❝ i remember so much screaming. ❞

❝ the moment i got pregnant, i made myself a promise. i made you a promise. ❞

❝ why would you do this? ❞

❝ there’s no point in talking to you if you’re gonna act like this. ❞

❝ what did you call me? ❞

❝ leave? oh, honey, you’re not going anywhere. ❞

❝ you can’t even make friends. you’re too scared. ❞

❝ why are you acting like this? ❞

❝ i’m your mother. i’m the only one who is gonna tell you the truth. ❞

❝ everything i have done since the day you were born has been for you. to make you happy. ❞

❝ you said you’d never become your mother, but that’s just another lie. ❞

❝ did you know it wasn’t real? ❞

❝ why didn’t you say anything? ❞

❝ wait, let me drive you home. ❞

❝ i got you something. it’s a little going-away present. ❞

❝ there are tons of other weirdos out there. cool, interesting people like you. you just have to go out into the world and find them. ❞

❝ don’t you wanna know what it’s like? what you’re like, somewhere else? ❞

❝ time to pay our respects. ❞

❝ you remind me so much of your mother. ❞

❝ i had to lock her in a closet so she could think about all the ways she hurt me. ❞

❝ i needed her to believe me. she needed to understand my pain was real. ❞

❝ you can never escape. ❞

❝ i didn’t mean what i said. you are not her. ❞

❝ i almost did to you what she did to me. ❞

Angel smile softly and a bit sympathetically. She imagined there weren’t many people out there Gaige could say that about, but she was glad to be among them. It was sad, in a way, that Angel of all people was counted as one of few who understood the mechromancer.

This time, Gaige couldn’t hide the warmth that washed over her cheeks. She kept her gaze upwards as the lift carried them to the next level instead of meeting Angel’s. A forced wall of courage roused her usual cocky grin. “And what if I am? It’s about time you got the chance to stir up shit without someone to tell you you can’t. If me being a little shit means you get to be more daring, I’m all for it. Now, do you want me to be the one to distract him so you can futz with the radio on his back, or the other way around?”

It was about the response Angel anticipated, but it tickled her nonetheless. That was what she was drawn to though, wasn’t it? Someone who would allow her, encourage her, to break the rules and figure out who she was outside the walls of the Core. Fun had been so far out of her mind for so long, even as the elevator rose Angel was a little worried about doing it wrong, if that were even possible. 

“It might be safer for me to get up close and personal, I can get in and out a little faster if I have to,” she said, raising her left arm and wiggling her fingers. Safer for Gaige, maybe a little more dangerous for Angel, but that was the point of this outing, right? To find a little danger and have fun with it? 

Jacqueline took a sip of her coffee. She felt the warmth go down her throat heating her up a bit. “I’ve been exhausted and working harder than ever. Fixing dad’s mistakes has been hard on me. I’ve been messing around with the raiders though for bit. I threw a rock at a bullymong three days ago barely knocking it out. I’m glad you’re alive, especially cause you’re one of the reasons I’m still around.”

“You threw a rock at a bullymong?” Angel’s expression grew concerned for a moment. “Should I ask why? Maybe I should be more worried about whether you’re alive.” She blew across the top of the cup before taking a sip, relishing the taste. It wasn’t often she got to enjoy things like this, which made it all the more special.

Mordecai, remembering where they were, quickly stepped closer to Angel and pulled the hood up to hide her face. He hugged her close to his chest, not out of real sympathy or compassion, but because he knew that if anyone else around here discovered that she was still alive, there would be bigger problems for her to deal with. “Sh. Jus’ follow my lead, yeah?” He kept a hand on top of her head so that her face remained buried against his side as he led them away from HQ and towards his own apartment. It was much more private there, and no one would be the wiser to go spying on a professional spy. Mordecai’s mind, despite his outward disposition, was in full-blown panic mode. Should he tell anyone? Was it better to keep this a secret? And how could he go back to treating her like some kind of bandit knowing full well who she was? At the same time, would treating her different be misconstrued as a platitude? She had proven that she didn’t need to be treated with kid gloves anymore. She could handle herself. It was only when the door closed behind him and it was locked that Mordecai finally spoke again, his hand departing the top of her head as he dropped to one knee. “‘S’worth it. In my book, ‘s’worth it. Cuz it means even after all that bullshit, Jack didn’t win. You lived.” A melancholic smile tugged on his mouth, and his voice wavered with his next choice of words. “Ya lived and you ain’t got no cage anymore t’keep ya from doin’ what you always wanted.” Gloved hands came to rest on her shoulders. “‘S’how everyone’ s’posed to live.”

It said something that his first instinct was to pull the hood back over her head and restore her anonymity instead of outing her then and there. She didn’t fully understand his intention at first, or maybe she was hoping the embrace wasn’t purely out of necessity. The initial surprise at being pulled in made it all the easier for him to usher her along, too preoccupied with her efforts to decode his reaction to question where they were going or why. Wherever he was leading her, she had to trust him now, it was the choice she’d made when she’d taken the hood off. Unquestioningly, she followed. He’d done that for her once.

She stood in the middle of the room looking down at him, practically holding her breath until he spoke at last. It was worth it, even if it was only to cement Jack’s defeat in his mind. It was something at least, a small piece she could hold onto. It was enough, it had to be.

“What I always wanted... hm. I never wanted any of this, I wanted--” She rested a hand on one of his arms, smiling sadly. “It’s too late for that, what’s done is done. I can’t change it, and thanks to a cruel twist of fate it looks like I have to live with that.