Cough Syrup

malbarlow:

    Mal’ smile faded at her words. Yeah, he’d been reunited with Elta after years of being apart. After years of his death but it wasn’t like he’d expected. Things were rather bad between the two but that was not something he should discuss with the other. “ Good… ” He gave in response after some time, eyes shifted between the little one and the other clone. “ Whenever you’re ready we can leave. ”

Lifting the small girl into her arms she smiled softly as her small arms wrapped around her neck. It was oddly familiar and yet new all at the same. The more time she spent with her, she worried if she’d really be able to let her go and she knows she needs to. There was no way she could protect the little girl while trying to keep herself out of Cosima’s goon’s hands. She wasn’t Anastasia. Her head lifted as she heard his voice. “Yeah..We’re ready. Lets get her somewhere safe”

Amara smiled softly watching his little smile at the mention of Elta. It was that smile that had prompted her to help him before. Despite all that was being done to him he still had it in him to smile at the thought of his family. She couldn’t help but want them to be reunited. At the time it had given her hope. Hope she wished she still had. Granted Ana did have a husband, but the man had disappeared and Amara couldn’t really place how she felt about him or whether she should bother finding him. Leaning to pick up the young girl she nodded to him. “Alright..alright, atleast for a place for the little one. She needs a safe place while we find her parents. As much as I wouldn’t want to leave her, I also don’t want to make it unsafe for you and Elta. You two just got reunited, after all”

    Mal’ smile faded at her words. Yeah, he’d been reunited with Elta after years of being apart. After years of his death but it wasn’t like he’d expected. Things were rather bad between the two but that was not something he should discuss with the other. “ Good… ” He gave in response after some time, eyes shifted between the little one and the other clone. “ Whenever you’re ready we can leave. ”

Teresa had paused for a moment, the voice ringing in her ears, pulling an almost painful memory to life. Malacai. Or, well, his clone. She remembered when the news of his death reached her, she remembered the effect it had on everyone around, and the sob story which happened to his wife and child. She was, for a while, enraged with Cosima for not showing at least a smidgen of mercy, but she remained silent.

She remained silent now, as well. “Start with that… uh, pile, over there.” She motioned to the right of where they stood. “I need help loading them to the cart.”

Her head lifted over to him at his comment and her focus settled on a name. Elta. She knew Elta, they’d had a few drinks together. She’d even run into her out here, briefly but atleast the blonde hadn’t tried to turn her in. “Elta? You mean tall blond, intense eyes? Uh, yeah..I mean if you are sure she won’t mind. I mean I’m sure it’ll be a good place for the little one, but I’d hate to throw my whole mess on her. I mean she’s pretty tolerant of me so far and she hasn’t turned me in yet but there’s a difference between running into me on the street or hiding in her home.”

Mal gave a nod in response, the smallest smile across his lips at the other’s description of Elta. “ Yeah, her. I gotta be honest, I’m not entirely sure she won’t mind... but I know one thing for sure is that El would never say no to help a kid. " Its been years, twelve years to be exact since he’d been around Elta and ever since coming back the relation between the two wasn’t the best but he hoped she wouldn’t mind the clone bringing someone in just for some time. “ I’ll talk to her, alright? And if she oppose I guess I’ll just help you find a safe hideout for you and the girl. ”

                         AGGIE nearly stops breathing. The name — it’s not one she thought she’d hear from a stranger. She hadn’t been expecting to hear it period and the admittance from the other leaves her stomach somersaulting and a wave of dizziness sweeps through her. For the first time in a long time her mind runs blank. She’s suddenly lots all train of thought — what had she just been doing? “Elta,” she repeats with an exhale ( my mother ), like she’s been punched in the gut, mouth dry. Subtly has gone out the window in a split second and all she can do it swallow past the sandpaper now grating against her throat. “What is… who is she to you?” Eyes lifted, Aggie’s gaze sweeps over him, mind racing. Mal. Short for Malacai? Except she couldn’t find a way past the growing lump in her throat to ask the question, instead offering her own name, eyes trained on his face. “Aggie,” she replies, though it sounds a lot like something else ( do you know me? ) before she corrects herself with a shake of her head. “ – Agatha.”

“ Why does it matter? ” He asked with a raised eyebrow, instantly realizing how rude that came off. It wasn’t his intention, not at all. But he was not used to that question, not as clone and neither had Malacai when they needed to hide their relationship when he was alive. “ I’m sorry... I’m her -- - ” Her what? Her dead husband’s clone? A friend? Someone she gave shelter to despite not wanting to have him around? None of the answers the clone thought of seemed to be the right one. None of them would be anyways, so instead he went with one that pretty much felt like could be the right one ( though Elta would be angry for him using it ) “ -- I’m her husband. ” It wasn’t right, because he wasn’t he was nothing but a clone of who once was her husband - but things were complicated and despite everything he felt like himself without a few things, like the killing and everything Malacai had done wrong -- it wasn’t fair to be him without all the bad but the clone needed to draw the line between himself and old Malacai sometimes and that was it -- he tilts his head sideways and for a second he seems like he’s supposed to know her. 

                              SHE’S not entirely sure how to reply to that — it’s been a long time since she’s had someone want her to be alright. And a stranger, no less. There’s a small amount of weariness. Why would he want her to be okay? He barely even knew her. Yet…. she’d be lying to herself if she said there wasn’t something about him that… that seemed familiar. “I’ll be fine,” she replies after a long moment of silence, eyes searching him up and down curiously. “You don’t have to worry.” Aggie is more than willing to leave it at that, she even turns away slightly to start on her way — yet something stops her. “What’s their name?” the question leaves her lips before she can even process that she’s said them, turning back to him with a sigh. “Maybe I can help. Maybe I’ve seen them around.”

Amara’s eyes drifted to the young girl, hand stroking her hair gently. She shakes her head softly. “Not yet. She’s pretty shaken up, not sure I could really get much out of her right now. Was easier to soothe her, once she wakes we’ll be able to ask who her family is and get them to her.” Her head lifted back to him her voice hushed despite the child being asleep. “You have to wonder though..why was she at the hospital alone? She’s too little to be out by herself. And if she wasn’t alone…” Her voice tails off unable to say ‘what if her parents are dead’.

She shakes her head some. “Its ok. I was having trouble believing myself for a bit. Imagination gets the best of me sometimes. I’m glad I was right this time though.” She shakes her head knowing where his mind was going. It was a dark path they knew to well. “Don’t think that way. We found her, that’s all that matters..though we need to move. They’ll be heading this way soon..its not safe for any of us here”

Mal exchange a glance between the sleeping littler girl and Amara she didn’t need to voice her thoughts for him to know what she’d meant. What if her parents were dead? He’d been thinking it as well but the clone wished that wasn’t the case. That would only complicate everything further and he’d doubt either of them could take care of the little girl. That is without getting caught, there is always a risk that someone would get caught by breaking any simply silly rule, the chances of someone getting caught due hiding a child were far more. “ I think I might know a place where we can take her. ” He said after some time with a small smile, for sure it wasn’t his place but he’d been there for the past months and the clones was almost sure Elta wouldn’t mind that he brings someone to the house to keep them safe - or so he hoped. “ We could go back to my house - Elta’s house where I’ve been staying these past few months... No guards would go there nor would they inspection anyone’s houses so I think if we go there, both you and the girl would be save. What do you say? ”

                              FOR a moment she’s caught with the sinking feeling that she’s said something wrong — said too much. The attention that is on her now makes her drop her eyes to the ground, swallowing. Don’t draw attention, don’t draw attention, don’t draw attention! She had one thing to do. And she’d already blundered that. “I dunno,” Aggie shrugs, swallowing. “Maybe you haven’t met a lot of people.” His next words, though. They’re enough to draw her attention back up — they’re spoken with such certainty that they seem like something she’s said. Because Aggie would sound like that if someone asked her — she knows Atticus isn’t responsible. But she knows she can’t utter that aloud without drawing attention ( something she already seems to have done ). “I’m sure you can,” she returns, though she knows that’s not particularly an answer to her question. Aggie wonders then who he is — really. She’s seen him before, sure, but she has no idea his story. Though, really, being curious about other people wasn’t something that happened in Eden. You minded your own business and other people did as well. Never ask a question you aren’t ready to answer yourself.

                              Weird isn’t quite the right word to describe the situation. Though it’s weird that she feels some sort of connection to a person she barely even knows. Has barely even talked to. It’s odd when he asks if she’ll be okay — almost like he cares. Which doesn’t make sense. Random people don’t care about you in Eden. That’s not how the world works. “I’ll be fine,” she says slowly, eyebrows furrowed, like she doesn’t understand his question or why he’s asking it. Which isn’t far from the truth. “Why… does it matter to you, though?” There’s a brief moment where his care could mean something else entirely — is he an agent of Cosima? Is he faking concern for her well-being only because she’s a tool. One Cosima want’s to remain untouched. But if that were the case wouldn’t he have done something sooner? Though a waiting game is definitely more the tyrants style.

The little one was fast asleep. Amara knew she needed to know her name, who her parents are, where she lives..anything to help her get her home but she couldn’t bring herself to wake her. Maybe it was because she slept so sweetly, worn out from fear. There was an innocence about her that seemed to be a light in what was now dark times. Maybe it was some fear that she’d have to let her go. The thought of it broke a part of Amara, despite knowing how ridiculous it was. The girl wasn’t hers anymore than Anastasia’s were but hearing her cries Amara needed to protect her, needed more than ever to know that this girl would grow older and survive. She belonged with her family though. Amara would only bring her danger.

She’d settled the little girl on an empty booth in the building as time ticked by. She’d begun to pace after five minutes had passed and she couldn’t hear him coming. Like hell she’d let them take him. Like hell he’d end up back in the room she’d found him in. She was midway through planning his rescue when she heard him call. “Over here, shhh..She’s sleeping.” She motioned to the girl in the booth and smiled faintly as he walked in. He was one of only a few allies she had, she was glad to see he’d made it. “Good timing, I was already thinking up how to get you out..thank you..for helping me find her. I couldn’t leave her”

A sigh of relief left him as soon as he heard the woman speak. Thankfully she was her with the little girl, both of them had made it safely out of the ruins of the hospital and it was all that it mattered. A smile mimicking hers graced his lips as he caught a glance of the little girl fast asleep. It was surprising how she could sleep in the midst of all of this but maybe it was because she was so tired or maybe the comfort of being rescued helped her to doze off. Either way Mal wasn’t one to wake her up now, couldn’t bring himself to do so.

“ It was nothing. ” The clone simply said, voice hushed in order to not wake the little girl, Mal motioned the other to follow him - moving away from the little one in order to talk without hearing distance from the girl. “ Did you manage to obtain her name or some information of her? ” Some part of him told the clone that Amara couldn’t have, the amount of time it’d taken him to get here might have been a little more than anticipated but nevertheless it wasn’t enough time that would allow the woman to question the girl and obtain any type of information. Regardless of it he asked, “ We need to get her to her parents. They most be worried sick. ” There was a possibility close to zero that her parents were alive but they couldn’t assume the worst just yet, ‘cause if she had survived in that hospital alone until they had arrived, then her parents could also be alive, right?

Amara bit back a curse as they made their way down through the hallways only to reach a dead end. She should know this place better, through Anastasia’s memories but those memories were old, outdated and couldn’t attest for the new damage. She adjusted her grip on the girl stroking her hair gently to keep her calm. “Its’ going to be ok Little one, just keep your head down.”

She tensed at his suggestion, unsure about letting him face them on his own. She knew he could but she hated the idea of him being captured again. She had the girl to think of though, She couldn’t look after her and fight at the same time. Nodding curtly to him her eyes skimmed the area for a hiding spot. Tugging the door of a closet open quietly she scoffed over to him. “If you aren’t there in ten minutes I’m finding her a safe place and coming back after you. I’ll be damned if you end up back in that room..”

She ducked into the closet before he could respond. Her fingers stroked gently through the young girl’s hair. She was worn out, scared. Amara wasn’t quite sure where to take her after this. What if her family had passed? She couldn’t very well leave her alone, any more than she could take her with. Amara was a wanted woman and despite the desire to keep her close, it wasn’t safe.

When the coast was clear and the footsteps had faded away she tugged the little one into her arms again. She escaped from the building with ease, keeping to the darkness. By the time they reached the meeting place the girl was asleep against her shoulder and Amara slipped into an empty building to wait. She trusted Mal to make it out but as the moments ticked by Amara couldn’t help but plan her rescue mission.

It was easy to draw the guards away from the room and out of the hospital ruins, too easy. The man ran into crowded near by areas, into places he knew would be rather difficult for the guards to find him and somewhere it’ll be easy for him to blend in. After running into a specific building Mal lowered his pace, trying to look the least suspicious as possible until the clone was sure the guards had stopped looking for him. It took him more time than it should and knowing he had to meet up Amara in a couple of minutes or she would think something bad happened to him - he decided to ran again. This time taking a different path from where he came but one that was less crowded and occupied by guards than before.

Thankfully he was able to ran through the street without gaining too much attention to himself and straight to the meeting place he’d agreed on with Amara. There was a split of a second that he panicked as he looked around and couldn’t spot the other clone and the little girl. For some reason thinking that they could have been captured by some other guard that could have been near the hospital - that was though until he noticed an entrance of sorts in a nearby abandoned building and realized that maybe she could have gone there to hide. It wasn’t like she was just going to stand around in plain sight, right? “ Amara, are you here? ” The question came as soon as he stepped into the abandoned place, desperately hoping to hear the other’s voice instead of anyone else’s.

                              IT’S admirable to say the least. His drive to find… whoever it is he’s looking for. She can almost relate to a surprising degree. Though she figures the panic feeds into his need to search. Because desperation can be a wicked form of false confidence. A dangerous emotion to rely on. “The Garden doesn’t scare me,” she replies, jaw tight, hand clenching discreetly by her side. Aggie isn’t sure it’s the complete truth ( Cosima scared her far more than she’s willing to admit ). The young woman isn’t sure she can both fear and hate something — and her anger for Cosima far outweighs her fear of that place. “Whatever’s happened far outweighs my fear of getting caught,” Aggie returns. “If I let fear dictate my life then I wouldn’t be who I am.” Looking up briefly to him, there’s a moment where she’s hit with a strong surge of familiarity, though she’s almost positive she’s only eve briefly run into the other. “Are you not afraid? They say the people who did this are still out here somewhere.” The words are mud in her mouth because she knows Atticus. And she knows the other would never do something like this. But she has to play along — let loose that she knows too much and all it will bring is questions she doesn’t want to answer.

His eyes narrows at her statement, tilting his to he left just a bit as curiosity strikes him. Is not only the words but the way the are spoken that has him far more intrigued by this stranger than he should. Fact was that Mal should have turned away by now and resume his search for Elta but for some reason he just couldn’t. “ I’ve never heard someone speak like that. Not even a rebel. ” The clones admits, surprised still. The memories he has of Malacai’s are all of people afraid of The Garden, afraid of him but never quite afraid of who was behind it all. And the clone doesn’t really know if she’s lying or saying the truth, simply knows that there is just more to it than she lets on. That he is sure of. “ No they're not. ” The words are spoken with such certainty that anyone would think he knows more than anyone else and well, he does. He knows this is a work of no other than Cosima herself but he can’t go around saying that not when it could put him in a dangerous position. “ I’m sure I can take care of myself. ” Adding after some while, Mal knows that’s not really answering her question but truth to be told, he doesn’t even know he has an answer for it. Is he afraid of the ones who did this, the real one? No -- not really... he’s more afraid of what would happen to those he cared about himself. He’s dealt with so much already, the clone is sure he can bare a little more pain if it ever came his way.

As they past empty room after empty room, Amara couldn’t help but wonder if her mind was playing tricks on her. Were the memories of Anastasia’s children seeping into her mind, playing with her ears. Ghosts haunting her in the midst of this destruction. It seems too real for it to be in her mind but she worries all the same. Mal perks before she even sees her and relief floods her when she sees the child scared and a little scraped up but otherwise unharmed.

She nods to Mal shifting back toward the door as he steps inside, this was no time to argue. Her eyes train on the hallway, ears alert to the sound of footsteps in the distance. The patrols are near, hopefully not close enough to pick up their presence but they will be soon. Her eyes shift back to Mal, watching his care for the young girl and she cant help but smile, however faint it may be. He was like her, a clone plagued by memories of his alter’s family. It was amazing to see him so kind and caring with the child when in reality the only memories of his own are of torture and pain, that she knows of atleast. Was it in his alter’s dna to be a good dad, good person or was it just him, or was it both? Where was the line? Or was it all just grey?

Shaking away the questions she reaches for the young girl. “Yes, I’ll take her” Scooping the little girl into her she pulls the hood of his jacket over her head, protecting her from any debris. Her arms are tight around her, yet still careful and she pushes away the thought that it feels familiar to her. “We better move quick they are closing in on this quadrant. A good minute and they’ll be on us”

Mal simply nodded, he understood the plan and there was nothing else he had to say. Simply sparing a glance to the little girl hugging Amara as if her life depended on it. A sense of worry washed over him suddenly, what if his daughter wasn’t alive? What if his daughter had been someone like her at some point and no one came to their rescue, what if he was searching desperately for someone that no longer existed. It was an irrational thought to have, he knew that. He knew he needed to be positive on the idea of finding her but it had be months with no end or good results when it come to the search of his daughter and this sort of made him realize that. Not like he needed to engage on that thought - because if he was looking for someone that no longer existed, then what was the point in being around at all. 

The clone snapped out of those thoughts when he heard the footsteps of Cosima’s army nearing them and he was quickly in motion. This time him being the one leading the way out of the place, taking turns in halls that seemed suddenly too long and endless in this rather small facility. Only to find himself arriving in a place with a dead end. “ Fuck. ” The curse leaving his lips as he entered the closest room, looking for a sort of escape, a window or door. But the only source of escape that seemed to be there was a window that was blocked from the outside and with the guards stepping on their tails, Mal knew they wouldn’t be able to turn around and leave, not without getting caught.

Amara couldn’t help but let out a sigh of relief when he agreed to come along. She would have opted for him to get out on his own, let her take this risk on her own but for some reason she was thankful he was staying with her, helping her. Maybe it was because he was the first person she really connected with in the garden or maybe she was just curious as to how he was doing. Not that now was really the best time to be wondering. “Thanks..” She tilted her head to listen again, catching the soft sound. “This way..she should be just this way” She pointed down a hall further into the hospital. It must have been where patient rooms were. Her hands tensed as she realized the bomb didn’t just take out people’s means of health care but also the patients who’d sought out that care already. The thought of it disgusted her. She’d make them pay for it. It took everything in her to push the anger down, focusing on the task at hand. Moving along the wall carefully, not to attract attention her eyes skimmed the wreckage. “Do you see her? She has to be here somewhere.”

He falls to a quick pace as he follows, staying behind her as the walk - more in order to attack anyone that might come from behind them out than anything. Mal is sure the woman can take care of herself, she is here on her own after all. But in case anyone was near and ready to attack them, the clone could away throw them off while Amara went and rescued the little girl she so believed was here. Luckily no one catches up to them, for now. As the walk into a room, which would have been a patient room for sure now all destroyed. The ceiling caved in and the far wall no longer there but replaced by the ruins of the structure. Is not really possible that someone could have survived this in there. But oh how wrong is he. Just seconds away from dragging Amara away from the area and telling her there was no one there Mal hears it. The cries of someone that definitely sound of someone young. Surprised, he turns to Amara then. “ I hear her. I will try to get her out, can you watch in case someone comes? ” 

He questions as a favor really, but is soon turning and walking further into the room straight towards the sound source. He is as surprised as before, even more so when he sees a little girl, legs pulled, little arms hugging them as she keeps crying. The kid couldn’t be more than five years old and it breaks his heart to see her there so defenseless. Where were her parents? What was she doing here? Was she illegal? There were so many question he can’t question right now and instead push them away as he nears the little girl. Stopping when he’s a fair distance to let her have her own space. She was probably too scare to go with a stranger then and though he can’t afford to take his time, he does. Trying to seem as friendly and nice as a possible while reassuring her they would get her out of there safe. It takes no more than a couple of minutes though it seem like forever and soon she’s letting him scoop her up in his arms. Mal wraps the girl on his jacket to protect her from the cold and quickly after that makes his way towards Amara.