#p:liam

Rory started nervously down the hall, swallowing her fear and nearing her destination. Liam had been trying to reach her for days, but she couldn’t face him. Not when Griffin was… well, the way he was. The fact that she had had anything to do with that was unbearable, but Liam wasn’t giving up; He wasn’t going away, so finally, Rory caved. Rounding the corner, she noticed that her legs felt stiff, like lead trying to anchor her to the ground before she could ruin yet another friendship. Rory couldn’t help but wonder if that was a sign. She had never felt so lost in something so familiar at the same time, and it surprised her; how different the world had suddenly become. Every passing door felt like an ending somehow, except there were no new beginnings to look to. Only uncertainty paired with an overwhelming guilt that left her stomach knotted for days. Slowing to a stop, Rory paused to take a deep, calming, breath as she fought the urge to turn back. “This is ​crazy​,” she muttered to herself, throwing her head back in frustration. Liam was going to ​hate​ her. Tracing the grooves on the ceiling with her eyes, she deliberated whether or not it was too late to bail and was halfway turned around when a specific door just so happened to catch her eye. Suddenly, she realized exactly where she was, and it was startling, the way her feet had automatically carried her here. Staring at the wooden frame, she wondered if Sawyer were inside; if she were struggling too… Her eyes lingered just long enough to give her the courage to finish her the task. Griffin or not Griffin, he’d been right, but she was done with that now. She was done making shitty mistakes. Liam deserved to know the truth, and he deserved to hear it from her. Standing outside his door now, she couldn’t bring herself to knock. She looked away, seeking safe haven in the form of literally anywhere but here, but before she could sabotage herself, she suddenly turned back, hastily tapping on the door before she could change her mind. Exhaling slowly, she ignored the racing of her heart and focused on not looking at Griffin’s door. If she was going to get through this, she couldn’t handle any more shame. The door opened, and she immediately found his soft, puppy dog, eyes and reminded herself to breathe. “4,982 seconds. That’s how long it took for me to get here,” she confessed. Hesitating, Rory shifted her weight between her feet and crossed her arms over her chest. “This is not a booty call.”

Liam was doing his best to keep himself calm during this time where freaking out seemed like the most logical step. Despite the fact he had kind of talked to Reese and got replies from Bianca about what happened the night they went on an island adventure, he still felt like he was in the dark. He trusted the people around him, none of his dorm-mates had proven to be what he considered to be bad or have impure intentions. He had also hoped, or maybe assumed just a bit too much, that he hadn't given them a bad impression of who he was. Liam worked hard to have the kind of characteristics he did. While it maybe seemed like it came naturally, the cheery attitude hadn't been an easy thing to regain after his mother's passing. Sometimes he would have sworn he was faking it completely, but deep down he knew that was untrue. That was the kind of person Liam had grown to be, however, that didn't make acting like he wasn't terrified any more easy. Surely the rest of them had to know that, and yet, none of them were telling him anything. Griffin was his ​family​. He was the closest thing Liam ever got to an older brother during his life, and they knew each other inside and out. Liam even knew the fact Griffin wasn't just an adopted orphan, but rather, an adopted alien from a completely different planet that had long since been destroyed. It was because of that, Liam was trying to be understanding on the lack of information he was being given. Just as they weren't telling him anything, he certainly wasn't going to tell any of them about Griffin's real heritage. At the moment, Liam was laying on his bed and looking at the ceiling while Reese rested, and it was a surprise to hear their door knock. Without even thinking of how impossible it was, Liam thought maybe it was Griffin on the other side. Not the Griff from now, but the one Liam knew, the one that everyone seemed to be missing. The thought was easy to chalk up as a cause from Liam not getting much rest, guilt had a knack for making an insomniac out of him. As the door swung open, however, he was met with the twin sister of his roommate-- Rory. At first Liam had no clue what to say, which was fine since she spoke first. It took him a minute to remember he had texted her, practically begging for any answers she could give, and was met with silence originally. Her being there now must have been her response. Rather than stand there and risk Reese waking up, Liam stepped out into the hall and closed the door behind him. As soon as he heard the click of the lock, his body went in to give Rory a hug and whispered, "Thank you." He felt her crossed arms against his chest but didn't care at all. She was the first person outside of Reese to actually come see him face to face and talk. Even if Rory ended up telling him nothing, the fact she even bothered to care enough to come and tell him that at all meant a lot to him. Especially because it was clearly hard for her to of come. He let go after a moment, hoping his hug hadn't scared her out of talking with him. Truth be told, it was more so for himself than for Rory, "Reese is sleeping, but... from the sounds of it, you're wanting to talk to me, right?" Liam asked, his eyes scanning Rory's features in the hope of getting confirmation that she was there to talk to him.

Rory felt his arms wrap around her, surprised that her appearance had elicited such a tender emotion. By no means was Liam an irate person. Despite their stimulating sexual endeavors, Liam was one of the most gentle hearted people Rory knew, but in this moment, she felt unworthy of his kindness. Tears sprung to her eyes, and she hesitated, choking on the guilt that had been building within her for days. Swallowing the lump that had formed in her throat she held him tightly, gripping his shirt in her fists, finding comfort in his embrace. It was selfish, she knew, to take anything more from him than she already had, but she only nodded, hoping dearly that this wouldn’t be the last time she felt him like this. “I’m sorry,” she breathed, taking a small step back. She didn’t elaborate more than that, her apologies extending far beyond a few ignored texts. Instead, her hands shook as they trailed down his arms and grabbed his hands. She could tell by the look of him that Griffin’s behavior was taking its toll on him, and it was tearing her up inside. Squeezing his hands, she mustered up a grin and looked at the ground before meeting his eyes once more. The answer was evident in her eyes. “Yes, silly. I’m glad one of us is sleeping though,” she admitted before falling into silence once more. Pursing her lips from one side to the other, she contemplated how to begin. “You know how we went to that Island last weekend?” she opened. Hesitating, she inhaled deeply through her nose to steady herself. “I don’t think Griff came back. I don’t know what happened or why, but who that is...” she glanced away from him. Her entire body was tense from the stress of the situation, but she’d come here to come clean, and she wouldn’t go back on that now. “I have a working theory, but you’re not allowed to laugh,” she warned suddenly. Shoulders relaxing, Rory’s features softened again before continuing. “And try not to get mad.” She wouldn’t hold her breath.      

Liam was beyond relieved when Rory remained in front of him rather than bolting. Going to a military boarding school with all guys had made Liam learn to keep his initial emotions in check. A lot of his peers, no matter how progressive the world had seemed to be, were convinced that a hug had sexual implications between men. Going to school at NYU and having not only his cousin there at all times, but having a roommate like Reese had softened Liam back up. It helped that Rory was there too, as the Marsh twins were an openly affectionate family. Or at least, the twins were. Liam chuckled a little at Rory poking fun at Reese's ability to rest. Truthfully, Liam was jealous of it, and perhaps so was Rory. He stiffened up at the mention of an island though. His focus was right on Rory, expecting her to simply continue on explaining before realizing she needed some reassurance from him that he was on her side, and all ears, "Please Rory, this is about making sure my cousin is safe. That he's... him. Anything you have, even what you're thinking, you can tell me." Liam gave a timid  smile at her, trying to show his sincerity over his desperation, "I promise."

Rory watched him earnestly, her heart aching at the desperation in his eyes. She hadn’t known him for long; all of four months, really, but she trusted him. Still, her stomach lurched at the thought of telling him the truth. She may not be able to give him the answers he needed, but she could give him this. Shaking her head, Rory searched for the words that she couldn’t seem to find, and her grip on Liam’s hands tightened slightly, as if she were suddenly afraid that he might pull away. “I think it was aliens,” she caught his eyes, too afraid to look away. Her mouth felt dry like cotton, but if she stopped now, she knew she may never start again. “When we got to the island, everything was fine. A little spooky, but nothing unusual,” she explained, deciding it best to stick to the facts. “Reese wanted to race to the pit so we did. Except Griffin and Sawyer never came. I guess they ran off together or something, because the next thing we know, Griffin is screaming and the rest of us are bolting out of the cabin to find him. I don’t remember much after that. I woke up a day later practically dry humping Sawyer on the couch... Griffin wasn’t there,” she somberly confessed. “We looked for him again, but the boat guy said he was gone,” she hung her head, wallowing in her own disappointment. “I guess he was right. Just not how we thought.” Releasing his hands, she stuffed hers back into her vest pockets. “Whatever probed us in that cave probed him worse, and now we’re stuck with some Griffin wannabe jerkface until we figure out how to fix it. My question is, what are the chances of him being a robot? Have you seen him pee?”

Liam's eyes were trained on Rory, ready to soak in whatever theory she had. She knew more about what happened that day than he most likely ever would know, so she was his best shot at learning new information. He knew that if she was as much like Reese as he thought, she would also be honest with him. That unfortunately did not prepare him for the explanation Rory had given of aliens being involved in whatever happened to the Griffin. It was good that Rory kept talking instead of waiting for him to speak up. Liam was listening intently while in the back of his mind, he was wondering how much Rory knew about aliens. Was she saying it was aliens because she had seen Griff do something... did he say something? Did someone tell the rest of their dormmates about Finn's real home? As he heard the rest of the tale, it seemed less and less likely that someone told about Griffin being an alien. Or if they had, they certainly didn't tell Rory. She didn't seem to think that their RA was an alien, but rather, was attacked by them. While maybe it sounded like there were no answers in the story, it did give Liam a place to start. Griff told him about seeing someone from his homeworld, though they never got to the part of the conversation of exactly who Griff thought was his believed-to-be-gone Ariana. What if seeing her had been a trap? Or maybe there were more of the Nexus population that survived than Griffin had realized. Liam's posture had straightened up as soon as Rory's hands let go. With his mind racing a mile a minute, his body knew there was an adventure ahead in figuring this out, "A robot seems too risky," he blurted out, more so thinking out loud than responding,  "they can only know what they're programmed to know. If someone asked it a personal question about my cousin and it didn't know, it wouldn't react with anger or emotion. And Griff still seems to know us, as well as about us..." Liam's brows furrowed, his brain trying to think of if Griff ever mentioned robots or artificial intelligence being part of Nexus society but came up blank. Now that he had been given these pieces, Liam wanted to put them together, except he still didn't know what puzzle he was solving. Though after years of putting puzzles together with his mother, he was more than aware that it helped to have two people working together rather than go at it alone, "Rory, I don't mean to put you out like this and if you say no, I'll completely understand but..." Liam paused, hoping that his request wouldn't sound as insane as it somewhat felt, "do you think you can take me to the island? I'm sure we could rent a boat somewhere around the docks you left from. I know you're memory is hazy of the place, but maybe if we go there, we can find proof that something happened there. To Griff, and to all of you."

Rory breathed a heavy sigh of relief, an immense amount of gratitude flooding through her as he spoke. While she never imagined Liam to be the type to mock or ridicule her unconventional line of thinking, it was nice to know that he could be counted on to listen in times like these. The weight of the world weighed down on her shoulders, but she felt her muscles relaxing as some of the pent up tension left her body. “Yes!” she exclaimed, eyes widening at his suggestion. “That’s what I was going to say. We have to go back.” Convinced that this was the right move, Rory nodded for emphasis as a strong sense of determination overtook her. Excitement built in her gut, not necessarily for adventure this time, but for Griffin and the hope that they might finally get some real answers. “I keep spinning all these theories in my head and with Bianca and Sawyer, but nothing adds up. Bianca thinks this serial killer gang messed us up, but I’ve never heard of serial killers that don’t kill, and Sawyer thinks she remembers a man, but that’s…” she trailed off for a moment, chewing the inside of her cheek as she contemplated her words. “That’s all the further we got. It’s complicated,” she added quickly, averting her eyes and fidgeting from where she stood. She bit her lips together as her nerves began to tingle. The anxiety settled in, and she knew that they would have to leave soon. Whether that be from the anticipation of returning to the island or thoughts of Sawyer, she couldn’t tell. Finding Liam’s eyes once more, she looked to him for anchoring. “If he’s not a robot, it was definitely aliens,” she concluded surely. “We just have to prove it.” She paused and her eyes shifted to the doorframe, wondering if they should tell her brother. Her jaw tightened, but she knew they couldn’t. Even if he did approve, he was ill and she wasn’t willing to risk it. Rory swallowed her discomfort and sucked in a shaky breath. “The only way to do that is to go back. So let’s get a boat. We have to know what the hell happened to us.”

Liam truly couldn't believe how lucky he got with simply asking Rory if she'd take him to the island. He was almost certain it would have been too much to request of her given how little anyone had talked to him about the event. Though he hadn't pushed much in fear of being shunned to begin with. Still, he was glad to know that Reese wasn't the only Marshall twin he could count on. Having another really alley mattered to Liam, having been always a fan of team playing over than being solo. Oddly enough, Liam even smiled at the thought of going to the island with her because it meant there was a possibility of getting answers-- it was more hope than he had all week. Rory's mention of a man that Sawyer remembered seeing was something he tucked away in his mind. The serial killer gang seemed farfetched, but given Liam knew the truth of aliens and Griffin, it was easier to put more stock in that than what others maybe considered rational. If there was someone, like another Nexus survivor, on the island, maybe they were still there. Or something they left behind was. Liam was ready to charge out of the dorms and get to the docks, but he didn't quite yet, "I'm going to leave Reese a note, grab my survival backpack, and also my phone." Liam turned around and put his hand in the knob, but he turned his head over his shoulder to look at his comrade, "Thanks for coming to me and letting me help, Rory." He expressed with complete gratitude before he entered into his dorm room. He gathered the needed items then ripped a piece of paper from a notebook of his 'Reese, went out for a bit. Water bottles and painkillers are in your nightstand drawer. If you need me, text me. I have my phone- Liam (& Rory)' As the note was set on his roommates nightstand, Liam looked at his resting roommate and hoped they'd be back before he woke up. He didn't feel great about leaving Reese, but he had to go to Shadow Island. There were answers there, he just knew it. So, without needing much more internal convincing than that, he exited his room and was back in the hall with Rory, "Alright, let's go. I'll request us an Uber to the docks. We'll figure it out from there." And somehow, even if a roadblock happened, he really felt like they would be able to.

Rory found herself agreeing without a second thought. “I’ll tell him I’m with you,” she added quickly, digging her phone out of her back pocket. Telling people what they were up to was out of the question, but it was important to her that Reese, at least, knew she was with someone they both trusted. If she were to disappear on this island, she couldn’t leave Reese to think she was scared and alone. She’d be safe with Liam, of that much they both knew. Even when they were doing nothing at all, he was safe, and honestly, Rory needed that. Now more than ever. “He’s your cousin,” she reasoned, nodding softly and offering a warm smile. Typing a quick message to her brother (and Eury for good measure), she watched as Liam disappeared through the door and returned again. “All set?” she asked, reaching up to tug his hat snugly down over his ears. The nerves began to creep back down into the pit of her stomach, and fidgeted with the phone in her hand. “It shouldn’t take long to get there,” she began leading him through the halls. She decided to forgo the coat, as to not risk any questions from Aspen or Eury. She’d never been a comfortable liar, and Eury would certainly break her, so she hoped the puffy vest and it’s layers were enough. At least she’d worn a hat. Walking swiftly down the halls, they managed to avoid anyone that might have stopped them on their way out, making it quickly through the building and to their car. Rory spotted the logo easily and hopped into the back seat. Leaning back against the leather seats, she hooked an arm through Liam’s and leaned her head on his shoulder. Going back to the scene of the crime, per se, wasn’t going to be easy, but she was glad he was there. And with the mystery revolving around Griffin, Rory figured he needed the comfort just as much as she did. “Once we get there, we’ll see a little shack. That’s where all of us went first while Griffin and Sawyer stayed behind. I don’t know why,” she admitted. “But we should probably start there, just in case. When we get to the cave, it’s going to be pretty dark. There’s a split and we all went different ways, but I think we should stay together this time. There’s a flashlight in that kit, right?” She was mostly talking to fill the tension-filled silence, but it felt important nonetheless. “We’re going to figure this out,” she lifted her head, eyes full of sincerity as she looked at him. Before she knew it, the car was slowing to a stop and they had reached their destination. Rory paused, reaching for Liam’s hand to stop him from opening the door right away. Peering out the window, she couldn’t see the island yet, but she knew it was out there. Nodding, she allowed him to open the door and followed him out. She passed the driver a five dollar bill and glanced down the pier. “What about there?” She pointed at a small rental shack down a little ways from where they were standing. “Have you ever drove a ship before?” She wondered aloud.

Liam "I've got two LED flashlights in here, a crank-powered one, and some glow sticks." Liam listed, choosing not to go into all the details of the pack he had, "We'll be ready for anything the island throws at us."  He assured. He didn't have any of his guns, but he had a couple knives at least. Protection was an important aspect in life for him, even more so after his mother's death. Once their car stopped but Liam was prompted by Rory to pause, he finally felt the real weight of what they were doing. The island seemed almost ominous because it was hidden in the fog covering the horizon. There really was no telling what they were in for, but he wasn't going to back out. Thankfully, neither was Rory, given she gave him the okay to get out. They made their way to a storefront on the dock, a somewhat dirty sign offering various boat rentals, "My military school had a sailing team, I was on it for a season just to see what it was like. I'd still sometimes go out to the sea with friends after that though." Liam explained as they walked, wanting to say without saying it that Rory was in good hands, "Thankfully, speedboats are a lot easier." He joked once approaching the counter. After going over what was available, they picked one of the smaller speedboats given it was only the two of them. It had enough gas to make the trip and had GPS which was important given the current weather. Finally the keys were handed and they got to their boat with Liam offering a hand to help Rory into the vessel, "Welcome aboard, matey!" Liam greeted with a mock pirate accent, unable to help it despite the seriousness of their trip. As he approached the wheel, he took a look around and went over in his head the lingo that came with being on a boat. He grabbed the life jackets stored under one of the seats and handed one to Rory, "Better safe than sorry?" He offered right before putting his on. Then the ride began, first the boat starting off slow so Liam could get used to the wave pattern in the water. As soon as he was sure they weren't going against the wind, he sped them up towards the direction Rory had been looking when they were in the car, "All things considered, it's really not a bad day to be sailing." He yelled over the roar of the engine. He listened for Rory to give any directions to get to the island and after some moments passed, the island was no longer a hidden mass of land. It was there right in front of them, looming over the two adventurers. Liam shut the boat off, letting the current gently lead them to the rickety dock there so he could then rope the boat to it. The pair got off after taking their life vests off, finally setting foot on the island that held hopefully more answers than secrets for them. Putting his survival pack back on, Liam's hands held the straps of it as he looked ahead. He sighed in anticipation to begin, and to expel himself of the nerves he had. His eyes then went to Rory, giving a determined nod at her, "To the shack we go."

Rory let Liam do the talking, her eyes trailing, instead, to the icy waters that lay ahead. The winter season had been relatively mild, therefore she wasn’t too awfully concerned. They were practically on top of the water, and she wasn’t even cold. Granted, her skin had taken to an unusually low temperature lately, but for now, she was thankful. Rory followed Liam to their ride, an amused grin twitching  onto her face as they boarded. Somehow, she found reassurance in his playful demeanor. “Aye, Aye Cap’n!” she played along, regurgitating the only pirate-speak she could remember before graciously accepting his hand and crossing over the port. On her way to the bow, she caught a glimpse of rope and not much else. Hopefully, that was all they needed. Liam handed her the jacket, and she slipped it on over her best. “Absolutely,” she latched it up and took a seat. The water was almost black this time of year; dark and reminiscent of the trouble to come. “Just go slow,” her jaw tightened, ignored the way her muscles tensed. “Reese might murder us if we get turned into human popsicles. I don't know much about the scouts, but I do know they exercise.” Steadying her body, she waited as the engine roared to life and they soon departed. The ride was quiet and shorter than she had remembered, but uneventful. As the island came into view, Rory bit her lip, twirling the ends of her hair between her fingers as they docked. This was it; where it all began. Whatever it was. They disembarked, and her stomach felt sour. Chills ran up and down her spine, and she suspected it had nothing to do with the weather. “To the shack,” she repeated while retrieving a small, compact, camera from her vest pocket. Pulling the protective slip off, she tucked that part of it away and powered the device on. “Do you mind?” She motioned to the camera before clarifying, “It’s for evidence.” Rory took a few moments to adjust the settings before retracting the zoom and closing the gap between them. She wrapped an arm around his back and pulled him in, angling the camera above them with the other. “Smile! Nobody’s died yet,” she teased. “I need to test the lighting and exposure.” Snapping the photo, Rory quickly examined it for any noticeable flaws. Without her lenses, she'd have to make due. “Cute,” she declared, her smile lingering long enough to forget why they were there. She changed a few more settings before being satisfied. “It’s going on the wall when we get back,” she informed him as some of that natural optimism returned. “Come on,” Rory nodded towards the shack. “I’ll lead the way.”    

Liam was trying to keep himself in the moment as he and Rory began walking towards the cabin. He always loved going to new places and seeing what natural beauty the world offered, but there wasn't much of a desire to deviate from the path here at Shadow Island. Not after all Liam had heard happened. Just days before, Griffin, Rory, Reese, and the rest were taking the same steps Liam and Rory were. It was weird to know that, and had to be even more odd for Rory, "Is that it?" Liam asked, more so pointing out that he was seeing a shack rather than wondering if it was the right one. There couldn't of been that many vacating the abandoned island after all. They both stood in front of the empty cabin for a moment, nothing about it looking strange. Still, Liam reached in to the survival pack to grab the diving knife he had in there. With it securely in his hand he glanced at Rory to let her know he was going to open it. Of course, all the hype was for nothing as the door opened to a completely clear cabin room. After that, Liam slipped his knife into his pocket and decided to look around, "This is where you guys woke up, right?" It looked harmless, nothing that'd make him think there was a hidden door, but he still looked at the ground to make sure. Their footsteps practically echoed despite the size of the cabin not being immense. It was a little disheartening that there weren't any immediate answers, but Liam wasn't discouraged, "Where was the last place you remember being after you first got here? Do you think you could get us there? I'm sure with no one really being here since you've been, we could track everyone's old footprints if we have to."

Rory trudged across the barren wilderness, little puffs of smoke falling from her lips as they neared the cabin. After everything that had happened here, she couldn’t quite shake the ghastliness that surrounded it. The air was perfectly still, filled with a dead silence that made even the softest crunch sound thunderous beneath their feet. It’d been only a week since she’d walked this very path, but it felt emptier somehow; lonely. She followed Liam’s line of sight and allowed her eyes to settle on the rickety old shack for the first time since departing. Her stomach rolled at the sight, hoping against hope that they wouldn’t find any part of Griffin — the real one — in there. “I hope you weren’t expecting more,” she kept her tone light, attempting to distract herself. Still, she couldn’t ignore the racing of her heart as Liam freed his knife and prepared for entry. She nodded behind him as the shabby couch came into view. Recalling the briefest of moments from that morning, she almost smiled. Almost. “Yeah, this is it. You can still see my ass print on the couch,” she told him, lurking a few steps behind. The floorboards creaked beneath their boots as Rory began to retrace their steps. Keeping her eyes peeled, she could still make out the faint footsteps from their previous visit in the dust. Framing them into focus, she snapped a picture. “We were joking around like normal,” she recalled, stepping carefully around the footprints so not to disrupt them. She followed the tracks Reese had made across the bookshelf and paused, noting how a new layer of dust had already begun painting itself over them. “I threw that blanket in Eury’s face for being an asshole,” she snapped another photo, capturing what she could of the cabin’s interior in case they had to come back here at a later time. Rory sincerely doubted they’d be making a third trip. She tread deeper, each step careful and concise as they explored the space. She reached the camera above her head and found another shot before lowering it and craning her neck to spot Liam. “That’s when Bianca found the ghost writing,” she pointed up and signed. This was the end of the road; the cabin had told them all it could tell. Rory’s shoulder’s slumped dejectedly. “He wasn’t here,” She determined, disheartened by the lack of new information. “The only footprints in here are the ones we made. So if there’s a clue, it’s in the cave.” With a few quick strides, Rory stepped out of the dimness and into the light, blinking as her eyes adjusted to the change. With Liam right behind her, she kept a steady pace as she tried to decipher which direction to turn or which path to follow. They’d been running on pure adrenaline that night, and her memory was muddled. Slowing to a stop, she turned to face him. “We didn’t hesitate,” she swore, voicing the concern she’d kept previously hidden. Her eyes bore into him as if it were the most important detail in the world — as if she desperately needed Liam to understand the weight of it all.

Liam didn't want to miss anything by rushing, but the shack didn't seem to have the answers they were looking for. So he was glad that Rory seemed to think, or maybe feel, the same way that the cave was where to go. He was taking strides to match Rory's, sure to close the cabin door behind him. If it was ajar if they came back to the cabin, then that'd be a telling sign they weren't alone. Liam wasn't taking any chances during their exclusion. He was so focused on ensuring to take in the current conditions that he dumbfounded as Rory turned around and spoke. The comment hung in the air for a moment, Liam feeling a lump in his throat. He hadn't said it out loud that he didn't fully believe Griff's story. It wasn't exactly the missing information of what happened after they to the island and when they left, it was his cousin's attitude about it. He didn't care about if they made it home back either, he didn't care to hear them out, he just didn't seem to care about anything. That was the biggest alarm to Liam about the entire situation. With his eyes on Rory's and a smile tugging at his lips, though not fully developing into a grin, "I know, Rory," Liam promised, one of his hands raising to rest on her bicep and give a small squeeze as if to reiterate what he said. He wasn't saying it, because the loyalty to his cousin still was there, but he did believe that the group didn't ditch Griffin intentionally. His hand then dropped as he looked past her and towards the path they were following. He could still see the footprints they seemed to be tracking and knew the cave was close. His feet seemed practically drawn to it.

Rory hadn’t realized how much she needed to hear that until the words were already out, though she could see how hard the admission had been for him. In its simplicity, much was left unsaid, but Rory didn't mind. It was no easy feat, being stuck between friends and family, and she would take only as much as Liam was willing to give. The rest was for him. Wiping at the unshed tears in her eyes, she slipped a hand into Liam’s to show that she was with him. Nodding her reassurance, Rory continued forward, the air seemingly lighter between them now that they knew that they were on each other's side, united by the common goal of helping Griffin. No matter what the older boy said or did, Rory wouldn't give up, just as she knew Liam wouldn't either. Sniffling, Rory looked ahead but was unable to recognize much of anything. She took a few photos of Liam tracking their trail, but it wasn’t much to go on. A few snapped twigs here and there weren’t helping them get any closer to discovering what happened to Griffin, but his diligence was admirable. “I could've loved a boy like you,” she casually mused, if for nothing else than to fill the void while they travelled. With the caves drawing near, she hoped it might ease the tension building in her gut. “You know, before.” She watched as Liam continued to work, somewhat impressed by his level of skill as they trekked through the trees. She had no idea that wilted bark and scuffed up dirt could say so much by doing so little. With all the trees surrounding them now, she realized she couldn’t have gotten them there if she had tried. “You're kind and loyal… fun,” she elaborated, kicking the dirt beneath her boot. They were getting closer now. She didn't need Liam to tell her that. She could feel it, and the thought of re-entering rested ominously on her shoulders. “You’d do anything for him. That's rare, but I get it. I'd do the same for Reese…” If there was anything else, however, Liam wouldn't know, for her words trailed off in her throat as they stumbled upon the cave entrance. “This is it,” there was no doubt. Rory shifted her weight from one foot to the other, itching to both enter the caves and begin their scavenge and to get the hell out of there. As for which path was winning, she'd never know. Releasing Liam's hand, Rory was fidgeting too much to be constricted. As they stood there in the entrance, she felt more antsy than she'd ever been; like she'd had about ten too many coffees and some chocolate to boot. Her heart pounded in her chest, and she rolled her shoulders, preparing to enter. “I think it’s time for those glow sticks now,” she proposed, taking one last photo before stepping into the dark.

Liam had missed Rory wiping her tears away due to his attention being past her already. However, he didn't pull away or hesitate in holding her hand. He sensed it was a comfort they both needed, and it helped ensure they didn't stray from one another. A physical tie to one another to keep from disappearing-- neither of them knew how likely of a risk that really was. Liam took Rory's words in, repeating them to himself in his mind as he tried to read between the lines. He certainly didn't want to push Rory into talking, he wasn't the most vocal about his inner feelings after all. Still, he couldn't help but feel there was more there than just that yet it didn't seem like the time to perhaps ask her. He could still give his two cents as he now somewhat lead the way, "A boy like me would be very lucky," Liam started with an even tone, though he had a smile there this time around. He knew that Rory was showing a vulnerable side to herself, even if it wasn't in large portions. Due to that, he felt he could do the same. So he continued on, his smile not fading though his tone shifting in an effort to show he could feel what she meant, "But I don't think a boy like me would be able to love you the way you'd need." Perhaps another day they'd both tell each other exactly what troubles they had faced to end up in the emotional states they were in. Today though, today was about finding answers to questions that weren't going away. Almost as if to signify a reminder of this, the mouth of the cave came into view at the end of the faint trail they were following. Again, Liam reached for his knife which was now tucked in his waistline for convenience, however, they'd need light, "Rory, can you open the small front pouch and grab the flashlights? One’s yellow and the other’s white.”

Rory left it at that, looking up at him through her lashes and tilting her head into a whimsical nod. It wasn't something she brought up very often, but they weren't so different – her and Liam. Still, it surprised her. She’d consider swapping stories over pizza and a pitcher of beer some day, and not because there was any type of romantic future there, but because he’d become oddly relatable over the time she’d known him. There seemed to be a mutual respect and understanding building between them, and Rory needed that more than she’d care to admit. But for now, there were more pressing matters at hand. Digging into their disastrous love lives wasn’t going to help Griffin, and he had to be their priority. If he wasn’t, they risked getting distracted and putting themselves into even more danger than they already were just by being here in the first place. “Finally,” she dramatised. “Something I can do.” Retrieving the sleeve, she slipped her camera back into it before tucking it away for safekeeping and stepped behind him to open the pouch. She’d been mostly kidding about her role in the quest thus far, but there was a sense of reprieve that came with entering the uncharted territory. With her memories gone, this would be new to the both of them, and they had a legitimate chance at discovering something real. Retrieving the two flashlights, she handed one over. “Take the white,” she smirked, her tone teasing and light. “It looks good on you.” Rory kept the yellow to guide her, promptly switching it on and pointing it up to illuminate her own face. In what appeared to be a striking attempt to look scary, she poked Liam in the shoulder. “Maybe we’ll see a ghost,” she joked. “Too bad my camera’s useless. We could be the new cast of Are You Afraid of the Dark? Or Goosebumps,” she added, attempting to take the edge off. Shining the light forward, Rory glanced around. “I thought being here might trigger my memories, but I’m still drawing a blank.”  She followed her light as it trailed across the earthy stone walls, but all was quiet, as if there were no secrets to tell. She bit her lip as she looked to the fork ahead. “Left or right?”

Liam chuckled, finding the humor in Rory's words with ease, “I liked the Choose Your Own Adventure Goosebumps, it always added a little extra fun to the books." Liam mused as his flashlight spot moved along the cave walls at first, checking for any possible traps or signs of life. Before following Rory in he took a step in the cave then brought his foot back, examining his own footprint to ensure he didn't confuse it for any others he may find. Once sure he memorized it, he put his foot back in the previously made print before making another. Following the steps, Liam was making sure he stayed to the side as to not disturb the integrity of the old set of prints. He was also trying to keep a good closeness between him and Rory just to be safe. He hadn't been expecting the cave to split paths, however, so his walking paused, "Let's see..." Liam muttered, pointing his light down the left side of the cave to examine the best he could from where they were. After a moment of inspection, he looked down the right side. He squinted his eyes in an effort to enhance his eyesight and zero in on anything that stood out. The walls didn't seem to hold any hidden bits of info, so he led his flashlight to point at the ground. The spotlight scurried along the floor until he started to see some old muddy footprints, "Let's go to the right." There were two complete sets still there given the caves lack of change in the short timeframe between when others were last there. The ground had some dirt too which was helpful in figuring out the trail. The pair took some further steps into the depth of the cave, Liam training his light on the prints they found. He caught a glimpse of what looked like a somewhat large but oddly colored rock before realizing it was the back of a phone, "Does that look like yours? Or maybe Reese's?" He asked, squatting down beside it and trying to think if his roommate mentioned anything happening to his phone.

Rory found solace in the fact that they, at least, weren’t finding any blood spatters — or anything else as equally daunting. If she wanted to keep her composure and be strong for Liam, that couldn’t happen. If Griffin wasn’t truly Griffin, she couldn’t handle the thought of the real one off somewhere, alone and wounded. It was too much. “Reader beware, you’ll give yourself the scare!” she recited in what she hoped was a spooky voice. She shone her light above them to trace the ceiling and furrowed her brows. “I hope that’s not a sign. I always died in those.” Comforting. She stayed close to Liam, following in his tracks but careful not to mess up his handy work. She watched him curiously, wondering where exactly he had learned to do all of this. “Are those mine?” she questioned, straying a bit to stand beside them. Using most of her weight, she pressed a foot down, hoping to make a new print next to the old one. She looked down at them and scratched her head. They both looked pretty squiggly to her, but they were the same size; at least close. Her nose was scrunched up in confusion when Liam called out her. She looked up and saw that he was a few paces ahead, crouching near what looked like her missing phone. “Hey, I’ve been looking for that!” she went to him and joined him near the ground. “I’ve been using my old iPhone 4. It’s painful,” she reached for the device. She flipped it over and immediately pouted. “Nooooo,” she let out a low whine, frustrated by the shattered screen that met her. She clicked the power button in and out repeatedly, searching for any sign of life but found none. “I killed her,” she sulked, passing it over. “At least we know we’re going in the right direction?” she smiled through a grimace, always thinking optimistically. “If you get anything off that, let me know. I’ll officially be filing an insurance claim,” she rolled her eyes and moved away. She stopped when her light shone on footprints that seemed unusual and disrupted; scuffed. “Does this mean anything?” She offered a hand to help him up. She shone her light ahead but found nothing but dirt. “They just stop. I didn’t even turn around,” she observed, her confusion growing more than ever. She scanned the area for something familiar but remained at a loss. Licking her lips she glanced at Liam, hesitating before she hopped off her feet and into the air. Seconds later, she landed with a dull thud and pursed her lips to the side. “And turns out, I can’t fly. Bummer,” she turned away in search for anything else.  

Liam’s eyes were examining the phone, his skin touching the broken screen and feeling the dirt still resting on the device. It was their first solid piece of evidence that Liam and Rory were in the right place. Of course they had the footprints on the ground, but those really could have been anybody's. The cabin was familiar to Rory, though they hadn't found anything there, so everything was rather circumstantial before this discovery. Finding this phone which turned out to be Rory's was a good indicator they were on the right track, just like Rory said, "That's exactly what it means." He replied, slipping his backpack off and putting the broken phone in there for the time being. It was safer in there than just in their pockets. Now that they had found something, it felt like this was like a scavenger hunt, or like Liam's orienteering competitions. He had always found himself drawn to activities like them. Considering that the task of this venture was to find answers on what happened to everyone, and especially what happened to Griff, Liam was up to the challenge. Which was good, because Rory had been right about the prints-- they did mean something. While she was trying to see if she could fly, Liam looked at the very last set of prints that were Rory's from the last visit she'd taken here. It almost looked like there was a heel print of another set of shoes but it was hard to tell. Rory's feet could have been dragging, or she could have turned around. It still didn't explain the fact there weren't any steps taken towards leaving the cave. He found Reese's footprints closer to the fork they had been at, but just as with Rory's last steps, they weren't clean. They looked messy, but with the prints being old, it was still impossible to tell what really happened, "It looks like you both just suddenly stopped walking. But with how the prints look it seems more like you were maybe both picked up." He pointed out as his flashlight tried to locate any other prints, "The problem with that is there isn't another set of prints anywhere of whoever could have done that." Liam started to even deviate from the ground and look at the walls again, wondering if maybe some ceiling-scaling creature was to blame for all this. Much to his dismay, there wasn't anything, just as before, "But we found your phone here, so we know this isn't the wrong place." Liam's brow furrowed, his mind trying to piece together what they had, unfortunately nothing was fitting together yet, "Was there any other items you can think of that got left? Do you remember losing anything else recently or one of the others saying they lost something?”

Rory’s eyes widened at that, not for shock, but rather, emphasis. She relaxed her hand and the light fell back on Liam. “Literally,” she spaced her words prudently and jabbed the beam with them. “Abducted. You’re my witness.” Breaking, she allowed the implication of those words to sink in, and she blinked. “Bianca’s gonna freak,” she shook her head. “But I knew I got probed,” she lifted a finger to poke her own neck. “Right here… And this proves it.” Sidling up to him, she sat on her knees and traced what they thought was Reese’s scuffle with whoever did this. The corners of her lip twitched into a frown as the severity of the situation weighed down on her. They could’ve died. “I don’t think we brought much,” Rory responded. “Dr. H. said we should pack light, so it was mostly just us and the… cameras,” a lightbulb went off. She smiled at him as if having made an ingenious discovery. “We had cameras. C’mon,” she scrambled to her feet and started down the path once more, falling deeper and deeper into the cave. “I’m missing one,” she clarified. “NYU’s been on my ass all week, but I never found it. I just remembered that I gave one to Griffin. Maybe it’s in here somewhere?” Rory combed through the tunnel, keeping her beam low to the ground as they searched. “Sawyer lost a knife too,” she added in afterthought. “I don’t know how important that’ll be, but if it proves her story, that’s something.” She craned her neck to see how far ahead she could see, but was met with the same familiar darkness. “The tunnel’s getting wider,” she noted, looking to Liam for confirmation. “I think something’s up there.”

Liam caught Rory pointing at a dot on her neck right before she came up to him. As soon as she was, his attention went right to look at it. He angled his flashlight so it wouldn't blind Rory, but so he could still see it, "Reese has a mark on his neck just like this, i just thought it was a bug bite." Liam gawked, thinking it looked too precise to be a bite now that he was close to it. Reese's probably looked the same, and he'd check it out once they got back. Eventually, he put his light back towards the ground as Rory recounted the day once again. Then Rory was suddenly on her feet and going. Liam quickly grabbed one of the green glow sticks he had brought, cracked it, and set it right where he was. He didn't want them to lose their way in case there were more forks ahead. He dashed after Rory, able to catch up to her as she was still moving. Griffin had a camera when they came, and Sawyer seemed to of lost a knife somehow. That last fact alone was a little daunting, given in Liam's experience most knives got lost because they had to be brought out in the first place "I think you're right, it is." Liam agreed, his previous thought making him grab the knife he had tucked away earlier, but he kept the case on as they ran. Finally, the cave seemed less like an enclosed tunnel and more like a stone room. It still looked like a cave, but it was less suffocating in a way. Granted, it also made there be more shadows surrounding them, "Can you describe what the camera looks li-" Before Liam got a chance to finish asking Rory to deceive the camera, he slipped on a smooth rock that seemed to come out of nowhere. He stumbled a bit but was fighting to keep his balance so he managed to simply run into the wall. His hands braced the impact, but Liam was a little breathless by the event, "I'm alright!" He promised, looking for where his flashlight landed. Once seeing the beam facing the farthest wall, he walked to grab it but an odd shadow took his attention, "Rory, can you shine your light right there?" He requested, pointing a finger at the shadowy lump he was noticing so she could locate it.

Rory watched him curiously and tilted her chin to give him a better angle. At this point, she knew the mark to be almost faded, and it had been small to begin with. “Yeah, alien bug bites,” she didn’t miss a beat. Shifting her eye’s back, she eyed him curiously. “Do you check my brother’s neck often?” she teased. “Or am I the only Marshall on your mind? Because there’s other things you could do with my neck, you know.” The mere insinuation of it brought the familiar urge between her legs, and she had to look away. Settling for a peck to his cheek, she motioned forward. “C’mon,” Don’t hook up in a cave, don’t hook up in a cave… “Let’s check it out.” She watched as Liam brought out his own knife and decided it was probably a good idea to stay close to him. The last thing she needed was to be taken or shanked on accident. After her previous visit, anything seemed possible. For all she knew, they were marching straight to the mothership. The thought alone was sobering. Shining their lights in opposite directions, they studied the enclosure carefully, and Rory moved slowly, revealing the earthy brown tones that painted the area. She combed the area carefully, tracing and retracing its lines, so to not miss anything that might provide them with a clue. Now that they had something to look for, she didn’t feel at such a loss. Sticking to her side for the time being, nothing seemed too out of the ordinary; just your typical cracks and crevices from what Rory could tell. A small distance had gathered between them when she suddenly heard him tumble. “Liam!” She whirled around, eyes wide with fear as she frantically followed his light with her own. She breathed a heavy sigh when he called out, relief coming only when she found him in her light, reaching for his own. She tilted her head in mild annoyance. “Really, Sayoc?” she shook her head teasingly. “Give a girl a heart attack, why don’t ya? Are you sure you’re okay?” She double checked before following his instruction. A small section of the wall now alight, Rory’s eyes widened and her stomach hollowed out. “That’s Sawyer’s knife!” She ran to it, expecting it carefully. Gripping it with one hand, she tried to pull it out but to no avail. “It’s wedged really tight,” she groaned. Tucking the flashlight into her armpit, she gripped the hilt with both hands and tried again. “It’s like it’s been thrown by superman or something,” she grunted through her efforts. Putting a foot against the wall, she adjusted her grip and used the extra leverage to jerk the knife free of stone. “Unf!” She stumbled back. Losing her balance, Rory fell onto her back with a sharp clunk as her own flashlight rolled a few inches away. She sat up quickly, pleased by the object in hand. “Hey, it’s not even that damaged!” she cried. “Yes!” She looked back to Liam and showed him the blade. “Look I’m the chosen one,” she joked from her spot on the ground. She returned her attention to the knife, triumphant.  “Sawyer’s gonna be so happy,” she pursed her lips to the side. “But I’m not carrying this thing in my boot.” She went to reach for her light when she noticed something solid in it’s path. She rose to her knees, eyes staring. “We’re definitely in the right place.”      

Liam had gone through more training courses than he could likely count, and yet despite that, he still wasn't immune from losing balance. Rory got a first hard display of that in the cave, which given the mystery surrounding the place probably wasn't the best time for it. His hands felt a little rough, but they didn't feel wet, so even in the dark Liam was able to tell he wasn't bleeding. He was more than slightly glad that he had kept his own knife's case on, though, or else perhaps another unfortunate thing would have occurred on Shadow Island, "I'm unscathed!" He assured, not looking at his hands or body to see for himself in fear of losing track of the shadowy lump he was focused on. Rory's beam of light landed on the item shortly after, and upon seeing a knife, Liam instinctively clutched tighter on the hilt of his. Thankfully, Rory knew what it was and that helped ease his tension. While she worked on getting the blade from the stone, Liam went to get his flightlight off the ground finally. Almost as if it was right out of a comedy, as soon as Liam had his flashlight back in hand, Rory's rolled away from her. He turned around, shedding light on his friend who was sitting on the ground looking victorious. It was impossible for him not to smile at seeing such a sight, "Does this mean I have to get on my knees and bow to you, Chosen One?" He asked with a playful tone, joining in the merriment of the moment. Liam kept his light on Rory so she could see where she was going, and even noticed as she seemed to hesitate with grabbing her flashlight. Somehow understanding what Rory meant without her saying it, he moved the light into the space between Rory and her flashlight. There on the ground was a camera that certainly didn't belong on the floor deep inside of a cave. It was dirty and looked a little scratched up, however, it was clearly a more modern model. Not able to find the words to express how important finding the item was, Liam simply made his way over to it. Now he was near Rory and looking down at the piece of electronic equipment they'd been looking for, "So this is it." Liam finally said, still just looking at the camera. It was both a wonderful feat to find it, and also nerve wracking. This was the last piece of the puzzle that they knew of... it was the last thing that could give them real answers. Liam worried of there being a chance that nothing was on it, and thus they put themselves in danger just to collect some random things left behind. However,  Liam remembered that this wasn't just a camera, but also the last thing that the Griffin he knew and loved had last touched. At least, as far as they knew. It was their best bet, and standing there wasn't going to do them any good. So he reached down and swiped the camera off the dirt it rested on. He looked it over, wiping off the dust that had settled on it, trying to clean it as he studied the item for anything indicating it was broken, "It looks like it's in pretty good condition considering what it's potentially been through." Liam commented, finding an odd sense of comfort in how intact the equipment was. He found the power button and clicked it. The screen came to life, however, it was flashing a low battery signal. Still, he switched it to playback mode to see if they'd get anything from its digital memory bank before it shut down. Then, for a split second, Liam saw his cousin's face and a smile suddenly graced his lips. Griffin looked happy in the video, only to then look confused, and Liam recognized that it was really Griff he was watching. He could tell by the genuine look in his eye. Rory said she had given the camera to Griff when they went on the island, and judging by the glimpse of a blue sky Liam saw in the video, it seemed like it was a recording from the morning they'd arrived. Just as the clip ended, now showing some dark surface, the camera's lights and screen shut off. Liam felt a lump form in his throat as he replayed the clip in his mind over and over again. Some tears welled up as he looked at his partner, though he still had a hint of a smile. His arms opened and he went to give Rory a very large hug, not able to verbally express his gratitude towards her like he had earlier. Aside from the fact she had come to him and was honest with him, Rory had helped give him some hope by coming here. Hope of what, exactly, he wasn't sure, but he had remembered what hope felt like. He used to feel it naturally, after all. He stepped back after some moments passed, still holding the camera in hand. He sniffled, regaining composure as he thought of what they'd need to do, "We can't give this camera back to NYU yet. Not until after we charge it and see what's on there. I think there's something else recorded on here, after the clip of Griff we saw."

Rory stayed silent as Liam retrieved the camera. Praying wasn’t something she did often, but in that moment, she found herself hoping against hope that there was nothing too Earth shattering on that tape. As much as she didn’t want to be the reason for it, she wanted even less for Liam to witness a first hand account such morbidity. She held her breath as he powered it on, her eyes remaining fixed on him. Once it seemed okay, she glanced at the screen, just in time to see Griffin’s face disappear and the weight of it all came crashing down on her chest. The Griffin from the tape was gone. His body was here, but everything that made him who he was had been replaced by something else; something cold and hardened — brutal. Her heart sank as she realized this was the last place Griffin had been himself, and while she was glad Sawyer had been with him at the time, it shouldn’t have been him. It shouldn’t have been anyone… and she missed him. There were no words. She had her arms open before Liam had ever turned to her, and when he hugged her, she clung to him with everything she had. She pressed her mouth and nose into his shoulder and closed her eyes, wondering how in the hell they were supposed to fix this. Seeing Liam teary eyed and vulnerable broke every last piece of her heart, but the hope now apparent in his eyes made everything worth it. She’d come here a hundred times over just to see that look. “I can handle NYU,” she readily agreed. “Griffin’s more important. I just hope that whatever’s on that tape tells us what happened to him. Maybe then we can get him back.” She held out a fist for Liam to bump. “Partners, right?”