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Entry tags:
The Next Step
[ooc: After Doyle leaves]
Kim's alone again. It hurts to swallow and her breathing isn't returning to normal. An Aes Sedai wouldn't blink at physical intimidation, but she's shaken and it takes more effort than it should to free herself from the chair.
Now, she's watching the door, unable to stay calm. If Doyle comes back, if they bring in the hyoscine-pentothal, if she feels it enter her veins and the agony that it brings -and she remembers the briefings on the effects of chemical interrogation - she still won't blame them. But she won't be able to stave off the panic any longer and she's terrified of what she might do, who she might hurt, when her survival instinct overpowers her rationality.
At least she's able to stand, even if she's fighting back tears, and each breath brings a little more pain.
Her fingers slip on the table. She tries to focus on pressing gently against her neck, testing the extent of injury, and feels warmth where bruises are already starting to form. She'll consider herself lucky if she gets out of this with only marks. There's a throbbing behind her eyes too, probably from hitting her head on the floor, but hopefully nothing that a pain killer won't fix.
She's grateful that Behrooz didn't sense anything and she barely stops herself from reaching out to Chase,needing to hear his voice, but knowing what could happen. It's been a while since she's felt this isolated.
Forthe first time since she entered the room, she allows herself to wonder if her dad is okay, if he and Chris are still alive or if that phone call was the last time she'd ever speak to either of them. Maybe all of this was for nothing.
She feels weak-kneed at the thought, and sits back down, trying to calm her racing heart.
If they died because of CTU's inability to -- these thoughts don't help her rapid breathing and she covers her face with her hands.
The door starts to open. She doesn't want to look up.
______
Couldn't do anything
Chase's rogue days are over. He'd been powerless to stop Doyle, as badly as he'd wanted to march into the room and drag him away by his hair--Chase is a man of reaction these days, not of action.
But reaction can do some good, too. With permission, he slips into the room and crouches down by her chair, swallowing.
"S'okay, baby. I'm here."
It's not okay. But at least it's almost over.
________
The man next to her isn't Burke.
"Chase?" She turns as he crouches next to her and tears slip down her face.
She wraps her arms around his neck, unable to stop herself from needing the contact. The pain is easing a little, and she leans her forehead against his shoulder and takes a breath. "Oh God," she breathes. "Are they -- " She can't finish the sentence, trying not to think about what might happen next. He's come in to give her news and she knows no preparing will help.
_____
"It's done. Jack says it's okay, Kim--I don't know what happened, but it's gonna be okay." He holds her tightly.
"I'm sorry," he says quietly, after the good news is out.
_____
"It's done?" she gasps as he hugs her, but even the fact that his arms are resting against new bruising isn't enough to make her let go. She wants to make sure she heard him correctly, "They're okay?" She whispers, her voice a little rough. She relaxes, her muscles loosening as her body realizes that the immediate threat's over.
"It's not your fault."
"Yeah, they're okay." He pulls back to touch her face, his eyes showing his guilt and worry. His gaze turns to a glare as he sees the fresh bruises. "When I get my hands on that fucker -- "
"It's not his fault either," she closes her eyes, feeling suddenly very weary.
"Okay," he says, but his tone isn't exactly soft. He brushes a strand of hair away from her eyes. "Bill wants you to be seen by medical," He stands and offers her his hand. She accepts the help, her body trembling from the adrenaline high.
They don't speak as they leave the room.
Kim's alone again. It hurts to swallow and her breathing isn't returning to normal. An Aes Sedai wouldn't blink at physical intimidation, but she's shaken and it takes more effort than it should to free herself from the chair.
Now, she's watching the door, unable to stay calm. If Doyle comes back, if they bring in the hyoscine-pentothal, if she feels it enter her veins and the agony that it brings -and she remembers the briefings on the effects of chemical interrogation - she still won't blame them. But she won't be able to stave off the panic any longer and she's terrified of what she might do, who she might hurt, when her survival instinct overpowers her rationality.
At least she's able to stand, even if she's fighting back tears, and each breath brings a little more pain.
Her fingers slip on the table. She tries to focus on pressing gently against her neck, testing the extent of injury, and feels warmth where bruises are already starting to form. She'll consider herself lucky if she gets out of this with only marks. There's a throbbing behind her eyes too, probably from hitting her head on the floor, but hopefully nothing that a pain killer won't fix.
She's grateful that Behrooz didn't sense anything and she barely stops herself from reaching out to Chase,needing to hear his voice, but knowing what could happen. It's been a while since she's felt this isolated.
Forthe first time since she entered the room, she allows herself to wonder if her dad is okay, if he and Chris are still alive or if that phone call was the last time she'd ever speak to either of them. Maybe all of this was for nothing.
She feels weak-kneed at the thought, and sits back down, trying to calm her racing heart.
If they died because of CTU's inability to -- these thoughts don't help her rapid breathing and she covers her face with her hands.
The door starts to open. She doesn't want to look up.
______
Couldn't do anything
Chase's rogue days are over. He'd been powerless to stop Doyle, as badly as he'd wanted to march into the room and drag him away by his hair--Chase is a man of reaction these days, not of action.
But reaction can do some good, too. With permission, he slips into the room and crouches down by her chair, swallowing.
"S'okay, baby. I'm here."
It's not okay. But at least it's almost over.
________
The man next to her isn't Burke.
"Chase?" She turns as he crouches next to her and tears slip down her face.
She wraps her arms around his neck, unable to stop herself from needing the contact. The pain is easing a little, and she leans her forehead against his shoulder and takes a breath. "Oh God," she breathes. "Are they -- " She can't finish the sentence, trying not to think about what might happen next. He's come in to give her news and she knows no preparing will help.
_____
"It's done. Jack says it's okay, Kim--I don't know what happened, but it's gonna be okay." He holds her tightly.
"I'm sorry," he says quietly, after the good news is out.
_____
"It's done?" she gasps as he hugs her, but even the fact that his arms are resting against new bruising isn't enough to make her let go. She wants to make sure she heard him correctly, "They're okay?" She whispers, her voice a little rough. She relaxes, her muscles loosening as her body realizes that the immediate threat's over.
"It's not your fault."
"Yeah, they're okay." He pulls back to touch her face, his eyes showing his guilt and worry. His gaze turns to a glare as he sees the fresh bruises. "When I get my hands on that fucker -- "
"It's not his fault either," she closes her eyes, feeling suddenly very weary.
"Okay," he says, but his tone isn't exactly soft. He brushes a strand of hair away from her eyes. "Bill wants you to be seen by medical," He stands and offers her his hand. She accepts the help, her body trembling from the adrenaline high.
They don't speak as they leave the room.