[reverse darkest timeline AU: cellthread #2]

[stilljustandrew]

[Previously: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5]

What's worried Baby the most, over the past few days --

Well. What's upset her the most is Andrew's consistent refusal to speak to her mind-to-mind, or out loud beyond the few necessary words she might exchange with any other inmate, such as requests for food, fresh clothes, an extra blanket.

But what's worried her is that he hasn't asked for anything to pass the time. No tablet with games or videos on it, no pencil and paper, no baseball to bounce off the opposite wall.

No books.



In the cell, Andrew finishes his breakfast (cornflakes, with sliced banana), sets aside the bowl, and settles down leaning against the wall.

Comments

[stilljustandrew]

"Ava, please -- if, if you're not gonna let me go back, please just let me talk to Him once, just one time, let me tell Him why --"

He flattens one hand against the translucent barrier.

"-- can't we please just call it my one phone call?"

[hadyougoing]

Her eyebrows arch.

"We could, if we had a real justice system. But we're just a bunch of losers in a bar, sooo ..."

A shrug.

"If he stops by, I'll tell him myself."

[stilljustandrew]

"What are you afraid I'll tell Him?"

His fingers curl into his palm, knuckles pressed to the barrier.

"Whatever it is, I won't, just please --"

[hadyougoing]

"I'm not afraid you'll tell him anything," Ava says. "Although seriously, Andrew, you're basically a junkie right now so I'm almost insulted you'd promise me not to tell him something he wanted to know."

[stilljustandrew]

"I will," he insists. "Or won't, whatever -- anything, whatever you want me to do or not do, I'll promise, I'll swear on whatever you want, if you just let me do this, I'll swear --"

A slightly wild light comes into his eyes. "I'll swear by Him."

[hadyougoing]

Ava rubs her temple, nodding.

"Okay," she says. "Well, this has been ... typical."

She turns to go.

"Bye."

[stilljustandrew]

"I'll swear on His name," he repeats as she starts to walk away, his voice rising frantically, "you know I won't break that -- Ava, wait --"

He slams his free hand against the barrier, which goes soft to let it sink in, so he won't injure himself.

"I'll swear by Him! I'll swear! Smeagol will swear on the Precious!"

[hadyougoing]

Okay, that's a reference even she knows. Ava goes rigid in the shoulders, but doesn't turn.

"Baby, can you play that back to him like, every ten minutes until it sinks in?"

She walks a lot faster to get back to the office.

[stilljustandrew]

He's staring, not after her but at nothing in particular, looking completely bewildered at the words that just fell out of his mouth.

"I," he says, unsteadily and not very loud, and "what."



And about ten minutes later: "No, don't do that."