I12: Some of Them Want to Abuse You

[Roland Sackville]

"The worst thing won't happen."

[Haley Crusek]

"You sure?" she asked quietly.

[Roland Sackville]

"Yes. If I have to gut them myself."

[Haley Crusek]

Haley's mind flashed back to the conversation with the "waiter," and her face flashed with a look of panic.

"No. When they're back, you stay...like...in the safe room. If you try and gut them, they're going to kill you, and then I'll be stuck this way forever." she said quickly.

[Roland Sackville]

"What the hell are you saying?"

[Haley Crusek]

"You're used to fighting like you can't die. You're in a body that can. So stay the hell away from fights," she explained.

[Roland Sackville]

"Like hell I will! I think I've had a little experience in combat, thank you very much," she said, indignantly.

[Haley Crusek]

"Yeah. I'm sure you fight awesome. *in your own body that can't fucking die.* you're just going to get me killed and stuck in your body!"

[Roland Sackville]

"Oh, ye of little faith. I could still take you down, you know, body or no body."

[Haley Crusek]

"It's not me I'm worried about you taking down, it's those crazy fuckers that did this." she said, panic in her voice, and very distracting images of her fear flashing through Roland's mind.

[Roland Sackville]

"Calm DOWN, damn it," Roland swore. "I can FEEL that, you know."

[Haley Crusek]

"Well excuse me for being a little bit concerned about someone recklessly driving my own body! The last time I saw you in a fight you got shot in the chest multiple times, and I won't fucking recover from that!" Haley yelled, her face red, and tears welling up in her eyes.

[Roland Sackville]

"I only got shot because some meddling kids forced my hand!"

[Haley Crusek]

"And the next fight is going to be fucking calm, and go perfectly according to plan?!"

[Roland Sackville]

"Calm? Of course not. According to plan? More likely."

[Haley Crusek]

"Bullshit. When does a fucking fight against superpowered nutjobs EVER go according to plan?"

[Roland Sackville]

"It really depends on how good you are at planning things, doesn't it? I've been in a few scraps before, you know."

[Haley Crusek]

"In a body you can't die in..." she grumbled, wiping her face with the back of her hand.

[Roland Sackville]

"Yeah, because I so enjoyed getting shot twice."

[Haley Crusek]

"Enjoying it doesn't matter, still happened!"

[Roland Sackville]

"Haley. If you want this to be over with as quickly as possible, you're going to need me out there."

[Haley Crusek]

"Then you had god damn well better be getting good at using my TK to throw up shields."

[Roland Sackville]

"I'll be fine. I've been outnumbered and outmatched before."

[Haley Crusek]

"...I guess," she grumbled.

[Roland Sackville]

"You're that worried, are you?"

[Haley Crusek]

"Yeah, I am..." she said quietly.

"See, what if the guy who can't die finally has a chance to? Hrm? Has a chance to go out like a big hero, fixing everything, AND he'll finally be free of this whole living forever thing. What then? I know like...all rationally you're probably like 'no, I'd never do that, I have honor and duty and blah blah blah,' but I'd be surprised...real, real fucking surprised if there wasn't some small part of your heart that didn't want that shit."

"So yeah. I'm worried."

[Roland Sackville]

"Alright, two things.

First of all, you're assuming I want to be free of this 'living forever' thing. Dying's overrated.

Secondly, I don't need to go out the big hero. I've stayed in the big hero."

[Haley Crusek]

Haley regarded him dubiously. "So you really just deal with living forever and watching anyone you get close to die eventually? No slight dream of just letting it all go? I guess that makes me feel a bit better..."

[Roland Sackville]

"It was better than the alternative. It's...something that...

Oh, don't listen to an old man ramble."

[Haley Crusek]

"Spit it out, man. We've seen each other naked, and you've probably read my mind without meaning to plenty, so why hide shit?"

[Roland Sackville]

"Because that's what you do. That's exactly what you do when you're 3,000 years old and need to keep appearing as twenty-five. You open yourself up too much, and that's when you die. Add that on to all the things I can't talk about, and you get used to keeping secrets."

[Haley Crusek]

Haley sighed. "'Kay. I get it. Trust you on the whole "I'm awesome and won't get your body killed," but you don't dare tell me the truth about something else. Makes plenty of sense."

[Roland Sackville]

"What the hell kind of truth do you want? What is it you want from me, Crusek?"

[Haley Crusek]

"I don't know," she sighed unhappily, practically pouting, standing up and turning to leave. "Just don't get me killed I guess."

[Roland Sackville]

"You'll live. You'll always find a way.

And so will I."