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anarchist-sloth · 2 years

Text

If it’s not fine it’s not the end

Chapter: 4/7; (previous chapter), (first chapter), (next chapter);

Pairing: Jakexfem!Mc;

Warnings: Spoilers from episode 10, suicide mention;

Words: 6.8 k;

Author’s note: This is a story that will follow what happens immediately after episode 10′s ending. I’m not a native English speaker, so any mistakes are due to that. Thanks for being so patient, I hope next chapter will come at a quicker pace (but I’m sure it will ;) ) Enjoy!!

A loud thunder woke you up, for the second time in a row, in a bath of cold sweat. You had hoped that yesterday's revelation would have prevented you from having nightmares, but apparently your subconscious still wanted to play with you in your sleep.

You supposed it was still progress, in a way, as this time you "only" dreamed about Jake's arrest. No burnt bodies. No piercing screams. Just the man you dearly loved pressed against the FBI's hood vehicle, handcuffed. From an outsider's perspective it was sickening calling this vision of yours an improvement, but that was simply a fact now.

A heavy sigh escaped from your mouth and as you turned around, you witnessed the sight of your soaked pillow. Great. So you weren't just crying in your dreams, but in your sleep as well.

You got up and grasped your phone, checking for the thousand time if Jake had texted you. Like usual, his last message was his "I love you".

Your lips quirked up. Despite everything, his words were still capable of generating butterflies in your stomach. If there was one thing you were happy Jake did before he had to leave, was his love confession.

Your latest texts, on the contrary, still resulted unsent, which weirded you out: if he really had exited the mine, shouldn't have the signal worked again, thus delivering your messages?

At first, you didn't really believe he was going to do it.

He had always struggled with expressing his emotions- anything about himself really, to the extent that you had to beg for more. But the thought of losing you had made him braver and more honest- as you were sobbing through out the day he kept opening his heart to you, culminating to his final words.

It had been an awful day, but for a fleeting moment you had gotten what you had so desperately ached for.

You didn't even want to imagine a different scenario where none of you had confessed their feelings. Going through these past days knowing Jake could have died not ever explicitly knowing your love for him almost made you puke.

If he really had died (which, THANK GOD, he hadn't) at least he would have known there was someone out there waiting for him. You were immensely glad that you were able to answer him back.

You had a few hypothesis for why he wasn't able to receive them yet, but neither of them were calming you down one bit.

A sudden, unpredictable rumble made you drop your phone on the mattress. Caught off guard, you drew close to the nearest window and recoiled upon seeing the storm. It was summer, so it definitely wasn't unusual to see one; you liked rain, you truly did, but in order for you to enjoy it you needed to stay in the comfort of your own room, not underneath it.

You face slapped yourself.

"Just splendid" you snickered, while fetching the most heavy clothes you had picked for this travel.

In the rush of packing your suitcase, you hadn't monitored the weather forecast- you just "assumed", in an unnatural sprout of optimism, that it was going to be sunny all week.

You didn't bring an umbrella with you, and the best cover you could afford was your hoodie.

You couldn't wait showing up at the police precinct looking like a wet mop, drenching their floor and the poor chair of the interrogation room.

You briefly glanced over the window's view, and winced at the undulating trees and how huge the ponds were, almost resembling wading pools. The officers were totally not going to get pissed at you.

You hid your hair under the hood in the best way you could and took off.

Once downstairs, your eyes scanned the Motel hall in a desperate search of Mss. Walter, so that you could escape from her grasp again- luckily for you, she was nowhere to be seen, and, at the entrance door, a familiar figure was waiting for you.

Jessy was dressed in a cute yellow raincoat a bit too large for her-very similar to the one Georgie wore in the famous book and movie, IT. You knew how much she adored that story; it was linked in her profile, after all. She seemed sleep deprived, her dark eye bags sending you a clear hint. But regardless of that, she still presented you an heartwarming smile. It was really sweet of her to show up here.

You sprinted towards Jessy with a relieved expression on your face.

"Thought you might need it" she said, extending you an umbrella.

"Jessy! You are a life saver! Thank you" you chimed, accepting her generous offer.

"I was hoping you could feel the same?"

"I didn't want to go to the police station alone," she explained, pushing the door open.

You instantly shivered once you stepped outside- it was freezing! You should have brought some jackets over.

You vigorously nodded, while you messily zipped your hoodie to the neck.

"Yes, actually. This storm is not making the process easy, either" You rapidly opened the umbrella, trying your best to fight off the wind. It was blowing so hard that for a second you believed you were going to lose the grip. Jessy kindly helped you keep your balance.

"You know, we still got some time before the statement" Jessy mentioned, rummaging inside her handbag for her car keys.

"We do?" You asked, checking the time. You had forgotten to set up the alarm clock last night, the exhaustion winning you over, but luckily for you the storm had been an ally and woke you up regardless.

"Yeah, roughly an hour. I was thinking...maybe we could have breakfast together? Unless you already ate, that's fine!" She exclaimed, letting you inside the vehicle. You were so glad Jessy was smart enough to drive you both to the precinct. Forget summer, this cold belonged to winter!

"No, I haven't eaten yet." All these events were disrupting your routine to the point you even forgot basic, healthy tasks like eating. Perhaps it was about time you did something about it.

"I think it's a wonderful idea" you promptly verbalized, putting on your seatbelt. Since you had come here, you hadn't had the chance to talk to Jessy alone. A part of you knew all too well that you both longed to discuss about what had happened.

You were wounded, scarred by someone you both thought you could trust- and you were also the only two people who had the misfortune to see with your own two eyes Richy's downfall. That wasn't something you could easily move on from, no matter how much time could pass.

As Jessy drove towards the destination, you soon realized she wasn't heading to the Aurora bar like you had originally assumed.

"Why aren't we going to your brother's place?"

Jessy visibly stirred at your question.

"D-do you want to go the Aurora?" She timidly blurted out, her eyes stuck on the road. "No, I don't have any preferences. I was just asking." You reassured her, sensing the tension in the air.

"...Did something happen with Phil?"

She gripped hard the steering wheel.

"...No? Well, nothing new, at least"

Jessy briefly closed her eyes, collecting herself.

"We just...we aren't exactly on good terms right now," she exposed defeated.

"Oh..." you exhaled, the sounds of Jessy's drumming fingers echoing in the car.

"We didn't really fight, if that's what you are worried about. He knows about our situation and he's trying to be understanding. But he's clearly angry. Like, a lot. And yesterday's quarrel didn't really help either...I...I don't know, I guess I don't want to add fuel to the fire."

"I get it" you muttered, suddenly feeling guilty for not noticing Jessy's discomfort the day before. "If anything, I'm sorry we went there"

She painfully beamed.

"Don't be. We all agreed on it. And, well, sometimes you can't just intuitively know when I'm upset if I don't express it"

You appreciated her effort to be rational, but you also wanted to be by her side on this difficult time. Of course, you couldn't magically know how Jessy was doing, but you could still try to be a little bit more perceptive. She was allowed to be emotional, especially after her best friend's loss.

"I will still try it!" You energetically erupted, outstretching your arms in the air just to appear dramatic. Jessy seemed calmer, at least, but her eyes looked melancholic.

"Then the same goes for me, okay? You would tell me if something was bothering you, right?" Her tone was just as soft as her personality. For an instant, you felt safe, as if you were cradled in the gentle and loving arms of a mother. But as quick as it had arrived, that sensation soon faded away.

Your lips wavered. You knew she was referring to Jake. Since he disappeared, you hadn't had the chance to talk to anybody how desperate you were feeling, how hard it was to keep this unyielding facade. All the tears you cried were in secret, away from anyone to observe and judge. And you wanted to keep it that way.

It was hypocritical, asking Jessy to be honest with her feelings while knowing you didn't have the strength to reciprocate.

For some reason, you felt selfish to ask for sympathy: in your mind, Jessy was the one who needed support, someone who wasn't going to break or crumble- a friend that recognized the hardships she was going trough.

Maybe your little facade necessitated to work some more.

"Yes, I would"

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The Regenbornen cafe looked much more classy than the Aurora. While the latter focused on a rustic aesthetic, the former welcomed their customers with elegant, leather armchairs and mahogany tables. The fragrant smell of freshly baked pastries filled your nostrils, making you feeling peckish.

Jessy gestured you to find a table while she was going to order two chocolate cakes with strawberries, the local specialty. You couldn't wait eating some. As you scavenged for a place to sit, you noticed It was more crowded than the Aurora, too, but you figured it was due to Phil's unfortunate reputation...Surely one additional reason to be upset.

You found an empty seat near the window and gently plopped on the sofa. From this position, you could enjoy the rain drops fall menacingly onto the streets and on the poor pedestrians, away from the cold wind. You would have rather spent the day admiring the storm, pretending to be free of responsibilities and tragedies; maybe you would have drank a nice hot chocolate, with the sound of the TV reverberating in the room. But later, in not less than an hour, you were going to be questioned by police officers about your involvement in Hannah's kidnapping.

It didn't even feel real.

The sound of the dishes clattering on the table startled you enough to wake you up from your thoughts. The chocolate cakes were served with whipped cream and nicely cut strawberries on top, making your stomach grumble in excitement. You were glad Jessy brought you here, and judging by her enthusiasm, she was too.

"I also bought tea for the both of us, I hope it's fine" she babbled, pouring some of it in your cup.

"Yes, don't worry. Thanks" the dessert tasted sugary, but not excessively so, to your surprise. You let the cream linger on the palate, savoring its sweetness, and moaned in amusement. Jessy seemed pleased as well.

"It's very good-" you told her, as if your reaction wasn't explanatory.

"I knew you would like it" She responded, cleaning the corners of her mouth with her tongue.

"I thought you deserved something nice after everything we've gone trough..." she continued, toying with the fork the cake's decorations.

You weakly nodded as her comment shook you over. There couldn't be one single moment without the harsh present crushing you with its weight.

"You deserve something nice, too" you added, taking a mouthful of cake.

"We all do"

Jessy didn't proceed to answer, her eyes glossy once more. It was awful seeing her in this state. "Jessy, what happened...you could have done nothing to avoid it" you reasoned with her, your gaze low.

"And that's the problem. I don’t think we could've ever solved this in any other way. We were destined to suffer in any case."

Jessy's words made you fall in a guilt spiral. Because, well, in your head, you had imagined how this situation could have been resolved.

If only you hadn't answered Thomas' text.

Your presence only worsened an already dire situation.

Since you had pictured this route, you hadn't been able to find peace: you kept visualizing a much more rose-tinted reality where Richy freed Hannah right away, and who knows, maybe they could have talked about Jennifer's accident for the first time after 10 years of silence.

You knew Hannah, she would have forgiven Richy on the spot, that's just the kind of person she was.

That way, Richy wouldn't have died and Hannah wouldn't have stayed captive for so long. That way, all your friends, you included, wouldn't have been so traumatized. That way, surely, Jake wouldn't have risked his life-both by the hands of the FBI and by the fire's mine.

You didn't want to express your thoughts out loud, you guessed the group was kind enough to disregard your little theory. But you feared that, deep down, they could feel the same as you.

And that possibility was far scarier than anything you had to endure until now.

You swallowed the burning tea.

"Maybe so." You lied once again.

"But maybe our future doesn't have to be so...grim" you proposed

Jessy snarled at you.

"I don't see anything good in my way. I don't even have a job anymore."

She sighed.

"Richy's parents keep calling me but I don't even know what I should say. I don't know for how long I can ignore them"

You took her hand and squeezed it.

"It must be really hard" she returned the gesture.

"Maybe just text them if talking is too complicated?"

She shrugged.

"I would have to talk them either way, MC. I can't imagine telling them Richy is...was..." she stopped her track, her voice weakened by her emotions. You kept holding her hand.

"I can't even imagine explaining what happened to the police, and yet here we are." She blew her nose into the handkerchief.

"I still haven't come to terms with it. I can't...But it doesn't matter if I can or not. He attacked, threatened, and put us in constant danger. I thought I was going to die multiple times. Yet my mind doesn't view Richy as the Man without a face. "

"It's completely natural, Jessy" you threw at her your paper tissue so that she could use it.

"When our loved ones disappoint us this bad, it's hard to grasp the reality of it...The important part is that we can overcome this together."

"Really?" She looked at you with her round, green eyes-she resembled a stray kitten. "Really" you confirmed, a sheepish smile on the way.

"So...does this mean we'll stay in touch?" Why did your friends keep asking you that? As if it wasn't obvious.

"Yeah? I want it to be"

For the first time these days, she smiled sincerely.

"I consider you my best friend, MC. You were there for me when none understood, like my own personal sun. I want you in my life as well..."

You chuckled wholeheartedly, blush forming on your cheeks.

"Jeez, and I thought this cake was sweet-" a loud beeping noise interrupted you. It was Jessy's alarm clock.

"I fear time's up" she quickly snoozed it to not disturb the other clients.

You kept holding her hands to find the courage you both needed. Just like you had said, it wasn't going to get easier. But at least you were going to be together.

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The police station was relatively close to the town's center, but it was a given- Duskwood was a small town in general. You greeted your friends, all patiently waiting for you and Jessy to come-and then entered the building.

You walked towards the counter where a well dressed lady was working on the computer, who appeared pretty busy. You were about to speak up when two cops burst into the hall, audibly yawning.

"Man, there hasn't been so much movement since 2012!" The older one scoffed, stretching his legs. He held a cup of coffee in his right hand that, judging by his tired appearance, was using to boosts himself up.

He halted once his attention fell upon your group.

"Great, we can't catch a break here! Eric, call the chief!"

You stayed deadly quiet as the man dashed in your direction.

If looks could kill, you were certain this policeman would have done so on the spot: his narrowed, bushy brows and his sunken eyes were sending you a warning. You gulped and prayed for the poor soul who would have to bear him for almost an entire day.

"So you are the Scooby Do gang, uh? About time you showed up!" He yelled, pointing his finger at you. "Then why didn't you bring us for questioning?" Dan asked, already irritated by the man's attitude.

"Do you think our men got all the time in the world, kid? We had to take care of all your careless mistakes! Because that's what happens when a bunch of nobodies think they are better than the police!"

"We did call-" Dan tried to say, but Cleo shushed him as she knew it wasn't wise to go against the officers. Especially the rude ones.

You were struggling yourself, knowing all too well the police was in part responsible of this mess. They surely took their sweet time to properly investigate, you remembered, and when they decided to take action, they had incarcerated the wrong man based on flimsy evidence. This cop had some guts talking to you like that.

The corridor's doors opened once more and you soon recognized the Duskwood police chief Alan Bloomgate. He was in his fifties, his white hair in stark contrast with the rest of it and deep wrinkle lines on his forehead. Just like his team mates he looked deadly tired but he regained some energy as he approached you, his lips a tight line.

"I presume you must be MC, am I correct? I have never seen you around here" he shook your hand with vigor.

"Yes, exactly."

"Then I think you are all here" he affirmed, checking if all your friends were present. Once he registered all your IDS in the data system, he ordered the other two officers to take your friends to the interrogation room.

You saw Dan and Thomas going with the cop who was bothering you, while the girls happily followed the nicer one. You took a quick glance towards the guys and saw Dan scolding Thomas for his meek attitude, probably scared of that man, too. Poor them.

"So you'll question me?" You timidly asked while Alan guided you to a more secluded area.

"It's better this way" he unlocked a small room, that, if looks were anything to go by, resembled a storage room. It was dimly lit but you could trace the silhouette of cleaning products located on the higher shelves.

"...h-here?" You stuttered, incredulous.

He sighed and positioned two chairs in front of each other.

"We are not from the big city, Miss, and you are a group of 8 people. We have to cut some corners." He sat neatly on the chair closest to the door and encouraged you to do the same.

As you sat on the cranky chair, he removed from his trousers' pocket a recorder and pressed the red button.

"So, Miss MC, would you like to tell me why are you even linked to this story in the first place?"

The old cranky cop was right, after all: you were a nobody.

Oh, the irony.

A part of you would have preferred not knowing the answer. You hadn't had the time to properly reflect about what Hannah had said the day prior, how your contribution to the cause was just a mere coincidence, a misunderstanding. For some reason, it troubled you: you knew that, deep down, it couldn't have gone any other way. You didn't know Hannah, neither any of her friends, and you weren't some big journalist or detective who could have helped in a more significant way. No, you were a stranger, that was the disappointing truth. You were never important, unlike what Jake thought.

You let out a garbled noise, to which Alan reacted weirdly.

"What's so funny, Miss?"

"It's nothing." You rapidly said, hoping to not sound suspicious.

"Just...I've asked myself the same question not too long ago."

"Care to explain?"

"Well, apparently, I'm not really linked to this story. Do you remember the receipt you told me about?" Alan was intrigued, at least.

"Yes, I do"

"Hannah sent the same receipt to her boyfriend Thomas Miller while she was kidnapped. The text got deleted soon after, but he was able to remember it, somehow. We all mistakenly thought she was sending a phone number, my phone number."

"And Thomas Miller contacted you." He finished for you.

"Yes. He told me about Hannah and I don't know...I wanted to help."

Alan remained silent for a while, scrubbing his beard. Your hands were sweating profusely, and no matter how many times you tried to dry them on your jeans, those little drops kept surfacing. You didn't even know why you were nervous now, as this wasn't the problematic part of the conversation, you still needed to lie to him about everything else...

"So, to sum this up, you helped these strangers just...because?"

Perhaps it was the people's judgment that was making you so on edge. You hadn't told anyone your little adventure. You didn't see why you had to, anyway: your family would have been worried sick, your coworkers could have lamented the fact you weren't working...but maybe that wasn't all of it.

There must have been a more solid reason for why you started investigating. Sure, you wanted to help. And well, maybe you were also a bit attention-starved. But none of this could have justified your commitment in the eyes of everyone else. You didn't really know what to say.

"I guess...I wanted to know why Hannah had my number?"

"Are you asking me that?" He retorted, writing something on his notebook.

"N-no" you shamefully reiterated, "It's simply another reason"

"Mh" he mumbled, scrabbling with his pen.

"Well, if that's all, could you tell me everything that happened from the start?"

You started narrating all events that led you here: the phone number, the Man without a face, the minatory calls, the attacks. You tweaked the truth a little, so that Jake wasn't going to be in the recordings; in this retelling, you only began to investigate the legend of the Man without a face once he showed up to you wearing that specific mask and of your friends (Jessy) recognized where it came from. This way, you didn't have to explain hacking Hannah's cloud.

You exhaled, relieved he was dropping the subject altogether. You might have not trusted these officers that much, but you had to admit Alan was being extremely considerate of you. You hadn't treated him kindly in the past, as you had ignored all his requests. You didn't regret that decision, he was being pedantic and well, if he really had dirt on you, he could have dragged you here with a warrant instead of texting you.

But considering how Phil was treated, with no smoking gun evidence, you doubted he was going to offer you a coffee like he had promised. Still, once you texted him about your plan, he had listened to you. He had put faith in someone who could have been the kidnapper for all he knew. You had to acknowledge that.

You told him how you all originally thought the culprit was Michael Hanson, as he was the perfect candidate- he had lost a daughter exactly ten years ago, and it was possible that he could have gone mad in the mean time, only now lashing out by killing every girl with the same age as Jennifer when she died (Amy, Hannah...). This theory only strengthen as you discovered that Hannah had bought Jennifer's bracelet at the pawn shop and that she had gone to Iris' house before being kidnapped, meaning she could have thought her stalker was indeed Michael Hanson. Alan appeared disturbed upon hearing these words- but kept listening to your version.

Certain Michael was the kidnapper, Jessy Hawkins and Thomas Miller went to his old house, and found tons of evidence to put him behind bars, and that’s when you had called the police. From this point forward, you kept the story faithful to the original: you had retrieved Hannah's phone (now conveniently "destroyed"), the Man without a face had discovered your friends' location thanks to the GPS, Daniel Anderson had shot him twice in the arm once he showed up, and then the Man without of face had requested you to swap places with Hannah and Richy.

You had tricked him into thinking you were going, while in actuality sending the police chief to arrest him.

As the kidnapper realized he was put in a tight corner, he had called you and revealed his identity: he wasn't Michael Hanson, but Richard Rogers. He hadn't confessed why he had acted this way, just that in case he was at risk of being found out, he was going to pin all his crimes on Michael Hanson- but because he was injured on the arm, he couldn't have proceeded with his plan.

Alan Bloomgate was listening carefully, not once interrupting you, only asking some clarifications from time to time. You had practiced your speech with the group the day before, and you were pretty confident on the final result: you hadn't faltered, nor stuttered. You hoped the others were doing just as good as you were.

"So it's as I thought. Richard Rogers is our man." Alan commented, sadness in his tone.

"We have found the mask near his body. Well, what remained of the mask..." he showed you a photograph of the burnt object. It was half destroyed, but still recognizable. You flinched at the memory.

"Yeah, that's what he wore..."

"We also found his fingerprints on Amy Bell's door's house and on an envelope of the victim, so I would conclude he's the killer and the kidnapper." You gulped, but said nothing. You prayed he didn't see your discomfort.

"Is that all?"

"Yes, I would say it is" you confirmed.

Alan stared at you intensely.

"Is that really all?"

You stirred, only now getting what he was referring. Sigh. You knew this moment would have come, eventually.

"It is." You repeated, your gaze matching his’.

Alan ghosted his fingers on his record device, almost unsure of his actions, but then, in a quick swift of movements, pressed the right button. He wasn’t recording you anymore.

"MC, you can talk to me. I know there was a hacker among you"

You stayed quiet, your expression neutral and unbothered. You weren't going to talk, no matter what: you were protecting Jake at any cost. It was the least you could do after he had saved your life, and even if he hadn't, you weren't going to say a word.

You lowered your head, breaking eye contact.

"Listen. I want to be nice. I really do. I know there are some details missing, details that only your hacker friend could fill."

You tightened your fists.

"I thought I was clear in the chat." You reminded him, your voice borderline angry. He remained silent for a while, unfazed by your remark- then, he got up.

"Stay here" he ordered, to which you reluctantly obliged.

Even when he exited the room, you didn't move nor changed position- although unlikely, you didn't want to appear distraught in front of a possible camera. It was a common tactic cops used to catch criminals slipping- however you doubted there were cameras inside the closet.

He didn't take a while for Alan to come back with a sandwich in his hand.

He lent it to you.

"You should eat it"

You bitter laughed.

"Do you really want to bribe me with food?" He rolled his eyes to the sky.

"Don't be silly. We've been here for 3 hours, thought you were hungry."

You snatched it from him and took a bite. It was decent, nothing compared to what you had eaten in the past hours- but it would suffice.

"I don't want you to view me as an enemy, MC" Alan claimed, settling himself down.

"I'm going to edit out your little "friend" from the reports. My coworkers don't know about him, so it'll be easy-"

"But why would you do that?" You cut the conversation, frustrated.

"Because, if the amount of FBI swats are anything to come by, I don't want to be part of this mess." You kept eating the sandwich.

"I don't know what your hacker friend did, but it must be huge. Leaked a top secret document, hell, probably something bigger. Messed with the wrong man."

You swallowed slowly. It was weird thinking at Jake like that, and probably you hadn't entirely grapsed the gravity of his situation. But your heart knew, he was a moral and ethic individual- you trusted he was in the right. Rich, powerful men were the root of many evils in this society, and one of the problems was that nobody really knew what they were hiding. If Jake had uncovered something scandalous, you were glad he had done it.

"Also, I want to help you, like you have helped me."

You stopped chewing.

"I helped you?"

He nodded.

"I don't think Hannah was going to be alive if it weren't for you. Since we found Amy Bell's body, we have been receiving many...complaints. I'll admit, we weren't doing all too well. It's a relatively calm town, we are not used to such tragedies"

For the first time, he offered you a genuine smile.

"After the rescue of Hannah Donfort, the public opinion changed completely. Granted, we are not the heroes. But I think that maybe, if you closed one eye, I could close one too."

It was unfair, letting the police take all the merit- but Jake was your priority.

"I think I can."

Alan outstretched his arm to you.

"Glad we reached an agreement"

You shook his hand the second time this day. It was a good deal, for you, not really for everyone else. You sincerely hoped your friends understood where you came from.

"One more thing, Alan." You stopped him, as you noticed him reaching the door's handle.

"Richy didn't directly kill Amy. My...my hacker friend...found the letter inside the envelope in the mine. She wrote she was killing herself because she kept seeing the Man without a face. She thought he was an hallucination, but it was Richy..." you didn't really know why you told him that; perhaps you still felt pity for your friend. He didn't deserve to die as a killer. This version of yourself already depicted him as a crazy maniac.

"I see. Do you have the letter?" You couldn't tell him Jake had sent you the pdf conversion, as Amy talked about her guilt and that would have raised ulterior questions.

"No..."

"B-But it should still be possible to prove!" You hurriedly said, seeing him open the door. "How so?" He watched you inquisitively.

"The autopsy. The autopsy should indicate whenever she was killed or...not"

He took his time to consider it.

"We'll have to see, then. If that was the case, however, he would still be charged of incitement to suicide." It was still better than nothing.

"Another thing!" You softly yelled.

"What's up now?!" Alan responded, annoyed he was stopped once more.

"By any chance...did you see if the FBI...took my friend?"

He chuckled.

"I would have told you so, no?" You waited for more informations.

"Just so you know, the FBI left Duskwood yesterday. They were still searching for him, if that helps you sleep at night."

"I wish..."

You both finally left the storage room.

Alan dismissed you shortly after, leaving you to fend for yourself. You heard faint, angry screams coming from the station hall and feared some of your friends were fighting with the cops, but what you saw was much more heartbreaking.

An old man, a man you had already seen, was launching himself towards Jessy, the nice cop of before restraining him to the ground.

The redhead was crying, choking the same word over and over: sorry.

"I'm r-really sorry, Paul. I'm s-so s-sorry..."

You rushed towards her and dragged her away from the scene.

"HOW COULD YOU? HOW COULD YOU SAY MY SON IS THAT MONSTER?" An agonized Paul Rogers was howling on the dirty pavement of the station, the police officer pressing his knee on the man's back.

"Sir, you need to calm down!" The cop exclaimed, agitated as well.

He made you feel guiltier, as if you weren't already a ball of shame and regret. The most self destructive part of you wanted to tell him the whole truth and see what he would have done to you. Would he have resented you, insulted you? Would he have hurt you? It was scary to think about, but at the same time you desired to be punished for your sins. You just weren't able to see yourself as innocent in this story, no matter how many times you told yourself the contrary.

"MY RICHY! MY POOR RICHY! YOU CAN'T DO THIS TO ME!" His screams were far more haunting than the ones you had dreamt. It was gut wrenching, watching that poor man weep for his son, not catching a break after thinking he was killed, then kidnapped, then dead again. You didn't even know who you wanted to console the most, this poor father or your dear friend who was fiercely clutching your arm.

You understood that policeman was following the procedure and you deducted that for restraining someone like that he must have attacked Jessy (maybe even physically!) but seeing him in that condition was just more salt on the injury.

Your vision blurred.

Perhaps it was best if you both left.

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It wasn't pouring like the morning, but the rain was still present- still a nuisance. You opened the umbrella and covered Jessy, who needed it the most. You gave her some tissues you had stolen from the cafe and hugged her tightly, even if the umbrella wasn't really helping. You couldn't believe your luck- did Paul Roger really have to come now, to all places?!

Jessy returned the embrace with all her might- it hurt a little, but you ignored the pain. Like she had said, you were her own personal sun. Too bad she couldn't be yours- you didn't know where to find warmth.

"Jessy, would you prefer if I stayed over at your place tonight?" You offered, tentatively. To be totally honest, you didn't even know why you asked that. You were scared the moment you were going to break in countless pieces was soon approaching. You felt your mask crack every second since you had stepped foot in Duskwood. Hell, way before that! Since the first day, when a clueless Thomas had asked for your assistance. But her grasp on you was so tight- you knew she needed her best friend the most. You could resist for another day.

"I w-would love that."

"O-okay" you patted her back and broke the hug.

"I'll return to the Motel to grab my stuff while you go home, okay?"

"W-wouldn't be better if-if I accompany you to the Motel... and then I bring you over?" She was right, it was better, but you desperately needed a moment for yourself before bouncing back. "I have to do something. Y-you know, work related."

You hated that since you had been in this friends group, lying was always one of your first options. You didn't want to lie. Not after you had lied for the entire day to a cop, and after forcing the others to lie as well.

"Plus I want you to rest as soon as possible. Really, It won't take long."

She accepted your proposal, probably too fazed by her crying session to dispute. She waved you a "see you soon" and jumped in her car.

You returned to the Motel slowly, fighting off the urge to cry at every step you took. The rain was surprisingly soothing, matching what you truly felt inside: you always thought that crying during a sunny day was so discordant. At least you could have tricked yourself into thinking the universe was crying for you, in a way.

You pushed the door opened and unfortunately saw Miss Walter behind the counter. You knew you were bounded to meet her once again, but karma was a bitch and she had chosen the worst moment to lead her on your path.

"Hey, MC! D-"

"I broke up with my boyfriend" another lie. At least it was a good lie, because the woman didn't dare to comment.

While you took the stairs you heard her whisper a quick apology.

The bed's Motel may have not been the most comfortable bed, but at least it was warm and cozy. You decided to take a quick nap, but even though you were exhausted, you were having some difficulties. You soon gave up on your idea and took your phone out.

Jake didn't answer, of course. But this time, it wasn't him who caught your attention.

You were still able to read the others conversations, you had observed trough out these days, but since the investigation was over you had ignored them- you couldn't keep spying on them without reason.

This time was different.

Jessy had just texted Richy. Although you had told yourself you weren't doing that anymore, curiosity took you over- complicit what Paul had yelled at her.

Jessy: I know you're dead but I had to say it.

What you did to us was cruel and unforgettable, and yet...

I can't bring myself to hate you.

You helped me so much. You always did. Thanks to you, I was able to live as an independent adult away from my siblings. And even though I didn't understand cars very much, you still accepted me as your colleague

You were the kindest boss and friend anyone could have ever wanted. I wish I had seen your pain. I wish I could have helped. But it's too late.

I forgive you

I wasn't able to tell you this during our call

But I want you know in some way or another

You sighed, relieved. At least she was coping in a healthy manner- unlike you.

You fixed your hair one last time in front of the mirror and then left the room.

As you got up from the bed and packed your backpack with the bare necessities, you recalled Jessy's promise: she wanted to be there for you, just like you were doing with her, just like she had just confessed to Richy. She was right, you couldn't always intuitively know when your loved ones where suffering, but if they really wanted to get better, they needed to express it out loud.

And you felt selfish to ask for help, your guilt never leaving you rest, but maybe Jessy could have helped with that sentiment, too, as you were helping her overcome her fears. If she had forgiven Richy, then perhaps she could have understood. You were ready to talk about it.

Or well, that was your intention, but at the same time you exited, a drenched man far taller than you bumped into your figure, making you fall to the ground.

"Sorry, I should have looked" you apologized, standing up. Luckily you hadn't hurt yourself, you wanted to make sure the man was doing fine too.

"What-"

You met the stranger's gaze and suddenly, your breathing stopped.

He was looking at you like you were water in the desert, his eyes sparkled with emotion. No man had ever looked at you this way. As if you were the most precious gift to the world, the sole reason to keep on living. Were you really the subject of his desire? It was overwhelming.

"MC."

You stirred at the man's voice. His nice, calming voice sounded so broken. You had heard this voice once, but it wasn't so limpid. You silently cried.

It couldn't be, right? You had actually fallen asleep and just didn't realize it, right?

"MC, it's me. Jake"

The man took a step towards your direction, then another, slowly, painfully slowly.

His hand hesitated to touch you in fear of breaking the spell.

#duskwood #duskwood fanfiction #duskwood everbyte #duskwood jake #duskwood jakexmc #duskwood jessy #duskwood thomas #duskwood dan #duskwood richy #duskwood mwaf #duskwood man without a face #duskwood lilly #duskwood cleo #duskwood alan

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diary-thinking · 2 years

Text

! ! ! WARNING: It contains spoilers for Duskwood Episode 10 ! ! !

The oneshot itself takes place after Jessy and Thomas visited Michael Hanson's house.

Special thanks again to @captainwanderlust78 🥰

fem!MC x the one behind the mask of the MWAF

I took a deep breath. This situation was so overwhelming and yet I was sure that I was right.

I quickly put the new sim-card that I got from a gas station on my way here into my old cell phone and started it, downloaded the Messenger and set up a new profile. I needed a profile that Jake couldn't read.

Then I grabbed my actual phone and opened Messenger. My phone hovered over the connection to Hannah's phone for a moment before I opened it and opened the messages, specifically the chat with the Man without a face.

I bit my lower lip, still undecided if what I was doing was really right.. and I knew that wasn't so true. It was right for me. But not in general.

I quickly typed my message.

Before I had any more doubts, I tapped send and stared at the screen uneasily, waiting for something to happen. It really didn't take long and the short ringtone on my old cell phone told me that I had been added. I deleted the message - luckily in the meantime I had considered the possibilities that I could delete the message without Jake noticing that this message had been sent. He would eventually make it if he tried.. but why should he? At the time, he hadn't noticed that I had had a brief exchange with the Man without a face in the chat.

I disconnected Hannah's cell phone and turned off my original cell phone completely. I couldn't imagine it, but I didn't want Jake getting into my microphone because I wasn't responding.

I took another deep breath as I grabbed my old phone and opened Messenger again. A sad smile appeared on my lips as I read the faceless man's message. It was too obvious.. and yet my heart was beating fast in my chest.

My finger hovered over the send button again for a moment. I didn't want to be sure, but there was too much to suggest. The realization hurt me. It was almost worse than the pain that gripped me when I thought about watching Richy die.

But from the insights I had gotten through all the research and the others and the way I got to know Richy.. I just couldn't imagine that he was there with an absolutely bad intention. I needed to know, and I didn't need any interruption from the others or Jake.

I press the send button. My gaze never left the chat and I saw that another message had started but not been sent. Multiple.

I sent my last message and put the phone down for a moment. I had to move. Get out. I couldn't take it like that, and I couldn't just sit here in this motel room and see if anyone would end up getting hurt, even if it was from some act of heroism.

I slowly stood up and stretched briefly. Without further ado, I tied my blond hair into a ponytail so that only a few strands fell out at the front. Then I grabbed my black leather jacket, which I put on in one quick movement.

I returned to the table, picked up the phone and again a sad smile appeared on my lips as I read the reply.

I could really imagine how Richy – wherever he was – sat sighing in front of the smartphone. I knew he didn't want me to come here..or not for those reasons anyway. And certainly not that our first meeting would expire too.

Then he went offline.

I nervously fiddled with the zipper on my leather jacket, stared at the screen of my old phone, and sighed. I had so much faith in Richy and I just hoped I wasn't wrong. Normally I had a knowledge of human nature that I could rely on.. but that wasn't an everyday situation either.

I grabbed my purse and slipped my old phone into it. For a moment my gaze fell on my actual phone and I wondered if I should turn it on and make some excuse for the others about my extended absence..

I didn't want to take it with me. Jake could track me even if I turned off location sharing. But ever since he had to flee and made himself a temporary home somewhere.. I was 100% sure he was in the vicinity of Duskwood and I didn't want him to find me with Richy. I even got the new sim-card for my old cell phone, so I wasn't logged into the same WiFi network as my current cell phone. I could only hope that it would be enough.

I gathered up another blanket and put it in my purse before grabbing the room keys and leaving the room. I opened up the Maps app on my old phone and made a little detour to a small grocery store where I picked up some fruit, sandwiches and water - Richy had been "dead" for a few days now and I wasn't sure how well he had provided food in his hiding place.

A little later I found myself a little behind the dare house. It actually took a little longer than I thought to find the way, but I finally found the house. I sit down on a fallen tree trunk and look around a bit. The sun's rays shone sporadically through the trees while a few birds could be heard in the distance.

I took a quick look at the cell phone I used to communicate with Richy and checked the time. If he really did stick to it, he should show up at any moment and that only made me more nervous. If I was already so nervous overall, I was even more so now.. not only that it could be totally dangerous, no, I was about to face Richy. Richy, with whom I got along well from the start. Who made me laugh even when the situation seemed hopeless. Who, hard as it was for me to admit under the latest circumstances, had slowly won my heart.

"You actually came.." a quiet voice murmured to my left, tearing me out of my thoughts. Startled, I looked up and actually saw Richy, who looked at me apologetically.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you again," he said, walking towards me. I slowly got up and brushed the dirt off my pants. Then I looked around, grabbed Richy's hand and pulled him further into the forest with me, further away from the dare house. "Call me paranoid, but I don't want you to get caught." I said quietly while Richy had meanwhile adjusted to my walking pace. I could feel his eyes on me, but I couldn't focus on that right now.

After a few seconds of silence we came to a small clearing with a hill going up on one side. A larger couple of rocks lie there and you could see Duskwood Lake in the distance from here, which made me smile for a moment. I thought of Jessy, who had shown me another part of the lake.

"I think this should be good," I murmured, letting my gaze wander as I approached the stones. I became embarrassingly aware that I was still holding Richy's hand and let go of it so that I could get the blanket out of my purse - and at the same time I was able to hide my blushed cheeks because I felt his eyes on me again.

"I brought some fruit, sandwiches and water.. I didn't know if and what you've eaten in the last few days." I said quietly while I put the bag down with the one on the stone and then finally got up and turned back to Richy. I was surprised to find that he had come very close to me and before I could react I felt his arms around me. I gasped briefly, only to wrap my arms around him before he took that wrong and pulled away again. I buried my face in the crook of his neck and hugged him tightly while inhaling his scent - it was a cross between shower gel and forest, so I assumed that wherever he was hiding he also had a shower available. But overall he seemed quite fresh, maybe he had stayed in the Hanson house after all? Was it just waiting for the police to leave?

"I.. I'm so, so sorry, MC.. also and especially that I scared you with the calls.." he whispered softly into my hair and I could hear that he was serious. He sounded so desperate, so... close to tears.

I pulled away from him a bit, without undoing the hug itself, and looked up at him. A sad smile sat on my lips as I studied his face. "I know.. I know." In his eyes, which he had also focused on me, small tears glistened and he looked very worried, but also incredibly tired. He doesn't seem to have shaved the last few days either, because stubble adorns his chin.. and that suited him outrageously well.

Without thinking too much about it, I released one arm and put my hand to his cheek, gently stroking my fingertips across his cheek. "I know, Richy," I repeated. "Come on.. let's sit down, eat and you'll explain everything to me." I suggested and now completely pulled away from him, to which he gave a short nod.

Together we spread the blanket on the floor and sat on it so that I could take the groceries out of my purse. I pushed the fruit and a sandwich over to him, as well as one of the water bottles, which he acknowledged with a grateful smile, but didn't take any of it yet. He sat down so that he could lean against one of the rocks, keeping his eyes on me the whole time.

I sat cross-legged on the blanket so I was facing him and could meet his gaze. I grabbed some of the grapes I had brought and ate them slowly.

"So.. where do I start? It's actually all related to what happened with Jennifer back then.. but it wasn't just Hannah and Amy who were involved, it was me too.. indirectly. Hannah and Amy stopped by our workshop and...", Richy started to talk quietly. He held my gaze the whole time, occasionally pausing in his narration and then reveling in his thoughts for a brief moment, but I didn't interrupt him, I just waited. It was all heavy on his soul, I could see that from him and from what it sounded like to me he hadn't spoken to anyone about it except at last with Amy, before she took her own life.

“.. and somehow.. it all slipped out of my hands. I was so panicked and made the wrong decisions. Amy's suicide scared me so much and when Hannah spoke to Amy that she had proof.. I don't know..", he finished and stared down at his hands, in which he was holding one of the sandwiches. I got up and sat next to Richy so I could rest my head on his shoulder. So he would know I was there.

"You were panicked and desperate.. I don't know how I would have reacted if I were in this situation. But the first instinct is usually the one that is often not the right one.. but it's okay. You screwed up, yes, but you know it." I said quietly to him and raised my eyes so that I could look at him. A sad smile formed on his lips.

"Yeah, maybe..." he answered before biting off the sandwich again.

"Where's Hannah now?" I asked him after a few moments of silence while he ate. Richy looked up again and looked at me. "She's still in Michael Hanson's abandoned house. She's fine, don't worry.. I've always brought her food and drink, she's not tied up or anything and you can actually take a normal shower and use the toilet and everything.. she's just in a cordoned-off area,” explained he calm. "But I'm going to end all of this now, don't worry.. I should have done that much sooner."

I nodded slightly and placed my head back on his shoulder. Richy put the half-eaten sandwich on the blanket next to him and brushed his hands off before he took mine and interlaced our fingers. A small smile lay on my lips as I watched our intertwined hands. My skin tingled where he touched me and my stomach felt like it was pounding. I was glad that I had enough control over myself that it wasn't obvious what his touch triggered in me.. even if I had a guilty conscience at the same time, I couldn't and didn't want to deny my feelings for him. I knew the whole story now, and no matter what happens next, I would support Richy.

"What's your plan now?" I asked him while tracing small circles on his skin with my thumb. Richy shrugged slightly, just enough not to push my head away. "If I knew that.. I will definitely release Hannah. And then... go to the police. Face me, probably go to jail." he said and sighed.

I bit my lower lip. It was crazy and.. I didn't know how to do it either, but.. "You can always come to me, you know?" I said quietly, raising my head to look at him could rest my chin on his shoulder. I knew my cheeks were flushed again, but I didn't care. I wanted to look at him, to let him know with my eyes that I was behind him.

Richy actually looked at me very surprised after hearing my words. A small smile played on his lips again. He squeezed my hand gently, but then shook his head. "I appreciate what you're offering.. but I'd like to try to make the right decision. And I've been silent before, I don't want to walk around with such guilt feelings again without being able to talk about it..." he replied.

I smiled at him. I knew he was making the right decision and I was happy about it, but if he'd gone along with that suggestion I would have helped him—even if it meant keeping my new friends at a distance more than I wanted to . If, when everything about Richy came out and they noticed that I still support him, they still wanted to be in contact with me. I could imagine that in the end they would not only be disappointed with Richy.

"Come on.. you should be back at the motel before dark.. the faceless man won't harm you, but still I'd feel more comfortable if you got back before dark. And I'm going to take Hannah to the police.” Richy then said after we sat in silence for a few minutes.

I nodded reluctantly, I could have sat here with him forever. I lifted my chin off his shoulder so he could stand up - although he didn't let go of my hand.

He carefully pulled me up. I looked up at him, examining his face carefully. He met my gaze again, that sad smile on his lips. "Thank you, MC..", he said quietly and raised his free hand, which he gently stroked over my cheek.

I stared at him, wanting to kiss him, and his touch didn't make it much better. I didn't know where it was coming from right now.. maybe because I wasn't sure when I'd be that close to him next. Or when I would ever see him again. But.. I didn't want to sit there later and wonder how it could have been.

I took a step closer to him, maintaining eye contact. "Richy..." I mumbled while letting go of his hand and instead cupping both hands on his face, gently pulling him closer to me and placing my lips on his.

I knew I had surprised him - not for the first time today. But it only lasted a moment before I felt his arms around my waist again, how he put them around me and pulled me even closer and how he kissed me back. I smiled into the kiss even though I could feel the tears stinging my eyes.

#duskwood #duskwood everbyte #duskwood mc #everbyte studios #duskwood man without a face #duskwood mwaf #duskwood spoilers #duskwood spoiler #episode 10 spoilers #duskwood episode 10 #duskwood richy x mc #duskwood richy #richy

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