MASK OR MENACE - contact.

[hostage]

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[hostage]

[It's all just pain on top of pain at this point. The worsening of his condition hardly registers. He simply lies there, ruminating over the hazy events of the past few days, until she comes to.]

...Do you feel better?

[morethan084]

[Skye stares at him for a few seconds while she takes on his question.

Oh Jesse.]

Did you-?

[Well this was the most awake she felt in the past few days do there was that. Although she still was looking worse for wear. There was also the fact that she wasn't sure if this was real or if anything that had happened leading up to this was.]

I don't know.

[hostage]

[He has some idea what she's going through. If only he could wipe away the psychological damage as easily as the physical. Defeated, he presses a kiss to her temple.]

I'm not gonna leave you. You won't be alone.

[That was the worst, he thinks. Being in hell by himself.]

[morethan084]

[Closing her eyes at the feel of his lips against her temple, Skye could feel the tears welling up in her eyes again. Letting her head fall against his shoulder Skye shook her head.]

I can't go back there again, Jesse.

[hostage]

Then we won't.

[It isn't that simple, of course. LACKEY will force them to attend. But if they have to spend the entire day attempting to flee the building over and over, so be it.]

[morethan084]

You know we have to.

[Which Skye didn't like at all. Wrapping her arms around him, Skye let out a shaky breath against his neck.]

Either way we get tortured.

[hostage]

We'll get used to it.

[Or he'll snap and kill them all, clearing the way for her escape. That might happen.]

[morethan084]

I can't, Jesse.

[Even if he's taken her physical exhaustion her mental exhaustion is just as bad.]

It's another two days and if they decide to extend it..

[hostage]

You're stronger than me.

[He's convincing himself, too, when he says that. She's a trained agent. She must know something that'll carry her through this. If he could survive Jack Welker's death camp for six months, surely Skye can resist the Russians.]

You can do this.

[morethan084]

[Skye was failing to see how that was possible right now, considering she had just passed out from having a panic attack and exhaustion.]

Yeah, because me crying like that is clearly being strong.

[hostage]

Hey... Everything that's happened, I'd be worried if you weren't crying.

[Oh, like Jesse, for instance - who hasn't shed a tear since he marched into the hotel.]

[morethan084]

[Skye shakes her head in disagreement and after a minute tilts her head back to look up at him.]

Charles tried to manipulate me. At least I think he did.

[Because clearly she's in her right mind currently. Not.]

[hostage]

What d'you mean?

[He's careful to keep the skepticism out of his voice, that hint of you're crazy that people so often turn in his direction. She has the benefit of his doubt.]

[morethan084]

In that class for Systema, he was showing me that the brainwashing worked on me. He never gave me a reason to not trust him before that but now...

[Now reality was kind of hard to pinpoint in her mind. Even saying it out loud she still feels slightly justified for not wanting to trust Charles.]

[hostage]

Showing you? How?

[Still just seeking out the specifics, no accusations made.]

[morethan084]

In my head, like how you picture a memory.

I thought he was trying to help but what if they got to him too? What if he was trying to find a weak spot like that class is teaching?

[hostage]

Maybe.

[He doubts it. If Emma Frost was running the brainwashing session, then maybe - maybe - it'd be possible to twist Charles up like that. Anything less... It's a stretch.]

What exactly did he show you?

[morethan084]

[Skye ran a hand over her face and through her hair before answering him. She just wanted validation for what was real and what wasn't and she isn't sure Jesse could provide that.]

He showed me that I started to answer the questions because they made me and not because I was out smarting them like I thought I was.

[hostage]

Even if... Even if you did, Skye, it's just natural. Like, sometimes you just have to. Sometimes you have to let yourself be what they want.

As long as you come back from it at the end of the day.

[And she did - didn't she?]

[morethan084]

[Not exactly what Skye wanted to hear.]

It's not natural to be brainwashed?

[hostage]

It's natural to do what it takes. To live.

[morethan084]

[Skye knew he had gone through a lot back home, just not the specifics. Although right now she was getting an idea...]

I know.

[This isn't living though.]

Do you think they got to him? Our powers were basically lowered to nothing.

[hostage]

If they got to him, I don't see why he'd be warning you about them getting you, too. Kinda sounds like the opposite of what they'd want.

[morethan084]

Yeah. Good point.

[Skye hated all of this, if that wasn't obvious by now. Frowning, Skye moved to put her head on his chest before curling into herself.]

I'm sorry for dragging you into this.

[hostage]

[Jesse encircles her with his arms, resting his cheek against the top of her head.]

You didn't drag me into anything. I'm with you whenever you need me.