Project S.T.A.T.I.C. Part 4: Worlds Apart

“You’re shitting me,” Jason said, watching the alternate universe Courtney Tellar out of the corner of his eye, “You’re telling me that Voidfoot is the reason you two disappeared?”

“That’s right,” Pam nodded, she’d been tending to Beth’s wounds as she recounted her story.

“Alright, let me make sure I’ve got the long and short of this,” Jason sighed, “The gal in the bird suit is Courtney Tellar, but not the undead psycho we know and hate. The Jake on the bed isn’t the one that wound up in the belly of said zombie-prick, but is in fact a Jake from another world that was ruled by a mad version of the vampire queen running around inside of our Jake’s head. Meanwhile, our Jake was sprung out of Hell by Goth with the help of Ashley from our world. Then, that Ashley decided to take possession of said Jake until you all got reunited and fought against the other Ashley that was trying to kill you and break through to this world. Sometime during that, this guy on the bed got bit trying to intervene, and you all basically fell through the portal on dumb luck back to our world, right?”

“That about covers it,” Rebecca nodded, adding, “You can call me by my name, Jason. I am not the woman that you remember.”

“Yeah, that remains to be seen,” Jason scoffed, “What about him? Is he stable?”

“As stable as he’s going to be,” Jake shrugged, “Ash says he’ll pull through it, but he’s going to need to rest. Whenever we move, it’s going to be tough because of him. The thirst is going to be strong in him. So what have we missed here in the last year?”

“Year and a half, roughly,” Jason replied, walking through the slightly barren apartment and grabbing some candles from his pack, “It’s been a hard year, Jake, and none of it has gone our way. Come on, I’ll fill you in while we get some food going. I don’t have much, but I figure between all of you we can make a supply run once you’ve recovered some strength.”

Jake followed Jason through the rundown apartment. The building was mostly barren with next to nothing beyond basic necessities. The power still worked, but Jason maintained that it was far safer for them to rely on the candles than drawing unnecessary attention to themselves. The windows were all boarded up, and the door was barricaded with a table, chairs, and other miscellaneous items. He’d been holed up in this place for quite some time now. Jake noticed a strange box that he’d seen in one of his company warehouses months ago, but he didn’t question it for the moment. It was more important that he figured out what all they’d missed.

Jason talked while he fished out canned goods from the cupboards in the kitchen. The state of things was worse than what Jake could have imagined. In the weeks that followed his untimely demise, the Bruncswicks laid siege to the city. After the initial burst of chaos, things fell silent for a while. Slowly but surely, major outposts and factories started to fall without the public knowing it. The factories were used to produce the drones that now patrolled the city streets, but they came much later. All across the city, major outposts and hideouts started to fall.

Districts of the city started to fall and go dark one by one, but the media and people paid it little heed. Blackridge Manor fell early, and Sam and the others had been lost to the likes of Dutchess and her cruelty. The twisted, terror twins were serving under her and were undoubtedly making the lives of their friends hell, but Jason had been powerless to stop it. Things escalated far too quickly for him to be able to step in.

It was only a few short days after that things took a disastrous turn. The MPD went dark along with the major first responders. The CCTV systems were all hijacked out of the blue, and that was when the drones and machines flooded the streets. The panic was instant, but it made it all the easier for Eva to step in and take control behind the scenes. She acted as the voice behind the screens of her machines, and after making several examples out of those that wanted to rebel, a new law was laid out. Metropolis had been transformed into a slave state for the benefit of the Brunswick sisters. The people were forced into a state of servitude wherein they either worked to serve as a cog in the workforce, or they were used as tools or toys for their new masters. The lucky ones were the ones who toiled and worked in the factories.

Over the course of the year that followed, the transformation of the city truly took root. Whatever hopes of rebellion were squashed by the elite that had taken control of the city. The city had been overrun with the worst of the worst in the absence of all resistance. Dutchess and her cronies were overseeing development projects across the city, and they were working to recruit any new talent that might prove useful and execute any that could be a threat. Dr. Murray had converted Metropolis’ old asylum into a lab for her to experiment and create new toys for the overlords and elite. Meanwhile, the Brunswick sisters had taken over Blackridge Tower and converted it into their new base of operations utilizing their new workforce and minions to their advantage.

“That’s the condensed version of what’s been happening while you all were gone,” Jason sighed, setting down his utensils, “Things have been getting worse and worse too. I don’t know what they’re working on, but they haven’t stopped since taking over. I’ve been trying to fight back when and where I can, but it’s like throwing a rock at a giant. At best, I’ve been a thorn in their side, but the reality is that I’m more of a minor nuisance to them. I broke into one of their factories about a month ago and snagged that box you saw back in the other room. Stupid thing was buzzing and vibrating, so I grabbed it on my way out. I thought maybe it might have been a part of their plans, but I guess I was wrong. I did manage to find a lab where they were experimenting on people to make something new.”

Jason had prepared enough food for everyone and had taken it back to the bedroom where they were currently either resting or listening.”So there’s no place that’s safe,” Jake surmised with a frustrated sigh.

“I haven’t been able to scour the entire city,” Jason shrugged, “I’m only able to get out in short bursts before those damn drones try to sneak up on me. There’s a mandatory curfew that’s been implemented too, and that’s made it risky to be out too late.”

“Since when has a curfew been a problem?” Beth asked, sitting up and leaning against the wall.

“They’re using the collapsable walls that rise up every evening at eight,” Jason explained, “There are already guard towers and posts erected throughout the city, but those walls have dispensers in them. Those damn machines are sent out whenever someone trips the alarm, and I don’t have a lot of safe houses established throughout the city.”

“What about Citiville?” Rebecca asked, “Has their influence spread beyond Metropolis?”

“I don’t think so, but I can’t say for certain,” Jason replied, “I haven’t been able to survey the areas outside of the city, but my guess is that they’ve been working to establish a fortified base for themselves before trying to branch out.”

“Has there been any word on Sadie Wilson?” Rebecca asked.

“She’s not working with them, if that’s what you’re asking,” Jason answered, “There is nothing that I’ve seen that aligns with her methods. The tech they’ve been using, the ground forces, and the weaponry don’t line up with her methods and tactics. They’ve been using chemical warfare in places to keep workers going around the clock, those stupid drones and cameras, and a slew of enforcers here and there.”

“What about Alexis?” Jake asked, earning a sneer from Rebecca.

“In the wind,” Jason sighed, “We never heard a word from her, and there has been next to nothing that matches the old Footgirl MO that we know. From what I can tell, she’s not working with them, but she sure as shit isn’t working against them. That’s a damn shame too because I could have used a hint of crazy in my back pocket while you all were out sightseeing other worlds.”

“Great, a pretentious whore in Jake’s home, and a sociopathic wildcard somewhere in the city shadows.” Rebecca snorted, “I should have killed Ritters when I had the chance, but I assumed she would never amount to more than a feeble cockroach. It seems I was partially correct, but she’s aligned herself with a powerful group.”

“Great, so we’re outnumbered, outgunned, and hopelessly outclassed,” Beth sighed, “I guess the one upside is that they’re assuming we’re dead or gone.” 

“That’s a pretty substantial upside, Beth,” Jake remarked, “They think that Jason is out here alone acting like a lone bug trying to gum up their progress and work. They’re not expecting us to be back anytime soon, and that means we have a chance to carve out a place for us to operate out of.”

“What are you thinking?” Pam asked.

“I hope it entails taking your home back from that foul heathen,” Rebecca said, crossing her arms.

“Our people are trapped there, so that’s going to happen, but that can’t be our first move,” Jake shook his head, “No, I’m thinking that we need to set up a few places first. There’s more than a few spots scattered throughout the city that I think we might be able to take and repurpose without drawing too much attention. It’ll give us places to hole up when the walls go up, and we can use them as stopping points between what’ll be our main base of operations.”

“Clock Tower was destroyed in the siege last year,” Jason pointed out.

“I’m not talking about it,” Jake continued, “There’s a club that Zoey worked at, Eclipse, that I think we could use.”

“Eclipse,” Pam repeated, getting to her feet, “That’s a brilliant idea, Jake.”

“I’m sorry, does someone want to explain to me how some club is going to help us overcome these odds?” Rebecca asked.

“It’s a BDSM club,” Pam replied.

“Perfect, so we can distract ourselves with a bit of fun,” Rebecca shrugged, “I need a little more to go on than that.”

“The club’s basement and sublevels can be used to stash equipment, provide shelter with the private rooms, and should be able to be fortified pretty easily,” Beth explained before either Pam or Jake could, “It’s pretty innocuous from the streetlevel, so there might be a good chance that Eva and the others haven’t bothered with the place. There might be some holdouts, but it’s nothing we can’t handle.”

“Zoey and Sam were stockpiling equipment too, weren’t they?” Pam asked, trying to recall their last conversations.

“Yeah, they’ve probably got a cache or two hidden there, and Zoey might have moved some of my old tech there too,” Jake nodded, “It’s a longshot that it hasn’t been picked over, but even if it has, we can use it as a base while we try to regain our footing.”

“It’s better than anything I’ve been able to think of,” Jason admitted, standing up and taking a deep breath, “It’s not a bad idea, all in all. It gives us the chance to build up a stronghold, a place to store resources, and for us to plan instead of running from place to place.”

“So we act as rats in the shadows,” Rebecca sighed.

“That a problem for you, madam godhood?” Jason scoffed, “That’s what you often referred to us as, if memory serves.”

“I am merely surmising the idea, not complaining,” Rebecca frowned, “I know the comparisons I’ve made, the things I’ve said, Jason. Contrary to what you may believe, I can concede to the value in discretion. More than that, I can admit that it’s because of tactics like this that Jake, as well as many of the rest of you, utilized to defeat myself and countless others.”

A boom of thunder cut through their argument as a flash of lightning lit up the dim apartment. “Stop arguing, both of you,” Pam cut in, “This will never work if we are going to be at each other’s throats.”

“If you’re about to suggest that I put my past aside, you can take that and shove it up your ass,” Jason narrowed his eyes at Pam, “You, better than anyone, know what she’s done to me, Pam. The only reason I’m like this is because of her and her insane cruelty.”

“Nobody is asking you to suddenly become friends,” Pam sighed, “You don’t have to like one another to work with each other. I could care less if you like one another as long as you are willing to stand side by side and fight when the time comes. There is too much at stake for us to be caught up on past grudges and old hate.”

“Can we at least put a pin in this for tonight?” Beth asked, her tone softer than usual, “Please, there’s been enough trouble and chaos already. We can argue and finish figuring this shit out in the morning, but I really just want to stop for a few hours.”

“Ngh,” the cursed Jake groaned from the bed, “She...she’s right. You’ve all been through enough…”

“Sounds like you’re knocking on death’s door,” Jason sighed, earning a look of contempt from Courtney.

“He’ll be fine,” Pam assured her, shooting a glare at Jason, “He is going through the final phases of his change. Stay with him for the night, but we will need to restrain him. I’m afraid we don’t have much in the way of choices until we can find a way to get him blood.”

Courtney frowned and stood up, “Is that really necessary?”

“Yes,” Beth sighed, “When the curse finishes, he’s going to have a thirst in him. He’s not going to be feral until a few days, but it’s better safe than sorry. We’ll find a way to get him fed, I promise, but it’s better safe than sorry for now.”

“Court…” Jake grimaced, reaching out and putting a hand over hers, “It’s okay, they’re right. Whatever happens, I’m okay as long as you’re still here. Besides, you know I don’t mind being tied up…heh.”

“Different universe, same fucking Blackridge,” Jason rolled his eyes, “I’ve got some cuffs and rope in the other room. I’ll let you all sort this out while I take watch on the roof.”

“Thanks,” Courtney quietly replied.

“Is it safe to be out?” Beth asked.

“Nowhere is safe,” Jason sighed, “Don’t worry, I’ve been doing this for over a year now. Pick a room and get some rest, all of you. We can plan and regroup in the morning.”

“How big is this place?” Jake asked, getting back to his feet and looking around.

“The rooms connect, and I’ve secured this floor,” Jason replied, gesturing to the big door in the back, “Keep the lights off, whatever you do, but you’re safe to move freely as long as you don’t uncover the windows. The drones that patrol the city react to anything out of the ordinary, but there’s too much ground to cover for them to scan every inch of the city. There’s candles in the living room here you can use if you want, and I’ve got matches to go with them. I’ve got a case of water you can help yourselves to, but don’t touch any more of the food and don’t open a new case.”

“Understood,” Pam nodded, getting up and gently taking Beth’s hand, “If you will excuse us, I believe we are overdue for a little rest and time together. Come, Kitten, you look positively exhausted. How does a bed sound?”

Beth didn’t respond vocally. Instead, she nodded and offered a contented smile for the first time in what felt like an eternity. She let Pam help her to her feet and lead her out of the room. Jason walked out to retrieve the handcuffs and rope that he’d promised Courtney and the alternate Jake, leaving Rebecca, Jake, Courtney, and his counterpart alone for a moment. Jake didn’t say anything as he watched himself writhe and fight on the bed. Beside him, Ashley watched in mournful silence as her curse spread throughout the body of another version of the man she loved. All because another part of herself had been consumed with vengeance, bloodlust, and hatred. She’d come close to going down a similarly dark path in pursuit of her own self-righteousness.

Rebecca stood up and walked over to Courtney and the bedridden Jake. She stopped short and looked at Courtney, “May I offer some assistance?”

“That’s his call, not mine,” Courtney replied without looking up.

Jake swallowed and looked up at Rebecca. There was a concern in her eyes that he rarely saw. His judgment had often been skewed when it came to the Goddess in front of him. However, there was something distinctly human in her eyes that he hadn’t seen since well before her death in his world. He nodded, “Do it, I trust you.”

Rebecca offered him a small, sincere smile as she extended a glowing hand to place it on his forehead. A white glow radiated from her palm and spread throughout his body. She couldn’t remove the infection, but she could put his mind at ease while it worked its way through him. Jake’s eyes fell shut and he drifted off into as peaceful a slumber as he could manage. Rebecca pulled her hand away once she was sure he was asleep. She ran the backs of her fingers along his cheek before pulling it away and stepping aside. 

“It isn’t much, but at least now you won’t have to watch him squirm,” she said.

“Thank you,” Courtney whispered, her voice cracking as she squeezed Jake’s hand.

Jason returned with an armful of rope and four sets of handcuffs. He watched as Rebecca stepped aside and left the room without a word. He walked over and sat the items down on the bed beside Jake and Courtney. Once he saw Courtney take the items and start to restrain his alternate reality rival, he started to take his leave. Jake stood up to take his leave and give Courtney a moment with the other version of himself. It was strange to think that in another life this could have been him. He thought about the choices he’d made, the heartache he’d caused the Courtney of his world, and the monster he’d turned her into with his neglect. Looking at what could have been was both heartwarming and regrettable at the same time.

Jake walked out of the room and back into the hall. Part of him was tempted to follow after Jason, but he was too tired to keep going right now. He was much like Beth and Pam were. He couldn't remember the last time he’d seen a bed and gotten a proper night’s sleep. There were still a lot of things to figure out, but Jason was right when he said they could tackle it in the morning. Beth and Pam were likely making themselves at home in one of the neighboring rooms. Knowing his friends as well as he did, he suspected they wanted some privacy. Pam was partial to having extra space, and Beth had been keeping a tough facade up for quite a while. If he knew his best friend as well as he thought he did, she was due for a break.

Jake heaved a sigh to himself as he walked into a dark bedroom down the hall from where Courtney was. He hadn’t seen which way Rebecca had gone, but he also wasn’t sure he was ready to talk with her just yet. He’d been trying to hold it together since he’d come into the world with a homicidal version of his best friend, but the truth was he was barely clinging to sanity. His psyche was on the verge of a break. It didn’t help that he hadn’t had a moment to himself since coming back from the hellscape as a passenger in his body without warning. He closed the door to an old bedroom and sat down on the bed. He laid back and closed his eyes as he tried to process a fraction of everything that he’d been through.

Jake heaved a sigh and covered his eyes with his forearm. “Can we talk?” Ashley asked beside him.

“You’re actually asking my permission now?” Jake scoffed, hearing the vitriol in his voice.

Ashley recoiled slightly from his reply, but she didn’t meet it with anger or frustration. She frowned and looked down at her feet, “I deserve that after what I did…”

“I’m sorry,” Jake sighed, sitting back up and shaking his head.

“I held you hostage, and you’re apologizing to me,” Ashley lightly chuckled, shaking her head, “Don’t apologize, Jake, I meant what I said. I deserve your anger and condemnation.”

“Can we just skip the whole back and forth, Ash?” Jake asked, “I appreciate that you’re willing to own up to what happened, but I am beyond tired. Say what you need to say and let’s move on.”

Ashley took a seat next to Jake, “How is it that you are so ready to forgive me after what I did?” she asked.

Jake chuckled and looked away, “Life is too short to hold grudges, Ash. Sadly, I learned that one the hard way. It helps that we share a mind and that I know you thought you were doing what was right.”

“You’re not angry?” Ashley asked.

“Oh I was pissed,” Jake admitted, “There is a part of me that’s still a little angry, but you pulled back before things went too far. Yeah it took seeing what you could turn into to get you to stop, but that’s not the point. The point is that you did stop before things got out of hand. We’re in this together, for better or worse.”

Ashley sighed and reached out to put a hand over Jake’s. She was relieved when he didn’t pull away or recoil. “Do you still trust me after all of this?” she asked, admittedly afraid of his answer.

“Of course I do,” Jake said, clasping his hand with hers, “Ash, we share a mind and a body, remember? I know that you were doing what you thought was best. You went about it in a harsh way, but I know your heart was in the right place. There at the end, you stood on the edge of the abyss. I’m not gonna lie, I was starting to question it, you, towards the end. Seeing the person that you could be-”

“The person I was,” she corrected him, staring at her feet again, “You are quick to forget that I was a conqueror long before your time, Jake. The woman that we saw in that other world was just a version of myself that remained focused on her goals. Her ambitions drove her deeper into the depths of cruelty. She was so desperate to rule and maintain control that she pursued the rituals my ancestors deemed too dangerous.”

“What do you mean?” Jake asked.

“The corruption of the sun,” Ashley replied, “It and blending her blood with that of a litch to stave off death and destruction. There are more out there, but those were the two that we saw. My ancestors were the ones that wrote out the means to cast such spells, but they were deemed too dangerous to the balance. Even in my prime, I tried to respect the balance between the human world and our world. I sought to subjugate it, but I knew better than to try to change it. If the balance is destroyed, then the fabric of the world is liable to begin to unravel. At least, that is what was taught to us. I knew that breaking those old covenants was likely to earn me a victory, but I was never so brazen as to think that it was worth it. I came close a handful of times, particularly after I was brought to this time, but then I met you. You weakened my connection to old causes, but simultaneously strengthened my conviction and resolve towards doing what is right.”

“I can’t tell if you’re trying to flatter me, or if you’re being serious,” Jake chuckled.

“Believe what you will, but we are far past the point of lying to one another,” Ashley shrugged, “I’ve lied to myself, and by extension you, enough for one lifetime. It was because of you, your heart and conviction, that I found a want to change. When I first broke free from the void, I was torn between a desire to conquer and a need to protect you. I was prepared to turn you to save you, and I used Beth against you to lure you into a trap. I was devastated when I learned that your essence had been contaminated to the point that my blessings wouldn’t take. I gave myself over to death because I thought that I would never be able to have you for myself…”

Jake frowned as he replayed the events of that fateful night in his head. “I remember,” he nodded, “I remember the look in your eyes when you drove that spike into your heart. I remember holding you before you turned to dust. It broke my heart…”

“I know that now,” Ashley sighed, “The benefits of us sharing a body and mind gives me perspective on things that I would have otherwise been in the dark on. I believed that she had already won the war, but your heart remained torn. It still remains that way.”

“Is that part of why you chose to keep me locked up?” Jake asked, beginning to see Ashley’s walls begin to fall.

Ashley frowned and stood to cross the room. She kept her back to him, but she tried to keep her honesty going. “Is it such a crime to be afraid?” she asked, “That woman put you through hell, both literally and metaphorically. She used her powers, her influence, and more to manipulate you, hurt you, and turn you against all those who love you. She has been a thorn in my side, but she has been a wedge between you and the others time and again, Jake. Even after she was gone, you remained focused on her. Your heart is torn, and now she returns from the dead to try to steal you away from me!”

“Ash, take a breath,” Jake stood up, walking over and placing a hand on her shoulder, “I understand, okay? I won’t sit here and say that you’re wrong about how I feel, but I’m not going to run headlong back into her arms. She seems different, like the woman that I knew when we were alone, but I haven’t forgotten what she’s done. I was the same way with you when you came back from the void. I was hesitant to trust you despite my feelings. It’s too soon to tell how things go, but I need you to trust me that I’m not going to jump into the darkness without a second thought. However, I am not going to toss her aside like old news.”

“Because you still love her,” Ashley said, her voice cracking.

“Because we can’t afford to turn away any allies right now, Ash,” Jake countered, “Just like when we were getting ready to go to war with her, we need all the help we can get.”

“Don’t stand there and tell me that your feelings don’t have any bearing in this, Jake,” Ashley said, pulling away, “I keep telling you that we share a mind and a body. I know you, remember? I know what’s going through your head and what’s in your heart.”

“Is it so wrong that I still wonder what could have been?” Jake asked, using her question against her, “I did the same thing with you after you…after you were gone. I don’t know her heart, not now, but  I never stopped believing that the woman I saw when we were alone was real. There is someone real, someone vulnerable, under the mask she puts on. You keep talking about us sharing a body and mind, but you’re ignoring those memories. Look me in the eyes and tell me that everything I saw and felt was my imagination.”

Ashley was silent for a long moment. The quiet yawned between them like a chasm as she chose her next words, “I can’t say for certain. I will admit my own bias in this, but this isn’t to say that you’re not seeing her in rose colored glasses. What would you ask of me, Jake?”

“The same thing that I’ve been asking of you since I came to,” Jake answered, “I’ve been asking you to trust me. I know that you, and a lot of others around here, think that I’m naive and foolish for seeing the good in people. But it’s because of that side that I am where I am and that we have the allies that we do. Pam, Sam, Sally, Kait, Alexis, and even you were once all threats and considered beyond saving. I didn’t give up on them, and I won’t give up on her if I can help it. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I do know that I can’t afford to give up who I am, especially with everything that we have happening right now.”

Ashley turned and shook her head, “You’re going to get us killed…again.”

“No,” Jake shook his head, “We died because I let my guard down, not because I was too trusting. We can do this if we work together with the others, and that means working with Rebecca. I don’t know where this road is going to take us, but I have to believe that she wants to help us. We have to trust one another if we’re going to keep going, Ash. Can you trust my judgment?”

“Can I trust that you’ll listen to me when you inevitably get us into some idiotic predicament?” Ashley asked.

“Trust is a two way street,” Jake sighed, “Ash, I might not always follow your directions, but you know I hear you when you talk. We might now always see eye to eye, but you should know that I trust you when push comes to shove. Up until this whole…whatever it was back there, you and I might have disagreed, but we fought together. We can do it again, but we have to go back to working as one. Can you put aside the hate and grudges while we figure all of this out?”

Ashley was quiet for a moment before nodding and replying, “The second that she appears to be any sort of threat to you, we abandon this naive and optimistic notion. Can we agree on that at least?”

“She’s not going to do that, but if it happens then we will,” Jake assured her, “Hell, I’m pretty sure Beth would shoot her before you ever got the chance to attack her.”

Ashley shook her head and smiled, “I suppose you may have a point. We should rest. Neither of us have stopped since we returned from the underworld. Let me give you the rest that you need.”

Jake heaved a sigh and walked back to the bed. The exhaustion and the trauma of everything he’d been through was catching up with him. He didn’t hesitate before throwing himself onto the bed. The sheets and blankets were messy and somewhat coarse, but he couldn’t have cared less right now. He crawled to the pillows and under the covers. Jake laid his head down and closed his eyes. He wasn’t sure what the coming days had in store for him and the others, but right now his main concern was getting some much needed rest. For the first time in a long time, he didn’t feel fear as he started to drift off.

Unbeknownst to Jake, Rebecca had been standing outside of the room debating on whether or not to speak to the man she loved. She hadn’t been able to understand everything that had been said. He’d clearly been having it out with his other half. She couldn’t bring herself to interrupt, even as she felt him start to calm down and drift off to sleep. She wanted nothing more than to have a conversation with him after everything happened, but she wasn’t so foolish as to think that tonight was the best opportunity. She’d have to wait for her chance a little while longer. She bit her knuckle as she walked away and walked down the hall to find a place to lay her head for the night.

Across the hall, Beth was toweling her hair dry as she stepped out of the shower. She’d almost forgotten how remarkable a shower could be. It was the little things that were easily overlooked and taken for granted. Judging by what Jason had said, she wasn’t sure when the next time she’d be able to enjoy such amenities. Part of her had been expecting Pam to follow her into the shower, or to surprise her, but her girlfriend hadn’t disturbed her. Beth’s guess was that she was taking a shower herself. Despite being a former disciple of a filthy Goddess, Beth had learned that Pam wasn’t one to shy away from a hot shower. 

A fluffed up, fleece robe was waiting for her on the vanity. One of the perks of dating a sorceress was her ability to conjure things that would be otherwise impossible to get, clean clothes being one of them. Beth threw the robe on and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror. Her eyes trailed over what little of the the back of her neck she could see. The scars from Goth’s collar were still there, and the sight prompted her to look over the other various wounds and scars she had. She’d been through the wringer on more than one occasion; whipped, beaten, abused, cut, and worse. Every scar had a story to go with it, and it was a reminder that she was a walking tapestry of trauma and pain. Beth tied the robe up and shook her head. Now wasn’t the time to think about the past and everything she’d been through.

She walked out of the ensuite bathroom into the bedroom that they’d taken. Pam had decided to take another apartment for themselves tonight, and Beth wasn’t going to argue with her. The space away from everyone else meant she could let her walls down for a few hours. After everything that had happened, she needed that. Although, it was strange that she didn’t feel the familiar waves of panic and anxiety lapping at the shores of her mind. Instead, Beth felt a strange sense of calm blanketing her. It wasn’t peace, not in the slightest, but rather the feeling that came right before a storm. They were going to war, and somehow that thought had become normal to her. 

“Penny for your thoughts, Kitten?” Pam asked as Beth walked into the bedroom and over to the dresser.

Beth had laid her guns out on the dresser before walking off to the shower. The apartment wasn’t in the greatest shape, but it had the basics that one would expect. The drawers might have been empty, but they were functional. They could easily make this into a safehouse if they needed, but that was getting ahead of themselves. Beth was quiet as she grabbed one of her pistols and ran her hand along the barrel. They needed to be cleaned, but again she could work on that later. She turned it over and ran her fingers over the engraved PFK on the inside of the barrel. 

“I’m just thinking about everything we’ve been through,” she finally said, setting the firearm down, “Goth, Ashley, Abigail, Hell, and all the other bullshit from the last year and a half. All of that seems almost trivial compared to what we’re getting ready to step into.”

Pam frowned and stood up to stand behind her pet, “Perhaps those experiences were all to prepare us for what’s to come.”

“Do you really believe that?” Beth asked, relaxing slightly as Pam wrapped her arms around her.

“Time and fate are funny things,” Pam said, kissing the top of Beth’s head, “The two run parallel to one another, but they are entities that have a strange sense of humor. It’s because of everything that happened that we ended up together, Jake found Ashley, and Rebecca returned to us as the woman she was long before Lilith.”

Beth frowned at the mention of Goth’s name and pulled away slightly. She turned to face Pam as she spoke, “So what? Does this mean that everything is going to work out?”

“I wish I could tell you that and believe it,” Pam sighed, taking a step back as she sensed the apprehension from her beloved, “You know as well as I do that things don’t always go according to plan. The hero isn’t always victorious in these stories, and our lives haven’t exactly been born from fairy tales. What we saw, what we went through, were prime examples of what could have been. Heroes can become villains, they can fall, and evil can be born from the best intentions. And sometimes the bad guys win no matter how hard people like us fight…”

“Tch, that’s comforting and inspiring,” Beth scoffed with a chuckle, “You haven’t lost a step, babe.”

Pam rolled her eyes at Beth’s comment and attempted a pet name, “I’m not sure how I feel about that one, and you’re missing the point. The point isn’t to find inspiration or comfort in the face of reality; the point is to face reality. It doesn’t matter what’s at stake, what the odds are, or who we are fighting against, what matters is that we stand together. Every loss that we’ve had has happened when we are fighting alone and trying to go it by ourselves. They separate us because they know that together we stand a chance against the tyranny of this world. You, me, Jake, and Rebecca are capable of great things when we stand together. However, it isn’t just limited to us; the same goes for people in general. It’s why people like Eva, Emily, and so many others want to keep people away from one another or against each other.”

“The power of unity,” Beth scoffed, walking past Pam and sitting down on the bed, “We can do anything as long as we’re together, right?”

“No,” Pam shook her head, “Again, you are missing my point. The point isn’t about winning or losing; it’s about having a chance. Think about everything that’s happened and all the times that one of us has fallen or failed. What do they all have in common?”

Beth was quiet as she thought about what her girlfriend was saying. Jake’s death had happened because he had been separated. Pam had fallen to her over a year ago because Beth had caught her alone. Hell, even when she had fallen victim to Ashley she’d been by herself. There were countless other scenarios that played out in her mind even before she had gotten together with Pam. Nearly every time that she or Jake had lost had been because they weren’t working together. Pam was right. It wasn’t a guarantee, but their odds were better when they were fighting together on a united front.

“What comes next isn’t going to be easy, Pam,” she eventually said, “The last time we fought Voidfoot nearly killed us. I’m not talking about when she threw us into those other worlds either. It’s not just her either this time. There’s a whole fucking cabal of shadowy asshats out there working against us. We know a few of them, sure, but knowing who they are isn’t going to make it easier. They’ve got tech, magic, numbers, fucking zombies, and who knows what else all backed with more money than I can count.”

Pam sat down beside Beth and put an arm around her. She wasn’t saying it aloud, but Pam could feel the despair and anxiety creeping in. “Nothing we do is ever easy,” Pam reminded her, pulling her close, “We work smart and strategic. This isn’t a fight that we can win in a span of a day, a week, or even a month. We’ve been gone for a long time, but we can take back control if we are smart. We’ve done it before, and we have the means to do it again. No matter what happens, though, we will face it together.”

“They’re going to try to take me away from you again,” Beth whispered, admitting her greatest fear to the person she trusted the most, “They already did it once, and I don’t know how many more times I can bear it, Pam.”

Pam pulled away and placed a hand on Beth’s chin. She guided her to look her in the eyes and rested her forehead against Beth’s. “Listen to me carefully, Beth,” Pam began, “There is no force on this earth, in this world, or the next that can keep me away from you. Neither death, nor life, neither angel, nor demon, can separate you from my love. They can try, but we will always find one another. I love you, and I will always find my way back to you. This I swear to you.”

The conviction in Pam’s voice was enough to quell the nerves threatening to spill over in Beth’s stomach. “I love you too,” Beth smiled, placing a chaste kiss on Pam’s lips, “Sometimes I forget how much of a wordsmith you are. You’re right. Whatever happens, we face it together, and no matter what, I will fight to find my way back to you.”

“Our hearts beat as one,” Pam said, “One day, I’ll make that official, but that will require time that we don’t have. For now, we both need to rest. As much as I would love to celebrate our reunion in earnest, we have a big day tomorrow. I’ll settle for holding the woman I love close.”

Beth nodded and let Pam guide her towards the pillows. She didn’t reply as Pam slid her robe off and pulled her close. They’d shared enough words for one night, and Pam was right once again. They needed to rest. Beth closed her eyes as Pam began to trace familiar patterns on her back. She let herself become the vulnerable pet that she was to Pam for the rest of the night. Tomorrow marked the beginning of a new era of war. Tomorrow, the killing machine inside of her was going to have to rise up again. All of them had their work cut out for them, but they would face the impossible as one and they’d give everything they had to close the gap between them and their victory.