[center][youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLrBH8r2SVs[/youtube]

”[color=gray][i]Look at me, or at least at what’s left. Look at me, before I hate myself.[/i][/color]”

[i]TW: Very depressed thoughts[/i][/center]

[B][i]”Aurélie?"[/i][/b]

She blinked, swallowing her next sob. [color=rosybrown]”Nick?”[/color] Her voice was breathy, somewhat desperate. Her eyes shot to the side, and she saw Nick was with her, in the same kind of chair as hers, the same kind of needle hovering close to his skin. There seemed to be a struggle outside of their confining space, gunshots sounding off, ricocheting against the walls. But Aurélie wasn’t focused on that. Instead, she looked at her father through the screen, her heart squeezing and her entire body tingling, wanting to go back to his embrace that promised she’d be loved and held from here on out. That she was safe. The ghost of his warm touch was still a ghost on her skin.

Through the static speakers fixed to the ceiling, Aurélie heard the voice of the man who had talked to her for the past 7 years. Telling her things. Seemingly innocent stories, oddly placed bits of advice, carefully constructed manipulations and cruelly stated truths. And now, Von Galloes gave a [i]choice[/i] to her father. The young woman’s fingernails, once prettily manicured, now weak and brittle, tried to dig into the metal of her armrests, not giving way. With her knuckles white, and her body trembling, Aurélie’s eyes darted around the small room. There must be a way out for them both. She tightened the muscles in her arms and tried to pull, but was only met with the biting resistance of her restraints. Beside her, Nick softly whimpered.

A choice. And a clock. No, a timer. Her head angled a little to the side, mirroring the tipped screen as she studied the scene displayed. The very sight of Von Galloes was lava in her veins, firing her up, angering her. But her gaze shifted to her father. There was turmoil in his eyes. The same type she would see when Theo begged him if they could play together, but Thierry had to leave because he got called in. The very same eyes she witnessed when Cosette would run into his office with her drawing to show him, only for him to get an important call  he needed to pick up instead of acknowledging his youngest. Those were choices, too. There was a sinking feeling in the pit of Aurélie’s stomach that she couldn’t quite place yet, but it constricted her breathing and made hot tears press behind her eyes. 

The man beside her was married to her father. Appearently. And Sabrina, where was she? [i]Maman[/i]. It was hard to wrap her head around. But, if they were married, that must mean that her father loved him, right? So his choice was between two people he loved. It made the daughter feel intense sorrow for her father, as no one should be faced with [i]such[/i] a choice. Surely, he would figure out a way, right? But knowing Von Galloes. There wasn't one. The eerie silence dragged on, aside from her ragged breaths and the soft sounds Nick was making. The clock was ticking down. Something in her blocked her from begging for her life. She was done with that. 

The door opened in the room where her father was, and two men she didn’t know appeared. Hope suddenly surged inside of her, thinking that they were there to save her father, kill Von Galloes and get them all out of this mess. But it seemed to be different. One slumped man on the ground and the other? A flash of memory went through Aurélie. This same man, on the steps of the pyramid where this all started, waiting for the de Villiers, but older now. She blinked, but put her eyes back on her father, not a word having left his mouth, or so much as a movement from his fingers. Swallowing, she looked to the side to Nick. But, her breathing stopped for a moment when it suddenly clicked for Aurélie. Things she noticed before but didn’t quite place. Nick was wearing a guard uniform for this facility. But he hadn't been a guard that she didn’t know. The uniform was too big, put on haphazardly, one button fastened to the wrong hole. She studied him, [i]really[/i] studied him. Small signs she recognised from herself. A small patch of hair missing, signalling he'd been augmentated. The slight bruising and marks that the collar on her neck did to her too. A conclusion dawned on her. Nick, was a subject too. He’d been captured by Von Galloes at some point. And judging by his state, not that long ago. Aurélie's hair had all grown back over the scars on her head. So he was stuck here, too. And her father had come here to save him. 

[i]Him.[/i] Not her. 

Her father’s surprised eyes in the doorway hadn’t been because he was surprised he found her in that cell with a syringe, but that he found her there [i]at all[/i]. She tore her eyes away from Nick and reluctantly placed them on her father again, her eyes misting over.

Van Galloes may be an asshole, and he may have made her life the last 7 years a living hell, but he hadn’t lied. He wasn’t making things up when he told her that her parents weren’t looking for her and Cosette. That Thierry had moved on. That no one was coming for her and Cosy. She always fought him on it, thinking he was just trying to break her spirit. Keep her from fighting and revolting. She told him her father wasn’t like that. That he was surely going to kick his ass and get his daughters. Just he wait! But he had been right, all along. Thierry he- he didn’t [i]love[/i] her. He hadn’t wanted her, either. She was an accident, after all. A lapse of judgment on an intoxicated night with her biological mother. Someone who didn’t want her, either. Her bottom lip trembled as she closed her eyes, making tears breach her waterline and roll down her cheeks. The realisation dawned like a burning hot piece of coal being shoved down her throat. She knew what his choice was going to be. 

Not her. Not her over him. Not her over, well, anything. 

[color=rosybrown]”Nick,”[/color] Her voice betrayed her broken state, but she didn’t care as the clock neared its final point. [color=rosybrown]”Save Cosette, [i]please[/i]. For me. Tell her I love her. Tell her… that I’m sor- sorry.”[/color] She sniffled, a sob escaping her anyways. The tortured woman hung her head and closed her eyes. She didn’t think she could shatter more than what the last 7 years had done. But still, small fracture lines appeared in her already broken pieces, breaking further until she was nothing more than dust. Blow and she’d disappear. 

She wasn't loved. She wasn't held. And she wasn't safe.

She didn’t want to see the timer reach its end. All she wanted was her stuffed kitten which Sabri- her mother had made for her. She wanted to see Theo’s laugh one more time, and joy on Cosette’s face. She wanted one last hug from someone who actually loved her. She wanted to eat the meals of the woman she had always seen as her mother. But she would get none of that. There was acceptance in Aurélie as she heard her father's voice through the speakers but didn’t pay attention to it anymore. 

And she wasn’t surprised when the needle pierced her skin, and she could feel the biting sting of its content. Almost instantly, it pulled her under, a bitter taste in her mouth. 
[hr] 
It was eerily dark in the submarine, as metallic buckling and creaking of the pressurised vessel could be heard through Nova’s cochlear. The floor under her vibrated, and it felt like the ship was moving. Yet, without power, the only way it could be going was down, deeper, being swallowed by the sea Nova had spent a great deal of her life avoiding like the plague. She tried not to let that particular panic take over. The young scientist swallowed, knowing damn well what sinking would mean. It seemed like forever before someone answered. To Nova’s surprise, it was Dragon who answered her request for help. But as her situation started to dawn on her, she realised her plea for help may have been a little underwhelming. Un...representative. Still, a sigh of relief left her lungs as she looked at the girl, but found that she could barely see her in the dark. 

Dragon knew where she was. He was going to help. He- he called her babe. She blinked twice as if that would change the word in her vision. But, no, he called her that. Whether he meant to or not. Suddenly, she was glad it was dark, so 3 couldn’t see the blush creep up on her face, rosying her porcelain skin. Julia’s addition only made it worse. She’d never known the man to be anything else but calm and collected. A tremor in the vessel set her priorities straight again as if reminding her that this was a life-or-death situation. Which it was. She was about to reply to Julia when 3 spoke. [b][i]"Are... are we gonna... die..?"[/i][/b]

[color=peachpuff]”No.”[/color] Nova said, but it lacked conviction. [color=peachpuff]”No.”[/color] She repeated, this time with more power. She was not going to fucking die in the middle of the of the ocean without having felt Dragon’s warm embrace. She wanted to see the word fall from his lips, and not displayed in her vision. And she wasn't dying without saving this girl, keeping her promise to Stella. At the very least, she had a cat home to get back to. Nova raised her hands, putting them on 3’s shoulders and looking down into her eyes. [color=peachpuff]”We’re not, okay? Dragon knows our location, and he said he’s coming. He’s my…”[/color] Nova hesitated for a small moment. [color=peachpuff]”[i]friend[/i], and he will be here, okay?"[/color] Her eyes were on 3’s, making sure she could see how serious Nova was, despite the darkness. She had to hold onto the fact that he was coming for her. 

[color=peachpuff]”We have to try and see if we can turn this thing on again, okay? It’s gonna be okay. We’re going to be fine.”[/color] She told the girl, sliding her backpack off her back. After reaching in, she found what she was looking for and cracked the lightstick, illuminating the space around her and 3. [color=peachpuff]”Here, hold this.”[/color] She said, handing it to her while grabbing her own flashlight from the side of the pack. 

She moved to the centre console, the ray of light illuminating the eerily unfunctioning screens and buttons. She held onto the seat and things around her just in case the vessel decided to toss her around again. Her teeth clattered, and she raised her hand to her forehead when she felt an odd sensation. There was something wet and sticky on her forehead and when she brought her fingers in her vision, she saw it was blood. Shit.  

Here, deep in the ocean, in a vessel without power and temperature control, the freezing temperatures took hold of the two girls. Now that their space was lit up by the two lights, she could see her breath flutter over her lips in a little cloud every time she exhaled. Nova pressed some buttons on the console, but nothing seemed to work. The electric panel below seemed to be fried, and everything else was non-responsive. [color=peachpuff]”Julia. We can’t come to the docks. The submarine is without power, and I don’t know how to fix it. We’re-”[/color] Nova swallowed, looking back at 3 who was staring at the small window with terror in her eyes. She didn’t want to scare her more, but Julia needed to know the gravity of her situation. [color=peachpuff]”We’re sinking. Tell Dragon to hurry.”[/color] 

A cold tremor went through her just as the submarine seemed to buckle again, swaying, while a loud thud could be heard. She abandoned her efforts at the console to walk back to 3, who seemed rooted to her spot, looking outside. Nova followed her gaze and she could swear she saw [i]something[/i] move out there, but now was not the time to let her massive thalassophobia take over. [color=peachpuff]”Come here, we need to keep you warm.”[/color] Her voice was soft, hopefully soothing, despite her own hammering heart. She guided the girl away from the window and sat her down on a bench-type seat beside it. From her backpack, she took out a small shiny square, unfolding it to reveal an aluminium emergency blanket. [color=peachpuff]”This will help.”[/color] She told the girl as she covered her frame with it, ensuring to tuck her in entirely. There was only one blanket in her backpack though, so she’d have to make due. 

Nova sat down next to her, wrapping her arm around the girl and pulling her a little toward herself, in the effort to keep the girl from freezing. [color=peachpuff]”I have a cat.”[/color] She said suddenly, hoping to be able to distract the girl. [color=peachpuff]”You want to see her?”[/color] She added, going to click off the tablet from it’s place on her thigh, holding it out in front of three and finding an image of her big, brown and fluffy Maine Coon cat. [color=peachpuff]”Her name is Cinnamon.”[/color] She smiled, watching 3 look at the screen before Nova raised her head, her eyes straying to the window. Outside of it, something massive seemed to move, making dread creep into Nova’s bones as they waited for rescue. 

She hoped 3 didn’t know the concept of implosion. Unless the cold would take them first. 

Or whatever the fuck was circling outside of their submarine.