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#RedrockAgency – October 4, 2018
Vasquez lets out a heavy sigh, looking off to the side for a moment, still avoiding Jason's gaze. It's obvious that the talk of her recovery - and the role Jason played in it - causes her no shortage of discomfort, with a healthy (or not) dose of shame mixed in with it. And then there's Cerberus... "Of course I haven't forgotten that." she says, her voice a little shaky. "But what she's done for us doesn't change the facts." she
continues, meeting Jason's gaze now, forcing determination that she doesn't quite possess. "She's dangerous. Not-... not like you or me. Not because of what she can do. Because of what she's compelled to do. I-..." She glances off to the side for a moment. Her hands have come to rest on Jason's arms, keeping a loose hold of their embrace. "I-I felt that drive, that-... hunger, on Niacal." she just barely maanges,
locking eyes with Jason again, hints of old dread in her intense stare. "She's got that in her, Jason."
Jason holds Vasquez' gaze, her words doing little to deter him. Little to make him look away. Their time on Earth remains a dark time in their relationship, but it was also a glue that bound them together. Jason found something in himself that he didn't realize he still had after Mina. "And she still walks through fire for us time and time again." he says, seeming to find the implication in Vasquez' words inspiring rather than
concerning. He gives a few small shakes of his head, staring right into her eyes. "You're wrong." he continues, the remark clearly not intended to be pointed. Just to the point. "What she's done for us changes everything. She's proven, time and time again, that she is better than that-... that curse." he stammers, using his friend's own words to describe her affliction. "And you know that, Linda-... you've seen
Vasquez ' arms drop to her sides, before she lifts one to run across her face as another, quieter sigh slips out. "I'm not-..." a brief, uneasy chuckle slips out. "I'm not trying to be an asshole here." she says, her gaze wandering briefly before returning to Jason, arms crossing her chest in a defensive gesture, one hand lingering near her face. It's clear that she's having a harder time persisting with Jason calling her out like
this. "We wouldn't even know about this if her hand hadn't been forced. Am I wrong? Doesn't it say something that she's fine with hiding something this dangerous from the people around her...? She's a ticking time bomb, Jason. Even if she doesn't want to be."
Jason furrows his brow, shaking his head in response to Vasquez' assessment of the situation. "Was she wrong?" he fires back. Again, there's no harshness in his tone. Just a bare honesty. "Look at how you're reacting. Of course she hid it. She loves you, Linda. She loves both of us. And she's fucking terrified of losing the few people she has." He falls silent, gaze scanning between his wife's eyes. Left to right. Even though
she's retracted her hands, his remain right where they were, keeping a tight hold on her as if afraid she might slip away if he lets go. "She doesn't want to be looked at the way you looked at her tonight. Doesn't she deserve that? Hasn't she earned it?"
Vasquez ' determination wavers in the face of Jason's plain, honest compassion. She closes her eyes for a moment, lowering her head as her hand massages her temple. She sucks in her lips as her eyes open, still rubbing her temple, gaze on Jason's shoulder again. "I wasn't-..." another sigh. "What if she slips up, Jason?" she asks quietly as she meets his gaze again, more worry than anything in her expression now. "All it takes is
Jason gives a single, stern nod. "I am..." he says softly, very well knowing just what that means. But his faith in Ilyna doesn't waver. "And if she slips up? If that day ever comes... Then we will deal with it. Okay? We will-..." he stammers, finally breaking eye contact as the mere thought of ever finding himself and Ilyna in opposition causes a lump in his throat. But he steels himself, if for no other reason than for
Vasquez' sake, and his blue eyes meet hers once more. "Then we will take care of her. But we can't just condemn her because we're afraid of what she might do. Because what she has done is cover our asses over and over so-... So, yeah. I am." His left hand finally leaves her side and comes to rest on her the side of her face, synthetic thumb gently brushing across her cheek. "I am." he repeats sincerely.
Vasquez lets several seconds pass in silence as she looks into Jason's eyes, expression unchanging. But then her eyes close, stance relaxing with a heavy sigh and an almost-whispered "Okay." A faint nod follows a second "Okay." as her eyes open again, lingering on the bruises that cover Jason's chest. "If... you trust her, then... I'll trust you." she says quietly, gaze rising to meet his again. It's obvious that the words don't come easy to her, but she means what she says, and her eyes show it.
Jason allows a small smile to tug at the corner of his mouth. Her words seem to bring immediate relief to him. The tightness in his shoulders fade as he releases the tension he wasn't even aware he was holding onto. But there's still a sadness behind his eyes. "Thank you." he says, his hand sliding along her cheek and hooking around the back of her neck. He studies her in silence, drawing in a deep breath before leaning down and