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sperriTitle: Letting Go of the Ledge
Fandom: Resident Evil
Prompt: Atonement
Medium: Fic
Wordcount: 1,237 Words
Warnings: Referenced violence, abuse, anxiety and harsh language.
Summary: Mia has a lot to answer for after she and Ethan are rescued by the BSAA, so when her husband says that it's best they remain apart for the time being, then she accepts it without protest. Her inner turmoil threatens to evolve into a proverbial hurricane unless she can find someone to confide in, though, and Zoe's is the only shoulder she feels comfortable enough to lean on.
I think it's best we spent some time apart from each other, Mia. We both need to clear our heads and set the records straight with ourselves before we move forward with any kind of relationship endeavors.
It hurts when he says it.
Mia stumbles out of the medical tent and shields her eyes from the blaring sun by lifting her hand, cringing at the force of the light with its warmth. The heat and humidity of the bayou already have her sick to her stomach, so she further begrudges the fact that it's such a nice day out.
Soldiers and scientists alike turn their backs to her and whisper as she passes them by. As a former 'enemy combatant,' she deserves no less than their full ire and she acknowledges it. That doesn't make the insults uttered in soft voices hurt any less, but she'll endure for the sake of atonement for what she's done.
"She should be in prison."
"Witch."
"After all that she put her poor husband through? I'm surprised he bothered rescuing her."
An overwhelming knot settles in the pit of her stomach and she scrambles to the edge of the bayou, doubling over as she vomits into the water. Once her stomach empties and she's dry-heaving, the ripples in the filthy water distort her reflection and she swears that she sees Eveline staring back at her for a second. Her eyes blink rapidly and the illusion fades as the water stills again.
"Mia?" asks someone behind her.
Mia has her hands resting on her knees and she's still bent over as she turns to look at the person calling to her as if they're too far away to hear. Her hair obscures some of her vision, but a weight lifts from her conscience upon recognizing them.
"Zoe?" she gapes and struggles to stand upright again. "Oh God, I can't believe it! Y-You're alive!"
Taken aback by the sudden show of enthusiasm, Zoe staggers backwards a little before embracing Mia in turn. "Only because Ethan sent for help and my uncle Joe came back for me."
Looking up with tears in her eyes, Mia nods emphatically. "I'm just happy to see you again because I wanted to tell you something. Back there, when Ethan administered the dose of serum to me, I..."
"Don't," Zoe stops her with a hand raised. "I know why he did it and I ain't angry anymore. You're family, so it only made sense that he chose you over me."
Mia frowns and reaches up to catch a stray wisp of Zoe's hair between her fingers. "I'm sorry for everything. For Eveline, for your family, and for the pain you suffered."
Zoe laughs in spite of her own condition. "I wasn't the only one to plow through Hell and back. You were there, too, and you were also the brat's surrogate."
"Neither Ethan nor I would have survived if it weren't for you, though." Mia hugs her again, gentler this time. "Thank you, Zoe."
Sympathy is inevitable and Zoe surrenders with a firmer embrace of her own this time, lingering over Mia longer than before. They shared a hellish experience together, and while Mia is partly to blame, Zoe chooses to follow her uncle's example and take the high road.
"How's Ethan doin'?" she asks after they part again and that's when Mia's expression drastically shifts. "What is it? Is he okay?"
"He is," Mia explains at length, lowering her eyes. "You should go see him. He's been asking about you, too."
Zoe brushes her pale hair from her eyes and studies Mia for a moment, unable to discern just what has her so down in spite of being alive and well after their ordeal. While she feels ecstatic herself to finally be rid of the monsters her family became and her psychotic brother, part of her aches to see someone who shared this experience with her so downtrodden.
"Damn empathy," she thinks to herself and claps Mia on the shoulder. "I can't stay mad at her forever and hold a grudge. Daddy taught me at least that much."
"See that blue tent near the helicopter landing?" Zoe asks, poiting down the camp a ways. "Wait there for me. I have to confirm that Ethan is all right for m'self and then I'll be along to chat some more."
Mia nods and watches her take off in the direction of the medical tent a moment later, surprised when Zoe turns to look over her shoulder to make sure that she's actually headed towards their meeting place. It's a slow trek to the tent that Zoe pointed out, which happens to be the supply tent and a secluded place to talk, and once Mia steps inside she finds it hard to sit still for even a moment.
Don't leave me alone.
The sun starts to dip below the horizon when Mia hears footsteps approaching at last. As she lifts her head, she sees Zoe standing in the light of the setting sun and with a face more solemn than she ever recalls.
"Ethan told me what happened 'tween you two," Zoe starts for her, letting the tent flap close behind her as she crosses the distance between them to sit on the supply crate beside her. "Couldn't say that I didn't see it coming, either."
Mia smiles wryly and laughs at herself. "I don't blame him, honestly."
"Small price to pay for living through something like you did, though. I can't tell you how many folks came before Ethan, good people, and they all died horribly at the hands of my family," Zoe continues, leaning forward as she clasps her hand in front of her. "You aren't the only one with blood on your hands is all I'm saying. Those folks might have made it if I hadn't interfered."
Heaving a sigh, Mia turns her head slightly to look Zoe in the eyes. "At least Eveline is dead?"
Zoe laughs and nods. "Chalk one up for success."
"How to move on, though?" Mia poses the obvious question with a frown. "I just...I'm terrified of being left behind."
"Or alone?" pushes Zoe with a brow raised. "Ethan said you'd be, so he asked me to look after you for a while, and seein' as I owe him my life, I couldn't say no."
It's Mia's turn to be shocked as Zoe lifts her arm and wraps it around her shoulders, drawing her closer. The shoulder supporting Mia isn't as broad or muscular as he husband's, but it's just as strong. Zoe looks straight ahead as she holds Mia, but the reaffirming squeeze she gives Mia's arm tells Mia enough.
"Zoe, I..." she starts.
"You don't have to thank me," Zoe interrupts her and finally looks down at her. "We'll get through this. I made a promise and I intend on keepin' it."
Mia quiets herself and nods, leaning further into Zoe's embrace. The reasons may not be all there, she knows, but at least she has a support system again. After all the Hell that she and Zoe suffered at the hands of Eveline, it seems only fitting that they find their way together, she thinks.
In fact, there's no one she would rather stumble around in the darkness with.
"Thank you," she whispers.
Zoe says nothing in response and rubs her arm a little, holding her as close as she can.
Fandom: Resident Evil
Prompt: Atonement
Medium: Fic
Wordcount: 1,237 Words
Warnings: Referenced violence, abuse, anxiety and harsh language.
Summary: Mia has a lot to answer for after she and Ethan are rescued by the BSAA, so when her husband says that it's best they remain apart for the time being, then she accepts it without protest. Her inner turmoil threatens to evolve into a proverbial hurricane unless she can find someone to confide in, though, and Zoe's is the only shoulder she feels comfortable enough to lean on.
I think it's best we spent some time apart from each other, Mia. We both need to clear our heads and set the records straight with ourselves before we move forward with any kind of relationship endeavors.
It hurts when he says it.
Mia stumbles out of the medical tent and shields her eyes from the blaring sun by lifting her hand, cringing at the force of the light with its warmth. The heat and humidity of the bayou already have her sick to her stomach, so she further begrudges the fact that it's such a nice day out.
Soldiers and scientists alike turn their backs to her and whisper as she passes them by. As a former 'enemy combatant,' she deserves no less than their full ire and she acknowledges it. That doesn't make the insults uttered in soft voices hurt any less, but she'll endure for the sake of atonement for what she's done.
"She should be in prison."
"Witch."
"After all that she put her poor husband through? I'm surprised he bothered rescuing her."
An overwhelming knot settles in the pit of her stomach and she scrambles to the edge of the bayou, doubling over as she vomits into the water. Once her stomach empties and she's dry-heaving, the ripples in the filthy water distort her reflection and she swears that she sees Eveline staring back at her for a second. Her eyes blink rapidly and the illusion fades as the water stills again.
"Mia?" asks someone behind her.
Mia has her hands resting on her knees and she's still bent over as she turns to look at the person calling to her as if they're too far away to hear. Her hair obscures some of her vision, but a weight lifts from her conscience upon recognizing them.
"Zoe?" she gapes and struggles to stand upright again. "Oh God, I can't believe it! Y-You're alive!"
Taken aback by the sudden show of enthusiasm, Zoe staggers backwards a little before embracing Mia in turn. "Only because Ethan sent for help and my uncle Joe came back for me."
Looking up with tears in her eyes, Mia nods emphatically. "I'm just happy to see you again because I wanted to tell you something. Back there, when Ethan administered the dose of serum to me, I..."
"Don't," Zoe stops her with a hand raised. "I know why he did it and I ain't angry anymore. You're family, so it only made sense that he chose you over me."
Mia frowns and reaches up to catch a stray wisp of Zoe's hair between her fingers. "I'm sorry for everything. For Eveline, for your family, and for the pain you suffered."
Zoe laughs in spite of her own condition. "I wasn't the only one to plow through Hell and back. You were there, too, and you were also the brat's surrogate."
"Neither Ethan nor I would have survived if it weren't for you, though." Mia hugs her again, gentler this time. "Thank you, Zoe."
Sympathy is inevitable and Zoe surrenders with a firmer embrace of her own this time, lingering over Mia longer than before. They shared a hellish experience together, and while Mia is partly to blame, Zoe chooses to follow her uncle's example and take the high road.
"How's Ethan doin'?" she asks after they part again and that's when Mia's expression drastically shifts. "What is it? Is he okay?"
"He is," Mia explains at length, lowering her eyes. "You should go see him. He's been asking about you, too."
Zoe brushes her pale hair from her eyes and studies Mia for a moment, unable to discern just what has her so down in spite of being alive and well after their ordeal. While she feels ecstatic herself to finally be rid of the monsters her family became and her psychotic brother, part of her aches to see someone who shared this experience with her so downtrodden.
"Damn empathy," she thinks to herself and claps Mia on the shoulder. "I can't stay mad at her forever and hold a grudge. Daddy taught me at least that much."
"See that blue tent near the helicopter landing?" Zoe asks, poiting down the camp a ways. "Wait there for me. I have to confirm that Ethan is all right for m'self and then I'll be along to chat some more."
Mia nods and watches her take off in the direction of the medical tent a moment later, surprised when Zoe turns to look over her shoulder to make sure that she's actually headed towards their meeting place. It's a slow trek to the tent that Zoe pointed out, which happens to be the supply tent and a secluded place to talk, and once Mia steps inside she finds it hard to sit still for even a moment.
Don't leave me alone.
The sun starts to dip below the horizon when Mia hears footsteps approaching at last. As she lifts her head, she sees Zoe standing in the light of the setting sun and with a face more solemn than she ever recalls.
"Ethan told me what happened 'tween you two," Zoe starts for her, letting the tent flap close behind her as she crosses the distance between them to sit on the supply crate beside her. "Couldn't say that I didn't see it coming, either."
Mia smiles wryly and laughs at herself. "I don't blame him, honestly."
"Small price to pay for living through something like you did, though. I can't tell you how many folks came before Ethan, good people, and they all died horribly at the hands of my family," Zoe continues, leaning forward as she clasps her hand in front of her. "You aren't the only one with blood on your hands is all I'm saying. Those folks might have made it if I hadn't interfered."
Heaving a sigh, Mia turns her head slightly to look Zoe in the eyes. "At least Eveline is dead?"
Zoe laughs and nods. "Chalk one up for success."
"How to move on, though?" Mia poses the obvious question with a frown. "I just...I'm terrified of being left behind."
"Or alone?" pushes Zoe with a brow raised. "Ethan said you'd be, so he asked me to look after you for a while, and seein' as I owe him my life, I couldn't say no."
It's Mia's turn to be shocked as Zoe lifts her arm and wraps it around her shoulders, drawing her closer. The shoulder supporting Mia isn't as broad or muscular as he husband's, but it's just as strong. Zoe looks straight ahead as she holds Mia, but the reaffirming squeeze she gives Mia's arm tells Mia enough.
"Zoe, I..." she starts.
"You don't have to thank me," Zoe interrupts her and finally looks down at her. "We'll get through this. I made a promise and I intend on keepin' it."
Mia quiets herself and nods, leaning further into Zoe's embrace. The reasons may not be all there, she knows, but at least she has a support system again. After all the Hell that she and Zoe suffered at the hands of Eveline, it seems only fitting that they find their way together, she thinks.
In fact, there's no one she would rather stumble around in the darkness with.
"Thank you," she whispers.
Zoe says nothing in response and rubs her arm a little, holding her as close as she can.
