Sam couldn't remember being more frustrated in his life, and he'd been to hell and back. But through it all, never had there been such a long stretch of time in which he felt useless, put out of action. Even his depressive episode had been better than this.

My mind is still intact, at least.

Skye made sure of that. He kept her like a glowing gem inside his heart, protecting him from all the ways in which his mind could destroy his body. It was that and the thought that Sammy was safe which prevented him from going insane. And yet, as time stretched into infinity, he felt like it wasn't enough. He needed her to be there, to talk to him.

You have Christine.

He wasn't sure if the inner voice had been his own or Skye's. Because yes, he did have Christine, and she proved to be more comfort than he'd ever dreamed even in the time he idolized her.

Sam stopped pacing and glanced at her. It was rare to see her sleeping, curled up into a tiny ball. He had no idea how she did it, but she seemed to always be awake, even if they'd decided one of them should always be aware and keep watch. The truth was, he wasn't sleeping much anymore either. His nightmares wouldn't allow him more than a few hours, and those only when he was so exhausted he would just pass out.

As if sensing his gaze, she shifted and cracked an eye open. With a sigh, she sat up, rubbing her eyes.

"Hey." He crouched next to her.

"How long have I slept?" she mumbled, still rubbing at her eyes.

"I don't know. I've been up for maybe three hours."

"Are they back?"

Her question froze his insides. He didn't have to ask, he knew she meant Tom and Angie. "No," he breathed, barely keeping the panic out of his voice.

Christine checked her watch, her lips turned down in a frown. "It's been two days since they took them."

Sam swallowed heavily and stood again. The only thing keeping him together was the certainty that his twin was not dead. That, however, didn't mean he was still in one piece or that Angie wasn't dead. When Cannon was involved, there were no guarantees. And being unable to do anything chipped into Sam, tearing everything down. Not even Snitch Gravel had called him over in days and it made him feel even more useless.

Christine didn't follow him up. She hugged her knees, resting her forehead against them. He started pacing, throwing her a glance at every turn. For once, she wasn't watching his progress and the changed worried him.

He stopped in front of her. "Are you alright?"

She nodded into her knees, but said nothing. He crouched again, trying to get a look at her face. She wouldn't show him anything and a small sniff escaped her.

"Are you crying?"

His question had her raising her face. There were tears shining in her eyes.

"I'll get over it."

"Christine..." He sat next to her. "You don't have to get over it. Just tell me what it is."

"Everything." She sniffed and rested her cheek on her knees so she could look at him. "It's just a moment of weakness--"

"No." He wrapped and arm around her shoulders and pulled her against him. "It's not weakness. You're allowed to cry, Christine, to hate this, to think it's fucked beyond belief."

"I miss being free," she whispered. "I miss being clean and eating. I miss Sammy, and the way she smells and feels in my arms. I miss going out with Angie and laughing with her. I miss your crazy family and being in the kitchen with everyone..." She raised her face and looked him straight in the eyes. "But I know I can't think about that."

"Yes, you can. It doesn't make you less strong."

"I want to be strong for you."

"Why?"

"Because you need it." She gave him a weak smile. "And because I need it. I need to prove to myself that this is real, that I've really grown."

"You have." The words came out easy because they were true.

"You've changed so much," she said.

Sam pulled back an inch to get a better look at her. "Me?"

"Yes, you. Even here, the confidence and strength that comes off you..."

Bullshit, really. He felt tiny and scared. But it was nice to know Christine didn't see him like that.

"You've grown too, thanks to Skye," she continued. "And I guess so did I. Thanks to both of you. But I'm glad I did, as much as it hurt, because maybe then I wouldn't have never been... well, better."

Sam agreed. As much as what she'd done to him had burned him, it was what he'd needed to rise from the ashes as a much better person. He'd met Skye and had Sammy, and nothing in the world could make him regret that.

"We're different people," she whispered.

"Yes, it feel that way, doesn't it?"

She turned to him, and her eyes shone brighter than ever. Even if he meant it, and she was very different from the girl he remembered, he still recognized this look. He used to see it all the time and it made him fly. Right now, it made him a little uncomfortable. Confused because he wasn't sure if he still wanted it. And it wasn't fair towards her.

"Christine... I don't... I don't think..."

She huffed and looked away. "I'm not asking for anything."

He knew, and it made it worse, because it made her actually deserve getting something from him. His heart tugged and he felt like pulling his hair out. This was so complicated. He didn't want to hurt her. He didn't want to hurt himself, while he was at it, but the risk seemed worth it. And yet, it had only been four months since Skye died.

I'm not coming back, Snowflake, no matter what you do.

Only that now, it felt like it was his own traitorous voice, his own desires influencing the advice she would've given him. How long could he be objective anyway?

The letter. He still had that, and his faulty memory couldn't taint it. She had encouraged him to move on, find a new outlet for all the love he needed to give. And it made things even harder, which wasn't Christine's fault. Unless he was reading everything wrong and she really didn't want anything from him. The thought made him feel strangely cold.

"I know you're not," he finally said. "But if it was me making the first step..."

 She twisted her body so that she was on her knees in front of him. Her eyes were wide and filled with questions. But there was something else in there, something he hadn't noticed before. Hope. Her amber eyes were filled with hope for a future he wasn't sure would exist. And it was that more than anything that gave him strength to move on, to believe they could face this.

"I wasn't looking for this," she whispered. "I was doing fine on my own. I learned to thrive, to look after myself, not to need validation from others. And then I came back and you..."

"And I what?" he whispered back.

"You're this new person," she said and bit down on her lower lip. 

His eyes followed the movement and for a moment, the dreariness of their situation seemed less important. "Yes, I am. Something wrong with that?"

"No. This new person you are is even harder not to fall in love with." She looked away from him, her eyes shining with tears again.

Sam's stomach did a somersault and he was reminded of the beginning of his relationship with Skye. Not with Christine, but with the woman who had been the love of his life. Because whatever would happen in the future, that would never change.

"Christine..." Shit, how did he say this without hurting her? "I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't." She wiped at her eyes, but when she looked back at him, the hope had fizzled out. "Because I'm not expecting anything from you."

"That's not fair towards you."

She huffed and a small smile lit her face. "I was never fair, Sam. So this is karma. It doesn't matter. I've accepted it."

"Accepted what?"

"That I'll just be around as long as you'll have me and then..." She bit her lip again, much harder, tears pooling into her eyes again.

"No." The word was firm and final. "I'm not doing this to you. You've helped me so much with Sammy and now in here. I'm not going to throw you away--"

"Think about the alternative." Her words silenced him and she continued with a bitter smile. "Skye is right. You will move on at some point. You're just twenty-two--"

"Whoever I end up moving on with will have to face that half of me is gone." She just stared, so he went on. "That's what I also think is unfair to you, Christine. I'm broken beyond repair. Skye was the love of my life, so whoever follows will have to accept that. That a part of me is forever gone and I can no longer love with all my heart. Just with what's left of it."

And that was a deal breaker for Christine. Even when they'd been together, she wanted to be put first, to be the most important. It was part of why they'd ended up the way they did, the fact that he'd never paid her the amount of attention she wanted. So it was more than shocking to see her smile.

"Do you think I don't know that?" she asked. "I know you, Sam. You love fully and with all your heart. The version of me you loved never existed, so Skye was, in the real sense of the word, your first love. I know you won't get over her, I wouldn't want you to. You already know what Skye wrote to me. And I agree. Or else, I wouldn't be here."

Her words made everything even harder, because the shield he was sure he had against her lay shattered at their feet. A part of him was screaming that he was projecting again. The other part just didn't care. He'd never had control over anything. Skye had proven that.

Christine's determined gaze became questioning and he knew what she wanted to do, what she wanted to know. He didn't say anything, just stared back, fascinated by how her eyes looked like sunlight again instead of whiskey. Instead of misery.

She put her hand on his cheek and leaned forward the tiniest bit. He leaned a little closer, too, until they were a breath apart. Kissing her suddenly felt natural, like a good idea, something they both needed.

The sound of footsteps had them both jerking back. In a heartbeat, Sam was on his feet, pressed to the bars, hoping against hope Tom and Angie were finally on their way back.

Something a lot weirder greeted him. Two goons approached, Sarah walking between them, looking as confused as Sam felt. He stepped back the moment it became clear they wouldn't stuff her in Tom's cage.

Christine was on her feet as well and took Sam's hand as he reached her. The goons didn't even bother to take out guns this time as they opened the door and nudged Sarah inside. Sam analyzed their expressions, noticed how annoyed they looked, how tired of this situation. Something must have happened.

They didn't say a word and just closed the gate and left. Sam waited for their footsteps to fade before he could focus on Sarah.

"They took Jerry," she said before Sam could even open his mouth to ask.

"Wait, what?" Christine asked.

Sarah hugged herself, her eyes misty. "And Kyle and Kay had been gone for days. I noticed the other cage is empty as well."

Her words sent a bowling ball into Sam's stomach and his mouth dried out. What was left of his hope fizzled and died. Maybe it wasn't an accident then. Maybe Tom and Angie were really dead and so were Kyle and Kay, and now Jerry...

"Why wouldn't they take you with him?" he found himself asking.

"I don't know," Sarah whispered. "Maybe I'm not as important. Maybe..." She glanced at Sam and he knew what she meant.

Maybe they'll take him next and Sarah and Christine would be released as not being important enough. Which was favorable to them getting killed, but so unfair given how much Jerry loved Sarah and how Christine...

"Sammy," he whispered to Christine. "You have to take care of Sammy."

She shook her head. "No, that's not it. They're not going to just let us go and the others aren't dead! You'll see."

Sam wanted to believe her, but he couldn't. Couldn't focus on anything beyond the idea that his brothers could be dead, that he was next. But Tom! I would've felt it! He wasn't sure anymore.

Sarah and Christine exchanged news for a while, but he couldn't focus. He started pacing again, and kept doing it long after the girls fell silent. Hours seemed to tick by with no meaning, every second filling him with dread.

"Sam," Christine said after what felt like forever. "It's going to be alright."

He shook his head and continued pacing. Maybe she could keep denying that they were screwed, but he couldn't. What was even worse what that any sort of plan escaped him. As much as he tried and went over all possibilities, he couldn't think of anything to get them out of there.

"I think Christine's right," Sarah said, even if the doubt in her voice was obvious. "There's no logical explanation, especially if Snitch Gravel claims he has something to tell everyone. It's not like he managed to capture Jessie and Jimmy."

The moment the words were out, the door at the end of the hall opened again. Footsteps bounced off the walls, drilling a new form of dread into Sam. This was bad. He didn't even dare walk to the bars this time. Sarah did and she gasped.

"Remy, what did you do?" she whispered.

Sam frowned, but his unspoken question was answered once the newcomers reached the bars. Two harassed looking men, each of them pointing a shotgun at Jerry who stood between them, an unconscious Jessie in his arms.

"Out of the way," one of the men growled.

Sam didn't bother because he was far enough, so his eyes took in the numb expression on Jerry's face, the stiffness in his posture, the way he moved automatically, as if vaguely aware of what was going on. The moment he was inside and the guards closed the gate again, he took a few more steps and lay Jessie on the floor as if she were a delicate flower he was afraid of breaking.

"Jerry..." Christine breathed, but just like Sarah before her, couldn't finish the sentence.

Jerry didn't answer. He walked to the bars, sat down and hugged his knees to his chest, resting his forehead on top of them.

"You shouldn't have done this," Sarah said, her tone filled with muted anger.

"I know," he whispered. "But I couldn't take it."

"What did they do to you?" she asked, now sounding worried.

Jerry shook his head and didn't answer, but Sam already knew what he meant and what had happened.

Snitch Gravel had threatened Sarah, and after facing the torture and the misery, Jerry couldn't let that happen to her, and not because he didn't believe she was strong enough, but because he wasn't.

"You pretended to be Jimmy, didn't you?" he muttered, because he saw no other way he would've succeeded to knock Jessie out.

Jerry nodded and sniffed into his knees. Sarah stepped toward him fists clenched, fury burning in his eyes. "How could you?"

He raised his eyes. They were hazy with unshed tears. "I couldn't let him do that to you."

"Me? Me?" She stomped her foot. "I could take it! I'm not Tina!"

Jerry winced. "I know you're not--"

"Apparently you don't! I'm not this fragile little--"

"He would've handed you over to Cannon."

The words sent Sam's heart into his throat. It was the most devious threat Snitch Gravel could have come with. And one that would've made Sam do whatever he asked as well. So he walked over and squeezed Sarah's shoulder.

"He's right. That couldn't happen," he whispered.

Sarah still looked confused, so Christine added, "That freak tortures for pleasure. He's the one who almost killed Tom and Angie. He would've scarred you for life."

Sarah deflated, and even if she still looked confused, she took a step towards Jerry. He stiffened, clearly indicating that he wanted to be left alone.

"Did you see Jimmy?" Sam asked. Despite the dreary situation, the idea of a functional Jimmy out there was bringing his hope back.

"No," Jerry whispered. "I wouldn't be back here if I did. And since Jessie confused me for him, my guess is that he's better. Functional. It's the only thing that stops me from going insane right now."

Sam nodded. "It is good news." He began pacing again, his hands behind his back.

As much as he hated it, the news gave him a different sort of hope. If Jessie was here, Jimmy would come for her. And should he also get captured, this was it. Snitch Gravel would have everyone, so there was no more excuse not to tell them why they were there in the first place, no more excuse to keep torturing them.

Even if he ended up killing them all, maybe Sam would finally find out why his life had turned upside down.

🏯

Jessie's head hurt like a bitch. She became vaguely aware of that even before she opened her eyes to neon lights. That made no sense. Kato had yellowish light bulbs inside his house, and his beds weren't so hard either.

She shut her eyes again, her pulse beginning to rush as she tried to assess her whereabouts and figure out what had happened. The last thing she remembered was going out to find Jimmy because Kato was freaking out.

Then she'd met him, except it was Jerry.

Her eyes darted open again and she found herself staring into green eyes. Her chest filled with a sense of relief and joy before she took in the bruises and the half-healed cuts on Sam's face.

It didn't matter, he was alive, so she wrapped her arms around his neck and let him pull her into a sitting position, hugging him tightly through it. The moment she was horizontal, her head pounded again and she sucked air through her teeth. Her mind was sluggish and confused, not yet ready to face the reality that she was... Where?

"You alright?" Sam asked.

"Me? You! I'm so happy you're alive! I was so afraid we were too late." She pulled away from him and she finally got a good look around.

Sarah and Christine were also there, both of them dirty, but unharmed, smiling at her. It took Jessie a second to shake off the shock of Christine's presence, but she smiled back, glad they were okay. The cage they were in was huge, looking more like a cave with a wooden door on top of a long flight of stone steps and bars on the opposite wall.

The only other person in the cage was Jerry, sitting by the bars, his forehead leaning against his knees. Anger, fear and pain battled inside her, but she smothered the feelings, trying to focus on what had happened, on what it meant.

"We're in the castle, right?" she asked.

"We wouldn't know," Sarah said with a shrug. "We've never seen the building from outside."

Jessie's eyes shifted from her, back to Jerry, then she focused on Sam. "Where are the others?"

The tiny smile slipped off his face and he went deathly pale. Jessie's heart hitched, dreading the next words.

"We don't know," Sam whispered.

Jessie hated herself for the relief she felt at not being told outright that they were dead. Because they could be and no one would know.

Her mind was still a little numb, as was her body, but all of this was hard to take in. Especially the fact that she was here because Jerry, sweet, innocent Jerry, had fooled and basically kidnapped her. A big part of her wanted to rage, but the more she stared at him, the more she noticed little things.

There were cuts on his arms and bruises on his face that hadn't been there when he'd picked her up, and he looked more forlorn than she'd ever seen him. As the haziness of chloroform retreated and her enhanced perception return, she could practically see his guilt.

"Jerry," she said.

He didn't move or look at her, so she walked over and crouched next to him.

"I know you didn't want to do this," she said quietly. Hell, if she hadn't been so out if it after what had happened last night, she would've never fallen for it. But the truth was, she hadn't dreamed Jerry could get out, be there, so her mind dismissed the possibility even if something felt off. "Did he threaten Sarah?"

He nodded.

"Oh, Remy," Sarah muttered, her voice filled with sadness.

"He said he'd hand her over to Cannon," Jerry muttered.

Jessie's blood froze in her veins at the thought of that sicko. It was maybe the only threat that would work on any of them. Because they all knew there were things worse than death and Cannon was capable of them all.

"I don't blame you, Jerry," she said. "I'm not mad." But as the words left her mouth together with the last of the confusion, something more pressing weighed her down. "Except this shouldn't have happened." She straightened and charged at the bars. "Hey!" she yelled. "Let me out! You have to let me out!"

Jimmy was alone. And she knew he wouldn't take this lightly, not with his current mindset. He'd rage and do something stupid.

"Let me out!" she yelled again.

Sam stopped next to her. "They don't usually come if you yell."

"They have no idea what they've done!" She banged her fists harder against the bars. "Jimmy's gonna freak!"

"I'm sure he's going to be worried," Sarah said, her voice soothing. "But--"

"No!" Jessie turned to them. The more she thought about it, the more it scared her. Because all the progress they'd made, the times he claimed she was his anchor to reality... Now that she was gone, taken like that, what was he going to do?

She took in a deep breath, trying to calm herself at least a little. "You don't understand. Yes, he will worry, but it's not about that. Jimmy has changed. He is better, he does remember most things, but he's not who he used to be. If they don't let me out, he's coming after me." She turned back towards the empty stone corridor outside the bars. "And when he does, he'll leave a trail of blood and bodies behind."

Her words left a ringing silence in their wake.

It didn't mean they weren't true.

"They don't know what they've done," she whispered to herself.

And what scared her most was that she couldn't fully understand either. All she knew was that this was it. Their captivity was ending one way or another.

🏯🏯🏯

This is a lot more unedited. I just looked for basic spelling errors, so forgive me if it's wonky. I didn't want to break my update streak. 😅

So we have Jessie in the cages. We have poor Jerry hating himself for what he did. We have Sam and Christine getting a bit too... familiar?

Anyway, stay tuned for the next exciting installment when we get to see what Jimmy is doing.

Don't forget to vote and comment for support.