i have no fic writing skills
for lost_land
Challenge #14 - The Ship That Never Was
title: Abrubt
pairing: Ben/Juliet
rating: PG
“Where are we going?”
“The Flame.”
From the Barracks to the Flame would only take an hour, but that wasn’t a reason to go. She didn’t trust him at all. She downright hated him. She didn’t understand him and his mere presence made her very angry, and yet, there was still a small part of her that thought maybe he knew what he was doing and that everything would be okay. She might miraculously discover what was happening with the women who got pregnant, and cure the next one who foolishly put their faith in her, like Ben supposedly did. And she’d get to go home.
She knew that would never happen, but she imagined it could and quietly kept walking.
*
She knew the truth for the first time in three years. Ben hadn’t lied, but he still kept her prisoner.
“Are you alright, Juliet?”
“Why are you doing this? Why do you insist on keeping me here? If you cured her, then why can’t you cure yourself?”
“That’s not how it works.”
“How does it work, Ben?”
“I know you think you’ve failed. I know you think that you can’t help us, but…”
“What?”
“You can Juliet. And you will.”
“What if I came back, if I could just go home for a bit.”
“You’d never…” His voice broke off. “You wouldn’t.”
“Ben, I promise I would. I would come back.”
“No, Juliet, you wouldn’t. If you abandon us, you’ll never be able to come back. You’d be gone for good.”
“You mean if I abandon you.” She replied angrily.
“You have no idea. I wish you could be more grateful Juliet.”
“I.. I am grateful that you saved her. Them.” She started to cry again.
He reached into his pocket and handed her a clean tissue. “Here.”
“Thank you.” She looked at him and it was like she didn’t know how to react. To run away from him, to berate him or to embrace him.
Ben smiled. “You’re welcome.”
Her crying continued silently as they walked back.
*
“There you are.” He sounded out of breath.
She looked up.
“Hi, Ben.”
"Would you like to come over for a dinner party this evening?"
"A dinner party? Sure."
"Wonderful. 8 o'clock. I'll see you then."
He practically ran out the door.
*
Ben can be ridiculously abrupt, and it was usually when he was most afraid. She knew him well enough now to know that. But it never occurred to her that by dinner party he meant dinner, and that by dinner he meant candles and wine. When she mentioned Goodwin, she felt a satisfying sense of defiance, mixed with a little guilt.
"How's the ham?"