(Untitled)

[psychosnowflake]

Who: Jack/Tyler and Nellie Lovett
Where: Nellie Lovett's room.
When: After getting this invitation.

Comments

I'm so sorry Jack D:

[lovett_bythesea]

A knock at the door just in time! She had just finished setting the tea tray, fresh water and everything. She did not expect to be entertaining guests this evening, so she hadn't had much time to pretty herself up. Just as well; it was a friendly social call and nothing more.

Nellie opened the door and greeted her guest with a kind, welcoming smile. "Jack, right? Come in, dearie, make yourself at home."

[psychosnowflake]

Jack was looking at his hands when Nellie opened the door, thinking about how long it had been since he'd had a good fight. He didn't recognise the voice at all, the thick English accent. As she greeted him, he looked up.

And stumbled backwards.

"Marla?" his voice was fast and hoarse and shocked. There was a pain in his chest and he shook his head violently. "No no no no no," he muttered, his mouth open, breathing hard. His breaths were ragged and shaky. She wasn't on the Barge, she couldn't be, he didn't want her here! "You-" He shook his head more, taking a few steps back.

[lovett_bythesea]

Nellie had never had such a reaction before. Well, maybe the frightened look from a not-quite-dead ingredient, but never from someone she'd just met. She was both confused and concerned; the poor man seemed out of his mind with fear. What could've caused something like this?

"Calm down, alright luv? I'm not this Marla person, it's just Nellie." She held her hands out, palms forward, and took a cautious step forward. "I'm...not going to hurt you."

[psychosnowflake]

"Not going to hurt me? What if I hurt you... No. No, no. You can't be here," he continued shaking his head and scrubbed a hand over his eyes. He swallowed hard, gaze flicking from her face to the ground to his now-violently trembling hands. You look like a nutjob, Jack, Tyler's voice in his head was louder than it had been for months. He shook his head again, looking back at her. "You can't be here," he said again. If she was here, Tyler might...

"Marla," he repeated, biting hard into his lip. She looked completely bewildered. What if it really wasn't her? She looks exactly the same... But there were doubles on the Barge, people who were identical to other people. What if she was one? She wasn't dressed like Marla, she didn't talk like Marla, but she looked so much like her...

[lovett_bythesea]

"Now how could you hurt me?" Spoken with the same cautious tone, but now with a bit of disdain creeping in. She doubted anyone could hurt her as badly as Mr. T. Besides, Jack looked like he hadn't eaten properly in a good long while. He barely looked able to defend himself from a group of small children.

She sighed, and placed her hands on her hips. "Listen luv, this Marla person is not me, alright? Though I do admit to not belonging here. And if you don't mind my saying, I think you'll need more than a spot of tea to help calm you down, yeah? A good meal for starters."

And Jack tries to flee!

[psychosnowflake]

"I-" he paused, not sure what to say. She was looking at him like Marla had looked at him that last time, a mix of irritation, disbelief and worry. It made it hard to think. He groaned quietly and shook his head again. "I can't stay..."

He had to leave. Even if she wasn't Marla, it was too much. He couldn't deal with this. He wasn't ready. "Sorry, I-" he swallowed and turned away from her. "I've got to go"

now she gets all maternal

[lovett_bythesea]

Nellie sighed and moved quickly to stand in front of him. Whatever had set his mind askew was clearly something he wasn't going to share. Even so, she couldn't let him leave in the state he was in.

"Not like that you don't. You're liable to go completely off your rocker the state you're in. Best to calm down a bit first." She was curious who Marla was, though wasn't about to ask. It seemed to set him on edge for some reason.

Jack's freaking out bad. :/

[psychosnowflake]

Off his rocker? Too late for that. She was blocking his way. He wanted to get away from her. She might not be Marla, but she looked just like her, and he didn't want Tyler to hurt her. Their last conversation, she'd said, "It's not love or anything, but I like you too," You don't like me, you like Tyler. "No, I like you. I can tell the difference."

Jack shook his head again, but didn't try to leave. He was numb now. Trying to be the calm little center of the world. Zen. This wasn't Marla. This was someone called Nellie, who just happened to look like Marla. Exactly like Marla. Underneath it, Tyler was laughing.

Lovett is at a loss :\

[lovett_bythesea]

He wasn't backing away anymore, so that was good. But now he was a complete blank, as if his mind had flown off to heaven--or whatever passed for heaven in this place.

"Hey, you alright?" She inquired, still concerned. Nellie moved out of his way, to her door, where she stood uncertainly. "Coming in then, luv?" Maybe it was best if he left after all. He was starting to frighten her.

I think it'll be best she lets him go.

[psychosnowflake]

"I think-" Jack began faintly, then paused. He wasn't sure what to do. What would be better? He looked at her again, then down. "I'm not feeling too good, actually. I think I need to go lie down."

He could get some rope, some sleeping pills. He could get someone to lock the door from the outside. Something. There had to be something. You try and stop me, and we're enemies. Remember? Tyler whispered in a menacing tone. Jack shuddered. "I should go."

She was considering it

[lovett_bythesea]

Nellie weighed her options. To let him go as he was to do some likely crazy damage, or try and get him inside to calm him down (which seemed unlikely he'd agree to). She was torn between caring for the poor dear or just figuring what will be will be.

In the end, she sighed, still not decided. "Alright then. But...you take care of yourself, yeah? I'm always here if you need to chat..." She took a few steps back into her room, and closed the door, but left enough open to watch him depart.

[psychosnowflake]

Jack nodded distractedly, and turned to go. He couldn't think about how strange he must seem. He couldn't think about her at all. He just needed to get back to his room before Tyler broke out. He headed back for his room in a hurry.