Lost Fanfiction: The Prisoner (Ben, Juliet)
Title: The Prisoner
Rating: PG
Characters: Ben, Juliet
Words: 500
Summary: Juliet and Ben discuss deceit.
Prompt: borrowed from new_otherton's prompt "divide"
“And the shadows of tree-trunks and shadows of leaves
Interlace with low voices and footsteps and sunlight
To divide us forever.” - Conrad Aiken
"I hate you for this," Juliet spoke, not bothering to disguise the contempt and exhaustion in her voice. She brushed her sweat-damp hair back from her face and sighed, moving steadily toward the dark interior of the island. Flinging a furious look over her shoulder, she shook her head. "This is wrong."
"Wrong?" Ben repeated, sampling the word as though he'd never heard it before. Cocking his head, he paused and stared at Juliet as if seeing her for the first time. "Do you remember the afternoon Sabine died?" he questioned. His words were a thousand knives, stabbing into Juliet's soul, but he did not sound apologetic for resurrecting the memory of Juliet's failings. "You tried your best to save her," Ben allowed. "But in the end she died anyway."
Juliet spun on her heel, glaring. "And now you want more women to die."
Ben shook his head softly, his blue eyes crystalline. "I'm asking you to save them, Juliet."
"How? You won't allow me to take any of them off the island -" Juliet bit back the rest of her argument. It did no good to oppose Ben. Even in his most vulnerable moments, when it seemed he'd run out of options, he always found a way to end up on top. "None of them will trust me."
"Jack already does," Ben pointed out. He looked edgy. "If you play your part, the way we rehearsed, it'll all go according to plan. You are prepared to carry out this mission, aren't you?"
Juliet rested her hand on her hip and sighed heavily. "I know what you want me to do," she replied, frowning.
Ben withdrew a key from his pocket and passed it over, arching his elbow. "You'll find supplies at the drop point. I'll expect a report as soon as you have information."
Nodding, Juliet folded her arms and stared at Ben coldly. "When this is over -"
"We'll talk," he finished for her. "Once communication is re-established with the mainland, something can be worked out. For now, make this your first priority." Ben settled a cautious hand on her shoulder, his expression needy. "Juliet -"
"Ben?"
"Take care of yourself," Ben said, amending his planned speech. He withdrew his hand, letting his shoulders sag. His wanting was palpable, but he kept it in check, nodding at her to go on.
Without saying goodbye, Juliet strode into the clearing where Kate was already resting, unconscious. She lifted the silver cuff and snapped it around her own wrist, then Kate's, and then leaned back and stared up at the blue, blue sky. She listened to the sounds of their people filing into the jungle, vanishing to a better vantage point. Sighing, she tried to control the rush of sympathy she felt for Jack, the rest of the survivors who would be the victims of yet another elaborate ruse. She was just as much as prisoner as they were; more, because unlike them, she'd been tricked into playing the game.
Rating: PG
Characters: Ben, Juliet
Words: 500
Summary: Juliet and Ben discuss deceit.
Prompt: borrowed from new_otherton's prompt "divide"
“And the shadows of tree-trunks and shadows of leaves
Interlace with low voices and footsteps and sunlight
To divide us forever.” - Conrad Aiken
"I hate you for this," Juliet spoke, not bothering to disguise the contempt and exhaustion in her voice. She brushed her sweat-damp hair back from her face and sighed, moving steadily toward the dark interior of the island. Flinging a furious look over her shoulder, she shook her head. "This is wrong."
"Wrong?" Ben repeated, sampling the word as though he'd never heard it before. Cocking his head, he paused and stared at Juliet as if seeing her for the first time. "Do you remember the afternoon Sabine died?" he questioned. His words were a thousand knives, stabbing into Juliet's soul, but he did not sound apologetic for resurrecting the memory of Juliet's failings. "You tried your best to save her," Ben allowed. "But in the end she died anyway."
Juliet spun on her heel, glaring. "And now you want more women to die."
Ben shook his head softly, his blue eyes crystalline. "I'm asking you to save them, Juliet."
"How? You won't allow me to take any of them off the island -" Juliet bit back the rest of her argument. It did no good to oppose Ben. Even in his most vulnerable moments, when it seemed he'd run out of options, he always found a way to end up on top. "None of them will trust me."
"Jack already does," Ben pointed out. He looked edgy. "If you play your part, the way we rehearsed, it'll all go according to plan. You are prepared to carry out this mission, aren't you?"
Juliet rested her hand on her hip and sighed heavily. "I know what you want me to do," she replied, frowning.
Ben withdrew a key from his pocket and passed it over, arching his elbow. "You'll find supplies at the drop point. I'll expect a report as soon as you have information."
Nodding, Juliet folded her arms and stared at Ben coldly. "When this is over -"
"We'll talk," he finished for her. "Once communication is re-established with the mainland, something can be worked out. For now, make this your first priority." Ben settled a cautious hand on her shoulder, his expression needy. "Juliet -"
"Ben?"
"Take care of yourself," Ben said, amending his planned speech. He withdrew his hand, letting his shoulders sag. His wanting was palpable, but he kept it in check, nodding at her to go on.
Without saying goodbye, Juliet strode into the clearing where Kate was already resting, unconscious. She lifted the silver cuff and snapped it around her own wrist, then Kate's, and then leaned back and stared up at the blue, blue sky. She listened to the sounds of their people filing into the jungle, vanishing to a better vantage point. Sighing, she tried to control the rush of sympathy she felt for Jack, the rest of the survivors who would be the victims of yet another elaborate ruse. She was just as much as prisoner as they were; more, because unlike them, she'd been tricked into playing the game.