For muse_shuffle | March Disc One
10. And all my friends were vampires
Didn't know they were vampires
Turns out I was a vampire myself
In the Devil Town
[‘Devil Town’ - Daniel Johnston]
[[Pierce written by agentfraser | Follows THIS]]
Izzy sat across from Pierce and watched him expectantly. She was waiting for her former boss to call up the guys with the staight jacket to come take her away for talking crazy. Hearing that James Campbell wasn't really dead had to classify as extremely weird, if the fact that she'd even called him at all and arranged a meeting wasn't already. They were nowhere near the office, and Iz was grateful. She wasn't sure she could face her old colleagues just yet... Not until she knew Pierce believed her. She had her hands wrapped around her coffee, and still had her eyes on him as she took a sip. "I think this has effectively become an awkward silence, boss. Anytime you're ready to break it would be welcome."
Pierce narrowed his eyes as he analysed her closely. Tone of voice, body language, any signs of being under the influence of... well, anything, really. She seemed sane. "I saw the evidence with my own eyes, Owens. The amount of blood in that car. There was no question. What are you playing at?" he demanded.
Iz exhaled and leaned forward. "I'm not playing at anything, Pierce. Do you understand how much of a fucking shock it was seeing him on Ali's balcony? Ali, who knew about this a lot longer than I did? He's SS. They faked his death to give him a new life and deep cover. Only he's cracking. You should see him... He's breaking, boss. He can't keep this up, and as much as I hate what he did to all of us, he needs our help. I think being back with the FBI will give him some sanity. Being back with us will give him some sanity." She held his gaze, trying to convey that she was planning on being a part of this. She would come back.
"Sullivan knew?" Pierce frowned, glancing down at his coffee as he started to contemplate the ins and outs of the situation. He shook his head. "You're telling me the fucking SS recruited Campbell right under our noses? Those freaking bastards." He looked at her seriously, his blue eyes stuck on her face now. "What do you mean he's breaking? You're talking fairy stories, Owens. You can't drag an SS Agent back to the FBI at the drop of a hat. I knew he was good, but fuck me..."
"We all knew he was good... This is to do with David. I'm not going to pretend I understand all of it, because to be honest I wanted to hurt him for hurting me like he did... I can't. He's... he can't work out who he is anymore. James has always been good at undercover, but not to this extent. Not when he gave up his whole damn life. He cracked. He had to get pieces of it back, like Ali and her kid. Then I came back when he least expected it, but he won't let me leave again. And I don't want to leave. The SS though... I keep expecting guys in suits to come knocking on my fucking door and taking me away because I've blown his cover, or some shit. He's breaking because he can't handle not being James. He can do cover when he knows he's still James, or can go back to being James. He doesn't know who he's supposed to go back to being himself. Then there's his new... girlfriend. She's pregnant, and he can't even process the fact he's going to be a father, or feel anything about it one way or the other. He's in limbo, and it's destroying him." She pushed her fingers through her hair and looked at the man she was hoping could help her. "I know it's probably impossible, but if anyone can come up with something it's you. Besides, do you really want the SS to have beat you?"
There were too many details for her to be really inventing it in her mind. Honestly, he had thought she was going nuts in her grief. That had been his first suspicions, but it would be impossible for her to construct details like this without signs of grief and loss showing through. Besides the first comment, there was none. His eyes narrowed a little at her last comment, the only indication she had nudged at a sensitive spot. This was actually the first time one of Pierce's own had been filched by the SS and he didn't like it one bit. The fuck to Campbell too for being so good at hiding it. Pierce knew it wouldn't have been an overnight process. "What do you want, Owens? No pissing about the pansies. What do you want?"
"I want back in, but I want Campbell back as my partner. I know he won't give up the current investigation because he's invested a lot, and I know the SS won't let go of him easily, but I want us both back into the unit. Maybe they'll agree if he can straddle both organisations, like a liason... God only knows the SS could use someone that talks sense instead of fucking us over." She leaned back in her seat again, keeping her face as straight as she could. "He was right when he said I missed it, but I'm not coming back without him. I'm not stupid enough to think that you'll want to do all this to get me back. I'm not Campbell. But you want him, you take me."
Pierce raised an eyebrow. "He said you missed it? Do you, or do you just see this as a way of gripping hold of old times?" he asked suspiciously. His own coffee remained untouched in front of him. "You realise you are wanting the near impossible, Owens? What's next? Move Mexico two feet to the left? Does Campbell even want to come back to the FBI or is he just needing a prescription for Xanax?"
"I do miss it, boss. I can't fool him anymore than I can fool you. I don't want to grip onto old times, because things aren't the same. I just know he's the best partner I've ever had, and I'd want him in a heartbeat." Her gaze dropped, Pierce asking the one question she couldn't answer with any real conviction. "I think he would if he thought it was possible. His excuse for not getting out of the SS is that there is no getting out."
"Or that's what he's telling you," Pierce added and leaned forward on the table. "How do you know this is just not all part of his facade? How do you know he's not playing you to get to something else? He's in the SS because he's a clever fuck. Just about everything he does will be linked to something else. Is what he's telling you a cover for something else because you accidentally saw him?"
Iz shook her head. "He's broken, Pierce. Remember when Sullivan was 'suddenly' pregnant and he couldn't think straight? He's like that only a hundred times worse. He's not coping. He's a clever fuck, but he's not invincible. This is breaking him."
"Yeah, she's a clever fuck too. None of us knew she was knocked up until she was practically giving birth." Pierce shook his head. "He has no idea you're speaking to me, does he? How are you going to explain that to him? The last I knew, Campbell got awfully bitchy when people interfered in his private life."
"He owes me," Izzy replied, her voice hard. "He fucking interfered with mine by making a decision for our relationship without ever consulting me. This is peanuts compared to making me a widow. I wasn't going to go to him until there was a plan, and until I knew you would want him back. No point promising him an out, when there's nothing waiting for him."
Pierce tilted his head a little as he contemplated her. "He owes you, so you've decided payment is luring him out of a highly exclusive position with the SS to come back to be your partner with the FBI? What aren't you telling me, Owens? This is like trying to coax Bill Gates to work for McDonalds."
"No, I mean he doesn't have a right to get pissed off at me doing this when he killed himself for a promotion." She let out a frustrated noise and shrugged helplessly. "I don't want him broken, okay? He's still James. He's still my best friend, your best worker, my partner. That's all."
Pierce pointed to her. "Yes, he does. And you're risking that he will. Are you sure you're okay with that? He has worked hard to get where he is and willingly gave up a lot, if what you're saying is true. He did it for a reason. He might well get pissed off at you for interfering." He shook his head. "How am I supposed to pull off resurrecting Campbell from the dead? His death sent shockwaves through the whole of HQ. They had the biggest mass resignation ever because people were scared it could happen to them. We're just supposed to welcome him back and give him his old desk? I still don't buy he will walk from the SS. Once you're SS, you're always SS."
"And if I ask him if he would come back? If he says yes, can you come up with something?" Izzy asked softly, her green eyes on Pierce's face.
"I need your word that you're in this lock and stock, Owens. That you're not just doing it because of some old romantic feelings," Pierce told her. "You're not the only one risking shit here."
"I'm in this lock and stock, boss. This has nothing to do with romantic feelings." And it shouldn't have really surprised her to realise that was true. There was always going to be something residual between her and Campbell, but after the trip to England to see Cameron, things had shifted inside her and she had clarity. "I'll do whatever it takes, and I will commit to you one hundred percent. I know I don't have his ass, but I'll even give you a lap dance."
Pierce raised an eyebrow and waved her off dismissively. "I don't even want to know what that means. Leave it with me, but you talk to him. Campbell's mind is not a place I want to be. That's your job. Talk to him and get him to agree to meet with me and we'll take it from there. And tell Sullivan she's missed at HQ."
Iz nodded. "I'll tell her. And thank you... I wouldn't have dragged you into this if it wasn't important."
"I know. And that's what scares the fuck out of me. To think I actually had a peaceful few months without you two haunting me," Pierce snorted, though his eyes showed he was actually relieved to know the infamous Campbell and Owens team was back.
Isabel Owens
Original Character
Words: 1836
All muses referred to with permission and come from the princeton2nyc verse
Didn't know they were vampires
Turns out I was a vampire myself
In the Devil Town
[‘Devil Town’ - Daniel Johnston]
[[Pierce written by agentfraser | Follows THIS]]
Izzy sat across from Pierce and watched him expectantly. She was waiting for her former boss to call up the guys with the staight jacket to come take her away for talking crazy. Hearing that James Campbell wasn't really dead had to classify as extremely weird, if the fact that she'd even called him at all and arranged a meeting wasn't already. They were nowhere near the office, and Iz was grateful. She wasn't sure she could face her old colleagues just yet... Not until she knew Pierce believed her. She had her hands wrapped around her coffee, and still had her eyes on him as she took a sip. "I think this has effectively become an awkward silence, boss. Anytime you're ready to break it would be welcome."
Pierce narrowed his eyes as he analysed her closely. Tone of voice, body language, any signs of being under the influence of... well, anything, really. She seemed sane. "I saw the evidence with my own eyes, Owens. The amount of blood in that car. There was no question. What are you playing at?" he demanded.
Iz exhaled and leaned forward. "I'm not playing at anything, Pierce. Do you understand how much of a fucking shock it was seeing him on Ali's balcony? Ali, who knew about this a lot longer than I did? He's SS. They faked his death to give him a new life and deep cover. Only he's cracking. You should see him... He's breaking, boss. He can't keep this up, and as much as I hate what he did to all of us, he needs our help. I think being back with the FBI will give him some sanity. Being back with us will give him some sanity." She held his gaze, trying to convey that she was planning on being a part of this. She would come back.
"Sullivan knew?" Pierce frowned, glancing down at his coffee as he started to contemplate the ins and outs of the situation. He shook his head. "You're telling me the fucking SS recruited Campbell right under our noses? Those freaking bastards." He looked at her seriously, his blue eyes stuck on her face now. "What do you mean he's breaking? You're talking fairy stories, Owens. You can't drag an SS Agent back to the FBI at the drop of a hat. I knew he was good, but fuck me..."
"We all knew he was good... This is to do with David. I'm not going to pretend I understand all of it, because to be honest I wanted to hurt him for hurting me like he did... I can't. He's... he can't work out who he is anymore. James has always been good at undercover, but not to this extent. Not when he gave up his whole damn life. He cracked. He had to get pieces of it back, like Ali and her kid. Then I came back when he least expected it, but he won't let me leave again. And I don't want to leave. The SS though... I keep expecting guys in suits to come knocking on my fucking door and taking me away because I've blown his cover, or some shit. He's breaking because he can't handle not being James. He can do cover when he knows he's still James, or can go back to being James. He doesn't know who he's supposed to go back to being himself. Then there's his new... girlfriend. She's pregnant, and he can't even process the fact he's going to be a father, or feel anything about it one way or the other. He's in limbo, and it's destroying him." She pushed her fingers through her hair and looked at the man she was hoping could help her. "I know it's probably impossible, but if anyone can come up with something it's you. Besides, do you really want the SS to have beat you?"
There were too many details for her to be really inventing it in her mind. Honestly, he had thought she was going nuts in her grief. That had been his first suspicions, but it would be impossible for her to construct details like this without signs of grief and loss showing through. Besides the first comment, there was none. His eyes narrowed a little at her last comment, the only indication she had nudged at a sensitive spot. This was actually the first time one of Pierce's own had been filched by the SS and he didn't like it one bit. The fuck to Campbell too for being so good at hiding it. Pierce knew it wouldn't have been an overnight process. "What do you want, Owens? No pissing about the pansies. What do you want?"
"I want back in, but I want Campbell back as my partner. I know he won't give up the current investigation because he's invested a lot, and I know the SS won't let go of him easily, but I want us both back into the unit. Maybe they'll agree if he can straddle both organisations, like a liason... God only knows the SS could use someone that talks sense instead of fucking us over." She leaned back in her seat again, keeping her face as straight as she could. "He was right when he said I missed it, but I'm not coming back without him. I'm not stupid enough to think that you'll want to do all this to get me back. I'm not Campbell. But you want him, you take me."
Pierce raised an eyebrow. "He said you missed it? Do you, or do you just see this as a way of gripping hold of old times?" he asked suspiciously. His own coffee remained untouched in front of him. "You realise you are wanting the near impossible, Owens? What's next? Move Mexico two feet to the left? Does Campbell even want to come back to the FBI or is he just needing a prescription for Xanax?"
"I do miss it, boss. I can't fool him anymore than I can fool you. I don't want to grip onto old times, because things aren't the same. I just know he's the best partner I've ever had, and I'd want him in a heartbeat." Her gaze dropped, Pierce asking the one question she couldn't answer with any real conviction. "I think he would if he thought it was possible. His excuse for not getting out of the SS is that there is no getting out."
"Or that's what he's telling you," Pierce added and leaned forward on the table. "How do you know this is just not all part of his facade? How do you know he's not playing you to get to something else? He's in the SS because he's a clever fuck. Just about everything he does will be linked to something else. Is what he's telling you a cover for something else because you accidentally saw him?"
Iz shook her head. "He's broken, Pierce. Remember when Sullivan was 'suddenly' pregnant and he couldn't think straight? He's like that only a hundred times worse. He's not coping. He's a clever fuck, but he's not invincible. This is breaking him."
"Yeah, she's a clever fuck too. None of us knew she was knocked up until she was practically giving birth." Pierce shook his head. "He has no idea you're speaking to me, does he? How are you going to explain that to him? The last I knew, Campbell got awfully bitchy when people interfered in his private life."
"He owes me," Izzy replied, her voice hard. "He fucking interfered with mine by making a decision for our relationship without ever consulting me. This is peanuts compared to making me a widow. I wasn't going to go to him until there was a plan, and until I knew you would want him back. No point promising him an out, when there's nothing waiting for him."
Pierce tilted his head a little as he contemplated her. "He owes you, so you've decided payment is luring him out of a highly exclusive position with the SS to come back to be your partner with the FBI? What aren't you telling me, Owens? This is like trying to coax Bill Gates to work for McDonalds."
"No, I mean he doesn't have a right to get pissed off at me doing this when he killed himself for a promotion." She let out a frustrated noise and shrugged helplessly. "I don't want him broken, okay? He's still James. He's still my best friend, your best worker, my partner. That's all."
Pierce pointed to her. "Yes, he does. And you're risking that he will. Are you sure you're okay with that? He has worked hard to get where he is and willingly gave up a lot, if what you're saying is true. He did it for a reason. He might well get pissed off at you for interfering." He shook his head. "How am I supposed to pull off resurrecting Campbell from the dead? His death sent shockwaves through the whole of HQ. They had the biggest mass resignation ever because people were scared it could happen to them. We're just supposed to welcome him back and give him his old desk? I still don't buy he will walk from the SS. Once you're SS, you're always SS."
"And if I ask him if he would come back? If he says yes, can you come up with something?" Izzy asked softly, her green eyes on Pierce's face.
"I need your word that you're in this lock and stock, Owens. That you're not just doing it because of some old romantic feelings," Pierce told her. "You're not the only one risking shit here."
"I'm in this lock and stock, boss. This has nothing to do with romantic feelings." And it shouldn't have really surprised her to realise that was true. There was always going to be something residual between her and Campbell, but after the trip to England to see Cameron, things had shifted inside her and she had clarity. "I'll do whatever it takes, and I will commit to you one hundred percent. I know I don't have his ass, but I'll even give you a lap dance."
Pierce raised an eyebrow and waved her off dismissively. "I don't even want to know what that means. Leave it with me, but you talk to him. Campbell's mind is not a place I want to be. That's your job. Talk to him and get him to agree to meet with me and we'll take it from there. And tell Sullivan she's missed at HQ."
Iz nodded. "I'll tell her. And thank you... I wouldn't have dragged you into this if it wasn't important."
"I know. And that's what scares the fuck out of me. To think I actually had a peaceful few months without you two haunting me," Pierce snorted, though his eyes showed he was actually relieved to know the infamous Campbell and Owens team was back.
Isabel Owens
Original Character
Words: 1836
All muses referred to with permission and come from the princeton2nyc verse