Fic Exchange -- Backup Fic Written for mmm_brainz
Title: Chameleon
Rating: PG13
Pairing: Eden/Candice Eden's POV
Spoilers/Warnings (if any): Season 1?
Prompts: "No, keep the lights on." "Why?" "I want to see you."; chocolate; bruises.(I don't think I got the last one in. Sorry:( )
Summary: "I can hardly recognize myself anymore."
Knowing Candice for as long as I had, I could always tell when there was something on her mind. I would always find her in some vacant corner, downing a box of chocolates piece by piece until you could see only tiny black wrappers remaining.
This was one of those times. By the time I came upon her, Candice had already made it to the second layer of the assorted cremes.
I couldn't help but let out a soft laugh as I approached her. "Man trouble?" I teased, sitting beside her, sticking my hand into the box, coming up with a strawberry piece.
"Funny," Candice placed the box aside, keeping a forward glance for a while. "What are we really doing here?" she finally spoke again.
I wasn't quite sure where she was coming from. "You mean... the meaning of life?" I asked and Candice chuckled.
"No" she said. "I mean... the work we do here... for the Company. Do you ever question yourself, your decision to do it?"
"Do you really consider it a decision?" I asked her curiously. I myself had always felt it was a forced choice. Help or else. I never wanted to think about the 'or else' part.
Candice didn't answer, but I watched her eyes as she pondered the question. Again, there was a drawn out silence that practically echoed through the suite where we sat. The most gorgeous room I had been in in a long time. In my entire life, actually.
"Why I'm here..." Candice finally continued. "Mr. Linderman called and asked for a 'favor'."
I didn't want to ask. I never asked when Candice brought me along on these jobs and she never asked when I brought her.
Something about today was different. Something about Candice was different. I broke my first rule and spoke the question.
"What does he want?" I asked her gently. Where Mr. Linderman was concerned, you always needed to tread lightly.
"When I was a kid.." Candice began. "I was... different from everyone and my ability was a way for me to start over, to fit in. I transformed myself, created a new me, somebody I could look at in the mirror and be happy about. I never thought I would become other people. Trick them into believing things that could make a person tear their eyes out. You know there was actually a time when I was happy with what I had become, who I finally was. And now..."
Candice flopped herself back on the bed with an audible sigh. I hated seeing her this way. It broke my heart.
"I can hardly recognize myself anymore. I'm like this chameleon, changing... all the time. I don't think anyone ever sees me for more than five minutes."
I lay beside her, turning onto my side, hand gently sifting through her brown hair. "We just have to believe that what we're doing... will do more to help."
"I wish I could just forget. Forget it all for at least a little while."
I didn't need her to spell it out to know what she wanted and needed from me. I only nodded in agreement. Candice slowly leaned over to flick off the lights.
"No," I said softly. "Keep the lights on."
"Why?"
"I want to see you."
Rating: PG13
Pairing: Eden/Candice Eden's POV
Spoilers/Warnings (if any): Season 1?
Prompts: "No, keep the lights on." "Why?" "I want to see you."; chocolate; bruises.(I don't think I got the last one in. Sorry:( )
Summary: "I can hardly recognize myself anymore."
Knowing Candice for as long as I had, I could always tell when there was something on her mind. I would always find her in some vacant corner, downing a box of chocolates piece by piece until you could see only tiny black wrappers remaining.
This was one of those times. By the time I came upon her, Candice had already made it to the second layer of the assorted cremes.
I couldn't help but let out a soft laugh as I approached her. "Man trouble?" I teased, sitting beside her, sticking my hand into the box, coming up with a strawberry piece.
"Funny," Candice placed the box aside, keeping a forward glance for a while. "What are we really doing here?" she finally spoke again.
I wasn't quite sure where she was coming from. "You mean... the meaning of life?" I asked and Candice chuckled.
"No" she said. "I mean... the work we do here... for the Company. Do you ever question yourself, your decision to do it?"
"Do you really consider it a decision?" I asked her curiously. I myself had always felt it was a forced choice. Help or else. I never wanted to think about the 'or else' part.
Candice didn't answer, but I watched her eyes as she pondered the question. Again, there was a drawn out silence that practically echoed through the suite where we sat. The most gorgeous room I had been in in a long time. In my entire life, actually.
"Why I'm here..." Candice finally continued. "Mr. Linderman called and asked for a 'favor'."
I didn't want to ask. I never asked when Candice brought me along on these jobs and she never asked when I brought her.
Something about today was different. Something about Candice was different. I broke my first rule and spoke the question.
"What does he want?" I asked her gently. Where Mr. Linderman was concerned, you always needed to tread lightly.
"When I was a kid.." Candice began. "I was... different from everyone and my ability was a way for me to start over, to fit in. I transformed myself, created a new me, somebody I could look at in the mirror and be happy about. I never thought I would become other people. Trick them into believing things that could make a person tear their eyes out. You know there was actually a time when I was happy with what I had become, who I finally was. And now..."
Candice flopped herself back on the bed with an audible sigh. I hated seeing her this way. It broke my heart.
"I can hardly recognize myself anymore. I'm like this chameleon, changing... all the time. I don't think anyone ever sees me for more than five minutes."
I lay beside her, turning onto my side, hand gently sifting through her brown hair. "We just have to believe that what we're doing... will do more to help."
"I wish I could just forget. Forget it all for at least a little while."
I didn't need her to spell it out to know what she wanted and needed from me. I only nodded in agreement. Candice slowly leaned over to flick off the lights.
"No," I said softly. "Keep the lights on."
"Why?"
"I want to see you."