Stepping Away: TWDG (Book Three, Clementine x Fem!Oc)

Thicker Than Water (Part 3) | "A dream come true."

As she spoke, there was a cough and splutter as Lingard woke up. We all turned to look at him, seeing him staring at me and Clementine with surprise.

Lingard: Hello, you two. I see you found each other again, not really a surprise, I guess. Ah, Javier. Thought you were rotting in a cell with David. There any chance he got out, too? I hate to think about what Joan might do to him. Despite all her pleasantries, she’s a cruel bitch.

Javier: Joan took him before I got out. I haven’t seen him since.

Lingard: That poor bastard. He’s… he’s not getting out. Guess there’s only one sure way to get away from Joan these days.

Emma: Who cares? David fucking deserves everything that’s happening to him.

Lingard: If you think that, you don’t know David.

Clementine: We know he’s the reason we lost AJ and each other.

Lingard: I can’t speak for why he split you two up, but when AJ recovered, David was the one who stepped up. Took personal responsibility for that kid.

Emma: Look, David is a grade-A asshole, if he was the one who looked after AJ while we were gone, I don’t know how the boy turned out… Shit.

Lingard: Whatever you think, David’s the reason the kid’s better off now than… than he’s ever been. You two can be as mad as you want about how… about how things panned out. The fact of the matter is, David’s been good for AJ, among others.

Javier: Clem and Emma are AJ’s family. No kid is “better off” when you break their family apart.

Lingard: Maybe you’re right. Maybe AJ should be with Emma and Clem. All I know is that he’s doing better than when he was when he got here.

Clementine: No thanks to you, or David.

Lingard: I stand by what I said.

Emma: Well, if David’s does such a good fucking job raising him, why was he telling me and Clem to ask you where AJ is, huh?

Lingard: That’s what this is about, then? You two… you want to know where the boy is?

Javier: What do you want?

Lingard: I… I just want to die. I want you to inject this into me.

He moved his arms to his side table, filling a syringe with morphine slightly messily.

Javier: Hang in there. Tomorrow’s another day.

Lingard: I… I can’t. When your brother found me, he… he got me to care about everything I’d given up on. My life, other people, even this goddamn place. Without him around, I don’t want to care anymore.

I stepped towards him dangerously, Clementine slamming her fist on the table beside him.

Clementine: Just tell us where he is!

Lingard: Then you won’t have any reason to do it.

He offered the syringe up to Javi, who furrowed his eyebrows before taking it.

Emma: Please, Javi. We have to know. This is all we’ve been trying to look for this whole time. We’re so close… just do this last thing.

He thought for a moment, but shook his head, shoving the syringe back into Lingard’s hand.

Javier: I’m sorry, both of you. We can’t do this.

Clementine: No. You have to.

Emma: I don’t care, Javi. If you won’t do it, I will.