The next morning is lonely.
And she thinks it's funny, because she never expected to feel more lonely than the moments spent alone in that cell.
But there is a certain kind of loneliness that comes when you can't say what you want to. When you can't have the conversations you've been dreaming of having over the past few months. When you must lock a part of yourself away.
She wasn't sure if she should mention anything to Sarah regarding Dorian. It was a horrible feeling that came even when she looked at Sarah. When she saw her leg bounce with impatience, waiting for something that would never happen. How when their eyes met, she saw that Sarah's were filled with hope. The same hope that once filled her own eyes, but one that had died a long time ago.
She knew it made the most sense to tell Sarah, but Ward hadn't mentioned anything. About what he wanted Sarah to know and to not know. What she would be able to talk about with her and what was off limits.
But she wasn't in any position to test those limits, because she knew if she said one wrong thing, that her brother would pay the price.
She could tell Sarah didn't know a lot. And each vague conversation that lasted between the two proved that fact more and more.
Valerie wanted to ask about it. To ask what she thought had been happening over the past six months. To figure out what could possibly be running through Sarahs mind, but she wasn't sure if she could.
So she didn't.
And instead everything she wanted to say, and promised herself she one day would tell Sarah would have to be placed on the back burner, and would be kept on a mental list to bring up later.
Ward seemed to be adjusting the best out of them all, and settled them into a somewhat domestic routine. They were required to sit and eat breakfast, lunch and dinner together.
It was a routine they fell into easily, because they weren't sure there was any other choice.
Sarah was the last to sit down at breakfast, and right away her eyes found Valeries, questions asked silently through wide glances and raised eyebrows. She wondered if this had become normal for them, and if she was now apart of it. Valerie wanted to tell her this was new, this was probably only occurring because she was there.
That maybe Valerie wasn't locked in her own cell because Ward was determined to treat her right in front of Sarah. To try and put on some act, to make himself look good.
And it all clicked into place the moment she realized that.
After all this time, this had all been a part of the plan. The same plan he'd had so many months ago when he first took Valerie off of that ship and onto this island. To get Sarah back.
It made sense, why he had been so intent on trading his own daughter for her, because she was leverage, to get Sarah to come to him willingly.
It still was only about Sarah.
"Good morning." Ward smiled at her, but Sarah didn't speak nor did she return the gesture.
Valerie dug her fork into the eggs assembled on her plate, keeping her head low trying not to laugh. She could have easily confused this moment for one she'd lived through a thousand times during the past few years.
But even Sarah and Ward must have known it was not the same and probably never would be. It didn't take long before they started to eat and silence settled. It was a loud kind of silence, one that rang in her ears and poked at her so much she contemplated breaking it.
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𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗲 𝘄𝗿𝗼𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗱 / 𝗿𝗮𝗳𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗻
Fanfiction"and if I get burned, at least we were electrified" *begins at the end of season 2* (written before season 3) One wrong move, and Valerie Claremont was dead. on the Costal Venture, Rafe Cameron pressed a knife to her throat. In a life boat prepare...