Evermore ღ Newt TMR³

22. Never in a Million Years

"These need to go back on before Janson gets back," she mumbled as she began to redo the restraints.

"Mom?"

Lucinda shook her head and walked over to the door, preparing to leave.

"Mom! Tell me! Tell me what is going on! You owe me!" Lori screamed, losing patience with the entire ordeal.

"The cure is in Thomas' brain, Lori!" Her mother shouted back.

This made her stop yelling. It was in his brain. How? Why?

No. No, these weren't the right questions.
"So, what are they going to do? A brain scan or something?" Lori tried to ask as carefully and calmly as possible.

Her mother looked down and shook her head slowly. That was enough for Lori to know.

The Killzone plan containing the cure was in Thomas' brain.

They didn't want to just scan it either, they wanted to remove it.

They were going to remove Thomas' brain.

"Holy shit."

Her mother lets her head drop in shame, tucking a strand of sunset orange hair behind her ear. "I'm so sorry, my darling."

Lori shook her head, finally admitting something to herself. Something that she never wanted to admit to herself, because that would mean all her hate was for nothing. Nothing but to spite the woman who had done nothing but protect her.

"This wasn't your fault," She states, as she stares down at her fingers, beginning to pick at them.

This one sentence caused her mother to look up in shock. She definitely hadn't been expecting those words to escape her daughter's mouth. Never in a million years.

"You mean you . . . you forgive me?"

With a sharp intake of breath, Lori looks up from her hands, realizing she had began to draw blood, small beads dancing along where skin should have been.

Tears welled in her eyes, and she smiled. "Yeah. I think I finally do."

Her mother's hand raised to her mouth in delighted shock, hiding the wide grin which had spread across her face.
"You have no idea how long I've been waiting to hear you say that. To know that you are beginning to understand what I did, and how it was all to protect you and Aris. I just-"

"Don't," Lori cuts her off, still smiling. "Please don't. I don't want to hear something that will make me regret listening to you. So just . . . Don't."

Lucinda nods quickly, grinning. She considers running over to hug her daughter, but then thinks better off it. They can't have WICKED thinking they have anything against them.

The words they shared are enough ammunition on their own, let alone what they may also provide.

With one last smile the woman left the room, carrying the words of her daughter with her.

Lori watched her go, a smile on her face. She had her mother back. The one she remembered. The one she trusted.

/\/\/\/\/\

"Good afternoon, Lori," Janson announced as he walked into the room.

Lori didn't respond, just silently glared at the man. His jaw tightened but, nevertheless, he continued to walk towards her. Lori braced herself, expecting a slap or something similar.

And yet, Janson surprised her again but not getting angry at her as he usually does. Instead, he began to unbuckle the restraints holding her to the bed.