Open Case File [COMPLETED]

Stuck Together

"I'm not some weakling you need to take care of." Mason raised his hands in mock surrender and leaned back on his heels. Carter tied off the three strips, gritting her teeth against the flare of pain.

"Call this in," she said.

Mason pulled out his phone, wincing at the light in his face. "No reception. I am utterly shocked."

Carter took out her own phone, finding the same result. Swearing, she stuffed her phone back into her backpack. Twisting onto her knees, Carter braced herself for the pain to come. When she stood, she swayed and Mason grabbed her arm to support her. She wrenched it out of his grip.

"I'm fine," she snapped.

"Clearly."

When Carter took a step forward, she bit back a cry of pain as agony sliced up her leg. Mason cocked his head. "You going to ask for help or are we going to die down here?"

"I don't need help," Carter ground out.

Mason spread his arms around as if he were talking to a large audience. "Of course, the great Carter Owens doesn't need help. The Superwoman of your time will fly herself to safety!"

"Shut up."

"No! You are full of it! Thinking that you are better than everyone else. That you don't have weaknesses, that you don't need to be helped." He took a step closer. "Get off your high horse, Carter because the rest of the world is tired of having to break their necks to look up and talk to you."

Carter shoved Mason. "Me and my high horse? Look who's talking? You walk around like you own the world and the rest of us are the dirt beneath your shoe! It's been this way since high school. Everyone has to bow down to Mason or else their life will be miserable!"

Mason barked out a sardonic laugh. "As opposed to you?" He stabbed a finger at her. "Carter, how many people did you cut with that tongue of yours?"

Angered, Carter balled her fists, wanting to hit something, and at that moment it was the superior expression on Mason's face. "I only gave back what was given to me."

Mason nodded in mock agreement. "Of course, you had to fight instead of doing the logical thing and walking away!"

"They asked for it! Those students came after me."

Crossing his arms, Mason rolled his eyes. "Right, poor poor Carter Owens, her life is so terrible her father could die at any minute." He glared at her. "My father was the freaking President. Every time he walked outside his life was at risk!"

"Yeah! But whose father was it that was standing there ready to take the bullet!"

Mason flung his arms out. "Your father didn't need to join the Secret Service!"

"And yours didn't need to go into politics!"

"So both our fathers are idiots!"

"Clearly!"

They fell silent as their shouts faded into the distance, neither wanting to admit they agreed on anything, their emotions still too charged to be set aside. Carter clenched and unclenched her fists, trying to disperse her frustration. Mason dragged his hand through his hair, looking anywhere but at her.

"We need to get out of here," Carter said.

Mason waved a taunting hand towards the unobstructed tunnel. "After you."

Carter stared at him, roiling with anger. Mason held her gaze, waiting for her to break. She couldn't ask for his help, wouldn't ask for it.

"You know," she said, "you're a real pain in the a-"