Sticks and Stones

Where Things Fall Into Place

When Eli and Nic were placed in the same room, no one expected the result that came to pass. Sara had told them both that Ben and Kale had not survived. Nic barely moved and Eli spent so much time screaming and ripping at the bars of their cell the room tended to constantly be covered in blood from Eli's hands. The attempts to clean were met with Nic trying to bite anyone entering the room so eventually they were just left alone mostly. 

The only person they would allow in their room was Bucky, who only ever left Amber's side to see them. As he slipped in with their meal packs for the week Nic sat up, "Buck, how can you do all of these things." He paused and sat beside her on the bed with a sigh.

"Nic, quit shredding blankets, or they will stop giving them. I honestly don't know anymore. I love Amber, and Sara is her best friend now. It's like I can't think when I'm around Amber." He looked down at his hands and Nic touched his shoulder, "Poor Star... I can't believe that I." He trailed off and then looked at Nic.

"Bucky. Be careful. If you remember anything about me, make sure it's how much I cared for you, like a sibling. You were like my little brother and nothing changes that." Bucky looked at her quizzically.

"Nic, you're talking like I'll never see you again." He shook his head slightly and chuckled.

Eli spoke up from the corner where she was curled up unwrapping makeshift bandages from her bloody hands trying to clean the torn skin. "You won't Bucky. She plans to leave."

Nic laid back down and Bucky stood, "I'm not sure how well that would work for her. I'll make sure the guards know to check in more than usual, I'll come back tomorrow with more blankets for your hands Eli."

Eli just nodded and as Bucky left Eli watched Nic closely, "Nic, I can't let you go through with this."

Nic closed her eyes and her hands tightened around a portion of a torn blanket, "You can't watch me forever Eli. You have to sleep sometime. You will survive without my protection."

Eli shook her head and watched Nic closely determined to not sleep. Her efforts fell vain though as she fell into a nightmarish sleep.

The click of the lock turning snapped her awake as Bucky walked in and dropped the blanket, soap, and suture kit he had brought for Eli. Eli stood already knowing what had happened. Bucky ran to Nic's bedside where blood was dripping to the floor from the thin mattress that had been completely soaked through. Bucky scooped her pale and lifeless body up in his arms, "Eli, follow me." He took off running with Nic in his arms and Eli at his heels.

He took Nic to the lab and set her on a table and tried to get a look at what had happened. Eli grabbed his shoulder and pulled him away from Nic, "Bucky! She is gone. It's too late. Look at her. Just let her go."

Bucky went to push Eli back but she moved so he couldn't, "This is what you two meant? She left, not just this place, but this life? Eli, why didn't you stop her?" The anger flared in his eyes making them glow brighter than usual.

Eli walked over to a counter, "I tried Buck. Really. I couldn't stop her this time. She waited till I fell asleep and bit into her arms, you think I could've just sat there and watched her do it?" She turned and faced him.

He was looking at Nic's chewed up forearms and knew Eli was right, there was nothing he could do anymore. "Nic, why..."

Eli sighed softly, "Because. Without Brice and Kale she was done. And now I have nothing left either."

Bucky looked at her and she leapt at him holding a scalpel she had picked up from the counter, "Eli? What are you doing?" He panicked slightly as she lashed out at him getting in a couple small nicks before stabbing his arm.

He grabbed her and put her in a headlock, "Do it Bucky. You have enough on you to say it was self defense." Eli reached grabbing for her fallen weapon.

Bucky pinned her down facing the ground, "Eli? Have you lost your mind? Why?"

She stabbed his leg after grabbing the scalpel again, "I lost my mind the moment I got off that table and could see. Let me die too!" 

Bucky jumped back in surprise and grabbed his leg, "Eli!" 

She scrambled forward and then looked at him shaking her head slightly, "Guess you won't help me." With a movement quicker than he could catch she used the scalpel to cut her throat.

He rushed to her and pressed his shirt onto the wound in an attempt to stop the bleeding, but she was already coughing up blood and weakly pushing him back. He struggled to make it so she might survive, but she had cut into her skin too deep.

As Amber and Sara walked in Bucky was on the floor covered in blood holding Eli  and crying. Amber walked over to him, "Darling, what happened?"

Bucky stood slowly and set Eli on another table, "Nic died last night, a suicide. Eli tried to get me to kill her too, but when I wouldn't she slit her own throat."

Amber pulled him close to her and lightly touched his cheek letting the milky color wash over his eyes, "It's not your fault. It's better this way, right? they were too much trouble." He nodded slowly looking at Amber in a trance, "Come on, how about we wash you up?" He nodded again and Amber looked at Sara, "Looks like it's about time to go get some new subjects."

Sara grinned widely, "You're learning well my apprentice. We leave tomorrow morning. Meet me in my room to look over the new candidates?" Amber nodded and led Bucky out of the room.

Sara walked back to her room and opened a cabinet and pulled out a stack of papers. She took them to her bed where she sat down and began to sift through them, looking for the next person to take in.