James stormed out of the room completely livid and he spotted Miss Evers leaving her room. He stomped up to her and demanded she gather all of the "long term" residents for a meeting. Of course she obliged and quickly left to fulfill her duty. James paced the hall for a moment before heading to the parrot lounge.
Once everyone got to the bar, James paced while everyone looked at each other confused.
"May I ask why I had to come to this? Are you gonna tell everyone to stop killing again? We've had this discussion before, and look how that turned out." Sally reminded them of their last meeting.
James took in a sharp breath and glanced around at all the attendees. "You have all gotten to know my beloved Y/N." He started. "She did not dislike any of you, she had done no evil toward you."
"J-James, did something happen? Did she leave?" The Countess asked in a worried tone.
He quickly swiped away a tear, hoping no one would notice.
Elizabeth walked over to him and placed her hand on his upper arm, looking into his eyes, "what is it?"
"She's been murdered." He stated bluntly.
Her eyes widened and a confused look spread across her pale face.
A few people gasped but others didn't care. The smart people became worried because they knew James would go on crazy killing sprees when he encountered a small inconvenience and this was much bigger.
"By whom?" The Countess asked.
"Well, that is why I've gathered you all here." James looked back up at the group.
Everyone looked around to each other to try and see who looked guilty.
"I will find out who has committed this horrendous crime, so you might as well confess your doing to me now." He said threateningly.
The room fell silent.
James nodded in disbelief, looking at everyone. "When I come to a conclusion on this matter, I will not hesitate to torture and murder the killer, and if they are already of the spirit realm, I will make you suffer immensely." He made a swift shooing motion to dismiss the group and watched carefully as everyone dispersed. "Miss Evers? A word please." He asked.
She crept over nervously, "Yes Mr. March?"
"If it is not too much to ask, will you retrieve the body? I know you have known her for a great amount of time and have probably grown quite close, so I do understand if you are not up for the task." He requested.
"It will be difficult, but you know I'll do anything for you Mr. March." She replied in her submissive tone as usual.
After she scurried away, James wandered around the bar area, hoping to see Y/N.
A few minutes had passed and James continued pacing, staring at the red carpet. He heard footsteps in the distance and looked toward the sound. He was met with a figure on the opposite end of the second floor; it was Y/N. His eyes got bigger and his pacing stopped.
Y/N walked slowly toward her lover on the other side of the room.
James walked toward her as well to meet in the middle. They stopped when they got to each other and James placed both of his cold hands on the sides of her face. He looked into her eyes and watched for a reaction.
"James?" She seemed genuinely confused.
"Yes dear, it's me. How do you feel my love?" He asked worried.
She shook her head and James removed his hands, "I don't remember what happened... I don't feel... anything." She answered.
A sympathetic expression washed over James's face, which was rare. "You were murdered." He responded simply.
Her eyebrows briefly pushed together and she looked into the distance. "Oh." Is all that slipped out.
"Can you recall who?" He asked impatiently.
"Uh, not really, um. Red? I saw something red, I'm not sure." She shook her head.
"Red what dear?" He pushed on.
Her eyes darted around as she tried to remember. "I-I don't know. I'm sorry James." She finally met his gaze.
"It's alright, we'll figure it out soon. I am just happy you are here now." He pulled her into a tight embrace.
She hugged back weakly.
James pulled away and peered down at her. "I'm so sorry I was not there." He regretted.
She looked up at him with no answer.
When she did so, he noticed the scar on her neck from the event; it was not as severe as his, but it was very apparent. He stared at it for a moment and his guilt grew.
"When you... died, how did you feel after?" Y/N spoke up.
James snapped out of his regretful state and took a deep breath. "Well, I felt very confused, and lost, perhaps emotionless even."
Y/N nodded and looked to the floor.
"What are you feeling darling?" He tilted her head up by hooking his index finger under her chin.
She shrugged, "nothing. It's just... empty, numb."
He kissed her forehead and pulled her into another firm hug.
Miss Evers came back to the bar to tell James she was finished, but she spotted Y/N and quickly turned around.
While still hugging James, Y/N looked up, noticing movement and she saw the laundress walking quickly in the other direction. She felt like she got hit by a truck. Realization struck her immediately when she saw the woman's hair. Red. She slowly pulled away from her lover.
James looked down confused and awaited an explanation for her retracting.
"Red." She said under her breath. "James. Red." She looked up at him.
"Red?" He repeated.
Y/N 's eyes shot back to the ground as the events played out in her head like a movie. "Oh my god." She whispered. She placed her hand on James's upper arm, "hold on." She sped out of the parrot lounge, leaving James dumbfounded.
She raced to her and James's room and flung open the door. She stopped and glanced around the room. She took a double take at their bed. The fitted sheet was not hooked on one corner and the rest of the sheets were in a pile on the bed. She left the room in a hurry and made her way to Miss Evers's room. Her knuckles quickly formed a burning sensation from knocking too hard and repetitively.
The door flew open and Miss Evers's eyes trailed up the being in front of her. She panicked and decided to pretend she had done nothing wrong. "May I help you Mrs. March?" Miss Evers never called Y/N that.
"It was you, wasn't it?" She pushed passed the woman into her room.
Miss Evers turned around to face her, "I'm sorry, I don't understand-
"I know you killed me you bitch!" Y/N snapped at her.
James appeared in the doorway with a look of disbelief.
"How are you going to prove it, hm?" She clasped her hands together and raised her eyebrows.
"She doesn't have to." James spoke up.
Miss Evers became riddled with fear and slowly turned around at the recognizable accent. "M-Mr. March, you don't believe this nonsense, do you? This is an unbelievable accusation!" She tried to convince him.
He looked up towards the top of her head and raised his eyebrows. "Red." He noticed.
"You love him." Y/N said calmly and nodded.
Miss Evers looked back and forth between the two and scoffed, "what? Can you hear yourself dear?" She nervously laughed.
James cocked his head, taken off guard by Y/N's statement.
"That's why you did it. You said you loved him. That's why it was me." Y/N continued.
The laundress could not handle the pressure and her guard dropped.
"How long?" Y/N pressed on.
Miss Evers shook her head, "forever."
James sighed with frustration and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"So it was jealousy? Envy?" Y/N interrogated.
"I've always done everything he's asked, stood by his side, waiting to serve. And most importantly, I was there for him and I never left him!" She spat.
James entered the room and guided Y/N by the small of her back to exit.