Rory laid on her bed, facing her ceiling, her eyes staring off into nothingness. Her window was wide open, letting a cold November breeze to flow into her room, lifting a few jet-black hair strands to fly out of her face. Her eyes were still slightly puffy from the crying after their fight with Everett, a hollow feeling making its home right next to her heart.
The fights between them were more frequent now, and all of them took a piece of her heart with them. Even though they managed to make up after each of them, this one seemed to be more serious than before.
She caught him shooting himself up in her bathroom, her previous memories of finding her mother dead on the floor, a needle still sticking out of her arm pushing her to the edge.
She started screaming at him, him yelling back at her that she was not his mother, to fucking shut up because she had no say in it, and many other things that cut so deep she doubted she could ever forget them. The rageful look he threw words at her head like it was nothing, each of them dripping with the venom the drugs in his veins caused. The way his hand reached out to grip her by her neck and push her against the wall when she tried to stop him from leaving, a slight pulsating pain left in the back of her head when he slammed the door behind him.
It was the night they were supposed to do their biggest job yet, robbing a newly opened jewelry store a few blocks down.
„This is madness, Ev!" she threw her hands in the air, desperate to make her point. „We still have money from the store we robbed last time, and you know damn well that I don't want to do another one!"
„I need money, Rory!" he sounded so desperate, his beautiful brown eyes she loved so much now staring back as hollow and bloodshot. He sniffled, his hand running through his messy locks. „I still owe money to Hunter."
The name Hunter made chills run down her spine. He was one of his friends, and also his dealer.
„You said you stopped," her voice broke mid-sentence, tears stinging her eyes as she looked at him. He looked like he was deeply sorry, he always was. But the way all the shine has left his eyes broke her heart again, the millionth piece laying in front of her feet. „You promised, Everett."
„Just because you're mother was stupid and overdosed, doesn't mean I will, too."
She stumbled back a step, almost like he had slapped her face with full force, her breath hitching in her throat. Seeing the hurt look on her face, he stepped forward, guilt written all over his face.
Her mother was the same, lashing out at others when somebody called her out on her drug addiction. Always feeling defensive, throwing things against their heads, then the guilt eating her alive until she got her next hit. After that, she usually managed to forget about her baby daughter, who looked at her with such admiration, she didn't notice her mother was dying each day.
And one day, it was already too late. Her mother was dead on the cold tiles of their bathroom, overdosing while Rora was out with her friends, staying out a little longer than she intended. Her mother's loving hand was cold by the time she found her.
And she wasn't going to stick around to watch the love of her life go out the same way.
„Get out," her voice was barely above a whisper, but it was like she yelled them by the look on his face.
„What?"
„I said, get the fuck out!" now, she was screaming, unnoticed tears streaming down her cheeks, as she threw his jacket at him. He was barely able to catch it, a shocked expression etched on his face. „I don't want to see you till school."
„I'm going to the jewelry store with or without you, Rory," Everett said, his voice emotionless as he stood in front of her.
After all the things he said to her, he was still thinking about getting more money for drugs.
„I'll never forgive you," she seethed through her teeth, anger making her hands shake. „If you go out that door to rob that place, I'll never forgive you."
„You already hate me," he shrugged his shoulder, a sad half-smile tugging at his lips, breaking another piece of her heart. „One day, you won't be able to hate me any more."
He was already walking towards the door, and even though she was mad as hell, worry flooded her veins like there was no tomorrow, making her dart out with the speed of light, catching his arm.
Her only weakness was him. The only thing that mattered to her heart, the only thing she was afraid to lose. She didn't mind losing her own life as much as she did his, and desperation was much louder than her anger.
„Wait! Don't leave!"
Her hands were barely able to get ahold of his arm, he spun around, his other hand wrapping around her throat and slamming her against the wall. With a yelp, the air got knocked out of her lungs, her blue eyes widening in shock as she stared back at the boy who owned her heart.
And now, he seemed to be shattering it with no mercy.
He leaned closer, their faces only inches away, his loving eyes turning cold and merciless, not holding one spark she loved so much. She barely recognized the man in front of her.
„Don't do that," he almost growled, a muscle popping in his jaw. „Don't try to follow me, because I will not hesitate to throw you in front of the police if it means I can get away."
And with that, he was out the front door in a heartbeat, her flinching at the sound of the door shutting behind him like thunder.
Crying until there were seemingly no tears left to cry, she laid in the bed they used to share, flicking through the channels on the TV, hoping that something will be able to distract her from all the things going on. Every five minutes she checked on her phone, hoping that a message from Everett would show up that he changed his mind or something, but it was completely silent.
She didn't know how long she dozed off, but her eyes snapped open at the sound of police sirens. She had the gut feeling that something was not right as she checked her phone, not one message from Ev. Clumsily, she switched the channel to the news, a horrible scene greeting her back.
The first thing she recognized was the Brilliant Diamond title right above the store, its glass door shattered, millions of glass pieces scattered around the pavement. And then her eyes finally could focus on the title flashed on the bottom of the screen.
ROBBERY GONE WRONG: TEEN DIED IN SHOOTDOWN
And before her mind could fully process what happened, the live camera flashed to the scene she wished on not even her worst enemy: the love of her life, the boy she loved with all her being and with every heartbeat, laying between crystal-like shattered glass and a pool of blood, only a dark material thrown over him as the medics ran over, trying to get the body out of sight as soon as possible.
Such a loud noise came from nowhere, making her head hurt so much she thought her entire being will explode, her hand grabbed at the root of her hair in desperation, the feeling of her heart getting ripped out feeling like her the shattered glass tried to make its home inside her chest.
It took her a few moments to realize the loud ringing caused in her ears was the aftermath of her world-shattering screaming, screaming until her throat gave out, until she physically couldn't hold herself up anymore, collapsing on the bare mattress under her, her tears soaking the material. She felt like it was her dying; no, this was much worse. She wished it was her, wishing this pain away, because this pain was unbearable, only silent screams and endless tears being her only company at the moment.
In the beginning, they were against the whole world.
And now, it was only her left in the hollow and dark world, leaving only a cruel shadow of herself. Because the moment Everett Saunders' heart stopped beating, Rory Wells stopped existing.
°•○●⸸●○•°
A violent shake disturbed her nightmare, way too fucking late for her. Her head jerked up, her wide eyes scanning her surroundings, the hurt and grief making her eyes darker. A hand placed on her arm caused her to snap her head to her right, catching Ghost's gaze. Seeing the familiar skull mask and dark eyes set her off even more, a few stubborn tears escaping, despite her best efforts. With an angry motion, she swept them away, embarrassed by the fact that something affected her that much, and now he has seen her crumble into herself.
She hated feeling vulnerable.
She had to remind herself that everything was alright, well, for the most part. She sat in the backseat of a truck with Ghost on her side, a Shadow driving them towards their base. She was not back in her bed, crying over the news of the love of her life dying because of his own stupidity. But even though she tried her best to ignore everything and just breathe, she couldn't help but wonder if she would've gone with him, he would be still alive.
„You okay?"
She flinched at the sudden voice, her head involuntarily turning towards Ghost. Their eyes locked, and for the first time, it wasn't the Ghost she knew that looked back at her, with dead eyes and nothing but death following his every step. This Ghost was more gentle, his voice kept low, his eyes a shade lighter as he searched her eyes. For a moment, she considered that it wasn't Ghost she was looking at, it was Simon.
„I had worse," she replied, a flash of a smile slicing her face, although it didn't reach her eyes. It was just a defense mechanism against her true emotions, the ones she wasn't ready to talk about. Nor acknowledge them.
The way he kept his eyes trained on her face she knew he saw right through her big girl facade, not buying any of it. She dropped the act, biting her bottom lip while she tried to fight her inner demons: if anybody, he would probably understand what was it like when your past demons came to bite your ass. But they didn't have the opportunity to talk about things, because their ride came to an abrupt stop, causing the both of them to break their moment and stare out the window.
She didn't hesitate to jump out of the vehicle, the sudden realization of showing weakness suffocating her like a ton of bricks. Rora watched as Alejandro exited the car in front of them, stepping closer to Graves.
„What's this?" Alejandro asked, gesturing towards the multiple Shadows blocking their way.
Rora was not the smartest woman on Earth, and definitely not the most strategic one, either. But her gut feeling was more than enough to know that something was very wrong with this.
„This is the immediate future," came the simple answer from Graves. „Step away from the gate."
„What?"
„You heard me." Graves stood his ground, facing all of them. Rora sent a questioning look towards Ghost, him barely returning her look before his eyes found Graves' form again. If he wasn't ready to take his eyes off somebody, shit's about to go down.
„You're crazy, this is my base," Alejandro argued, trying his best to remain calm.
„It's not a base," Graves said as he looked around. „This is a sizable covert facility and I admire it- So, I'm taking it. You boys have been relieved. Thank you for your service."
And with that, the Colonel's temper started rising right next to Rora's anxiety. Her flight or fight started to kick in as the hairs stood up on her arm, fingers twitching as she ached to grasp a gun. She felt cornered suddenly, and when she was cornered, she lashed out.
„No, no, no. I don't take orders from you," Alejandro sheeted.
„Didn't Valeria say that? Now that makes me wonder what else I don't know about your affiliation with a drug-lord?"
Rora's tongue clicked in a warning way, and by the look on Ale's face, she knew that even her chaos was nothing compared to the one he was about to release.
„What the fuck did you just say to me, pendejo..." he stepped closer, venom dripping from his voice, and the urge to interfere was growing by the second.
„The fuck is this, Graves?" Rora spoke up, gesturing towards the whole scene. When their eyes met, her breath hitched in her throat. The man she knew so far was sure as hell not the one looking dead in her eyes right now. She didn't recognize this man.
„Don't do that. Don't... do that. No one needs to get hurt here."
Suddenly the image of gauging his eyes out with one of her knives was far too pleasant.
„Are you threatening us?" Ghost's voice cut through the tension, the murderous thoughts of Rora's barely quieting down at his tone.
„Soldier, I don't make threats. I make guarantees. So let's not do this."
„I'm calling Shepherd," Soap commented, more contented than she could ever be.
But the next words really tipped Rora over the edge.
„General Shepherd sends his regards."
Her ears started ringing as rage started to flow through her veins, a red cloud fogging her vision as she eyed the Shadow Commander. She ignored the way Ghost so desperately tried to catch her eye, knowing damn well that she would break all fucking hell loose, and enjoy the whole thing.
„And who the fuck do you think you are, cabrón? My men are inside!" Alejandro's yelling finally snapped her out of it, but her hand twitched toward the knife holstered on her hip. She counted her chances of throwing at it Graves and surviving without getting shot by one of his Shadows. Her chances were not that bad.
„I'm afraid not. Your men have been... detained."
And with that, all hell broke loose.
Rora's cursing got drowned out by the gunshots towards them as she flipped her knife in her hand, hurling it across the air and aiming for Graves. Sadly, one of his Shadow just happened to step forward and got him square in the neck, dark blood splattering across the cold pavement, his blood mixing with the raindrops. For a moment, everything slowed down: she saw Alejandro get hit across the face and then fall on the ground, unconscious; Soap used a Shadow as a human shield, while Ghost just busted the Shadow's nose who lingered behind him.
Then, everything seemed to get fast-forwarded.
A hand circled around her throat, choking her out with such brute force she was sure it was going to leave a bruise. She leaned back into the man, stomping on his foot to throw his balance off. Then she used all her body weight to jump forward, flipping the Shadow that attacked her forward, then kicking him in the face with her combat boots. With the metal in the front of it, it was an easy knock-out.
Multiple shots were fired and the sound of Soap's cry distracted her. She watched in slow-motion her friend fall to the ground, a dead man falling on top of him, not leaving that many surviving chances to him.
No. She wasn't going to let anybody die that warmed up to her cold heart.
She jumped forward, picking up one of the Shadow's glocks from the ground and releasing fire at the remaining Shadows, trying to reach Soap. But she wasn't careful enough, her emotions got in the way, and even though she hit two of them, one of them was still in the state of aiming and fired his rifle. A bullet slashed her thigh, and with a yell, she fell to the wet asphalt, only a few steps away from Soap. When she saw that he was still breathing, all the pain seemed to be worth it.
„Go, Johnny, get out of there!" Ghost's voice cut through the chaos, another Shadow firing upon them. Rora dragged herself behind one of the trucks, picking the Glock back up and checking the mag. She had four bullets left, which meant four possible corpses.
„I'll cover you!" Rora yelled to Soap, squatting closer to him. She wanted to help him up so badly, but that could only go one way. She already got shot because of her carelessness. „Fucking go, MacTavish!"
Just as he pushed the body off himself, Rora fired at the Shadow closest to them, taking his attention from Soap to herself, trying to buy some time for him. One of her bullets pierced the Shadow's vest, causing him to stumble back, which was just enough time for MacTavish to jump over the road and disappear through the threes on the side of the road. A few Shadows relentlessly fired at him, her heart beating like a hundred bulls trying to escape, only getting snapped out of it when a body dropped dead only two steps away from her.
She recognized the knife sticking out of his throat.
„Go, Wells!" he urged, their eyes finally catching one another. It was the only time she has ever seen such strong emotion in his eyes, and the fact that it was pure panic, it caused her throat to close up.
„I won't leave you!" she argued, tightening her grip on her pistol. She still had three bullets left, she was basically a God. Or, at least that is what she told herself to not shit herself.
„I'll find you, just fuckin' go!" he practically begged with his eyes, and her heart clutched at the sight of him. But if anybody had a chance of surviving this whole thing, it was him.
So, going against her heart, she chose to listen to him and her mind, and took the next chance in fleeting, taking the remaining Shadows' attention. She took off in the opposite direction of where Soap has disappeared, leading the Shadows away and jumping into the depths below the road.
there goes rora's backstory! i hope it cleared up some of her trauma, why she hated looking at ghost etc.
also, we're in the fun stuff finally! im so excited!
i hope you guys will enjoy them just as much as i did writing it! ❤️