As planned, Madison returned with Strand not long later. Kamille was in the captain's quarters with her, wrapping him in blankets to keep warm. He'd been shot and left in the icy waters – he was lucky to be alive. But he would live. Kamille had tended to his wounds since Daniel was busy with Reed, and Madison aided her in silence. Until:
"I can do thi–"
"I'm okay, I can do it," Kamille cut off Madison, finishing wrapping blankets around Strand.
She knew the older woman was hesitant to let her help after what had happened earlier, but Kamille couldn't just sit and wait or she would be forced to think about it and the fact that Alicia was still in danger.
"Okay," Madison said, offering a small smile.
Kamille finished wrapping Strand up as Daniel headed up the stairs.
"How is he?"
Madison sighed quietly. "Got a ways to go."
Daniel rubbed his head anxiously before speaking. "Connor is their leader. Our prisoner is his brother. This provides leverage. So we're now looking for a cluster of five boats."
Kamille joined the two adults by the monitor and watched as Daniel pointed to a spot on the map.
"Here," he said. "These five near the coast. Could be fishing boats. They tend to travel together."
Madison nodded and seemed to be taking it all in.
"So we can go and get them," Kamille said unsurely. "We have Connor's brother. We could exchange them."
Madison and Daniel glanced at Kamille with a look of confirmation before Madison took the wheel and steered them in the right direction. They were getting them back.
"Qué es esto? Why are we heading North?" Luis stormed in with confusion. "Turn it back."
Madison didn't look up. "I'm sorry, I can't do that."
Luis was agitated. "Señora, I made arrangements. Do you understand? We're gonna miss our window to crossing–"
"We're not crossing anywhere without my family," Madison snapped.
Kamille rested a hand on her shoulder gently, just to let her know that she was there. A small action, but Madison appreciated it.
Luis rolled his eyes and sat in the chair beside Strand, mumbling something to the tired, injured man. Kamille couldn't hear their words, but soon enough, Luis looked up to Madison.
"Your people are gone. There's no getting them back," he said, sure of himself.
Kamille furrowed her brows and looked at him with a judgemental expression, wondering how someone could be so quick to leave people behind like that. "How can you say that?"
Luis didn't respond and avoided Kamille's eyes, but the Brit caught Strand's and saw it was void of emotion. She could rarely tell what he was thinking, even after dragging him out of the sea, apparently.
"We need half a day," Madison stated, then looked back at Strand. "I could have left you in the water. Should I have?"
Luis was shaking his head to himself as Strand replied, "We can do both. We can go get your family and then continue south."
Madison nodded and Kamille joined her side again, unable to understand as Strand and Luis were arguing in Spanish from behind her.
"We'll get them back, Madison," Kamille said, crossing her arms over her chest.
"Yes, we will," Madison agreed, before glancing at Kamille. "Travis and Alicia will be okay. And so will you."
Kamille froze for a split second, before pursing her lips and looking to Madison. The older Clark was already looking forward again though, and Kamille felt grateful for her reassurance.
"Hey, lady," Luis called again from behind. "You expect to sneak up on Connor and his people on a 40 metre yacht?"
"We don't have to sneak," she retorted, "they're expecting the boat."
"And what do you think is gonna happen when we get there?"
Kamille wondered the same and awaited Madison's response.
"We board, we use force if we have to, and we get our people back," she stated simply.
"Are you listening to this?!" Luis asked rhetorically.
"Anyone who's not up for it can stay behind with the kids," Madison continued calmly.
Luis groaned before storming out, leaving the room in momentary silence.
"No one can stay on the boat," Daniel muttered to Madison. "If we're going to attack, we need everybody. Nick, Christopher–"
"No."
"Madison–" Kamille tried to argue.
"I said no," Madison cut her off.
"You have to stop treating them all like children," Daniel said.
"But they are."
"Not anymore," Daniel disagreed.
"Madison, he's right," Kamille tried to convince her otherwise. "We're not kids. We're not! I can help, okay? We can get Alicia and Tr–"
"You are especially not coming." Madison stared her into silence. "Enough has happened and you can't come to get them. Things could go south and–"
"You can say it," Kamille interrupted, a frown on her lips. "I won't freak out again. I killed someone."
Madison sighed. "Kamille, that wasn't easy for you, whether you want to pretend you're okay or not."
"I want to help," Kamille begged. "Please."
"She can help us," Daniel urged alongside Kamille.
"No," Madison refused. "You can help by staying here with the others. When we come back, Alicia will be glad you're safe."
Kamille felt like a kid again, being told no by her parents when asking to go out with her friends or something. Why was Madison doing this? She could take care of herself. She had been when all this went down. She only wanted to get Alicia back!
"I should be allowed to go," Kamille said, getting slightly worked up. "I can take care of myself, Madison!"
"I said no!"
"You're not my mum!"
"No, but you're my responsibility now!" Madison snapped, making Kamille jump with how loud her voice was. "If something happens to you out there and I can't do anything–!" She sighed and gripped the wheel tightly. "If we get Alicia and you're not with us, she will be distraught..."
Kamille stayed silent. She didn't realise how much Madison actually cared about her. Sure, they'd grown closer and the older Clark had shown a liking to her, but she thought that was because she was her daughter's friend, not because she felt responsible for her wellbeing... Nonetheless, that didn't give her the right to stop her from helping.
"Don't argue this, Kamille," Madison finalised, giving her a knowing look.
Kamille tensed her jaw with annoyance and said nothing more. She turned and stormed down the stairs, out of the room and as far away from Madison as she could be right now. She stayed in the living-area by herself, needing a place to breathe where nobody else was.
She was frustrated at everything. This situation, the fact that she couldn't do anything, she couldn't help Madison because she was a "kid", Alicia was stuck with some creepy arse group, and she still couldn't get over the memory of her killing someone. Glancing out on the deck, she could see the blood stain from where she was sat. Someone had cleaned it up earlier on when she was distracted, she couldn't remember who.
Everything was just happening so fast and she didn't feel like she could keep up. On top of that, she felt so empty and lost without Alicia by her side. God, she hoped she was okay... She wouldn't be able to deal with herself if something had happened to her. She cared so much for her, more than she thought she did, more than a friend...
It was the wrong time, but she knew she'd fallen for the Clark girl during their time on the yacht. They'd been together a short time, but so much had happened that had brought the two closer together. Alicia probably didn't feel the same, and Kamille would never ruin their friendship like that, but it didn't mean she didn't feel scared at the idea of losing her. It was because of her that she had kept moving forward after losing Adam. She couldn't lose the last person in her life like this...
Kamille kept to herself on the couch for a short while. Even when Madison came downstairs to talk to Nick, who was occupying himself at the dining table, she kept to herself. She could hear them having a disagreement of some kind, about him leaving to collect Luis without telling anyone. She agreed with Madison to an extent, but still, she kept to herself. That was until Madison approached her.
"Hey."
Madison sat beside her on the couch, leaving a small gap between them.
Kamille sighed. "I'm sorry for acting like a little brat up there," she apologised.
"And I'm sorry for yelling at you like that," Madison returned. "You were right. I'm not your mom and–"
"I shouldn't have said that," Kamille interrupted guiltily. "It was rude. You've done a lot for me. You don't have to care about me, but you do. I'm lucky."
Madison pressed her lips together firmly as Kamille put her legs down off the couch. She moved a little closer to Madison.
"I don't want anything to happen to you, Kamille, that's all," Madison said, glancing upwards. "I know you can look after yourself, but still. They already have Travis and Alicia and..." She breathed out tiredly.
"I'll stay here with the others," Kamille promised. "Just get her back safe?"
Madison cracked a smile. "Of course."
Kamille smiled too and the two appreciated the peaceful silence for a moment. Kamille trusted the older woman – she was family now. And Kamille felt lucky to be able to have something resembling a second family after losing her first one.
Madison had to leave not long later, to check on their whereabouts. Kamille stayed put, not seeing what else she could do now but wait around. Ofelia and Daniel were in their room, Nick and Chris were with Reed, and Luis and Strand were upstairs. She had no need at the moment.
It didn't help that this moment alone made her lose herself in her thoughts, mostly about whether Travis and Alicia were safe. They were both strong, smart, resourceful. Surely Connor wouldn't kidnap them just to kill them? He was planning on killing everyone else, so at least Kamille knew that Alicia would be safe for the moment. Even if it was with some deranged pirates.
A gunshot startled her from her thoughts and Kamille immediately raced downstairs towards the sound of it. She saw Ofelia in the corridor and joined her side, only to see Chris with a gun in his hand, moving backwards from the room Reed was in.
"Chris, what happened?" Kamille asked carefully, her eyes flickering nervously between the gun and Chris.
Chris was trembling as he walked backwards. "He was gonna turn."
Kamille and Ofelia stepped to the side as Chris walked past them, his face twisted into a frightened one. He left the corridor, leaving Kamille and Ofelia to carefully approach the room.
"Oh my god!" Ofelia placed her hands over her mouth with shock as they stopped at the door.
Kamille looked away instantly, feeling sick at the horror in front of her. Chris must have shot him in the face, since half of it was in bloody bits on the wall behind him. Kamille felt a presence behind her and saw Madison and Nick entering to see what had happened.
"Chris said he was gonna turn," Ofelia explained, though she still looked sickly from the sight before them.
"Where's Chris?" Madison asked as Daniel appeared, too.
"He just left," Kamille answered and watched as she disappeared, probably to find him.
Daniel and Nick stared with disbelief as Ofelia avoided looking straight at Reed. Kamille shook her head, eyes glued to the floor. This was their shot at getting Alicia and Travis back. Now what the hell were they supposed to do?
Luis joined the party soon enough, his gun in hand. When he took in the sight, he sighed and shook his head. He mumbled something in Spanish before adding, "This is done. We're going south."
As he was about to leave, Daniel said, "Nothing is done."
"Are you kidding me?!" Luis was angry now, and stepped inside to point his gun at Reed. "The kid just blew a hole through your trade!"
Kamille stayed silent and closed her eyes as Daniel and Luis fought in Spanglish. She couldn't understand it all, but enough to know that this was their last bet and now it was foiled. Daniel must have won the argument though, because Luis stormed out, grumbling to himself in Spanish. Daniel excused himself, claiming he would return with towels, before leaving the room, too.
Ofelia, Nick and Kamille looked between each other unsurely before Nick grabbed a cloth from the first aid kit lying on the side. They must have been using that to patch up Reed before he... well, this.
"We should clean this up," Nick said, tossing a cloth to Kamille and moving to the wall to wipe up the fleshy bits. "Chris shouldn't have to see this."
Kamille sighed and joined in, disgusted at the mess.
Ofelia pulled Reed's hands from the ties, them not being of any use anymore. "I think I'm actually starting to get used to this," she said, and Kamille glanced over her shoulder to see Ofelia staring directly at Reed's mashed up face.
"Please don't," Nick mumbled, disgusted at the cleaning.
Ofelia sighed and knelt to the floor to clean. "It's what we do now. Spill blood, clean it up, spill it again." She paused before saying, "Chris said he was gonna turn... he wasn't, was he?"
Nick shrugged and Kamille didn't know how to respond. Ofelia didn't look like she expected anything else, so she continued to clean, as did the others. However, the sound of snarling made them all look up instantly.
"Oh, God!" Ofelia shot up and moved back. "Careful!"
Nick put an arm around her and reached for his knife, but Daniel walked in and dropped the towels he was holding. "No, no, no, wait, wait, wait!"
Kamille stood well back, as did Ofelia and Nick, and watched as Daniel pushed Reed back into the wall and pushed the rod into it, too, lodging a dead Reed in place.
"That is bloody gruesome," Kamille said, pulling a face.
"Not yet," Daniel mumbled, stepping back and taking a look at Reed. He was pinned to the wall but reaching out desperately for the food before him. "Not yet..."
Kamille wondered what Daniel was going on about, thinking he'd lost his marbles just a little bit. But when she too took a step back and looked at Reed, she realised.
"You're not thinking what I think you're thinking, are you?" she asked nervously.
"And what is that exactly?" Ofelia chimed in, still confused.
Nick sighed from behind her, catching on. "He wants to use Reed for the trade still."
"He's dead! Are you crazy?!" Ofelia asked wide-eyed.
Kamille chewed on the inside of her mouth. "I think he is, but I also think this just might work."
Maybe their luck hadn't ran out after all...
It didn't take long for them to tie Reed up again, this time covering his head with a bag. He almost didn't look like he was dead. Almost. Before Kamille knew it, it was time to make the trade and she was at the zodiac with Madison and the others. Ofelia had gone down to fetch Daniel and Reed.
"Mom, let me go," Nick begged for the millionth time.
"No."
"No, let me go. Listen to me. If something happens, it's better if it's me," he explained, making Kamille roll her eyes. She knew that was anything but the truth.
"Nick–"
"No, listen," he continued. "Everyone else needs you."
"No."
"And I'm better with the boat," he added. "Why won't you just let me go?"
"Are you really asking her that?" Kamille asked, a disbelieving smile on her lips. "She won't even let me go."
Madison gave Kamille a warning look, making the Brit raise her hands with defeat.
Nick waved Kamille off dismissively before looking back to Madison. "Seriously, why won't you let me?"
Madison stopped packing the boat for a moment and looked at her son dead in the eye. "Because you want to."
Nick didn't say much to that and so Madison started the engine up as Daniel brought out Reed.
"Jesus," Madison said as she took a look at him. He couldn't do much harm tied up and blind, but he was still infected and Kamille worried for Madison's safety.
"Be careful," Daniel said, lowering Reed down into the boat.
"Okay," Madison said, putting Reed on the opposite end of the boat. She got to the other side and glanced up at everyone.
"You've got this," Kamille said loudly, over the engine of the boat.
Madison smiled a little as she led the boat away from the yacht. Kamille watched until she was distant, hoping everything would run smoothly and Madison could get Alicia and Travis back. She headed inside and back down to the room Reed had been locked in. It was still a mess, and since all Kamille could do was wait, she decided to finish cleaning it. Doing something was better than doing nothing.
So, that was what she did. She finished cleaning the blood-splattered walls and the flesh-covered carpet, making sure it was almost as spotless as when they'd found it. It was disgusting, time-consuming work, and Ofelia had come to check on her, but she'd done it without concerning herself with the trade Madison was making. She was in the bathroom washing the cloths with bleach when she heard Ofelia calling for her again.
"In here!" Kamille yelled back, scrubbing her hands clean of blood.
"Madison's back!" Ofelia called, finding her in the bathroom.
Kamille shut off the tap and looked to Ofelia with worried eyes. "Did she...?"
Ofelia cried out a happy laugh. "She did."
Kamille's heart dropped to her stomach for the millionth time that day and she immediately ran down the corridor and up the steps, following Ofelia to the others outside. She almost forgot how to breathe when she saw Travis and Alicia hugging it out with their family.
"Come on, she was looking for you," Ofelia said, tugging at Kamille's sleeve.
Kamille followed her outside and was grateful to see Madison, Alicia and Travis, all without injuries. Well, life-threatening ones anyway. Travis looked as if he'd just been in a scrap.
"...not here and you said she was okay, mom," Alicia was complaining to Madison, but Madison pointed to Kamille and Alicia turned around, only to immediately run to Kamille and pull her in for a hug.
"Alicia," Kamille breathed out with relief, wrapping her arms around the younger girl, afraid to let go. "You're back."
Alicia squeezed Kamille tightly, her hands entangled in her hair as if she was scared someone would take her away from her again. Kamille couldn't help but appreciate how at home she felt in Alicia's embrace.
"You were right, Kam," Alicia mumbled into her shoulder, before pulling away, though not quite letting go. "I should have listened to you about the radio, Jack, everything."
Kamille laughed, hoping it would distract from the tears of relief that had slipped from her eyes. "None of that matters now. You're here and safe and that's it. I thought you were gone for good..."
Alicia shook her head, her green eyes glistening in the sun. "Like you said, none of that matters now. I promised I would never leave you, right? Well, I meant it."
Kamille felt so thankful in that moment, having Alicia back by her side, safe and sound. Everyone was together again and for those few seconds, she didn't care what the hell would happen to them. Because Alicia was safe.
"Kamille, help Alicia get ready, we move for Mexico now," Madison requested, and Kamille looked up to see her smiling softly. Kamille nodded with gratitude. "Same with everyone else."
Kamille nodded and used the towel that Madison tossed her way to wrap around Alicia since, for some reason, the younger girl was drenched. She led the girl downstairs, a comfortable silence between them, and brought her to their shared bedroom. It hadn't even been a full day but Kamille felt like they'd been apart for ages; she was reminded as soon as they entered their room, their bed dishevelled from when they'd left to see the commotion upstairs. If only they'd known.
"I think I'm gonna have a–"
"A shower, yes," Kamille agreed, already moving about the room to gather some clothes for Alicia to change into afterwards. "The water should be working fine, just let me know if it isn't, yeah?"
Kamille could feel Alicia watching her as she darted around the room to collect clothes and make up the bed.
"Do you need help?" Kamille asked with a raised eyebrow, noticing Alicia was still stood still with a towel around her drenched self. "I can– I'll help."
She didn't give Alicia the chance to respond as she was already laying the clothes on the made-up bed and taking Alicia's towel from her. Gosh, she must be freezing, she thought. And that damp, woolly jumper isn't helping.
"Come on, there... there we go." She helped pull off her jumper, though noticed the younger girl's tee shirt was wet and clinging to her body. "You're shivering, Alicia, come on, why are you just stood there?"
Kamille closed the bedroom door to conserve heat and headed into the en-suite to get the shower going, hoping the younger girl was at least pulling off her shoes. There was warm water thankfully, and now the bathroom was steaming up nicely. Alicia would be comfortable.
"Kamille, relax!" Alicia grabbed the Brit as she came from the bathroom, stopping her from zooming around the place. "We're safe here. They aren't going to come back."
"I know that– I– I know." Kamille nodded, but she still couldn't shake that unsettling feeling she had. "But you're gonna catch a cold if you don't get cleaned up. Your hair is still drenched and–" Her eyes widened with realisation as she added, "You don't have to shower if you don't want to? You can just get changed and dry your hair. I'm pretty sure we have a hairdryer lying about here somewhere..."
She escaped Alicia's arms and began to rummage through the drawers for a hairdryer she swore she'd seen.
"It's here, I just know it..." she mumbled, before growing annoyed that it wasn't. "For fuck's sake, where is it?" She continued searching, but it was no use. Out of frustration, she kicked the drawer closed and groaned. "It was bloody here!"
"Kamille, it's okay, I can–"
"Yeah, towel dry and whatnot," Kamille finished for her, a hand on her hip. "Not like you have any other choice since I've misplaced the stupid fucking hairdryer."
"Hey," she heard Alicia call. "Look at me."
Kamille couldn't though, because she was shaking like a plonker. All because of a hairdryer. No, it was more than that and she knew it. How could she have been so relieved to see Alicia and now so fucking angry that she'd been gone? No, she wasn't angry. She was terrified at how close she'd been to losing Alicia.
Her back and forth thought process was cut short when Alicia yanked her wrist and pulled her in for a tight hug.
"We're okay," she murmured softly. Kamille didn't realise just how much she was shaking until the younger girl was holding her together. "We're safe. Just breathe."
Kamille squeezed her eyes shut for a moment, revelling in the comfort of Alicia's body pressed closely to hers. The brunette's hand was wrapped around her waist as the other rubbed soothing circles on her back. Kamille hated that she needed to be comforted like this – Alicia had been kidnapped, not her.
"I'm sorry." Kamille opened her eyes and pulled away from Alicia with embarrassment. "I'm a mess and you're the one who was taken."
Kamille stood back, massaging her temples with her fingers to ease the oncoming headache she was getting.
"Kam, what is it? You can talk to me," Alicia muttered, stepping closer to her.
Kamille could see the confusion and guilt in her eyes. She had no reason to feel guilty though, none of this was her fault.
"I'm okay, honestly," she reassured, swallowing the lump in her throat. "I just didn't realise how terrified I was that I may never see you again. I watched them take you and I was scared it would be the last time."
Alicia pressed her lips together and grabbed Kamille's hand, intertwining their fingers. "I understand. I thought I'd ruined everything. Telling them about us. About you. But we're okay now."
Kamille sighed and shook her head, pulling her hand from Alicia's, which certainly surprised the younger girl.
"Alicia, no, that's not what I mean..." Kamille chewed on her lower lip in thought, trying to figure out how she could word her jumbled thoughts. "It's– you were gone and Madison was worried sick because she's your mum. I was worried sick because you're all I have. I don't want to put this all on you, God..."
"Go on, I'm listening," she urged supportively, her eyes boring into Kamille's, making the Brit nervous.
Kamille closed her eyes briefly, taking a breath of courage, before opening them again. "It's what Adam said. About the truth about survival. He was a plonker, yes," Kamille smiled sadly, "but he was right in a way. Surviving means nothing if we don't live. And with you being gone, it made me realise that I've lost everyone, everything. But I got you. And I was terrified because I have nothing to live for without you... Maybe one day I'll want to live for me, but that time isn't now. I'm here because of you, Alicia. For you."
Kamille saw as Alicia digested all of that, could practically see the gears in her head trying to figure out what it meant. Kamille didn't even know what it meant, but she knew she felt a little better having said it. Though, the silence and void expression from Alicia wasn't comforting in the slightest.
"This is why I didn't want to say anything," Kamille said, frowning as she worried she'd ruined their friendship. "I don't want you to feel responsible for anything, Alicia."
Alicia breathed out slowly and nodded, her eyes flickering to the floor for a moment. Finally, she looked up and Kamille saw her eyes softening with empathy.
"You've always got me, Kamille," she said, her voice soft with reassurance. A smile adorned her lips and Kamille's heart no longer felt like it was twisting in knots. "And for what it's worth, I live for you, too. You mean so much to me and I can't quite explain it..."
Kamille licked her lips as she glanced to the floor. How the heck had Alicia lodged herself so deeply into her heart?
"Adam was a little crazy, but he knew what he was talking about," Alicia said, chuckling a little. "Now come here."
Kamille looked up and allowed Alicia to press a soft, gentle kiss on her cheek. She was glad the younger girl hugged her soon after otherwise she would have seen the pink blush dusting her cheeks.
"I missed you," Alicia whispered.
Kamille smiled into her shoulder and pulled away, seeing Alicia mirroring her expression. She had such a mesmerising smile and it always managed to leave Kamille starstruck whenever she witnessed it. She was beautiful and Kamille tried to ignore the urge she had to lean in a little bit more. Alicia's eyes flickered down a little and Kamille wasn't sure if she imagined it, but maybe Alicia wanted to lean in, too. Kamille pulled away nervously and cleared her throat.
"I'll give you some space to get ready," she said, avoiding Alicia's eyes for the moment. "Will you be okay?"
Alicia nodded and Kamille chose the wrong moment to look up because the younger girl was licking her lips.
"Yes, thank you for helping me," she said, a small smile on her lips as if none of that had happened. Maybe Kamille really did imagine it.
Kamille returned the smile and left her to her own devices. As she closed the door behind her, she found herself releasing a deep breath. Back for less than ten minutes and Alicia was already making her stomach do somersaults.
Damn her beautiful green eyes and adorable smile.
//
Alicia and Kamille have me like 🥺🥺♥️