| Date: 4 January 2008
Characters: Owen Harper, Lucy Saxon Location: outside Link to IJ: thread #24383 |
 A sudden burst of light often meant a visit from his Lord and Master. Owen hissed, hand flying up in front of his eyes as he tightened around himself, the ball that he was curled up tensing as his eyes adjusted to the light, and he realized that it was not just from the door to his prison opening as the Master entered. It was, instead, the constant flood of light that came from being outside.
Outside. In the open. Under the sun. Owen trembled as his arm fell away from his eyes, his eyes going wide as they took in the surrounding area. It wasn't a town he recognized, but it was a town. He hadn't seen anything other than the four walls of his cell for...for...had it been a year yet? It felt like ten, but every time the Master came, he'd provide Owen with an update on how long he'd been there. Last time, it had been somewhere around 10 months, 2 weeks, and 3 days. Shaking, his already lean frame having being emaciated over his captivity, Owen pushed himself to his feet and staggered forward, falling against a nearby tree as he looked up at the sky. The sky. The open sky! And he was holding onto a tree. A real tree. If he hadn't been positive that all of this was just in his head, and that he would wake up any moment back inside his own cell, he would have cried. |
 "Well, well." Someone new. Someone familiar.
Lucy smiled her sweetest smile. "Doctor Owen Harper. How nice to see you again." |
| "You," Owen hissed, his nails digging into the bark on the tree as his eyes narrowed at the disgustingly familiar figure. She'd come once or twice. Never as often as the Master. But the sheer delight that had graced her face at their appearance made him hate her that much more.
She didn't even have an excuse. She was human. That made her worst than the Master. "You sick twisted bitch," Owen spat. "What are you two playing at now? Haven't you done enough?!" |
| Lucy pursed her lips in a disappointed moue, pacing in a slow circle around the tree. It really was rather amusing to see the proud man clinging to a sapling. "Didn't we teach you better manners than that, Dr. Harper?" |
| Quite frankly, if he wasn't clinging to the tree, he would have fallen flat on his face. He hadn't stood in nearly two weeks. He had had neither the need nor the desire. But now, faced with her, wherever they were, Owen struggled to maintain his balance even on legs that were protesting loudly against this much physical exertion.
"Your husband isn't here to make sure I behave, Madam Saxon," Owen said, the name dripping off his tongue as if it was poison. "So I don't see any reason to." His eyes narrowed at her, "Where are we? What kind of sick game is this? Tease the poor pitiful boy with sunshine and fresh air before throwing him back into that stale cell to let him rot for another two months?" |
| Oh, how absolutely delicious. Harper didn't even know that he was free, which, given what Harry had told her about timelines, meant that he'd come from a time when he was still prisoner on the Valiant.
Their glory days. "Oh, he's not far away," she said, with perfect honesty. "I dare say he's enjoying a few drinks with your ex-boss." That was possible, too. "If I were you, I'd make the most of the sunshine while I could. Of course, I'm not." Her smile returned, delight and secret triumph. "Don't you want to play, Dr. Harper?" |
| His nails scratched into the trunk, taking some of the bark with them. Jack was here? He was within a stone's throw of wherever they were? Owen's eyes shot up, searching the horizon for 1) something that looked like a bar and 2) any sign of either Jack or the Master. The paranoia in his gaze was more than clear. But behind that was a thirst, an unquenched desire to kill.
He'd been dreaming about killing Jack every since he'd been told that that bastard had left them to join a mass murdering psychopath. "No, I don't want to play," Owen spat, glaring at Lucy when her words drew his attention back to her. "I've played enough with you lot. I'm fucking sick of your games. Just...leave off for awhile," Owen said, fatigue showing through his voice. He knew that no matter how loud he yelled it didn't help. And it was so exhausting, being angry all the time. |
| That break of exhaustion was all Lucy needed, that hint of weakness she could exploit. Well, that and the pathological hatred the doctor seemed to have developed for Captain Jack Harkness.
Shame, since Jack in chains had been such fun. Cleaning him up, dressing him in his old clothes, allowing him to think he was being allowed a certain level of freedom, and then showing him off to Dr. Harper...oh, now that would have been delightful. "But it doesn't matter what you want. It matters what I want." Her voice lowered, dripping sweetness. "Maybe I want to play." |
| His hands slipped a bit more on the tree, taking more of the bark with them, his nails cracking and starting to bleed as he hung onto for dear life. He was not going to crumple into a pile. Not in front of her. He wouldn't give her the satisfaction.
"I'm not going to play," Owen said, the heaviness clear in his tone. "I don't want to play. Not anymore." I don't have anything left to lose, He added mentally to himself as his eyes slid closed, only for the briefest of moments before they shot open once more. He wasn't going to take his eyes off her for longer than necessary. "What do you want from me?" |
| "What I always want, Dr. Harper." Blood, so soon, so easily, and Lucy smiled in glee, fingers flexing, licking her lips at the sight. And she hadn't even had to touch him.
Of course, she didn't usually. Guards had their uses, after all, and she'd never shared Harry's fondness for actually doing the work herself. She preferred to watch "I want to hear you thank me for our hospitality. I want you to address me with proper respect - " her voice grew sharper - " and I want you to thank me for our mercy. After all, you are enjoying your little outing, aren't you?" |
| His fingers hurt. His nails were bleeding. And his legs were about to go out from under him. Eventually, he had to make a choice, and he had to let the tree go, crumpling to the ground, bracing himself on his knees.
"Whatever this looks like," Owen said, a slight growl in his voice, "I'm not bowing to you." His arms were shaking as he pushed himself back up, falling back into a sitting position as he folded his arms over his chest, peering down at his nails with a heavy frown before mumbling a bit. "It's very nice, ma'am," Owen said with an almost automatic tone. "I thought I wouldn't ever see the sun again. You and your husband are very kind," he almost choked on the word, "to allow me this brief moment of freedom." |
| So beautiful, to see a proud man brought to his knees. Lucy almost purred with delight, sweet frisson of pleasure shimmering through her as he fell. Bowing, maybe not, but broken, yes.
Exquisitely, beautifully broken. Harry was a true artist. "Very nicely said, Dr. Harper. I do hope that you'll bear this in mind next time you might think..." She paused, one hand raised, red-tipped fingers curling, painted mockery of Owen's blood, "...unkindly of us." |
| Unkind. Unkind would be if he sank his already blood soaked fingernails into Lucy's neck. Unkind would be if he wrapped his fingers in her blond hair and pulled until he heard the delightful sound of her neck snapping. Unkind would be if he grabbed her and beat her head against this tree until her skull split open.
But as delightful thoughts as those all were, he didn't have the energy for any of them. "I will, Madam Saxon," Owen said, the words sounding foreign on both his tongue and to his ears. "I will keep this in mind." Lifting his eyes to the sky, Owen blinked back tears that were threatening to fall. It would have been much nicer if he didn't have to sit here alone. |
| "Good boy." Lucy wondered briefly how long the illusion could hold, but if Harper was convinced that this was their doing on his arrival, the idea should hold as long as she needed.
And knowing how much he hated it made it so much sweeter. "Enjoy your stay here, won't you?" Yes, leaving now was probably an excellent idea. Let her suggestions work in his mind, and report back to Harry, he would so enjoy having at least one toy to play with. "We'll send someone to check on you soon." |
| Owen turned his gaze to her questioningly. Wait? She was just going to...leave him here? What? Was he being watched to make sure he didn't try and escape? It wasn't like he could run away.
Owen glanced around him, trying to take in every angle and every vantage before giving up, sagging his shoulders as he nodded. He supposed, the least he could do was to actually try and enjoy the break. "I will try, ma'am," Owen said, mostly to get her to go away. The sooner she was out of his sight, the better. |
| "Good," Lucy repeated, a small smile playing around her lips. "Don't worry, Dr. Harper. We shan't let you get bored."
Far from it. No one seemed to spend much time alone, here. With a coy wave, she turned away and strode in the direction of the hotel. Yes. Harry would definitely need to know about this. |
| Watching Lucy go, Owen looked down at his hands, frowning heavily at the state of his nails. but at least they match everything now. Crawling over past the tree that he'd clawed, Owen curled up under one of the benches, tucking his knees up to his chest.
There were probably other places that he could have stayed. This place looked like it had enough buildings after all. But frankly, he just didn't have the energy. Besides, he doubted he could have slept on a bed anymore even if he had the chance. |