Malcolm shakes his head. “I knew there was a risk if she remembered. That’s why I worked so hard to stop it, but… I should have helped her through it instead. She was bound to remember eventually….”
"Malcolm." He catches the other man's chin lightly, turning his face up so their eyes meet. "You made the decision you thought was best in the moment. You did what you thought was right. Whatever's happened, it's not your fault, do you understand me? How would you have stopped this if she did know? Kept her locked up so she didn't interact with anyone who might prompt an attack? Surveil her twenty-four hours a day? We can deal with what's in front of us. We can't change what's already been done."
He kisses Malcolm gently, just in time for Ainsley to reenter the room holding a trash bag full of her clothes. She makes a sound that Neal isn't sure how to interpret.
Malcolm is jolted out of the depression realization that Neal is right by Ainsley’s voice. He approaches her, hands up in front of him.
“Ains, let me explain why I did it, okay? I just… I know what it’s like to struggle with the darkness inside and I just thought that… that if you couldn’t see it, you wouldn’t have to do battle with it….” His eyes fall to the blood stained clothes and he takes them from her. “I need you to stay here for a bit, okay? We’ll be back.”
"Malcolm, if I had known I could have done something to prepare, or know what to look for before I snapped again, or... something. Wait--you'll be back?"
She's teary, her voice loud and tenses and something in her tone is just wrong. Is this what Malcolm felt like when Neal's dad showed up calling himself Sam? He thinks it might be. "We'll be back. And I'll be staying with you tomorrow if Malcolm needs to leave."
“Ainsley…” Malcolm takes her by her forearms. “If we’re going to deal with this, we need to know who you killed. And we can only find that out if I investigate. Right?”
Neal can see Ainsley starting to protest again, but Malcolm's phone starts ringing before she can. Gil, thank god. Neal's shoulders relax a little, a fraction, because now at least they have a good excuse to leave. He needs to talk to Malcolm where Ainsley can't hear him.
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abrightboy) wrote2022-02-28 07:17 pm
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He kisses Malcolm gently, just in time for Ainsley to reenter the room holding a trash bag full of her clothes. She makes a sound that Neal isn't sure how to interpret.
"Really? You're making out right now?"
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“Ains, let me explain why I did it, okay? I just… I know what it’s like to struggle with the darkness inside and I just thought that… that if you couldn’t see it, you wouldn’t have to do battle with it….” His eyes fall to the blood stained clothes and he takes them from her. “I need you to stay here for a bit, okay? We’ll be back.”
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She's teary, her voice loud and tenses and something in her tone is just wrong. Is this what Malcolm felt like when Neal's dad showed up calling himself Sam? He thinks it might be. "We'll be back. And I'll be staying with you tomorrow if Malcolm needs to leave."
"No, no way, I'm not staying here."
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Neal starts to say that's a terrible idea but catches himself, leaving it up to Malcolm, his neck and shoulders tense.
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