nineteen ♢ video

[versusnurture]

[When the feed comes on, the first thing there is is a wall and half of a desk. Those people on board who've been inside will know it as Abigail's room. There's a small blood smear on the edge of the desk, another dark spot on the corner of the lens.]

[She doesn't turn it towards herself, but the camera does move towards the desk, is set down at the edge of it. Two hands appear in the frame, blood-caked, palm-up. There's blood under her nails, too, drier blood that's oxidized to a deep, almost black color.]

[She doesn't say anything. But after a moment, there's a strangled noise, and she knocks the camera off the desk. The briefest flash of dark hair and a pale face; then it hits the floor and shuts off.]

Comments

[warisart]

[The bare bones of this, Ben understands; he understands the ingrained loyalty to someone or something that, when considered from a step back, has done nothing but use and harm. He understands how that isn't a choice one gets to make.

He understands that it is this that is the real problem, that choosing to be loyal would be its own monster, but that being robbed of that is both difficult to undo and absolutely must be undone.

If Abigail chooses Hannibal of her own free will, without coercion, without pressure, then Ben will not be happy but he will respect her decision. Until then, it is his responsibility to slow, unerringly draw the poison back out to the point at which she can once again be free of its influence.]

It will. And it will take time that many, both intentionally and unintentionally, will not want to give to us.

Thank you for believing me. I can do nothing unless you allow me to.

[versusnurture]

[This also confuses her. There are still things about this place that are fuzzy. She knows there are people who don't believe in shades of gray - who believe in the law, even though here there is no law. People like Jack, who would hunt her down and cause her damage. Maybe. Maybe she's imagining that part.]

[People who don't like her, that's more realistic. But what does he mean by unintentionally?]

[She gives him a wan smile, anyway.]

You could. But it wouldn't be effective.

[He wouldn't, though. She knows that.]

[warisart]

[Ben still remembers clearly the difficulty with people who simply don't understand what it's like to be conditioned to a certain way of thinking. How maybe it's harmful in the long run, obviously so even, but going against it still hurts in a way that can't be described; still makes the act of doing so feel unsafe, wrong. They mean to help, but often they end up causing more damage than they fix, and because they don't understand this they stop trying.

Ben doesn't argue. He wouldn't. Not willingly, not knowingly, not intentionally. Instead he nods.]

Do you require anything at this time, Abigail?

[versusnurture]

Nothing.

[She casts her eyes down and away. She doesn't want or need anything. There's nothing that can be given to her to make her better, no panacea. There's only time. In a distant way she knows that; on another level she wants to give him something to do. Something so that he'll feel active.]

[All she can do is not start crying again.]

I just . . . need to sleep.

[warisart]

[If it's all she can give him, he'll take it. If it's all he can give her, it's freely that he'll do so. That doesn't mean it's not frustrating.

It's not, however, her fault. This is his job. Ben drops his chin ever so slightly in a small nod.]

Then I will make certain you are not disturbed.

I... am glad to see you again, Abigail.