A Bullet Always Tells the Truth(Kaz)

[Legion]

"Yer mo-" Patrick mean to answer her question but then she ran off ahead, verbally at least. And so Patrick would stand there and listen. She talked about how she knew that he didn't want her because he lied about his name. That, while incorrect served to remind Patrick of how he had a lot of explaining to do. It just wasn't fair anymore to her, not to mention her reminding him that he faked his name reminded him of why he did it in the first place. She had to know the full truth in order to make an informed decision. That was what was right.

When she said that she hadn't been enough Patrick frowned. He had thought he had cleared that up when she pulled him off the streets. He couldn't fault her though, she had been through a traumatizing ordeal, it couldn't be expected of her to recall everything right. Also he wasn't a psychiatrist but he was becoming more and more certain that earth had seriously fucked with her self worth. Her ever so slight whisper in fear wouldn't get the response that she was expecting though, a quiet, "Me too"

A frown fully enveloped his face when she continued on, giving the full scope of her self worth at the moment. As she left her sentence unfinished Patrick would slowly put his hand on her shoulder, pulling back at any flinch she would have, knowing that rape victims could be very sensitive to touch. But if she would allow Patrick's hand would touch her shoulder as he said, "He didn't ruin ye, Kazumi, not by a long shot. Hurt ye, maybe, but he didn't ruin ye. That's not what I see."

Her question would remain unanswered at this point, seeming rather unimportant now...

[Kazumi O'Connor]

She didn't pull away when she felt his hand on her shoulder, she couldn't. She was way too taken back by those two words she had heard just moments before. Him too? He..He still cared? The thought seemed so out of place, mostly because of the fact that she had not thought it was even possible.

Sure, she knew that he had said she was enough, at one point, but she just couldn't help thinking of all the things she had heard Earth say to her. How she was the weaker one, how she was the more pathetic one...Over and over those things had been drilled into her mind and she just couldn't get the thoughts out. So the thought that she had been enough had quickly been erased. Then, as he spoke again, she would force her eyes upward to meet his own once more, a nervous little bite given to her lower lip as she shifted a bit in her current position. "W..What do you see?"

She was curious, she didn't know what to make of what he had said and she wanted so badly to understand. She wanted to know what it was he saw in her that was not so broken and ruined as she so firmly believed. Slowly she would step closer toward where he currently stood, her head tilting back slightly, those eyes remaining fixed on his from beneath the hood that she still wore pulled up over her head.

[Legion]

"What do I see?" Patrick asked rhetorically simply for the sake of emphasis, "I see Kazumi Badoer, a strong young woman. I see a survivor. Someone who took all kinds of horrible mental, physical and emotional torture... And is still standing, bloodied, but standing all the same. I see a woman that has cheated death, something I've never seen before. I've been close many times, but never have I actually walked out of death's grasp. And even under all the scars and hurt, someone who is still the same basic person. That's something I can't say. There's a strength in ye I'm envious of. I see some one I feel entirely unworthy, but proud to call a friend."

Patrick smiled. He usually wasn't good with words, especially in these types of situation, just look at how long it took him to get out what he was really feeling in the hotel that last time. He hoped that would help. He hadn't been idly bullshitting trying to get her to feel better, he really did mean it. Every bit.

"Yer so much more then yer scars Kazumi," Patrick said, smiling again. No, he didn't think she was disgusting. He didn't find her utterly repulsive because she had been raped and tortured. She wasn't ruined, that's what Patrick saw and believed and he planned on being there to help show her that, if he could. If she would let him...

[Kazumi O'Connor]

She listened intently to every single word that he said, and felt the tears welling up in her eyes as he spoke. She didn't know how he could see those things in her and yet she was so happy that he did, a little weak smile given, which was the best she could manage, before she would sniffle in some attempt to hold back the tears that already had started to fall.

Biting down upon her lower lip, mostly because she had felt it begin to tremble, she would let him finish before she would inch forward a bit more and wrap her arms around his waist, her head coming to rest upon his chest. It meant more than he could imagine, to hear that he thought that way about her, and though some part of her kept saying that the words were not true, that she was unworthy of such kind comments, she would ignore that part for now and simply enjoy the time she had in which she could allow herself to believe them.

It was not something that would last long, she knew that much, but this brief moment was one of the happier times she had in a long while. "Th..Thank you..." Her words shaky and weak as they left her lips, though she didn't try this time to make herself sound any better than she was capable of being. After a moment, she would pull back, pausing for a moment as she looked up at him.

Slowly, one hand came up and pushed back the hood of her jacket, allowing it to fall away, leaving her actually visible once more. Blue eyes, laced with shards of amethyst, would meet his own as she tried to cease the tears that had managed to roll down her cheeks. "I...I wish that...I...c..could see that in me...B..But thank you so...so much for believing th..that.." A little nod before she quickly rose up on her tip toes and brushed her lips gently against his own. Nothing overly passionate, yet not lacking in emotion and feeling for what she felt for him, allowing it to linger for a long moment, assuming he did not press her away, before she would step back, her head ducking slightly as she fought the urge to hide beneath the hood of her jacket once more....a dark blush softly tinting her cheeks.

[Legion]

Well, against all the odds it turned out that Patrick's words and rang through loud, clear and unambiguously. For one he was glad that his words had gotten through to her and had some sort of positive effect. She was hurting, her trembling showed that much, but Patrick meant what he had said. She had a profound strength that, it would seem, she did not see yet. If he could Patrick would do what he could to help her see that in her. He smiled as she fell into his chest again, his arms wrapping around her, his with one hand on her head. Enjoying the moment as she thanked him, with Patrick replying softly, "Don't mention it."

She pulled back ever so slightly, causing Patrick's arms to drop. He looked her in those blue an amethyst eyes smiling. Even though tears were coming from her eyes he could tell they were different. Tears of joy. She thanked him again before surprising him thoroughly. He had not been expecting a kiss, which caused him to give a slight blush of his own when her lips met his. It took a moment but Patrick returned her sentiment, albeit in a more abbreviated fashion then her. When she stepped back and blushed Patrick grinned, who really was the one that had stolen the kiss here?

But after a moment Patrick's hand would raise, brushing against her cheek and lifting her eyes to meet his again saying softly, "If ye can't believe that's in you, then don't believe yerself. Believe in me. Believe in the me that believes in ye."

After a moment Patrick would use his thumb to wipe the tears off her face, well at least that side of her face. After another moment had passed Patrick would let his hand fall before saying with a smile, "Now let's get ye a room huh?"

[Kazumi O'Connor]

She had to admit that she was surprised by the fact that he kissed her back. She had not been expecting it, and had almost assumed that he would push her away. Perhaps it was just a fear that she had with everyone these days, or perhaps it was a fear that she had with him due to the number of times he had done so in the past.

Whatever it was, she was relieved to find that it was not the case, and would instead lean her head into his touch as she felt his hand come to her cheek, those eyes however staying upon his own. Once more she brought a weak little smile to her face, nodding slightly. She wasn't entirely sure that she could believe in herself, but she had believed in him this long, why would she stop now. "O..Okay.." Biting her lip and fighting the urge to glance away at yet another failed attempt at speaking.

As his hand fell away from her face, she found herself feeling a tiny stab of longing for that touch to linger on just a bit longer. Still, she said nothing and would instead glance toward the hotel once he mentioned getting her a room...a hesitant little nod given in response. "Al...Alright.." Instinctively, she reached back and pulled the hood back up over her head, hiding herself again from the light of the world that was to come. At least out here it had been dark, but inside, the light would be upon her again and she already knew the fear that would start to creep up within her.

She would wait for him to take the lead and then follow along, keep her hands stuffed into her pockets and making sure to keep her head down. Though it would not take long for her tone to rise upward once more, perhaps a bit more timid this time, but still loud enough to be heard. "W..Will...you ...um...stay with me?" She knew that it was asking a lot, but she just didn't like the idea of being alone. Probably why she was not home in her own bed at this moment. Up until Zeke had left, she had snuck into his room almost every night to try and sleep....Now, well...yeah, sleeping came that much harder.

[Legion]

Patrick noted how quick she was to pull the hood up back over her head when he mentioned going to the hotel. He wasn't exactly sure what that was about, though he had his ideas. At the very least Patrick knew where that came from. After another moment he would smile again at her before turning and leading the way. Not getting too many steps further he would hear her voice behind him. Asking him to stay with her. Coming to a stop he'd turn around a slight smile on his face, "Of Course."

Truth was, he had been kind of hoping for it. No, he did not intend or expect to go anywhere sexual. Patrick really just wanted the company and the closeness. While he still had the feelings for her that he had held since the beginning there were many questions that still needed answering. Questions that Patrick would not allow to go unanswered, but they didn't really require the answers now. For the moment he considered this alright. Not anymore of a significant emotional investment that he had already given in the past, or could afford to give.

After that Patrick would continue forward walking into the hotel. Walking up to the desk he would ask the attendant for a room, gaining a questioning look to both him and Kazumi, which ultimately, Patrick would ignore. When asked for a room preference Patrick would simply answer something on the second floor, putting the money down for the room. The second floor was really a paranoia thing but there was no need to further elaborate on that one. Getting the key, Patrick pocketed it, giving a look to Kazumi to make sure that she was still following before continuing on.

When they got to the room the first thing Patrick would do would be to turn on a lamp by the bed, quickly looking around, familiarizing himself with the layout of the room and looking for threats. Yeah, right now he was supposed to be the pillar of strength but there were definitely his certain personaility quirks that couldn't be ignored. After he was satisfied that the room was safe and that he could succesfully navigate it in the dark Patrick made his way to the window, not standing in front of it but to it's side, looking out through a small hole in the curtains. Making sure no one was out there he'd drop the curtains allowing them to fall again to the window. Yeah, Patrick was very aware that he had drove out of the way to get out of the neighborhood were that would have been necessary.

He would turn back to Kazumi to see what she was up to a soft smile on his face...

[Kazumi O'Connor]

As he agreed to stay, she couldn't help but smile a bit more genuinely. A little nod given as she softly bit down upon her lower lip, yet she stayed silent. Following along she ignored the looks that were given to them by the guy behind the counter, just ducking her head a bit more to try and hide herself from view as she waited for him to fork over the key.

Once he had done so, she would move to follow him to the room. A little bit of attention paid to the way that he surveyed the room and looked out the window, though she didn't really think it that odd. She herself was a bit more paranoid than she used to be, always making sure that nobody was in the room, or that they weren't going to be able to easily get in and get her. But then, every time she woke up, she had to remind herself that she wasn't back in that place.

Moving to take a seat on the edge of the bed, she would hesitantly move to pull her jacket off, leaving her in just her t-shirt and jeans. Nervously she would tug at her shirt, trying to keep it from clinging to her body as she brushed her tongue across her lips. Only after a moment would she allow her fingers to run through her hair, pushing it back out of her face and allowing it to spill down over her shoulders.

A few moments later, she would crawl up onto the bed, laying down and nuzzling her head into the pillow, though choosing to take the side of the bed that was farthest away from the light, trying to hide herself in what little bit of shadow was allowed to her. "I think the room is safe....at least for now.." A little smile given as she curled up on her side facing his direction, those blue eyes watching him for a moment before lowering away from him, waiting on him to join her.

[Legion]

"Can never be too sure," Patrick chuckled. That was a joke. Patrick was paranoid as fuck, but he could still joke about it. Then again, he didn't really think of it as paranoia, more like, good life decision for where he was at in life. He didn't want everyone to know what he was doing at all times. Especially when there were people that would wish ill upon him. If that could that was, as fortune would have it the irishman turned out to be fairly protected. If only because the one that had made sure that he stayed alive was certain that he was suffering more alive then dead. Her problem though, Patrick's gain? Well, only time would tell.

It would seem that she was waiting for him on the bed. Understandable really. What was he just going to stand there all night? That would just be ludacris. Although he did sit outside a door and smoke all night while she slept and, well cried once. That had been a less then pleasurable experience, that was for sure. But that was last time and this was now. He made his way across to the bed, next to her, on the side closest to the light and furthest from the window. Paranoia told him this was really the best option because he was closest to the door. No, he was not that much of a rat dick. He meant that in the sense that he was in between her and whoever might possibly enter the door. At least to give her a chance out the window.

He propped himself up against the back of the bed though, in a more seated position as opposed to her lying down position. But then again it made sense to him. Patrick didn't sleep anymore unless he passed out. Besides the few months preceding his final encounter with Earth he got a whole hell of a lot more sleep then usual. His hand went to the light as he asked, "Ye ready to hit the hay?"

She definitely had looked tired before. There would be time for talk in the morning. If she answered in the affirmative that would most likely be that and he'd turn the light of. If not, then well the ball was in her court...

[Kazumi O'Connor]

As he moved to take a seat on the bed, she would finally feel the comfort in being able to relax, her feet shifting so that she could kick her shoes off and toss them off the side of the bed, a little sigh escaping her lips as she glanced toward him when he spoke. Yeah, she was tired, and though she doubted she would have a restful sleep, she was hopeful to at least get a few hours in before she totally flipped out in one way or another.

"Ye...Yeah...sounds good." A little smile given before she would wait for him to turn out the light, though once he had, she would find more comfort in the darkness than she had previously felt. A little sigh of relief washing past her lips before she would crawl the short distance across the bed and curl up against him, one arm draping lazily around his midsection as she snuggled her way up against him.

It felt good, having him there, and a little smile crept onto her features as she allowed her eyes to close, laying there for a long moment in the silence of the room, the trembling she had been suffering seeming to ebb and come to a stop completely. Her mind still believed that as long as she was in the dark, she was safe, and with him there, that made it all the more secure. Though, after a moment, she would shift about, slowly pushing herself upward on the bed and pausing for a moment, her hand raising upward so that she could find his cheek, softly pressing her hand against it. "Thank you...for everything." Her voice finally back under her control, feeling more like herself now than she did when the lights were on, even though there was a little light in the room, cast from the green light of the smoke detector, it was not enough to cause her fear or nervousness. If anything, it was just enough for her to see by and nothing more, now that her eyes had adjusted to the darkness.

Leaning in she would press her lips to his, allowing this kiss to linger a bit longer than the last, putting just a bit more of herself into it as she shifted a bit closer to him. Sex was not something that was on her mind, but the closeness was....the need to feel him was....

[Legion]

When he turned the light out something seemed to change in her. She seemed to become almost more comfortable. Patrick was glad, a genuine smile gracing his face. Though he did wonder what exactly she was afraid of. It seemed to be quite related to the light. Perhaps she was afraid of the light itself? Or what was equally possible was that she may have been afraid of people seeing her shame, he being dirty, as she called it. It was difficult to say, though what he could say was it definitely had something to do with the light. Though Patrick was glad that she was more comfortable. She put her arm around his stomach and in turn Patrick draped his arm around her shoulders.

She put her hand to his cheek after propping herself up next to him and to be perfectly honest. Patrick had a pretty good idea what was coming. Though Patrick was cherishing the closeness at this particular moment as well. She spoke, thanking him again. This time she spoke in a tone that was far more familiar to Patrick, not stuttering, or stammering, nor did she shake anymore. That in of itself made Patrick happy, "Anything"

Patrick meant in this particular moment that it was nothing. Then again, she probably didn't fully comprehend the full meaning of that. The full actions behind his words. But that was okay. The actions seemed moot now that she was alive, and yet very necessary.

As before when she kissed him Patrick wasn't entirely surprised, meeting her back with a kiss of his own. This time though, it wasn't so much of a quick thing as last time. He was able to take more time, letting it linger as she did. Able to let her know that regardless of what had happened before, that he still cared for her. Held feelings that were similar. But he was content just to have her close right now...

[Kazumi O'Connor]

She would let out a little contented sound of both happiness and pleasure as she felt him return her kiss, her hand sliding along his cheek for a moment before falling to rest against the side of his neck. Though, this time instead of pulling back, she would instead deepen the kiss just a bit, savoring the way it felt to have him there against her and letting her small body press more firmly into his own.

Despite her movements, there was nothing overly sexual in the way she touched him or the way she pressed into him, it was more like a desperate longing, a yearning to feel him and nothing more. Tilting her head slightly, she shifted her leg just a bit so that it came to rest atop his own, her hand moving away from his neck and eventually sliding down the front of his chest.

Only then, after she felt that slight sting in her lungs from the lack of air she was currently getting, did she break away, a few lingering, soft kisses given before slowly sliding down just enough to rest her head against his chest, still keeping a semi upright position. "I've missed you..." Speaking softly as she nuzzled into him a bit and would let out a little yawn, her eyes fluttering closed, feeling so content and so utterly comfortable in the moment that it wasn't hard for her to begin to relax, little hand idly playing over his chest for a moment before it slowly began to fall still....Sleep starting to take over rather quickly.

[Legion]

Patrick would follow her lead in deepening the kiss, very much okay with that. While he fully intended to let her take things solely at her pace he decided he could allow himself to enjoy it. Not like that was a difficult decision, at all. As she moved in closer, Patrick's arm around her shoulder would move up, his hand moving to the back of her head as he pulled her in more. The closeness of her very pleasurable indeed. Her hand moving down to his chest Patrick allowed his free hand to grasp it as she played with his chest.

As she pulled back from her kiss letting the few shorter ones on his lips like a signature Patrick would sigh contently. This, he had to admit felt so much different from when they had sex. Sure there had been feeling and passion in that, but this was different. There was closeness that had been lacking before, something he had been hiding, holding back. Sure, he was scared now, and maybe there were things he was holding on to, but compared to then, he was opening himself so much more.

"I've missed ye too Kazumi," Patrick said, "Me too"

He meant that too, perhaps more genuinely then she could comprehend. When he thought he had lost her, he himself lost it. Willing to give up anything to get her vengeance. Risking anything he might of had left. When he got it, he was left exactly how he had expected to be, with nothing. Empty inside, like last time he had gotten that all consuming vengeance. Though that time it had been more potent, perhaps maybe because he knew the nothingness he would feel after the fact. Maybe that was what made it more potent. Patrick couldn't describe how he felt seeing her now, actually alive. While he was scared to death, he also felt hope.

He felt her hand go still on his chest and in his hand as he held onto her, feeling her fall into sleep's embrace. Patrick knew it would be a long night, but probably one of the easiest one's he'd weathered...

[Kazumi O'Connor]

As she fell asleep, she would remain curled up against him, quite content not to move as her mind began to wander with dreams and various images that were not really her own memories, but more the ones that she was forced to watch over and over again as she remained drugged up and strapped to that chair.

A little whimper every now and then as she would shift slightly and in turn press tighter against him. Once in awhile, her body would begin to tremble, then it would settle back down. But it wasn't until the moment that the flashes of images began to turn to things that were real, all too real to her, that she began to shift about all the more. Occasionally she would let out a little cry of pain or fear, her fingers curling slightly until she gripped his shirt holding herself to him and starting to tremble more heavily. The images of being in the dark, and then that light came on....the sound of the door opening...that face, the one that haunted all her dreams, every night.

She tensed, a small gasp of breath taken before tears would start to escape from behind her closed eyes, rolling down the sides of her face. The image of backing up, the image of him grabbing her, the pain....words trying to provoke her, to draw out the other side of her, throwing her down and then.......She screamed. Both in the dream and reality, jolting awake and struggling to catch her breath as she shot up in bed, soft little sobs escaping her as the darkness began to close in on her, managing to at the very least sooth her and bring her back to some sense of reality instead of that room she seemed to eternally be trapped within.

[Legion]

Patrick sighed stroking her hair as she fell asleep. He wondered if she would be able to make it through the night. Kazumi obviously was tortured by what had happened to her, it was highly likely that that was going to surface itself in her dreams. Unfortunately, it would prove to be right, his postulation.

He listened to her shift and whimper over the next few hours. Curling tighter into him at points. She began trembling and Patrick frowned. While he could only guess where she was, he had a pretty good idea. Where ever it was that Faux Earth had taken her, that's where she was, relieving what had happened. While there were many things that Patrick couldn't fully comprehend about her, this was something he could empathize with. His life outside the conscious realm was constantly lived on the dock that they had been to tonight. Constantly relieving his worst memories. It was hell. Patrick genuinely felt bad for her.

Everything culminated in a very familiar jerking up and screaming. It was something that the irishman had done many times. As she did Patrick sat up fully, putting his arm around her whispering, "It's okay. Yer in the hotel. He's not here, only me. Patrick."

While it had been a few hours, Patrick was completely awake. He didn't sleep and so he was ready for the inevitability he had perceived the second she had started stirring. He held her gently, but at the same time allowing her to know that it was him there. He knew that this would take time. He had been through this plenty of times himself. The only real cure to coming back from those dreams that he had found over the years was time.

"Shhh," Patrick hushed her sobbing, "It's alright, I'm here..."