The Strange Case of Dr. Davenport and Mr. Moreau

For Christian, it had been a long month so far. Shortly after this, he would be leaving Camp Jupiter once more, and his Cohort, to help out the Virgo family. The thought didn't sit so easily with him, but he had volunteered to go. Being away from his usual environment of almost a decade was good for him, especially while potential trouble was brewing. After nine years, some had finally figured out his secret. Whether it was via confession, lucky sight, or other means, all it took was on pair of loose lips for all of it to be over. Permanently.

Tonight had seen Christian take back some responsibility for a moment, though he felt forced, as he declined Corinne to attend this arrest with him. In truth, he was grateful for Corinne's constant cooperation and consistent drive. Still, he felt it was a lot easier if he went alone, and took a couple Legionnaires who were of age to enter The Tipsy Toga. Christian was pretty sure Corinne would eventually get pretty tired of him coming back after being gone and acting like no time had passed at all. That was an issue for another night.

Tonight's issue was arresting a Cohort One kid, who had some standing suspicions of treason, linked to a prior issue. Upon entering The Tipsy Toga, Christian spotted Remy, working at her usual counter. She gave him a look and he waved to her. He turned back to the two he had brought with him. "She's a friend. If we end up needing her, she might have an idea."

"It's f***in' loud in here, dude." One of them, Blake, called to him. "It's also impossible to catch a glimpse of literally anyone. Is this just artillery survival training in disguise?" He asked, which caused Christian's lips to curve with a grin.

"You sound cranky." Christian yelled to him, over the blaring music. "I know you're retiring in two weeks, are you thinking you're gonna get hit?" The legacy was able to crack some subtle humor with a friend. Blake was never good at drills, or anything involving power structure. You had to coax him; make him think no one was in charge.

"That would be the tradition, wouldn't-" Blake was cut off, but the last wheel of the car, Kaitlynn.

"Sir, over there." Kaitlynn said, always loud and proud. She was the sort of person you wanted to have at the head of every drill. You would think she was a Marine, not a Legionnaire.

Christian was quite literally stunned at how quickly she had made the sighting. "Yeah, that's him... good job." Christian spoke. He gave Kaitlynn a confirming nod. She wasn't far from retirement either. He'd have to ask Corinne about her. Maybe she should be getting more attention. "Blake, keep put in case he tries to bolt."

Christian and Kaitlynn took different sides to approach from. They had all agreed that quick was the best way to do this, end up with no crime scene, and hopefully not even interrupt the bar's night. By the time Christian was close enough, he'd began analyzing how to best ensure a clean capture. The boy's name was Brett, another one of Cohort One's rich and privileged.

Brett was involved in a huge floor dance, which wasn't necessarily a bad thing. Lots of music and people to cover it up, it wouldn't mess up the whole bar, only that one part. Christian was about to make his move, but as he stepped in, Brett was thrown to the floor, violently. Apparently, Kaitlynn wanted to take some initiative. Brett's reaction time was quick, but it didn't stand up to Kaitlynn's ruthless tactics. She threw another punch to the downed boy, and there was clearly some blood involved.

Chistian ushered in and put cuffs on the boy, Kaitlynn then lifted him forcefully from the ground. Christian's eyebrows rose, this girl was not to be messed with. The two worked their way back to Blake, who just had a dumbfounded look on his face. He simply put his hands up to 'surrender' to Kaitlynn.

"Yeah, don't mess with her, she-" Christian's eyes locked on a different familiar face, who was looking straight at him. Aspen Davenport, which was just another case full of regrets. "Take him back to Camp's interment, don't leave him in New Rome, otherwise it's a pain in the ass to get interrogation rights. I gotta see someone- Kaitlynn, come see me tomorrow morning before I go." With that, the two departed, leaving Christian to be the only one in this whole crowded building with armor on.

Still, with the lights and music, they'd attracted minimal attention, and this wouldn't be all the buzz around New Rome and camp tomorrow. Christian approached the booth, with only one lone figure. The Davenport, who frankly, held intimidation for Christian. "Aspen." Christian said, his tone was carefully placed to be neutral.

At this point Aspen was a regular to the Tipsy Toga. She had her own booth where she would sit from nine at night until closing. She'd watch people dance, have fun, the usual things you come to a night club setting for. Aspen never got up from her seat once she sat down. She wasn't huge on the party scene, but the loud music and the drinks were enough to block out any of the horrors she saw.

She was on her fifth drink by the time she heard a voice and her head shot up to look at who it was. It was Christian. They boy she slammed into the wall at the hospital. She motioned for him to sit across from her. "I'm harmless sit." Aspen practically demanded of him and took another sip of her drink. "Are you the fun police, cracking down on everyone's fun?" Aspen asked gesturing to his armor he was wearing.

"Harmless?" Christian asked, but he didn't carry any anger into the thought. Just being so close to Aspen was enough to give him a gentle phantom pain in the back of his skull. "Only for another ten hours, and then I'm off again. Helping the Virgos, the other rich and privileged family." Christian gave a somewhat light-hearted shrug.

Christian couldn't sit on the feelings in his chest any longer. "Dude, what are you doing here?" He usually wasn't the one to crack down on someone for something like this, but with Aspen in particular, Christian could only think of how she reacted when Christian had put Rowan in the emergency room. "These people are either alone or have nothing better to do. Which are you?"

Aspen's eyes stayed on Christian as he spoke. When he mentioned rich and privileged, it took a hit to her. The Davenports were nothing like the Virgos. She shook her head, "We choose not who we're born to. We choose not to live. We have been given a lot, but everything has a price. Even when it comes from your parents. Well a father like ours anyways." Aspen said with a light shrug of her shoulders as she slammed back the one shot she had and chased it with a bit of her drink she was currently drinking.

When he asked what she was doing here, she couldn't help but laugh. She broke eye contact with him and stared at the wall. "Doesn't always have to be one or the other. Sometimes it's both." She said and her eyes shifted back over to Christian. "Sometimes it's the only way to really get away from things and satisfy my needs. Not sexual. Although that never hurt anyone. Just. Have you ever needed something so bad to help you cope with something, that eventually the minimal amount just isn't enough?"

Christian could only think about his first shot when he watched Aspen pour hers back like it was nothing. She spoke, and it was clear she hadn't just started drinking. Yet, her words were profound. They meant something. Yet, they rang hollow, as though the purpose was taken from them, and was somewhere else. It didn't change the message though. He knew what the leash looked like. After all, he hadn't lived without it since before he was ten years old.

Why would you be so stupid, Christian wondered? To surrender your greatest weapon to someone who may use it against you? Christian wasn't sure. Maybe Aspen wasn't either. Because he didn't even weigh his options before speaking.

"Yes I do."

"You know. I'm only telling you this because by the time you see me again, you won't be able to do anything to me." He said. He fished the bottle from his pocket, the prescription on the side read "For Abella Moreau." He opened it, and poured just one pill out and popped it in his mouth. Confession or not, this bottle would have to last him until Sophia and Carter were finished with their quest.

He did it in front of Aspen, without shame. "Don't be stupid, Aspen." It was blunt, and flat-out stupid to say. He was positive that Aspen wouldn't go to Roz while she was intoxicated, but anything was possible. "What's worth losing to keep the bottle?"

Aspen watched him as he dug around in his pocket for awhile. She was a little confused, but as he pulled out a bottle and poured a bit of the content into his hand and he popped a pill. She supposed everyone had their own form of poison. Even though Aspen was heavily intoxicated, a lot of things began to click in her brain and the pieces started to come together and everything was clear as day.

"I'm sorry for slamming you into a wall." She said as she brought the rim of the glass up to her lips and tilted her glass as she took another drink. Although she just shook her head as he asked what was worth losing to keep the bottle.

"I'm not sure what your deal is, but, I've already lost. I lost the one person that helped shape me to be who I was in the legion. One person who drove me to constantly be my best. We had a wedding in the works. It was going to be this December. Now, if I stop, I lose sleep, I lose sanity, I lose so much." Aspen said deciding to chug the rest of her drink at this point to be able to push her through the territory she might possibly be heading in.

"I'm sorry, Aspen." Christian said. His voice rang with empathy. Everyone seemed to always lose someone, and Aspen lost someone she clearly loved. What could you say to someone when their world was gone? Were words simply enough. He wondered if there was even a gesture that could mean anything. He couldn't even hug her, while she was sitting across from him, anyway. All he could do was take one of her hands in his. Which even then, was somewhat inappropriate.

"You shouldn't be sorry." Christian replied. He didn't have shame in showing Aspen who he was, but it didn't mean that he wasn't ashamed of who he was in general. "You were right to do it. You and Liam both. The thing is, he's the kind of person that is probably sorry too." Christian hated that fact. That they could even feel guilt towards him. He wasn't worthy of their guilt. After all, Rowan's blood was on his hands. "I know what it's like to lose your only sister."

Aspen heard the words and she felt his hand grab hers. It was enough to push her to the brink of tears, but she stayed strong. She already let one weakness out of the bag to Christian. She couldn't let another one go. Even though it seemed as everything was toppling over like dominos now. Everything was gradually unraveling in manner of minutes. There was nothing Aspen could do to stop it.

"I'm sorry because I know how it feels. You didn't need me to slam you into a wall to solidify it. I know what it's like to be the reason someone you cared for died." She said with shame and guilt. It was something she continued to live with from day to day. Something that no matter how much she had to drink, the feelings wouldn't go away. The nightmares would continue to haunt her. Truth be told in the passed week, Aspen has maybe slept about eighteen hours. Only time she did sleep was when she could convince her father to give her a pill that'd knock her out.

"I'm sorry for your loss."

"I wanted worse." Christian admitted, with a tilted brow. "I wanted to get beaten to a pulp. To get what I deserved. I wanted to feel something. Anything, seriously, anything besides the hollow feeling that came after." The pain to the skill was nothing. Especially not while he was on painkillers.

"I've hurt people. I don't even know how bad. But, I do know why they're hurt." Christian gathered the stones to look back up at Aspen. "They're hurt so that I can have these. I haven't gone a day without them in almost an entire decade. There's nothing in the world that's ever stopped me. Rowan saw that." Christian hated to hand her sister this kind of information. "I miss your sister. I miss her bad. I lay awake and think of all the things I want to tell her, good and bad."

"Still, even with that, I was inspired to think what can still happen. I have a partner I could lose. People who look up to me. I know they aren't her. But they're good people, and important people. I like them a lot." Christian looked Aspen in the eyes. "Your family. They're good people. Think about what can still happen, Aspen."

Aspen could feel nothing but empathy as he spoke about how he wanted worse done to him. She understood that feeling all too well. She squeezed his hand lightly to let him know she was listening and she understood what he was saying. She was fairly drunk, well clearly drunk, but she was still intact with her brain for the time being.

"It's how I felt too. I felt I deserved more, but in a way when I look at it now, I'm getting more than I deserve for pain. I've even dug myself into something I can't control anymore." Aspen said referring to the alcohol.

The daughter of Bellona heard the legacy of Mercury speak about her sister. Her features softened and she gave him a sympathetic look. "When you get back, you should try talking to her again. She's stubborn I'll give her that, but to have someone like that in your life is hard to replace or find again."

Aspen listened to the words he spoke and they range through her ears. She couldn't say anything back to it.

"Before you leave this bar, could you escort me back to my house? I'm not sure of my capability to walk, and there's some real scum in New Rome."

"No." Christian replied. Rowan was clear on her wishes. Christian wasn't involved in her future. "It's wrong for me to do. Just because I miss her doesn't change the way she looks at me. I don't ever want to have to see her look at me that way again." He recalled when he'd told her about the addiction. It made him feel like he wasn't human.

"Besides, I know you guys don't like to be seen with me or my people." The insecurity was rare to escape Christian. Typically, he shielded it with great defense. That the grit and willingness mad Cohort Five every bit as good as the others. The views of others never got to him, but they were constant. Every single person, from Cohort Four to One, looked at him that way. After so long, it was exhausting, each judgmental stare was another prick to the shield. Eventually, the foundation would crack.

Regardless of his feelings, he was alive and she was. She wasn't a bad person. She deserved a walk home. "It isn't just New Rome. People are evil everywhere." Christian couldn't help but feel a slight phantom pain under his chest, where his mother had shot him. What else was there to say? One vulnerable stumble and a few too many drinks led two strangers to share more than they ever would have. Now, she knew about him and he knew about her. Christian stood up, and offered his hand to use for support. "Let's get you home."

She listened to him as he spoke. All the words he said sunk in to her intoxicated brain. She couldn't make him change his mind on going to see Rowan. Even if her sister had made it clear to the boy she didn't want to see him, she had her suspicions out that it wouldn't last. Rowan was stubborn, but Aspen knew she was fairly forgiving.

The daughter of Bellona's expression grew into a somber one as he mentioned that people like her didn't like to be seen with people like him. "That may have been my previous mentality a few years back due to my upbringing, but surprisingly enough the man I was supposed to marry usually found the good in everyone. He believed in equality and unity among the cohorts. He came from a less privileged family. His own brother is in the fifth cohort actually. But ever since being around him and his ideals, my world has opened up a lot." Aspen said quietly.

It wasn't much longer before he got out of the booth and extended his hand out to her. Aspen took it and used it to stable herself while finding her footing with standing up. "Thank you. I know you don't have to help me. But I appreciate that you are. You're a good kid."

Christian was slightly angry with the girl he was helping up. Angry that she was suffering the same way he was. He felt a desire to crack down on it, to nip it where it was, and force her to stop the habit. He knew that would never work though. Use her family as the ultimatum. It was the best way to cut someone off from this stuff, but what happened when they chose the poison over their loved ones anyway? There was no going back after this. He'd have a lot of work to do if he really wanted to get Aspen out of this. Especially because of why she was doing it.

Once she was standing, Christian put an arm around her back, and tucked the end of his forearm to her armpit, to support her whole body. He put his other hand on her closest shoulder. "I'm not that good." His tone wasn't defiant, or upset. It just rang with an honest thought.

"This guy, his brother. He's in the Fifth Cohort?" Christian asked. He kept Aspend Davenport up straight. This was a strange scenario, he never thought he'd find himself in. He didn't care what people walking by might think. She needed to get home safely, and so he walked her towards the exit of the bar. "What's his name? I'm sure I know him."

"Listen, we all do stupid shit, but you're not a bad person Christian." Aspen said firmly and soon enough she felt his arm go around her so he could support her. Aspen didn't usually like to ask people for help, it wasn't in her to have people help her. She figured she would be an independent person. She could do things on her own, but tonight she had too much to drink, and didn't feel like trying to stumble home on her own. Besides that, he had shared some stuff that was obviously not well shared information. Aspen felt a level of trust with the legacy of Mercury.

As they walked to the door of the bar together he asked her about her former fiance's brother. She had to think for a small moment before her forms could formulate into a coherent sentence. "His name is Charles. He's been in the legion for about eight years now."

They left the bar, and at this time a night, the only people on the streets of New Rome were the people who were trying to get into the bars. The loud and obnoxious music was finally more of an echo, and Christian no longer had to be loud just to get through to Aspen. It was a relief, to have some silence. Sadly, Christian knew where he was going to take her home. He didn't want to go there. What if Rowan was awake? Or potentially worse, Mr. Davenport. Christian hated that man.

"I know him. He's loyal." Christian replied. "Of course, I know him, he's one of mine." He clarified. "You know, for someone who really doesn't like me, you seem to give me a lot of credit." Christian said. They made distance from The Tipsy Toga. He regretted not saying hi to Remy. Right now just wasn't a good time. Talking to her was painful, while she knew what he was up to

Most of the streets were empty in New Rome. Unless there were other people stumbling home from the bars, or people trying to get into them. The odd time you had drunk people on the streets trying to harass people who walked by, it was really just a mixture of people.

As they continued to walk the music got quieter and quieter. Which was probably a good thing because she was starting to feel her head hurt from how loud it was in there. The silence and cool air of the night was comforting. It felt good to be outside with the fresh air. She had been inside for entirely too long.

"Just because you don't like someone doesn't mean you can't credit them for the things they have done. Besides that, I don't dislike you. I was upset when I found out my sister could lose her life, but with what you've told me, it all clicks. I forgive you." The daughter of Bellona said as they continued to get closer to the Davenport house.

They were just entering a stretch of houses now, and her house was at the end of the street.

Christian halted. The Davenport household was in sight, but that isn't what halted him. "No. No!" Christian replied, hastily. It was clear that Aspen had triggered something within him. Everything that had been on his mind came back out in full force, all at once. He didn't let her go, he held on to her, but he stopped and looked her dead in the face. "No, don't you say that, don't you get it?" Christian's voice wasn't calm any longer. He wasn't freaking out, but it was clear he was no longer settled.

"Your sister almost died because I couldn't put down the damn bottle in nine years." Christian could have cried, with all the strain that had been on him. Talking about Rowan's incident now reminded him of the soreness he had from the bullet he took last week. Thinking about his mom only made it worse. But he stayed strong. "I don't deserve forgiveness. From her, Liam, Helmer, or you."

All of a sudden they stopped and Aspen felt a jerking motion. It took a little bit to get some of her footing again as she stumbled a bit. She saw him looking at her right in the face. Seeing the way he looked at her in that moment though, she could tell what she had said triggered something. When Christian began to mention how he didn't deserve forgiveness from any of the Davenport children her expression changed.

"Christian, she didn't die though. I know she could have, but hearing what you had to say, I understand. Not completely because we almost lost her due to your habit, I started my habit because I lost my co-opito. Everyday I live, all I can think, is it could have been me. Why couldn't it have been me instead. I have a feeling, you feel that too. I know the guilt you place on yourself is already hard on you. I don't need to be a stronger force for you to reckon with. Everyone deserves to redeem themselves, everyone deserves to be forgiven. I forgive you." Aspen said looking at him the whole time, and even as she said it, her seal of no tears broke, and a few had already streamed down her face.

All he could do was breathe. He couldn't think of one legible thing to say to her, and when nothing came, he forced it. "How could you..." Nothing else followed it up. He stood there, clueless still. His emotions continued to stir. "Why are you..." The why was important. Because, to Christian, he never expected Aspen Davenport to forgive him. The concept itself was laughable. Yet, here she was, in the flesh. Using him to stand. Insisting that he should have a chance.

Christian slung his arms around her. It was strange, the two weren't close at all. He wasn't sure if it was just for him. He felt like part of it was for her too. "You can't keep going like this." Christian finally made out. "It isn't going to work. One day it's all going to come crashing down. And you might not get lucky the way I did."

Aspen didn't have answers for him. On how or why. She didn't even expect the words to come out of her mouth. "I know how you feel. I know I don't deserve forgiveness, but I know maybe things would have turned out better for me, if someone had forgiven me for what I did. Charles? the rest of their family? They can't even look at me. They refuse to even talk to me. Charles will maybe say hi, but I know the hatred that is buried deep in him. I know he wants to see me suffer. I know their whole family does. They've practically spit in my face. If just one of them had forgiven me, I'd like to think, maybe I wouldn't have gone so far off the deep end." Aspen said and she could feel the pool of emotions within herself. She knew at any moment they were going to overflow and pour over.

It was when she felt his arms sling around her in a hug that she felt her arms just autopilot to wrap around him and as he spoke, that was when the pool of emotions overflowed and the tears came pouring out and at this point the sobs had started. "Maybe that wouldn't be so bad."

"I forgive you." Christian shot back at her. He knew it wasn't the same, he probably didn't even know Aspen's fiance well back then. "Your family forgives you. Gods, Aspen, if your family knew what this was, they'd be worried sick every night. And they'd be right to think that way." Christian tried hard to reach her. He tried as hard as he could. This wasn't the right neighborhood to have the Davenport daughter break down with you, but this was important.

"I hear what you're saying and I know you feel it and I'd just be lying if I said I'd never felt it." Christian opened up. "All the time, I think about how much better things would be for everyone if that girl just shot me. Hit me. Killed me." Christian insisted, but he tightened his grip on the older girl. She had to know she wasn't alone. "But she didn't. I can't change that. I can only change that I'll live my life differently for Rowan. You just told me that everyone deserves to redeem themselves. You deserve to redeem yourself. F***, Aspen, you don't have to do it alone. I'm right here."

The words Christian spoke slapped Aspen in the face. She was stunned and couldn't say anything or do anything. She could only listen to the words that he said, and she could only let them slowly steep in her head. The tears still silently streamed down her face. What was she supposed to say in response to that. How was anyone supposed to have words to that. She took a shaky breath in and wiped the tears from her face.

"If I get sober, will you get sober too?" Aspen asked shakily in terms of his pills. For once in her life Aspen felt like someone could understand her again. Someone knew how she felt in this instance and to her that was one of the many gifts of life. To be given someone who knows the kind of pain you're dealing with. Aspen calmed a little and the tears were slow moving at this point. "Thank you." the brunette said in a hushed tone.

"Your sister's taking everything I have left after I leave tomorrow." Christian replied. "Before you ask, the way she agreed was gut wrenching. No part of it seemed hopeful. But, I need her. I've never seen anyone, Centurion or otherwise, catch things during contraband checks like she does. And I've slept in my bunk for nine years. No one has ever caught anything." The reality wasn't good. Christian himself was good at checks, because he knew how to think. But he also knew he would cheat himself, and leave pills behind. It wouldn't work if it was him.

"I'm getting sober already. I'm done being controlled. Living on this leash everyday. All I have left is the bottle on me. If that doesn't last me this Virgo quest, well, then I'm screwed. By the time you see me again after tonight, I won't be the same. I want that for you, too." Christian peeked over her shoulder. There were some lights on in the house in front of them, and a figure in the window. He sling Aspens arm over his shoulder, and got closer to help her this time. "Come on, let's go, it's all going to be easier once you're home."

Aspen listened to what Christian had said. Surely if he was working towards being sober and if he could put pills down after using them for a long time, she could put her own bottle down, right? It was hard to think of a life without it. It helped her in so many ways, but she also knew that meant it was a crutch to her in life and so long as she continued with the habit she'd be dependent on it. That wasn't how she was raised and that wasn't who she was.

"Okay, if you can do it, I can do it." She said softly. It wasn't long before they shifted back into a position so he could help her get home. They were fairly close at this point. The two of them began to walk again. Within a few minutes they reached the door to the Davenport home.

Aspen's head turned to look at Christian, "I'm not sure if I can get up the stairs on my own, I understand if that's going out of your comfort zone. Thank you for the help you've already been tonight though. I appreciate it a lot."

"It definitely breaks my comfort zone." Christian replied. "But I took an oath to essentially ignore my comfort zone years ago, when I took the job. I'm not leaving you to struggle." Christian insisted. He sighed, and looked at her again. "This isn't a chore. I want to do this. I'm just dealing a lot is all." He assured her. The pair walked into the house, and despite being quiet, a voice instantly came. The last voice he wanted to hear.

"Aspen, is that you?" A voice called. Of course, it was a person Christian never spoke to. He made it a point to keep away from any events sponsored by him. He encouraged his Cohort to do the same. What was Michael Davenport doing awake at this time?

Gods almighty, Christian felt a horrid sensation. It only got worse when a light flickered on, and the man's figure appeared from a hallway. "Sir, your daughter was-" Christian swallowed everything in him, and spoke respectfully, despite the rooted hate. Even still, it didn't help at all when he was cut off.

"Excuse me, I was talking to my daughter." He stated back, strictly and coldly. Warm anger boiled inside Christian. But he held his tongue and waited for Aspen.