[Ami] Letting It Loose (tag Scott, open)

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Ami and Scott are coming from here.

Scott's words, meant to offer comfort, did very little in that vein. He didn't understand – he couldn't possibly understand – how her thoughts and feelings made her feel; how wrong she felt and how wrong it felt to think such things. She'd never in her life wished someone dead – other than Masters and Carlson – she hadn't even wished Richard dead for his part in that, but here she was, engineered right down to her DNA to be peaceful and she wanted to see Amanda punished.

She wanted the woman to suffer like George must have.

Everything was wrong. Right now, even Scott felt wrong to her, so cold and so detatched without the affection and warmth she was used to feeling from him.

This place was wrong. It and everything and everyone in it was screwed up and wouldn't it have been so much better if she'd just died in the crash? Then she wouldn't have to be here, dealing with blow after blow, crises after crises; plagued by monsters in the jungle and monsters on the beach. At least the ones in the jungle didn't pretend to be human, not like the ones on the beach.

None of it made sense. None of it was right and all of it was wrong. Hideously, horribly, terribly wrong. So wrong that she could feel it in her bones moving beneath the sand, trying to move into her body, into her blood and corrupt her.

It was all wrong.

A wind whipped up around her, blowing sand. Gently at first, then gaining strength and momentum, tiny clouds of dust billowing up around their feet, growing larger and larger, pulling driftwood and sea weed, rocks and stones, flinging them outward and spinning them upwards as the maelstrom of sand grew. Near and far, tent flaps and shelter flaps began to move and sway, stirring in the wind that came from every direction. Fruit floated into the air, tossed there and caught by unseen hands and the ground beneath their feet began to tremble ever so slightly.

[OOC: Yes, that is more than a wee bit of uncontrolled telekinesis. And any similarity to X3 is purely coincidental; Ami's ability, when unchecked like this is actually canon. At 14 or 15 she teleported two fellow Tomorrow People, the blanket they were lying on, shook the house to the foundations and did a lovely job of rearranging objects and furniture in the process.]

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[Ami] Dizzy (tag Scott, open)

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"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Ami kept repeating the words like a mantra, through her choked sobs. Arms wrapped around Scott, her face buried in his neck, she clung to him as though he were the only anchor in the world - and in a way, he was.

/You're going to be okay./ The words weren't Scott's, they were Megabyte's and the presence of her friend in her mind, the comfort and understanding that he offered only made her sob harder. She'd pushed him aside when he tried to help her. She didn't want to be here anymore.

/I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry,/ the thoughts echoed the muffled words that she spoke aloud.

(I'm so very sorry. I shouldn't be here. I shouldn't try to be normal. I shouldn't... I'm sorry.)

[MB] Aiding Recovery (tag Scott, open)

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Ami needed to recover, and this time it would take more than a few hours. Unfortunately, she wasn't going to recover on the beach. Megabyte walked slowly towards the couple, peripherally aware of the approach of Molly and Tara.

(Dammit, not now!) Megabyte thought in annoyance.

Scott startled a bit as Megabyte knelt in the sand beside he and Ami, then seemed to relax. At least he didn't shoo Megabyte away, for which Megabyte was more grateful than he cared to admit.

He placed his hand lightly on Ami's head, feeling all of her sorrow and regret. In addition, he noted that the maelstorm had passed and nothing was lingering. Megabyte sent her a wave of warm empathic comfort and looked at Scott, waiting until he had the man's full attention before saying what he had to say.

/I know you can't answer me,/ Megabyte projected the thought at Scott, /But I think you can hear me./

Scott blinked, clearly surprised, but nodded.

/Ami needs to get away from here for a while. If you can get her into the teepee or over to the trees, I can teleport you both somewhere. I know a couple of private, isolated spots or you can offer one of your own./

[Scott] Aiding Recovery (tag Ami, MB, open)

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For once Scott was glad to see Damon. He couldn't take care of Ami alone; at least not yet. Thankfully his dizziness was waning.

Damon helped Scott get to his feet, then they both coaxed Ami to do the same. She kept her eyes cast down, continuing to tear and murmur apologies. After wiping the blood from his upper lip Scott gently turned Ami's face toward his. /C'mon. We're getting out of here. We're taking care of us./ Scott gently kissed her, sending all of the love and affection he felt through the touch. Although Ami didn't return the kiss, she stood a little straighter.

"The trees are closer," Scott told Damon. The three made their way toward the treeline. Damon supported Ami since Scott was busy concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other. Once the jungle hid the camp from view Scott stopped and leaned against a tree and met Damon's eyes. "Thank you," he said sincerely. "Do you know where the tree-cave is?" Scott imagined it and its location as he spoke. Damon nodded. "Let's go there."

Damon teleported the three of them directly into the tree-cave. After he and Scott made arrangements for food, water, and a guard to keep watch, Damon headed back to the camp on foot to conserve energy. Scott and Ami lie on cool moss carpeting the natural structure, grateful to be away from the chaos of the beach.

[Jin] Oops (tag Methos, open)

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As Methos approached the area, he became aware of one thing, Sun was screaming. Behind Sun was her hut. In front of Sun was Jin. both were obliterated.

[Ami] Talking to Herself, Part I (tag Scott)

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Ami wasn't in a very communicative state. Her emotions, though less tumultous and jagged, were still confused and conflicted. She latched onto Scott, physically and emotionally, as the sole anchor to keep her from slipping again. He held her close and eventually she drifted to sleep.

Sleep was far from peaceful. She was haunted by dreams that taunted her and terrifying imagery.

The plane crashing and she being the sole survivor, trapped on the beach. Unable to teleport or save herself until she ripped the island apart with her mind . . .

Drowing in the ocean, over and over again. Swimming towards the light and the sound of Scott's voice but never quite making it . . .

Killing Amanda with her bare hands, ripping the girl to shreds and standing on the beach with blood dripping from her clothes and her hands . . .

"You know, you can stop that any time now."

Ami's eyes popped open. Instead of the tree-cave, she was sitting on the beach at Taiphani island, the Ship's single, tall spire rising up behind her. Swiveling her head around, she looked for and found the source of the Australian accent: Adam leaned against the trunk of a palm tree, paging through a book.

"Adam?" Ami asked incredulously. "Am I - are you -"

"No, you're dreaming." Adam put the book aside.

"I'm dreaming? Another lucid dream?"

"No, you're really dreaming. This," Adam indicated the beach and the island, "is all part of your subconscious. *I'm* part of your subconscious."

"You're my subconscious?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"I don't know why," Adam grinned. "Maybe you see me as some sort of older, wiser guiding figure. Or, maybe I'm the only person that you knew that you would listen to. Other than Scott, and right now you really don't want to bring him down with you."

Ami looked down sadly at her lap. "I almost crushed him. I almost lost him."

"Almost," Adam noted. "But you didn't. You couldn't because he loves you too much to let you go and you love him to much to leave."

Gazing wistfully around the island, Ami's voice was barely a whisper. "I'm not so sure about that."

"Well, I am. And I'm you, so what does that tell you?"

"That I'm a bloody loony?"

To be continued . . .

[Ami] Talking to Herself (tag Scott, MB, open)

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Adam frowned at her disapprovingly. "It's been so long since you've done this that I'd forgotten how much you go the full monty when being hard on yourself." He motioned her over and patted the sand beside him, "C'm'ere and sit down."

Ami hesitated, then recognizing that she didn't want to argue with Adam (myself and how weird is that?), wandered over and sat beside him. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder, and even if it was a dream, it *felt* like Adam, it felt like his fraternity and understanding that she'd relied on for so many years.

"Stop feeling guilty for being human. George is a friend, Amanda isn't and what happened to George, made you angry. You're human, you're allowed to be angry. We may be engineered against killing, Aims, but we aren't engineered against feeling. No one is going to persecute you or take away your Tomorrow Person badge for feeling normal human emotions." Adam paused and caught her eyes, "And you've always walked that edge, anyway. For you, not killing is - it's like some sort of restraint you're forced to wear. I don't approve and I never have, but I know that it's part of who and what you are, Ami and I can't fault you for that.

"And you shouldn't fault you either," Adam said quickly before she objected. He paused, then added, "Now, the whole telekinetic storm on the beach ... we do need to talk about that."

"Adam, don't -"

"Stop reining your power in, Aims. Use it when you need to, as you need to. You're far too powerful to keep restraining yourself like this."

"It scares me."

"Because the only time you let it out is when you're scared or afraid or angry. You let it scare you."

Ami didn't answer. Adam was right, and they'd had this conversation a million times.

"Actually," Adam pointed out, "You're the one who's right. Now, stop torturiong yourself with nightmares, deal with the fact that you were do for a breakdown, and wake up and let your husband know that you're not quite so far gone and broken.

"You're bent," Adam smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear, "But not broken." He gave her a brotherly kiss on the forehead, /Time to wake up. Scott needs you as much as you need him./

In a flash, Taiphani was gone, replaced by the tree-cave and Scott's warm body beside her and his strong arms around her.

Ami snuggled in closer, /Sorry I had to go away for a while. I'm back now./

[Scott] Alone again (tag Ami, open)

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At first Scott was glad that Ami finally fell asleep. The sharp edges of her emotions dulled with unconsciouness, flaring occasionally as she dreamed. He smoothed her hair and wiped away her tears as she twisted and turned.

Feeling utterly useless, he considered trying to sleep in the hopes of joining her in her dreams. Ultimately he decided against it. Not only was it a shot in the dark, but he was afraid of what he might find. (Of what she might do to me.) Although he wasn't sure exactly what had happened on the beach, he knew what he'd felt. He'd been drowning as surely as if his lungs had filled with water. Thankfully Ami had heard him before he was swept away.

Ami twisted and tossed her head against whatever demons she fought in her sleep. Scott tried to soothe her with little effect. After a few seconds she quieted on her own. Scott sat up and looked down at her, feeling ineffectual and selfish. (I can't give her what she needs. She needs a Tomorrow Person. I'm way out of my league--)

Scott gasped. Ami was gone. Her body hadn't moved, but her mind simply wasn't there. Her end of their link wasn't closed off. It ended in nothingness.

He stared, stunned, for a few moments, then mentally fumbled for his sphere in his pocket. After a few false tried he managed to connect, welcoming the sense of peace it brought.

The peacefulness didn't last long. Even with his sphere heightening his abilities, Scott still couldn't sense Ami.

The sphere's hum choked off abruptly as Scott threw himself down beside Ami and hugged her close. /Don't leave, please!/ There was no reply.

Without his awareness of Ami Scott felt hollow and empty. Although the cold safety of the void beckoned, Scott ignored it. Ami's body drew the lazy breaths of sleep. He clung to her, praying that her consciousness would return and complete him.

Eventually Ami's body stirred. Her mind filled their link with warm sunlight. /Sorry I had to go away for a while. I'm back now./

Scott squeezed Ami against him, loosing a laugh of overwhelming relief. /You're back!/ Feeling Ami's pain and discomfort he loosened his grip. /Don't ever leave me again,/ he thought guiltily as he nuzzled her hair.

[Ami] Not Alone (tag Scott, open)

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/I won't,/ Ami promised. She tilted her head back to look up at him and cupped his cheek in her hand. /I won't leave you again, I promise. I love you. I need you. And you're the only reason that I came back./

Ami kissed him tenderly, sending as much love and affection into that kiss as she could before drawing back. Words hovered just out of reach; the need to tell him how badly rattled she still was, how much she wasn't ready yet to face the camp and the chaos there, how much she simply needed to be here with him alone with nothing to worry about other than the two of them. But the words never came; they caught and choked in her throat, and in the end, she simply returned her head to rest on his chest, opening their link and knowing that he would understand all the things that she couldn't possibly say.

There would be time for talking later.

Right now, Ami simply needed to be. To be held, to be loved, to be with the one person who made her feel whole again. To be with Scott.

[Scott] Together (tag Ami [optional])

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They lie quietly for a while basking in the mental and physical presence of each other. Although Ami drifted in and out of sleep, Scott stayed awake. He needed to be alert in case anyone other than the few people he trusted on the island dared to intrude.

Now that his wife was back, however bent and hurting, they'd survive. Although Scott was confident that they could do so alone if necessary, he was grateful to have at least two allies to fall back on: Damon and Ripley. Despite their past differences, Scott was sure that Damon would do nearly anything for Ami, and by extension him. Ripley was as fierce and loyal as a mother wolf. (Once we get settled at the caves I'll find her. If she doesn't find me first.)

In the meantime Scott held Ami and waited for Damon to return. There was plenty of planning to do to keep him occupied and awake.