Games of "Go Fish" and "Rummy" with "Colleen" panned out better than her sessions with Ethan. Those were rife with frequent reminders of how Daisy's death had been a useful object lesson and how eventually Rose's usefulness would run out as well and that only Ami's cooperation would keep her friend alive. Ethan never mentioned Claire, and he never told Ami *how* she was supposed to cooperate.
"What about Claire?" Ami demanded at one of their morning briefings.
"What about Claire?" Ethan's smugness made her want to slap him.
"You never mention her. It's always Rose or Daisy -- " Ami paused, swallowed the lump of sadness, anger and frustration that rose each time she thought about what a waste it was to kill Daisy that way; what a horrible sadistic loss. "I know she's here, but you never hold her over my head."
"You needn't concern yourself with Miss Littleton."
"Why not? You're not going to remind me of how pregnant she is, or how much you wankers can hurt her?"
"I said that you needn't concern yourself with Miss Littleton. Like you, she still has her usefulness to our project. It's Miss Tyler that you should be worried about."
Ethan chose his words carefully. It wasn't the first time that Ami noticed such a thing. The idea that Claire was 'still useful' stood out and Ami rolled it around in her head, trying to puzzle out why Claire could be useful when Rose wasn't. Rose traveled through time, to other worlds in the company of a powerfully telepathic alien whereas Claire was a sweet, pregnant unwed mother from --
It clicked. Claire was pregnant.
Ami shuddered. "You don't care about Claire. You care about her baby!" Ami accused. "What's going to happen to her when she delivers?"
"Well, when that happens, it will be time for you to concern yourself with Miss Littleton." Ethan took a drink from the cup of water he placed on the serving tray beside his chair. "Of course, if you truly want to try the limits of our kindness, I should remind you that as far as my colleagues are concerned, a human incubator at this point of gestation is not a requirement, merely a convenience."
"You bleeding bastard."
"That's hardly fair. You asked about Claire and I answered. If you don't wish to hear the answers, don't ask the questions." Sitting back, Ethan crossed his legs and opened his notebook. "Tell me about growing up in London, about living with these abilities of yours."
"It was fun. I got to break curfew and see the world." It was passive resistance, but it was all that she had at the moment.
"And what's it like being involved in a relationship with a half-breed human?"
Ami didn't rise to his bait. She'd learned her lesson on day four. She'd lunged at Ethan, not knowing what she intended, but needing to try something. The subsequent backhand landed her on the floor with another split lip; he'd hauled to her feet by her hair and the grip of his hand around her throat left bruises. Later, she healed it all again, noting the irony that it took a dire situation to give her practice at using her new talent.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Ami remarked.
"Miss Jackson, a talented liar you are not."
"I don't want to talk to you about my relationships."
"Of course you don't." That was all Ethan said before he left, allowing the door to swing ominously closed behind him.
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timeasmymeasure
[Ami] Sessions
Date: 2006-08-03 03:30 am (UTC)"What about Claire?" Ami demanded at one of their morning briefings.
"What about Claire?" Ethan's smugness made her want to slap him.
"You never mention her. It's always Rose or Daisy -- " Ami paused, swallowed the lump of sadness, anger and frustration that rose each time she thought about what a waste it was to kill Daisy that way; what a horrible sadistic loss. "I know she's here, but you never hold her over my head."
"You needn't concern yourself with Miss Littleton."
"Why not? You're not going to remind me of how pregnant she is, or how much you wankers can hurt her?"
"I said that you needn't concern yourself with Miss Littleton. Like you, she still has her usefulness to our project. It's Miss Tyler that you should be worried about."
Ethan chose his words carefully. It wasn't the first time that Ami noticed such a thing. The idea that Claire was 'still useful' stood out and Ami rolled it around in her head, trying to puzzle out why Claire could be useful when Rose wasn't. Rose traveled through time, to other worlds in the company of a powerfully telepathic alien whereas Claire was a sweet, pregnant unwed mother from --
It clicked. Claire was pregnant.
Ami shuddered. "You don't care about Claire. You care about her baby!" Ami accused. "What's going to happen to her when she delivers?"
"Well, when that happens, it will be time for you to concern yourself with Miss Littleton." Ethan took a drink from the cup of water he placed on the serving tray beside his chair. "Of course, if you truly want to try the limits of our kindness, I should remind you that as far as my colleagues are concerned, a human incubator at this point of gestation is not a requirement, merely a convenience."
"You bleeding bastard."
"That's hardly fair. You asked about Claire and I answered. If you don't wish to hear the answers, don't ask the questions." Sitting back, Ethan crossed his legs and opened his notebook. "Tell me about growing up in London, about living with these abilities of yours."
"It was fun. I got to break curfew and see the world." It was passive resistance, but it was all that she had at the moment.
"And what's it like being involved in a relationship with a half-breed human?"
Ami didn't rise to his bait. She'd learned her lesson on day four. She'd lunged at Ethan, not knowing what she intended, but needing to try something. The subsequent backhand landed her on the floor with another split lip; he'd hauled to her feet by her hair and the grip of his hand around her throat left bruises. Later, she healed it all again, noting the irony that it took a dire situation to give her practice at using her new talent.
"I don't know what you're talking about," Ami remarked.
"Miss Jackson, a talented liar you are not."
"I don't want to talk to you about my relationships."
"Of course you don't." That was all Ethan said before he left, allowing the door to swing ominously closed behind him.