Black Sheep

Call Me

The drive to her apartment felt surreal, like he was living someone else’s life. The sunlight filtering through the trees as he crossed the H3 only made the unease in his chest more pronounced. When he finally pulled up outside her building, he hesitated, his fingers drumming on the steering wheel.

What if Lucius had done something unforgivable? What if Victoria knew?

Steeling himself, he got out of the car and made his way to her door. He knocked softly, the sound barely audible. After a moment, he heard footsteps approaching, and the door creaked open.

Victoria stood there, her hair tied back, wearing a simple T-shirt and shorts. Her expression was a mixture of relief and hesitation. "Hey," she said softly, stepping aside to let him in.

"Hey," Alistair replied, his voice equally quiet. He stepped into the apartment, noting the faint smell of coffee lingering in the air. "I... I wanted to check on you. Make sure you're okay."

She nodded, closing the door behind him. "I'm fine. Just... processing everything."

Alistair turned to face her, his hands shoved into his pockets. "Did... did Lucius say anything to you? Or—"

Victoria shook her head, cutting him off. "No. He didn’t. He’s been quiet since last night." She paused, studying him carefully. "But I can tell something happened. Are you okay?"

Alistair hesitated, searching for the right words. "I woke up on the beach this morning. Lucius left me a note... said he handled things." His jaw tightened as he looked at her. "Victoria, I need to know. Are you sure you're okay? Did he hurt you? Did he—"

"No," she interrupted firmly, stepping closer. "He didn’t hurt me. If anything, he... protected me. In a way that I’m still trying to understand."

Alistair exhaled, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "Good," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "That’s all that matters."

Victoria reached out, placing a hand on his arm. "Alistair, I know this is hard for you. I don’t know what it’s like to have someone like Lucius inside your head, but... I don’t blame you for what he does. I need you to know that."

Her words hit him like a punch to the gut. He stared at her, struggling to process the depth of her empathy. "You shouldn’t have to deal with this," he said, his voice cracking. "You shouldn’t have to deal with me."

Victoria stepped closer, her grip on his arm tightening. "But I want to," she said firmly. "I chose to. Whatever happens, we’ll figure it out together."

Alistair felt a glimmer of hope. He pulled her into a tight embrace, holding her like she was the only thing keeping him grounded. And maybe she was.

They stood there in silence, letting the unspoken understanding between them fill the space. Whatever Lucius had done, whatever was coming next, they would face it together. For better or worse.

As they stood in the quiet embrace, Alistair felt the weight of everything lessen just slightly. Victoria's presence, her warmth, and her words were grounding him in a way he hadn’t thought possible. He pulled back slightly, looking into her eyes, and gave her a faint, tired smile.

"Thank you," he said softly. "For... not running. For staying."

Victoria’s lips curved into a small smile, though her eyes betrayed her concern. "You’re worth staying for, Alistair," she replied. "Even with Lucius."

The mention of Lucius made his jaw tighten, but he nodded, accepting her words. He took a deep breath and let her go, stepping back to give them both a bit of space.

"I know you said you’re okay, but if there’s anything—anything at all—you need to talk about, I’m here," Alistair said.

Victoria nodded, running a hand through her hair. "Thanks. I’m still sorting through it all. I’ll let you know when I can put it into words."

They shared a quiet moment, the weight of the previous night hanging in the air between them.

Alistair glanced at the clock on her wall and sighed. "I should probably go. You’ve had enough to deal with, and I don’t want to crowd you."

Victoria frowned slightly but didn’t protest. "Are you sure? You can stay a bit longer if you want."

He shook his head, forcing a smile. "I’ll be okay. I just... need some time to process too."

She walked him to the door, her hand brushing his arm as they stopped in front of it. "Call me if you need anything," she said earnestly.

"I will," Alistair promised.

As he stepped out onto the landing, he turned back to her one last time. "Take care of yourself, Victoria. And... thank you again."

She gave him a small wave, her smile soft but genuine. "You too, Alistair."

Alistair drove aimlessly for a while after leaving Victoria’s apartment. The early afternoon sun was bright and glaring, but it felt muted to him, like his world was operating on a different frequency.

He kept replaying Lucius’s note in his mind, wondering what exactly his other half had done. The idea of "handling" things made his stomach churn. But there was also a darker, more shameful part of him that was grateful for Lucius’s brutal efficiency.

The thought brought a bitter taste to his mouth.

Eventually, he found himself back at his apartment, sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. He needed answers—needed to know what Lucius had done. But confronting Lucius meant opening the door to more chaos, and he wasn’t sure he could handle it.

Instead, he opted for distraction. He pulled out his phone and scrolled through his contacts until he found the name of an old friend from his unit. Someone who knew what it was like to live with ghosts.

"Hey," he said when the line connected. "It’s me. You got a minute?"

The voice on the other end was warm, familiar, and instantly comforting. "Always my son. What’s going on?"

Alistair hesitated, then leaned back against the couch, staring at the ceiling. "I need to talk. About... some things I’ve been dealing with."

"All right," his friend said. "Start from the beginning."

And so he did.

Meanwhile, Victoria tried to focus on cleaning her apartment, but her mind was elsewhere. The events of the past two days had left her feeling unmoored. She had gone from terrified to comforted to conflicted in a whirlwind of emotions, and she still wasn’t sure where she stood.

Her thoughts kept drifting back to Lucius. As much as she wanted to hate him for the things he’d done,the thing they had done she couldn’t deny that he’d protected her. And that protection had come with a strange, almost unsettling tenderness.

She sighed, running a hand over her face. "What the hell am I doing?" she muttered to herself.

The sound of her phone buzzing on the counter snapped her out of her thoughts. She walked over and picked it up, her heart skipping a beat when she saw Alistair’s name on the screen.

I hope you’re okay. Just wanted to check in, the text read.

She stared at the message for a moment before typing back.

I’m okay. Thanks for checking. Hope you’re doing all right too.

It wasn’t much, but it was enough. For now.

She set the phone down and leaned against the counter, her mind still racing. Whatever was happening between her, Alistair, and Lucius, she knew one thing for sure: it wasn’t over. Not by a long shot.

____________________________________________________________________________

Victoria sat at the edge of her bed, her hands clasped tightly in her lap as the weight of the secrets she carried threatened to crush her. The morning light streamed through the curtains, highlighting the faint dark circles under her eyes. She hadn’t slept well—not since that night in the bunker. The images of DJ’s lifeless eyes, the cold efficiency with which Lucius had disposed of the body, and the visceral pleasure she’d felt in Lucius’s arms all swirled together in her mind.

She closed her eyes and exhaled shakily. The guilt was a storm inside her chest, churning and relentless. She felt like she was cheating—not on Alistair, but on Lucius. Which was absurd, she told herself. They were the same man, weren’t they? Two sides of the same coin.

And yet, they weren’t.

Alistair was steady, thoughtful, and kind. He was the man who brought her coffee and listened when she needed to talk. But Lucius... Lucius was fire. He was raw and untamed, his passion a force that made her feel alive in ways she hadn’t thought possible.

Her mind replayed the memory of their night together in the bunker. She hadn’t expected to feel such an intense connection with Lucius, let alone find herself craving more of his dangerous energy. The way he looked at her, the way he touched her—it was electric. And that scared her as much as it thrilled her.

But Alistair didn’t know.

Victoria opened her eyes and stared at her reflection in the mirror across the room. How could she face Alistair knowing she had kept all of this from him? How could she sit across from him, knowing what she and Lucius had done?

The truth was, she couldn’t.

The guilt weighed on her every moment they were together, growing heavier with each passing day. She wanted to tell Alistair everything—about DJ, about the bunker, about Lucius. But how could she explain it without breaking him? Without breaking them?

A sharp knock at her door jolted her from her thoughts.

“Victoria?” Alistair’s voice called from the other side.

Her heart skipped a beat, her stomach twisting into knots. She quickly smoothed her hair and stood, taking a deep breath before opening the door.

Alistair stood there, his expression warm but tinged with concern. “Hey,” he said, stepping inside. “I just wanted to check on you. You seemed a little off yesterday.”

Victoria forced a smile, though it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’m fine, really. Just... a lot on my mind.”

He studied her for a moment, his brow furrowing slightly. “You know you can talk to me, right? About anything.”

Her throat tightened, and she nodded. “I know.”

Alistair reached out and took her hand, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. “I mean it, Victoria. Whatever it is, you don’t have to carry it alone.”

Her chest ached at his sincerity, and for a brief moment, she considered telling him everything. But then she saw the gentle vulnerability in his eyes, and she couldn’t do it. Not yet.

“I appreciate that,” she said softly, squeezing his hand.

Alistair smiled, but there was still a trace of worry in his expression. “All right. Well, I was thinking maybe we could grab dinner tonight? My treat.”

Victoria hesitated, her guilt flaring up again. But she nodded. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

As Alistair leaned in to kiss her forehead, Victoria closed her eyes and swallowed the lump in her throat. She would have to find a way to reconcile the two sides of the man she cared about. But for now, she would keep her secrets buried, even if they were tearing her apart.

Alistair disappeared down the landin and she closed the door. Victoria knew she had no time for whatever it was she was feeling. “Got to be normal and go to work. It’s what Papa would do.