Happy Together

Never Let You Go

“So that’s it?” she asked, her voice firmer now. “You just ran? You didn’t try to get help, to turn yourself in?”

Alistair’s head snapped up, his eyes wide with alarm. “I couldn’t,” he said desperately. “Don’t you see? If I told anyone, they’d lock me away. And I thought... I thought I could control him. But I was wrong.”

Victoria sipped her tea, her expression unreadable. “You said Lucius thinks he’s protecting you,” she said after a moment. “But from what? The world? Or you?”

Alistair froze, the question hanging in the air. He’d never thought about it that way.

“Maybe both,” he admitted quietly.

Victoria leaned forward, her gaze piercing. “Then we need to find a way to take away his control. If he thinks he’s protecting you, we need to show him that you don’t need protecting anymore.”

Alistair let out a bitter laugh. “Easier said than done.”

“Maybe,” Victoria said, her voice softening. “But if you’re serious about this, I’ll help you. We’ll figure it out together.”

Alistair stared at her, overwhelmed by the depth of her compassion and resolve. “Why?” he asked hoarsely. “Why would you stay after everything I’ve told you?”

Victoria looked at him for a long moment before answering. “Because I see you, Alistair,” she said simply. “And I think there’s more to you than Lucius.”

Her words hit him like a punch to the chest, and deep inside, Lucius stirred, his presence cold and malevolent.

You can try to get rid of me, Alistair, Lucius whispered in the back of his mind. But you’ll never win. I’ll always be here.

Alistair clenched his fists, determination hardening his expression. “We’ll see about that,” he murmured under his breath.

Victoria tilted her head. “What?”

“Nothing,” he said quickly, forcing a faint smile. “Thank you, Victoria. For everything.”

She nodded, her hazel eyes steady. “Get some rest,” she said. “Tomorrow, we figure out our next step.”

As Alistair settled into the couch, exhaustion pulling at him, he couldn’t help but wonder if there was truly a way to silence Lucius for good—or if this battle would consume him in the end.

It was late, and the apartment was quiet except for the faint hum of the refrigerator and Radiohead’s Creep playing softly. Alistair had fallen asleep on the couch, his face finally at peace after their long and harrowing conversation. Victoria sat in the armchair across from him, sipping her tea, her mind a whirlwind of questions and doubts. She wanted to believe in Alistair. She wanted to help him. But the shadow of Lucius loomed large in her thoughts, a reminder of the danger that lay beneath the man she thought she knew.

She stood, intending to grab a blanket for Alistair, when she noticed something. His body shifted, a subtle tension running through him. His fingers twitched, and then his head tilted slightly, almost as if he were waking—but when his eyes opened, they weren’t Alistair’s. The softness she had come to recognize was gone, replaced by a cold, predatory intensity.

“Hello, Victoria,” a deep, mocking voice greeted her.

Victoria froze, her heart pounding. It wasn’t Alistair. She didn’t need to ask; she knew who was looking at her now. “Lucius,” she whispered.

A smirk spread across his lips as he sat up, rolling his shoulders like someone stretching after a long nap. “Smart girl,” he said, his voice laced with amusement. “It’s nice to finally meet you properly.”

Victoria’s throat was dry, but she forced herself to speak. “I wasn’t sure you were... real,” she admitted. “Alistair told me about you, but hearing about you and seeing you are... different.”

Lucius chuckled, the sound low and chilling. “Oh, I’m very real,” he said, standing and pacing slowly around the room. “More real than Alistair likes to admit. I’ve been watching you two tonight. Cute little heart-to-heart you had. Very touching.”

Victoria clenched her fists, standing her ground even though every instinct screamed at her to run. “What do you want, Lucius?” she demanded.

He stopped pacing and turned to her, his smirk fading into something colder. “Want?” he repeated, his tone sharp. “I don’t want anything from you, Victoria. You’re not part of this.”

“Not part of this?” Victoria’s voice rose slightly, her fear giving way to anger. “You took over and kidnapped me. You were ready to do God knows what, and now you’re telling me I’m not part of this?”

Lucius tilted his head, his gaze narrowing. “I wasn’t going to hurt you,” he said with a flicker of annoyance. “Not unless you gave me a reason to. Alistair’s the one who’s weak. He doesn’t understand the world the way I do. He doesn’t see the threats everywhere.”

“You think you’re protecting him,” Victoria said, her voice calmer now, probing. “That’s what he said. But you’re not protecting him, Lucius. You’re hurting him. You’ve ruined his life.”

Lucius barked a laugh, but it was bitter. “Ruined his life?” he echoed. “I saved him. You don’t know what he’s been through. What we’ve been through. You think Alistair could’ve survived this long on his own? Without me, he’d be nothing. A broken little boy, too scared to face the world.”

Victoria stepped closer, her fear momentarily forgotten. “He’s not a boy anymore. He’s a man trying to make things right. And you’re holding him back.”

Lucius’s expression darkened, and for a moment, she thought he might lash out. But instead, he smiled—a slow, dangerous smile. “You think you’re brave, don’t you?” he said, his voice dropping to a whisper. “But let me tell you something, Victoria. Alistair isn’t as innocent as he makes himself out to be. He likes having me around. He needs me.”

“That’s not true,” Victoria shot back, her voice firm. “He hates what you’ve done. He’s ashamed of it. He wants to be free of you.”

“Free of me?” Lucius took a step closer, towering over her now. “You don’t get it, do you? Alistair and I are the same person. He created me because he couldn’t handle the world on his own. Every time he was too weak, I stepped in. Every time he was too scared, I took over. Without me, he wouldn’t be alive.”

Victoria refused to back down, even as her heart raced. “Maybe you were a part of him once,” she said. “But now you’re just a parasite. You’re feeding off his fear, his pain, and you’re destroying him.”

Lucius’s smile vanished, replaced by a flicker of something she couldn’t quite identify—anger, maybe, or doubt. For the first time, his confidence seemed to waver. “You think you can fix him?” he sneered. “You think your little pep talks and tea will make me go away? I’ve been here for years, Victoria. I’m not going anywhere.”

Victoria took a deep breath, steadying herself. “Maybe not,” she admitted. “But Alistair isn’t alone anymore. He has me now, and we’re going to fight this. Together.”

Lucius stared at her, his jaw tightening. For a moment, the room was silent, the tension almost unbearable. Then, slowly, his lips curled into another smirk. “We’ll see about that,” he said, his voice low and menacing.

And just like that, he was gone. Alistair blinked, his expression dazed and confused as he looked around the room. “Victoria?” he murmured, his voice soft and unsure. “What... what happened?”

Victoria let out a shaky breath, her heart still pounding. She moved to his side, placing a reassuring hand on his arm. “It’s okay,” she said gently. “Lucius and I had a little... conversation.”

Alistair’s eyes widened in alarm. “What did he say? Did he hurt you?”

“No,” Victoria said firmly. “But he’s wrong, Alistair. He thinks he owns you, but he doesn’t. You’re stronger than he is—you just don’t see it yet.”

Alistair looked at her, his eyes filling with tears. “I don’t know if I can do this,” he admitted. “I’ve been fighting him for so long... and I keep losing.”

Victoria squeezed his arm, her voice steady and determined. “You’re not fighting alone anymore,” she said. “We’re going to beat him, Alistair. One way or another.”

Despite everything within him , Alistair allowed himself to believe her. And deep within his mind, Lucius watched, his presence a dark shadow, waiting for his moment to strike again.

Alistair rose abruptly from the couch, running a shaky hand through his hair. “I should go,” he said, his voice low and uneven. He avoided Victoria’s gaze, his shoulders tense and his entire posture screaming guilt and exhaustion.

Victoria stood too, her heart sinking. “Alistair, wait,” she said, stepping closer. “You don’t have to leave. We can figure this out—together. You don’t have to run from me.”

He shook his head, the pain etched across his face. “You don’t understand,” he muttered. “I can’t... I can’t stay here. Not after what just happened. Lucius... he’s too dangerous. I’m too dangerous.”

“You’re not Lucius,” Victoria said firmly, reaching for his arm. “Whatever he says, whatever he’s done, you’re not him. And leaving now won’t change anything. If anything, it’ll make it worse.”

He pulled his arm away, his breath hitching. “Victoria, you don’t get it,” he snapped, though his voice cracked with emotion. “Lucius is always there. Waiting. Watching. And if I lose control again...” His voice trailed off, the words too terrible to finish.

“You didn’t lose control,” Victoria countered, stepping closer. “Not tonight. Lucius was here, yes, but you came back. That means you’re stronger than you think.”

Alistair laughed bitterly, the sound hollow. “Stronger? Do you have any idea how many times I’ve told myself that? How many times have I tried to fight him, only to wake up covered in blood, not knowing what he did? You should’ve told me to leave hours ago. You should’ve slammed the door in my face.”