Her voice is caught in her throat. "C-Cathy..?"
Amelia's voice for once sounds frail, almost saddened by the sight of the person. Cathy, her old friend whom she had not seen for years; Looking completely changed. Her long brown hair braided at some of her strands, wearing leopard print jackets and black clothing from head to toe. Her face was covered in piercings. From her eyebrows, to her lips, her nose, and slanted to her earlobe. Cathy's skin looked tethered, eye bags under her eyes. She knew what that was, the redness of her eyes. Cathy was a drug user; An addict. Which pained Amelia as she stared at her old time college friend. For the path she chose to go down, for the path she could have prevented if Amelia had never run away from Florida.
"Amelia! Oh God, it's been so long!" Cathy chirped, leaning forward to hug her old friend. Amelia's response is to slightly step back, causing Cathy to pull herself away slightly confused. Her ears perk up, knowing her two agents are now chatting about the display that was beginning to unfold. Amelia could feel the eyes of many of the agents within the halls land on her and the mystery woman.
This was the attention she did not like.
"How have you been Amelia?! I have so much to-"
"Who let you up here?" Amelia's calm tone once again reappears, as her facial expressions become cold. Cutting Cathy off completely, her brown eyes widen. A completely shocked look on her face. With the prying eyes on the two women, Amelia had to get Cathy out of the building as fast as possible with no issues.
"W-what do you mean? I'm your friend I thought I would-" Cathy stutters, Amelia crossing her arms over her chest.
"I don't want anyone from my past here. Especially not you." Her facial expressions stretched with a sort of irritation. Eyebrows furrowing over her eyes, tapping her boot on the floor. While the other woman stares at her in awe, completely taken aback by the sudden refusal of affection or conversion. Yet, the situation only caught more eyes. Many parts of the hallway begin to quiet, with the display of their boss having an altercation.
Amelia sighs, "If you don't leave quietly I will call security. I don't want anything to do with you, I'm sorry." By now, it is clear her tone is ice cold. Amelia was deadly serious with her words. Cathy was a friend to her, but that was many years ago. Someone who was damaged by her presence in their lives, and introducing her back into it would make things worse. Cathy was lucky that she was alive after meeting Amelia.
Cathy scoffs in shock, "Amelia, are you really throwing me out? We're like part--"
The more Cathy spoke, the more her blood seemed to boil. Completely simmering within her veins, of what Cathy could not seem to understand. Amelia did not want here, not now or ever. A person from her past could not be brought back into her life. Losing another person she used to care about, was not something she could ever do again. Her hands, ball into fists. Eyebrow twitching as they furrowed over her emerald hues. Breathing deeply within her nose. Yet Cathy continued to speak; Begging her in some way to open her arms to her. Almost calling them family.
Family. Never again.
Amelia shakes her head quickly, before shouting: "Shut the fuck up!" She had completely lost her composure, shouting towards the woman with a boom in her voice. A painful shout, almost a plea in her own way to get her to stop speaking. The hallway falls silent, all eyes are now on her. As Cathy in front of her, frowns. Amelia's head turns towards the people in the hallway, chest rising and falling hard as they watch her. Her head turns back to Cathy,
"Get out now," Amelia breathes out, "Before I kick you out." The other woman says nothing, as the frown continues to stretch on her face. Amelia's body stance is still strong, tall. Even inside, she was rattling; Completely in shock of her lack of control of her emotions at this moment. Seeing someone who had been in her life, not only alive but wishing to talk as if they were old friends. She didn't know why Cathy was here, and she did not care.
Cathy's heels click against the quartz floor, Amelia's eyes continuing to watch as she begins to walk past her. The frown that was once split on her lips turns into an angered look. Furrowed brows, gritted teeth. When she finally gets to where Amelia stands, Cathy's lips purse in a pout.
"He's coming for you. Wait and see bitch." Cathy whispers in a hiss to her, only for Amelia's eyes to widen as her entire body follows Cathy's movement away from her.
Him, could it be the him she had been imagining? Thinking of, seeing signs of his possible return to her life. If it was, that would confirm all of her worst fears. That her bullet rang with no purpose, and was a useless shot. All the effort to forget, to wipe herself from the past entirely. It was all going to come crashing down, if he was truly alive. Alive, and now coming towards her.
Emerald hues widen, as Amelia calls out: "What did you say?" The words catch the other woman's attention, looking back at Amelia. Cathy however, gives no response. That angered expression turns into a crooked and wild smile. A giggle erupting from the burnette woman's throat. Amelia's eyes widened even further, completely in shock of how the woman had changed. Cathy had once been a wonderful woman, and now drugs and substance abuse had taken over her completely. Amelia's lips part to speak, but before she can; Cathy turns away from her. Running out of the agency, in another direction.
Immediately Amelia's instincts kick in. That angered stare coming back once more, as her head turns around the room. Spotting security, she whistles towards them; Motioning her hand towards the fleeting body.
"Stop her, stop her right the fuck now!" Amelia yells towards the two men in black suits. In quick haste they move on her command, running behind the giggling woman that had a lead on their chance. All the while, Amelia begins to run behind the security guards. She wanted to make sure that they caught her, and she could get in all the questions that she wanted to ask. Cathy knew something that she was oblivious to, Amelia didn't like to be left in the dark.
When she's about to exit the hallway, fast behind the security guards one of her agents steps in front of her. The red head, Ellis Leon placing her hand in front of her boss. Amelia stops to not hit the woman, but she was not pleased to be stopped in her pursuit.
"Boss, slow down." Ellis says, pulling her hand away from in front of Amelia's chest. Amelia's eyes continued to watch as the black suited men disappeared into the hallways. Shouting and incoherent talk amongst them, watching as her chance to get answers may have just disappeared.
Amelia rubs her forehead frustrated. "No, she--!" She gestures towards the now empty hallway, now realizing the gravity of the situation. Every agent was staring in her direction, watching as the scene unfolded in front of them. A mysterious woman walked into the agency, in their eyes. In her eyes, it was the long forgotten past that was tucked neatly under her bed. Never to be opened unless she had the consciousness to wish to. It was opened without her knowledge, beginning to spill from the cracks.Her facial expressions soften, to a frown and worried expression. Something that gives the agent in front of her wide eyes. "She.." Amelia breathes out, groaning as she rubs her temples. Amelia turns her body away from the woman in front of her.
"He has to be alive.." She whispers to herself, low enough so only she could hear it. Breathing in deeply through her nose, and breathing out with a large sigh.
Amelia feels the light grip of touch on her shoulder, to which she looks back. There still stands Ellis, a softened look of empathy on her face. She didn't want the pity, the empathy. All she wanted was to forget the entire thing had happened. With the prying eyes however, that would be nearly impossible.
"Come on, let's get you to a chair and get you a glass of water. You're stressing yourself out.." Ellis starts, placing another hand on the small of her boss' back. Beginning to guide her with a light touch to the conference room that they both frequented. Amelia doesn't dare look at any other agent in the hallways, nor Ellis. She was entirely embarrassed by her display, and this would stick to her reputation. Someone who was seen as calm, collected, and rational within every situation that was placed in front of her. There was one simple crack, and Amelia had to cover it up at all costs. If she continued to let one crack leak, the entire wall would demolish itself.
Easy for the darkness of the past to seep inside of her.
"I'm fine." Amelia retorts as Ellis quickly grabs her a chair from one of the rounded tables. Shaking her head as she sits down, elbow on the hard wood to rub the side of her temple. Ellis stands next to her, leaning against the table with her eyes locked in. Mixed hues of brown and green flare towards her, before looking towards the offline projector.
"Look, Agent Reston. I don't know what that was all about," Ellis begins speaking, completely avoiding eye contact. "I won't pry on it, because it's none of my business who that was. If it was, you would have instructed us to know her identity." Amelia's eyes peer up at Ellis, completely in awe by the response. That doesn't show on her face, but inside it catches her off guard.
Ellis was always the one woman who knew her place. Never to dig too deep into things that did not involve her, her job. So many of the agents within her team were beginning to try to pry into her past. Yet Ellis stayed loyal as always. No fuss, no questions, just blind loyalty. A soldier behind its marshal; Preparing to go into battle. Even if it meant losing their life in the process.
Amelia nods, "I would like that from all of my agents. You are without a doubt, loyal." Her body leans back into the chair, yet still not relaxed. How could she relax in this situation? There was no way to appease the running thoughts in her mind, the tense strain in her muscles.This would last for days.
She snaps her fingers,catching the other woman's attention. "Now that you have seen her, make note of her appearance. Her first name is Cathy, last name.." Amelia pauses for a moment, "I can't remember, but it should be easy to get if she is in any criminal database." Her eyes move down towards her hand, rubbing the padding of her fingertips against each other. "I expect it to be done immediately." Her voice holds its firm tone once more, as if nothing had happened only minutes ago.
"Will do, boss." The other woman replies. "I'll leave you to rest for a moment, I know you will be up not long from now." Amelia nods at the woman's words, not replying as her gaze continues on her slow rubbing fingers. The room hits a deafening silence, until the brushing of steps can be heard. Followed by the creaking of a door open, and then lightly closed shut.
Amelia sighs, looking back now towards the entrance of the conference room. She was alone, and yet the glass walls did not hide the image of her figure to others. Agents are still passing by with their eyes glued on her. Her emerald hues glare towards those who even make direct eye contact with her, causing many to look away. Usher themselves from her view, with Amelia's stare once again softening to herself. Not of sadness, but of weakness; Only for a moment. She was almost like a museum, people walking by to examine her. Watch her movements, interpret in their own little ways. The many walls, and halls that would lead to many different parts of her. Categorizing from the tamest, to the more grotesque, the frightening. Simple stares feeling as though they buried deep within her, tore and stripped her of the walls that built around the inner parts of her heart and soul. In her mind, those who starred tried to understand the way she worked, how the many pieces undiscovered could fit together when brought to the light. Hoping that one day the museum doors would open, and the exhibit would be on full display for all who were interested.
A horror show, of a museum. One that would never see the light of its opening day.