necroslacker | seattle ; tuesday

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seattle ; tuesday

Sam had walked all the way back to his house after waking up completely lost yesterday. He still had no memory of what had happened and that was scaring him. But, he'd made it back after multiple people had offered him help and some food. He didn't know how he must have looked to them if they were offering him food and shelter and water.

But, he turned down each offer and kept walking. By the time he ended up back at the estate, his feet were bloody and sore, his stomach was growling and he was dirty and tired. It hadn't been a good day. There was fear clawing at him, deep inside his belly but he was ignoring it.

He stared at the door in front of him, almost not wanting to open it. He knew his friends would be on the other side, possibly angry, possibly scared and he wasn't sure if he wanted or even had the ability to face that down right now.

He needed help. He really did and he knew it. Maybe he could sneak in, pack a bag and leave. That's what it was coming too. He was going to have to leave and either find his uncle or...find Douglas.

Sam shuddered and turned the knob so he could slip inside the house. He'd shower, pack a bag quickly and leave.

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Frank was actually getting a little frustrated with them all now.

"And if he asked for help, what would you all do?" he asked, glancing at each of them. "Please tell me since you're set on blaming him for thinking he was doing what was needed. I seriously want to know."

"Answering that would actually require knowing what the hell is going on," Natalie pointed out. Maybe a liiitle bit more sharply. She reined that back in. "Has he actually told any of you what this is and how long it's been going on?"

Frank shook his head. Ramon did too.

"Just that he's not eating or sleeping much. And he's having nightmares," Brid said since she did know that. "Ramon said he spends time in the basement too. That's -- "

Brid swallowed at that memory. " -- yeah."

"The basement."

Sam had never been particularly forthcoming about the significance of the basement. But she'd gathered enough to know that...

"That's not good, is it?"

"It's where he was tortured," Brid said bluntly. "I don't know why he'd go back down there now."

Natalie blinked. On some level she'd known that, but it was still different to hear it confirmed. She bit her lip. "Well, his... torturer was a necromancer too. If that side of him is being really triggered by something now..."

She shrugged, didn't really know how to end that thought.

"Yeah, but what could trigger the...Douglas side of him?" Ramon asked. "I mean, things aren't ever easy for him but what could cause this?"

Natalie said nothing.

Best not when she could feel a sudden uncomfortable tightness in her throat.

Brid slanted a brief glance her way but she didn't go so far as to pinning blame. Not today.

"He's not Douglas no matter how much he might think he has the potential," Brid said, sounding weary. "There's nothing to trigger. He's just had it tougher than a lot of people."

Natalie was thankful for that. Because today she might have even accepted the blame.

"He's not Douglas," she agreed. "But how do we convince him of that?"

"I doubt we can," Brid said, crossing her arms and looking down at the floor. "He's stubborn."

She looked over at the door to the bedroom where Miss LaCroix had yet to emerge. She wanted to go in there and see what was happening.

"And he's right," Brid said, lowering his voice. "Him turning out like Douglas...is a possibility. I don't want it to happen but it could."

"Everyone has the capacity to get corrupted and turn into the worst possible version of themselves." Look who was talking. "But I think that's something that requires a push. And Sam... pretty desperately wants to be a good person."

Even if it meant running away from them all.

"So much so that he doesn't completely buy he is one. Which is probably part of the problem."

"But wasn't there already a push if this is happening?" Frank asked, motioning at the door to the closed bedroom.

"Well, the worst thing that I know of happening to him lately is me." Well, the breakup, specifically. "I sincerely hope that wasn't enough to crack him."

Her tone went a bit flat.

"Straw that broke the camel's back?" Ramon said, shrugging.

"He's been dealing with a lot," Frank said. "His dad not wanting to be around him, his uncle taking off, the whole powers thing and Natalie breaking up with him. It's a lot."

"... I suppose I had that lack of reassurance coming."

She exhaled. "I thought things were going better between us now." Okay, not ideal, since it was all a bit unhealthy. But still. "Guess that's not enough to uncrack him."

"What the hell is taking so long?" Brid asked, starting to pace. "What's his mother doing in there?"

"Sorry, Natalie," Frank said, frowning. "I didn't mean to include you in the blame but it was a tough time for him. Still is."

Natalie waved a hand. It was a slightly stilted movement, but it still suggested it didn't matter. She'd deal with her guilt on her own time.

"Talking, I'd imagine," she answered Brid. "Although Frank said she said something about temporarily binding him, too."

"What?" Brid asked, glancing back at Natalie. "She'd do that?"

"Apparently." It was all she'd heard. "I'm not sure I think it's a great idea, because he hates it, but..."

"I didn't bind him," Miss LaCroix said as she stepped out of Sam's bedroom and shut the door behind him. "I thought I might have to but I didn't. I don't want to either."

She clasped her hands in front of her and sighed quietly.

Natalie raised one eyebrow, half expectant, half... just worried, exactly like she had been for a while now.

"So, what now?"

"Sam thinks he's turning into the one that tortured him," Miss LaCroix said without preamble. "He's told me of the nightmares he's had and that he's heard voices several times and that he's just felt...not right for quite awhile. He thinks he's spinning out of control and he doesn't know how to stop."

She sounded remarkably calm about it.

If nothing else, that helped Natalie at least try and keep a level head about hearing it. The parts that were new information, and yet not quite.

She still chewed on the inside of her lip a little. "And how does anyone help him stop?"

"I don't know," his mother said and looked down. "I've convinced him not to leave but I don't know if that will truly stop him if he wants to go. I'm sure his father would be able to help but Sam doesn't want me to ask him and I respect that. The other option is his uncle and we don't know where he is."

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