OUTBREAK: ZERO is a semi post-apocalyptic pandemic roleplay set in the fictional city of Lethford, USA. Current season: Winter, 20/21.
March 2020. The world is in pandemonium as one month ago, GHNv-20 was confirmed, five months after the beginning of norovirus season. The number of the infected are in the higher hundred thousands, and the death toll is at an estimated 250,000, with about seventy percent of the rest of the population experiencing mild to moderate illnesses connected to the S. pyogenes bacteria.
The fear of the unknown has caused mass hysteria and panic.
In an attempt to provide a semblance of safety and control, military personnel patrol the streets, even here in Lethford City, and the police force is trying to keep up with the rising street violence, assault, and theft.
Welcome to OUTBREAK: zero. Will you survive?
HAYANA
SITE OWNER + HEAD ADMINISTRATOR
Hi! I'm Haya. I'm pretty much your girl for everything! If you have any questions regarding our plot, membergroups, etc. don't hesitate to ask me. I'm also in charge of coding, graphics, anything skin related, and advertising/affiliates.
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CODING
GRAPHICS
ADVERTISING
CHARACTERS
ADDI
ADMINISTRATOR
Hey! I'm Addi. Hit me up if you need help with anything. I'm always for plotting so don't be shy. I like coffee, booze, and working out. I'm back from a long hiatus the dead so if you need anything, best ask the others until I get back into the groove of things!
GENERAL INQUIRIES
APPLICATIONS
THREAD MODERATION
MEDIATOR
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FINNLEY
GLOBAL MODERATOR
Hi hello! My name is Finnley, or Finn, call whichever and I'll be there for you (yes like the FRIENDS theme song). I am in charge of the claims and helping with miscellaneous things. Let me know if you have any questions!
GENERAL INQUIRIES
CLAIMS
DIRECTORY
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STAFF NAME
OPEN MODERATOR POSITION
outbreak
/ˈaʊtbreɪk/ zero /ˈzɪərəʊ/
a sudden occurrence of something unwelcome, such as war or disease. number, no quantity or number; nought; the figure 0.
Ruby watched the tell-tale sign that everyone now knew to be a masked smile. The small crinkling of the eyes that was now synonymous with showing a small sense of welcome, happiness, or relief under the hidden features of what they all wore now. Ruby shook her head softly at his comment, "The pleasure is mine."
She watched as he sat down, exhaling a sigh of relief as she spoke and she hoped it was something that she, indeed could fix. There weren't many that came across her desk that she couldn't help, but that didn't make it hurt any less. The man's eyes widened slightly at the appearance of the small recorder but with a shake of his head, he waved off any objections. She hadn't pegged him as having a problem with it but was relieved nevertheless as he didn't object. She liked working with everything out in the open. She didn't hold back or sugarcoat anything to clients and she expected the same in return. All cards on the table at all times.
"Someone who wants to help."
His speech was the definition of heartbreak as his voice wavered on the words, desperation heavy in the air between them. She gave a sympathetic smile to him, a small nod. Trust. That was all she could offer before actually reviewing his case. Trust that she would look over his plea and do what she could. Trust that he was in a position of needing the help that he was asking for. It was a two-way street that only worked on mutual trust.
Ruby's fingers gently took the file that he extended to her and her eyes began looking over the papers as he continued to speak. At the mention of it being a Federal entity she nodded, making a mental note. Typically federal cases were much more complicated and riskier, especially in today's climate but that didn't necessarily put it out of play. He said the store was fully owned and her eyes scanned over the deed. "I see that. Your store was purchased in full in 2001, all lenders were paid and the deed was turned over." A small crease appeared between her eyebrows as she looked over the forms.
The papers seemed to be perfectly in order. As prepared and clear as she could have asked for. It was clear as day that the place belonged in full to the owners, presumably this man's mother or father and then himself. As she asked if he'd like a beverage, he asked for water and she nodded, "Of course." She pressed the button to her assistant's line and when the woman answered Ruby replied, "Hey Jessica, can I get some water in here please?" Her assistant replied politely and Ruby put her attention back to the papers.
"There were no other loans made with or against the property that you are aware? Secured, mortgaged, financed?" Ruby scanned over the list of forms and papers, not seeing any additional loans against the business. The idea that the government would be trying to take back the property after years of personal ownership was absurd.
There was a small knock on the door, interrupting her reading and Ruby looked up as Jessica walked in with a water pitcher and cup of ice. She set the glass down in front of the man with a pleasant smile before filling it with water and placing the pitcher next to him. "Thank you." Ruby replied, watching the girl take her leave and shut the door behind her. She watched the man sit back, his fingers nervously moving along the edge of his pants. She pulled her attention back to her screen, typing in the address of the store into her computer.
He began to speak and she put her full attention on him. And as he spoke, his nervousness gave way to sadness. Ruby's eyes widened at the mention of his sister being taken. She couldn't help but think of Harper. Sweet and innocent Harper. She couldn't imagine the pain and heartbreak that this man's family had gone through. He spoke about it devastating his parents and she couldn't help but feel her heart aching for them. Of course it had been devastating. Losing a child was always devastating, she knew about that first-hand. She had to swallow hard, forcing herself to stop thinking about the child she had lost and focused on the client who needed her help. She couldn't let herself think about the baby. Not now.
She didn't interrupt him as he spoke about the situation. The world could be cruel and this man clearly knew that. Not only had he lost a sister at a young age, but then his parents and now possibly the one thing he had left of his family through no fault of his own. It was cases like this that made her feel secured in her decision to become a lawyer. When she could help people like this man.
When He paused, his words desperately asking for answers, Ruby spoke, her voice heavy. "I'm so sorry for your loss. There aren't any words that I can give you to ease that pain but I can promise to do everything in my power to insure your store stays in your family." She pulled out one of her notepads and began jotting things she wanted to look up, things she needed to remember quickly before turning her attention back to him. "When were you first approached about the property being seized? Was it a notification in the mail or was it done in person?"
She looked over to her computer at the property that was pulled up. There wasn't anything jumping out in regards to the land. It didn't look like an area that the military was trying to buy for space or equipment. At least nothing on the screen, which didn't rule it out of course but at least if it had been blatant, she'd have a clear answer. "Unless there's a loan or mortgage in default, they have no standing, period." She scrolled the mouse on her computer, pulling up property lines and began typing the address into the search. As she waited for the search to run she met his eyes again, her voice light in an attempt to put him at ease. "So, how old were you when you moved to Lethford? That seems like quite the cultural shock from New Orleans." A soft smile was on her lips and she thought back a moment to Boston. Lethford had seemed like a tiny little town in comparison to her old place.
Ruby showed her ID at the gate, the guard scanning it before handing her a clipboard to sign. She placed her signature on the line, slid her ID back into her wallet, and pulled into the base as the guard gave a signal for the gate to be raised. She didn't think about the last time she was here. She didn't think about the moments and events that led up to the single most terrifying event of her life. No, she had a job to do. She had called Will, leaving a message letting him know she'd be on base when she had gotten his voicemail. It was the first time that she'd be setting foot in the place since the previous events and she had done everything in her power to avoid it.
She took a case that involved a young man's death. A young man who had been signed and pledged into service. He was a week from basic when his body turned up in a river with an autopsy revealing that he hadn't drowned. His friends weren't talking, but a 51mm tracer bullet was found in his pocket. A bullet that only the military uses. His mother had begged for her to help and was capable and willing to pay for whatever was necessary to find answers. She had called his recruiting officer for a week trying to schedule a time that he could come down to her office, but he had been thus far busy. So she made an appointment with him at the base.
Ruby parked in visitor parking, tucking her coat in tightly around her. Snow was covering the ground and as she began walking towards the base, more began falling. In and out, she told herself. Ruby passed her ID over not just once, but twice more before making it indoors. She pushed all personal thoughts away as one of the guards asked that she follow him to the Officer.
The guard went down one hallway, then another, and turned once more before he led her to a small room and asked her to wait. She gave a brisk nod and remained standing. The room looked like a typical waiting room, there were a few seats and a small table, some coffee in the corner. She glanced at her watch when nine minutes ticked by. Then fifteen.
Ruby opened the door, looking out at the apparently empty hallway. She sighed and stepped outside the room with her arms crossed in irritation. She should have known that a career soldier wouldn't value her time as important as his, but she had hoped this would go quickly. She had hoped to be in and out of this place in under 30 minutes. Yet here she was, having to find her way back to the main entrance so she could demand to speak to the man who had scheduled her visit himself.
Ruby had turned down one hallway and then another when the lights in the hallway turned red before going back to white with intermittent flashing. Ruby immediately stood still in place as a voice calmly came over the speaker system calling a code. She put her hand on the wall to steady herself as she focused on breathing in and out. There weren't any sirens. She knew first-hand that that was a good sign. She grabbed her purse, moving to pull out her cell when the sound of boots pounding her way became louder.
She looked up as a younger soldier entered the hallway. She halfway thought he was going to continue past her but instead he made his way to her, his voice stern, "Excuse me ma'am but I need you to identify yourself." His hand hovered over his weapon and Ruby eyed it a moment before squaring her shoulders back, "My name is Ruby Torres. I have an appointment with Sergeant Davis." The soldier's face creased in confusion for a brief moment before he replied, "I need you to come with me ma'am."
Ruby shook her head, "No. I'm sorry but I have another appointment I need to get to. Can you escort me to the front ent-" The soldier shook his head as he interrupted her, "Come with me now ma'am." Ruby's face was now the one showing confusion, her voice wavering slightly, "Excuse me?" The officer grabbed her arm and she pulled it back, "I'm a civilian, you can't just-" the man interrupted her again, "Sergeant Davis isn't on base. Now I'll say it one more time...hands behind your head...walk with me." She felt her heart quicken, the sound of her blood beginning to rush in her ears. "Look. There's been a mistake. There's a perfectly reasonable-" The soldier's hands moved quickly, un-holstering his pistol and leveling it at her chest, "hands behind your head. Now." Ruby held her shaking hands up as the man moved forward to grab her arm.
NOTES ; I'm thinking just a fairly standard security alarm was called for a potential threat. Base locked down or something for a little while, etc. etc.
Ruby felt his fingertips on her face, gently wiping the tears away and none of it felt real anymore. He spoke about this place, their place, being her home and she laughed, an actual happy sound that was coming out of her lips after all of this hell that they had been through. She had fallen into his world and brought nothing but chaos, pain, and stress but along with all of that there had been passion and attraction. She hadn't thought that would have ever been enough and maybe it wouldn't have, but they had something else: love. That four letter word that had come out of the blue and now settled as assuredly as his arms were around her.
They had that and the bonus of a beautiful little blonde-haired girl who had made her feel welcomed and wanted just as much as her father had. He called her stubborn, her nickname coming out of his lips and she grinned with a nod. "Yours." Not a question anymore. She angled her head forward, her hand moving to where his dog tags were, pulling them gently to pull him closer. "And you are mine goldenboy." In the back of her head, some small voice was pleading with her to think about those dog tags and what that meant exactly but she wouldn't give in. Especially not as he asked about moving her stuff, his lips meeting hers.
The kiss was like in the movies, where the guy had been gone away at war or where the woman had almost slipped away. One of those movie kisses where you could feel the impact and passion radiating through the screen. That kiss blew all of those others away. Ruby's heart began beating wildly as she returned it, moving her arms around his neck. She wanted to let the kiss go further more than anything else in the world, but she also knew Harper was a floor below them, patiently waiting on breakfast. She lingered once more on his lips before pulling back, putting her forehead to his. "I'm ready when you are."
Ruby slipped her black mask on as the door to her office opened. While she was in her personal office by herself there of course wasn't a reason to wear it. Her assistant rarely came in without notifying her beforehand and the space was hers and hers alone. So off the mask went, and at the very least it made phone calls that much more bearable.
A man walked in, his frame filling the space and Ruby stood up to greet him. He extended his hand to her before quickly realizing his mistake, emitting an awkward chuckle and she smiled, hoping to put him at ease, "That's me." He shifted the file from one hand to another and that all too familiar softness hit her chest.
There were few things more intimidating than walking into a legal practice. She could understand the fear, the worry that she wouldn't be able to help them and then they'd be out what little money they had. The feeling of needing to put a guard up, not knowing if they could trust the person on the other side of the desk. It was all too familiar and all she could really do was hope her reputation preceded her or that they'd simply take the leap and trust her with whatever problem they were up against.
He asked if he could sit and she nodded, "Of course." She sat down opposite of him, behind her desk and listened silently as he began speaking. His voice was tense and as he said he was desperate that softness in her chest only grew. There was a raw and emotional downside to the job, that was for sure. Usually it was manageable because she could remedy the pain or at least soften blows, but that wasn't always the case. "It's really no problem Mr. Maddox, I'd be happy to look over your case."
Ruby took out a recorder from the top drawer of her desk and set it on the surface midway between them. "I hope you don't mind that I record this conversation. It helps with keeping my notes straight later on." She pressed the button on the side of the small device before continuing. It was a habit that had saved her rear end more than a few times. Especially when larger clients tried negotiating on a price that had already been agreed upon. She had found that the larger the client was, the more push-back she received. They were often much more apprehensive than the people who genuinely came to her for help. Either way it was happening or they would be finding a new lawyer.
She leaned forward and outstretched her hand for the folder that he was holding so she could look over whatever papers he had on the case. As she did she asked, "Is the property facing seizure locally with a financial lender or a federal entity?" There was only a handful of ways that property could be seized and, as with any case, if or how she could proceed would depend on the specifics.
She offered the man a polite smile again, knowing of course that he couldn't see under the mask, but old habits died hard. "Would you like any water or coffee before we go further?" She doubted he'd take her up on the offer. Most of the people who were nervous to be in her office were usually too nervous to casually sip a beverage but occasionally it did work. Sometimes people would agree and before she knew it, they were able to relax and calmly tell her the situation without any jitters or nervous ramblings getting in the way. It made her job a lot easier from there. "Go ahead and start from the top for me and please don't leave anything out."
Ruby was having a long day. She had gotten back to work and was immediately met with a stack of files and clients that needed her attention. Will and Harper weren't the only ones who had felt her three-month long missing presence and she found herself swamped Monday morning with calls and emails. She first sorted through the files and notes, arranging them into three separate piles. If she was honest, she was happy for the distraction.
The morning had started off with one of the female junior assistants commenting about how good she looked. When she couldn't come up with an appropriate response, the woman had apparently realized her mistake and turned red. Ruby had gone straight to her office after that. She and Will hadn't explicitly told anyone about the baby, but it had been abundantly clear. Especially at the office where she had to work around doctor office visits. As she sat at the desk she forced herself to focus on the present. To focus on the people who needed her and the ones who were still in her life.
It was easy to get pulled into her work. The people who she represented, the people who she helped genuinely needed her, at least 60% of them. They were the ones who the system had mistreated, who the police or military took advantage of. The ones who were too afraid to fight back, who had their backs against the wall. This business couldn't just serve the ones who she worked pro bono for however. To keep their offices in business they had to also accept larger clients. The ones who had no issue paying whatever fee she asked for because she could, at least in most cases, get them results. She was good at what she did and she didn't feel bad about that. She sometimes had to take the less than moral cases because if she didn't, there was zero chance in hell she'd be able to fight for the smaller ones.
The hours passed by and she had just opened up her inbox for the last time of the day. She had sent out thirty-two messages, twenty calls, and booked twelve court dates. Opening up her email she saw a message towards the end of the list, from Alejandro's wife. The woman who she had made a widow. Ruby gripped the edge of the desk, forgetting to breathe for a moment. She had been able to get money to the woman, but she hadn't had the time to actually ensure the woman was doing well, that more importantly the baby was doing well. She had gotten pregnant and then sick, the days had turned to weeks and months quicker than she could blink. Now there was no way to not face whatever that email held in store.
Ruby's hand hovered above the mouse, but before she could click it, her office phone rang. Pulling herself away from the computer she picked up the phone. Her assistant was on the line, letting her know that a client was coming into her office. She murmured a thanks and hung up, quickly closing off her email account. She looked up from her desk as the door opened, a polite smile on her face, "Hi. What can I help you with?"
Ruby exhaled slowly. The pressure in her chest easing up bit by bit with every word that came out of Will's mouth. He gently moved his head from her cheek, giving her a soft nudge to meet his eyes. Somewhere in the back of her mind, all of her instincts that had kept her afloat were quietly threatening that this is it. This is that moment. The moment when he says those words and you part your separate ways. It was coming of course. This was it.
Then he actually spoke and she found tears coming to her eyes, falling swiftly down her cheeks. She listened to every word. Every kind and gentle word that came out of his lips, like a merciful pardon that she hadn't thought she deserved nor saw coming. She wasn't honestly sure that it was deserved, at least not in her mind. She didn't think there would ever be a time when she wouldn't always hold herself accountable for the actions and consequences that lead to this moment. But he didn't. There wasn't a drop of anger in his voice and she barely managed a nod when he was through speaking.
Yes, this was it. It just wasn't the it that she had been expecting. It was love. This was it. There was no going back from this. This is what all of those love songs and poems and doe-eyed cheesy romance movies were hitting on. This kind of unconditional feeling of acceptance and devotion that was wholly fragile yet as solid as the knowledge that she needed oxygen to breathe. It was steel and air, fire and water all rolled into one. Consuming and life-giving at the same time.
Her brain was having trouble processing it all as she wiped her eyes. Will reached for her, his hands moving to her as he pulled her towards him. She obliged willingly, moving into his embrace and putting her arms around his neck. He said he wanted to owe her and a relieved and slightly stunned smile came to her lips.
"Harper and I love you…"
The words caused her heart to do a somersault. She listened to him softly speaking words that six months ago would have had her running like a shot. When he spoke about Harper looking for her she realized that wiping the tears away was a wasted effort. They were going to keep spilling down her cheek, and the more he spoke, her heart filling with blinding happiness, the less she cared to stop them from coming.
"I missed her too. I missed you both." She searched his eyes, halfway unbelieving that she was admitting to it all, laying everything, all the cards she always kept close to her chest out in the open. "I went to my apartment late last night after I was cleared, I didn't want to wake Harper, and it didn't feel right. I didn't…it just wasn't home anymore."
Will met her eyes again, his blue eyes that made her pulse quicken boring into hers as he said she belonged there, that he couldn't lose her. She was smiling still, as if there was any other alternative? She didn't think about their odds, she didn't let herself think about all of the things they had against them. She just met his eyes and took the metaphorical leap. "I don't want to go anywhere else. Will, I love you. I love you more than anything I've ever cared about in my entire life. I want this. I want you and Harper." God help them both, it was all out there now. No going back. "I want to see where this goes. All of it"
Ruby couldn't say anything more. She had already said enough. She didn't know where the strength to get the words out had even come from. She felt as far from together as someone could be. Then she looked up at Will and felt as if her heart was breaking all over again. Tears were threatening to spill and his face was the definition of heartbreak. He opened his mouth to speak and she found herself holding her breath.
Her mind became a thunderstorm of questions and fear. Was he mad at her? Did he regret all of this? Was he going to ask her to leave? Was she about to lose him too? Then he moved to her, taking her in his arms and she wrapped her arms around him, burying her head in his chest. Tears fell freely from her but she remained fixed onto him. For weeks upon weeks she had gone without his embrace, without his smile, without hearing the sound of his voice and she needed it all now more than she needed air.
She wasn't much of the prayer type but she was thanking whoever had made it possible for her to be in his arms again. She could hear his heart beating, feel his arms securing her and she'd be damned if she didn't feel safe. She was always the person she depended on. Throughout her whole life there was never a big brother or father that she sought out when she was feeling scared. There was no one who she relied on other than herself, period. She had been a one-person team all of her life. As he held her though, she realized with absolute certainty that she hadn't felt safe since leaving the hospital. She hadn't felt together or whole at all, until this moment that she was in his arms.
Will said he was sorry and Ruby's brows furrowed in confusion. There was anything at all that he was in fault for. She couldn't fathom why he had the need to apologize. She shook her head,
"You're sorry? Will, this is my fault." She felt her chest squeeze tighter as she began to speak. "If I had stopped taking clients this might not have happened. If I was a better mom or if I had been more careful we might not be here without him. You didn't do anything wrong. Will, I didn't even tell you about the appointment."
She learned quickly when she was growing up that it was best to not get her hopes up, not about anything at all. No matter how things began or how nice things looked, the bad part would always come. The proverbial shoe would always drop. As she stood with Will's arms around her she felt like the shoe was indeed about to drop again.
She had finally thought that she had found happiness and something as close to a family as she might ever get. It only made sense that because of her actions or perhaps that whatever being saw her and realized she was the farthest thing from a good mother, she lost it. The baby was gone and Will had to see now what she had been telling him all along: she wasn't commitment material. She was damaged goods if there had ever been one.
She took a breath, demanding her body to pull herself together, forcing her words to come out, even if it killed her. Her arms slowly moved from him, the action gutting her. She leaning her head up just barely enough so that she could see his face as she spoke, meeting his eyes. She had made the mess, that didn't mean he had to deal with the repercussions. They didn't have anything holding them together anymore and she knew her absence had more than likely only cemented the fact that she didn't belong in their picture.
"Look, I know you and Harper were alone for a long time and I understand if you need some time to think things through. Or if you want some space to figure out what you need. You don't owe me anything okay?" She braced herself for the words, for the dismissal. She would go, without hesitation. If that was what he needed. She just didn't know if she could stay away. If in some awful role reversal she'd be the one knocking on his door, calling him relentlessly asking for a date, time together. Did she deserve them? No. The idea of never seeing them again though was too painful for words. She supposed though that just because she wasn't the kind of wife or mother material that they deserved didn't mean that she couldn't, even in some small way, still be a part of their life.
Ruby caught the look on Will's face a moment before Harper came down the steps. The realization was heartbreaking and she looked away quickly, her attention going to the little girl. If she let herself look at his face she wouldn't make it. She'd break down and she couldn't, at least not right now.
Will's arms were still around her as those tiny footsteps came running towards them. Harper's little blonde hair was wild, the bedhead making the curls frizzy and adorably cute. A part of her, maybe larger than she would have thought, ached to hold her. To scoop her up and listen to every little story she had to tell. She wanted to hold her, but if she did, she wasn't sure she'd be able to put her down again. She wasn't sure she'd be able to have the courage to say the words she didn't want to say.
She crouched down, embracing Will's little mini-me in a hug, a smile on her face, "I missed you too. I'm sorry, but I'm here now, and after your dad and I talk, I want to hear all about what you've been doing okay?"
Will asked her to set the table and Ruby watched her go skipping into the kitchen. She didn't ever remember a time in her life when she was like that, perfectly content and happy, safe in a loving home. She couldn't remember far enough into a time where she had that much innocence. Will held the door out, mentioning their room and she nodded.
His place was exactly like she had remembered. The steps giving up the soft sounds that they always had as they climbed up them. The room where they stayed together as comforting and familiar as he was. She stepped inside, Will's scent hanging in the air. She couldn't help the small smile as she let herself take a good long breath in. She had been around the sterile smell of a hospital for months. Being so near him in the home they had grown so close in was as close to perfect as she had ever gotten. Exhaling slowly, forcing herself to get it done, she turned to him.
"I had a doctor's appointment. I don't think I even told you, looking back at it now..." The words dropped off as she briefly tried to remember. "It wasn't a big one, just a routine, quick in-and-out. But while I was there, I had a fever. I wasn't even feeling bad that day, but they ran my blood and then they told me I had the virus." She could still remember the sheer panic and fear that had set in. She had immediately asked for her phone, "I wanted to call. I asked for my phone, but it was in my purse and they confiscated everything. Suddenly they were all wearing hazmat suits and I was sealed off from everything and it was...." awful, terrifying, hell, all of the above but that didn't matter. She had to focus.
She cleared her throat. "I'm clear now though. I was in isolation for three weeks before they let me out. No traces of it in me, so don't worry about you or Harper. I mean, I would never endanger her or you of course, but..." She was rambling again, the part of her brain that allowed her to make clear and concise arguments in court abandoning her. "I don't remember a lot of it. I was in and out for a few weeks. Then, at the end, I..."I thought I was going to die. I thought I would never get to see you again. I thought dying would have been preferable to losing our child. The sentences she couldn't say catching in her throat. She closed her eyes, trying to summon the strength from somewhere. "I pulled though, but I lost him."
When he opened the door, the smell of bacon and coffee drifted out. An ache hit her heart at the memory, at the familiarity. Whenever Will was off of work he always made breakfast. She hated cooking anyway so she had no qualms with snuggling on the couch with Harper watching cartoons while he was in the kitchen on Sunday mornings. It felt like those moments had taken place years ago, not months.
Her nickname on his lips was another ache and when he pulled her into him, she wrapped her arms around him. His scent enveloped her and she closed her eyes and spoke, the words softly coming out, "I missed you." His face moved into her neck, sending chills down her. Forget the apartment, forget the base, the town they were in, none of it mattered. That wasn't home. He was home. As terrifying as that realization was, being in his arms was home. He asked where she had been and she ignored the question, at least for just a moment. She wanted to enjoy being so close to him again. She wanted to let herself have just a minute of forgetting what had happened. She moved her head and shifted so she could see his face, pressing her lips to his tentatively.
Her hands found his chest, running softly over his muscles as her lips met his with more urgency. She didn't care who was watching, she didn't care who thought what about them making out on his front lawn. She had an undeniable need to feel him, to kiss him, to know that he was real, that they were real. As the sound of little footsteps bounding down the stairs drifted to her though, she made herself stop and pause, kissing his lips softly one last time before speaking up, "Can we talk?"
Ruby stood in front of the floor-length mirror that was stuck on her apartment's hallway wall. Her reflection was one that she was still getting used to. Her hair was a little longer, she looked a little tired, but the thing that held the most of her attention were her pants. An older pair, they had been on the tighter side before, but they fit her perfectly now, if not a little big. There was no tightness, no pregnant belly that they refused to cover.
Her hand moved to the spot where she and Will's child had been. The memory still caused a stabbing pain in her chest. It still made her breath hitch. She had lost the baby almost a month ago and she didn't think there would ever be a time that it wouldn't hurt.
Three months had passed since the last time she had seen Will. Three months ago she had gone in for a routine doctor's appointment and found out she was infected. There was no such thing as civil liberties when it came to virus control. She wasn't allowed personal effects, nor allowed to make preparations with her career or personal life. No, that was out the window when you had the virus, and especially so when you were carrying another life.
She hadn't gotten to make any calls, not that she could have, even if it had been allowed. The virus had almost claimed her life, and in truth, the weeks passed in a blur to her. Two months in and she had finally started to recover, but the virus hadn't been done with them. The next passing weeks had been spent fighting for her and her child's life. The only thought she had as she had left the facility with a clean bill of health and took a cab to her old apartment had been that it had taken the wrong one.
She had gotten in late the night before, thankful that she had paid a few months in advance. She hadn't been able to sleep much of course, so when the sun began peeking through her curtains she had showered and dressed. Ready to get this hard part over with. She took a car to the base, hoping that he hadn't been sent off on a mission, that he hadn't been transferred to another base or God only knew what else.
As the houses on base began to come into view, she tried to steady the shaking in her hands. She missed him, that was undeniable, but in a span of weeks what little fabric they had linking their lives together had been shredded to pieces. She was left with an icy rock in her chest that harshly and effectively reaffirmed that playing wife and mother was not in her cards, nor would it ever be. As the car stopped in front of her place she silently prayed again that he was home. That he hadn't moved. She barely had the fortitude to walk up his driveway, she couldn't imagine searching the base and dropping this bomb on him at work.
Ruby paid the driver and walked up to his door, knocking twice. She held her breath as what felt like hours passed before the door opened, his handsome face showing behind the door. Without thinking she loosened the breath she had been holding, the corners of her mouth tilting up slightly, "Hey Goldenboy."
Ruby raised her eyebrows as Will spoke about his teenage years, a surprised grin on her face. That she hadn't seen coming. It made sense, she supposed, that the man who was incredibly good at getting out of tough situations had developed that gift in his earlier teen days. She was curious of course, this other side of him that wasn't as shiny and perfect as she had imagined he'd be. "Well, now you've got me curious. I'm going to have to pull your permanent record now. See what you've been hiding golden boy." She tilted her head to the side playfully. She could pull his records, if she wanted to, it was one of the perks of being a lawyer. Though she doubted she'd find anything more than a harmless prank or something of that variety. She'd put money on it that there wasn't anything too terribly embarrassing in there.
Will laughed, a true genuine laugh and she found herself grinning back at him. When he brought up the military family and moving thing she pursed her lips in mock defeat "Touche." She was grinning again as she tapped her finger on her chin before speaking up again, "Okay. So not a football player. I bet you won a superlative though didn't you?" She met his eyes, the grin still on her face as she watched for any hint or tell that she had guessed right.
When he mentioned the baseball thing she couldn't help the grin turning into a full smile. He was irritating and utterly too perfect for words. She reached out, moving her arms around his neck, gently pulling him closer so he was between her legs. She kissed his lips softly. "Well, if that's the case...I think, after all of this is over, we should take Harper to Fenway Park." She laid her head down on his shoulder before speaking again, a soft smile on her lips, "We'll get hot dogs and popcorn and wear the brightest red shirts that we can buy." She looked up at him, a mock suspicious look on her face, "Unless you're not a Red Sox fan, and if that's the case...it might be a deal breaker." She smirked.
It was oddly exciting and terrifying all at the same time, to make future plans. To think about a future that involved her and a family. To think about her life being completely and utterly different than what it was now. She could get used to that, she thought silently to herself. The idea of not being alone. The idea of sharing her life with him and raising a child, raising children. She was beginning to think that maybe it wasn't so suffocating, that maybe it wasn't a fairytale, that maybe it could be something that she could have, that she might even need.
Will turned the guessing game to her and she felt her face redden at the completely accurate guess of her being on the debate and volleyball team. She smirked, "That might be...accurate." She thought about just leaving at that, but fair was fair. "It was the debate team, the chess club, model UN, and student president. I was very driven." She met his grin, fully waiting on the ribbing that she figured was coming. She supposed she was a totally different person now than she had been back then. When she was a teenager, rules were the law and she usually spent her weekends studying or catching up on extra credit assignments. Now she considered rules to be negotiable and weekends were spent doing as little work as possible. Oh how things could change.
Will teased her about her nickname for the baby and she laughed at his threat, "You go right ahead and do that. He knows he's a gremlin." It almost seemed fictitious. Talking about the little being that was half her and half him. It was easy to play it off, it was easy to deal with nausea and vomiting and exhaustion when she attributed it to the little gremlin. It was easier to think about it all when she called him that. Some little being that was causing trouble. As he got bigger, as his movements became solid enough for her to feel she wasn't sure if the nickname would stay. She wasn't sure how she would feel then, as the baby grew and got ready to join them. It wasn't something she was quite ready for yet. So Gremlin it would be.
The nature of their conversation changed and she felt her heartbeat quickening as he answered her question. Two years. 24 months. 730 days. She would have this baby in seven months, give or take a handful of days. He'd still be in his contract for more than a year. She tried to hide it, but she knew that probably wasn't working. He was too good at reading her anyway. "That's...a lot of time."
She rested her head back on his shoulder, her mind running from thought to thought. The idea of him being sent somewhere far away terrified her and she was shocked to feel that thought scaring her most of all. Not that she couldn't wait on him, not that she couldn't be patient and take care of their child without him there if she had to, no. The idea that scared her most of all was that they could take him away. That she had no say in what positions or situations he was put in. Not that she had any right to that now. But maybe she wanted to. Maybe it bothered her because wanted more, she needed more of a say.
Then, as if right on cue, Will joked about changing her name and her eyes met his grinning face. Her first thought a few weeks ago would have more than likely resulted in her giving him a resounding hell no, with an accompanying shove, but the past few weeks had been like a war zone. They had been tested and put under stress and fire, coming out on the other side as different people, at least she was. Was she ready to marry someone? Her knee-jerk reaction was no. Was she ready to marry Will though? That answer was something entirely different. She wished she could read his mind, her eyes trying to decipher if he was being his charmingly irritating self or if maybe there was something more there. Her eyes met his, putting up her solid courtroom poker face, "I guess you'll find out if you ask."
Her heartbeat was all but coming out of her chest, hinging on what he was going to say next as Harper came into the room. Ruby took a steadying breath, feeling his hand on the small of her back, her nickname whispered in her ear. As Will went to answer the door, Ruby walked to the fridge, looking over at the little blonde, "What would you like to drink with dinner Harper?" she asked. Harper asked for juice and Ruby pursed her lips, "Hmm. I don't think your dad has any. What about milk?" The blonde nodded and began talking about her favorite beverages that ranged from juices, flavored water and even to caffeine-free soda on the rarest of occasions apparently. Ruby found herself grinning amusingly as she went on and on and on. "Maybe tomorrow we can go to the store and stock up on your favorites?"
Will's lips grazed the soft skin on her neck and Ruby closed her eyes, a wicked smile coming to her lips. Had they been alone, dinner would have been the furthest thing from her mind. She would have been perfectly content with letting the evening progress towards whatever r-rated events he had on his mind. They, however, were not alone and the tempting promise of his lips to her skin was a tease of the worst sort. She softly nudged him, muttering "tease," as he dialed the pizza place.
She eased into a playfulness with Will, nudging him when he mentioned the baby. His playful smile met hers and he made a joke that rivaled hers. The banter that they had was so easy. So utterly easy that it seemed almost unreal to her. He was what she never knew she needed. She grinned, "Golden boy breaking rules? Now that I've got to see."
She couldn't imagine the tall, muscular and utterly handsome man before her as a teenager. He was Mr. all-American of course, no way he was a rule-breaker growing up, especially not with the parents and family life that he had hinted at. "Were you a jock in high school?" She angled her head watching him in amusement before adding, "I swear if you tell me you were captain of the football team I may involuntary gag." She wasn't the troublemaker that someone might peg her for, especially with her last endeavor of breaking into the military facility. No, Ruby had been a good student, one that flew right in the middle of the troublemakers and popular kids. She liked excelling in classes, but had no desire to make friends or waste time on anything that didn't interest her. She had seen school as exactly what it was, a precursor to higher education, not a place for fun or finding herself.
Will placed his hand gingerly on her and spoke about the baby, the word 'they' causing her face to wrinkle in protest. "Not they. There is only one gremlin in there and it's definitely a boy. A girl wouldn't cause this much trouble." And trouble it had been. Sure she had known that women got sick a lot, especially during their first pregnancy. She had expected some level of sickness and fatigue, but so far it had been like a shocking blow to the head. Her day mainly comprised of vomiting or fighting off a sleepy state that seemed to come and go for no reason at all. The doctor had assured her it would ease up in her second trimester, and she was hanging onto that hope every time she vomited the contents of her stomach up.
"While we're talking about the little gremlin..." She pursed her lips, not exactly knowing how to say what she needed to say. The nurse at her OB had been very specific about who would and who would not be allowed in the room with her, whether it was for simple appointments or delivery itself. The hospital was tightening protocol and only immediate blood relatives and spouses were permitted and that was dependent on nothing changing.
There was no telling what the world would look like in another six or eight months. There was no telling if the hospital would even be safe. The last attack had been a deadly one with bloodshed and loss of life to spare, not to mention the sickness and infection that moved invisibly and silently. She looked up at him, "How long do you have left in your contract?" She hated that she had to ask that. She hated the idea that he wasn't free. He was in a contract that had zero loopholes. He was signed and committed to a job that didn't care that she was pregnant or if he wanted to leave and live a life somewhere else. She knew he wanted a future with her and she knew that the idea of not having a future with him wasn't one she liked. Still, he was a soldier and the option of marrying or moving away or starting a life somewhere safer with her and Harper wasn't a guarantee.
Ruby listened quietly as he mentioned that the base gave him time off. That was a blessing. At least he'd have a few days to get Harper settled in without having to leave her. When she offered to help out, she almost wished he would have waved off the idea. She was completely and utterly unprepared for it, but when he gave her a grateful look, pressing his lips to hers, she supposed she'd figure it out. Plus, if she stayed around while he was here it might give her time to get more comfortable with Harper. She could at least then pick up on when and what she was supposed to do. Will spoke softly and she gave a small smirk, "Oh I imagine you'd turn every day into daddy/daughter workday. Strap her into a backpack or something. Just my guess." She couldn't see him just dropping her off somewhere where he wasn't familiar. That or maybe he'd have the daycare under 24/7 surveillance.
The little blonde made her way down to them and Ruby reminded herself to breathe. Will offered to show the girl around, his hand moving to the small of her back. She mentally tried giving herself a pep-talk. She could do this, surely...she could do this.
Will's hands softly ran up and down her arms and the stress of the day begin to melt away. Even though there was a little being upstairs who promised many more new levels of stress-inducing chaos, at least for the time being, she was calm. He asked if she was craving anything and she pursed her lips in thought before replying, "Italian sausage, black olives and...banana peppers." She glanced up at him, curious at what his pizza preferences were. "How about you?" It was odd, she mused, being this intimate with someone. Odd and strangely comforting. It was different than physical intimacy. She could handle the physical stuff any day of the week, but the emotional stuff: what his favorite kind of pizza was, what kind of music he liked, what his favorite candy was. All of those little things that made a person unique, was something entirely foreign. It was a vulnerability to let someone in that close, to have someone else walking out there in the world who knew you, it was an incredibly intimidating thought.
He began telling her what happened with Harper and she listened quietly. She took a deep, steadying breath when he began speaking about the virus. She would be lying if she said she didn't worry about it. It was terrifying. She closed her eyes as her head rested on his shoulder. Her heart broke for the little girl upstairs. The virus was incredibly infectious and lethally deadly. If one person in that house contracted it, there was a high chance that the others would as well. It was a coin toss on if they recovered or not. When he said Harper's test came back negative she tried pushing all of those thoughts away, at least for the time being. She needed to focus on Will and what he needed right now. They would handle whatever came in due time.
He began talking about how he couldn't say no and she shook her head, softly shushing him. "No. Of course not. Will, she's your daughter. That's not a choice, she should be here, end of story." It terrified her to no end and in the back of her mind the question of exactly how long she would be there was definitely floating around, but she would have kicked his ass herself if he had said no and left her with her mother. Will said he had told her about who she was and Ruby nodded slowly, waiting for him to elaborate. His hands moved to her back and she met his eyes curiously when he chuckled. An amused smile came to her lips when he nervously spoke about her being his girlfriend. His lips met her cheeks and she found herself grinning.
It was cute. She supposed that if she hadn't been carrying his child, if he hadn't saved her life and cemented the fact that she was utterly and totally in love with him, the question might have scared her more than it did now. Hell, if none of those things had happened she wouldn't have even been here. But they did, and she knew as scary as all this was, the idea of not being with him was scarier. "Hmmm...." She tapped her finger to her chin as if in thought. He made a joke about her carrying his child and she playfully hit his shoulder, a smile on her lips. "Yes. I will be your girlfriend. I feel like I'm back in high school. Do you want to go makeout under some bleachers?" She gave him a teasing grin. Officially asking her to be his girlfriend was completely and utterly Will, Mr. Goldenboy to the letter, she amusingly thought to herself.
He mentioned not telling Harper about the baby yet and she nodded in agreement. She had resisted the urge to buy a thousand baby books because of that little nugget of information. The nurse at her OBGYN had informed her of it at her first appointment, citing statistics that had made her blood run cold. She had tried to carry on with her life, she had tried to not let thoughts of the little being inside of her stray into her mind because as much as it had been a surprise...she didn't know how she'd feel if she lost it. She tried not getting too absorbed in the idea, because if it was taken away, she didn't know what that would mean for her, or them for that matter.
Her focus moved back to Harper. "When do you need to go back to the base?" The questions bubbled up in her mind and she curiously glanced up at him, "Do they have some sort of daycare there? Does she even go to daycare?" She was horrible at this. The girl was clearly old enough to be in school, but schools weren't going on right now, so she assumed the next solution would be daycare. She didn't know if there was an age limit or not but where else did kids go? She wasn't entirely sure, but she did have time off. Swallowing the fear she spoke up again, "I do have a few days off, at least until next week. And that's assuming they don't get pushed back further. I could...watch her if you needed me to?" Her brain was screaming at her to shut up, but she couldn't just not offer to help.
The sound of feet moving down the stairs pulled her attention and she braced her hands on the counter, hopping down from it. The little blonde's friendly gaze moved between the two of them and Ruby felt the awkwardness rising in her chest. She forced a smile as Harper asked about dinner and she held up the pizza restaurant flyer. "How do you feel about pizza?"
Will closed the distance between them and placed a kiss on her forehead. She closed her eyes, reminding herself to breathe. That was a good sign, she supposed. She had assumed Harper might have heard her name before. Will didn't seem like he'd be the type to hide things from his daughter, but she hadn't been sure. Women who weren't Harper's mother was a bid deal, even she knew that, and the last thing she wanted to do was put Will into an uncomfortable spot explaining things. She wished she could shove him outside and figure out exactly what in the hell was going on, but knew they didn't have the time. She offered up the excuse to leave but Will shook his head, asking her to stay.
Ruby swallowed hard. She wasn't just in unfamiliar territory, no, for her it was like being behind enemy lines. She was entirely lost with no map, no way to call home and surrounded by people speaking in a different language. Every nerve in her body was telling her to run for it, but his eyes were pleading with her to stay. He kissed her lips softly before picking up Harper's bags. The little girl bounded up the stairs and oh how Ruby wanted to run the opposite direction. She moved forward and pulled Will's face to hers, pressing her lips to his. She put her forehead on his for just a moment before moving away, letting him go up the stairs.
She crossed her arms, holding herself for a minute. This was scary, utterly terrifying, but he wanted her here. Will wanted her here. Harper was his child, his family. The two of them had something that no one could come between and nothing could move. They had something that was all theirs and all their own. And He...was offering to share that with her. He was offering her a small glimpse into what they had, what she might have, if she dared. Ruby's hand dropped lower, thinking about the tiny being who she would bring into the world. What kind of world that being might have, if she could be brave enough to find out, for its sake.
She took a steadying breath before walking to the kitchen. She had planned on making tuscan chicken pasta, but highly doubted that was high up on any kid's favorite meals list. She put the cold items back in the fridge and eyed the wine, oh if ever a night called for alcohol, this one would be it. She shut the door as she heard Will ask for her and she called over to him, "I'm in the kitchen."
Ruby turned and hopped up on the counter as Will came into the kitchen. She held up the pizza place flyer, "I vote takeout." Will moved to her and she wrapped her arms around him, holding him close. The counter gave her the perfect height to rest her head on his shoulder and she closed her eyes, breathing in his soothing scent, "What happened?" She hoped it wasn't anything terrible. She hoped maybe he had spaced and forgotten about her visiting, that maybe this was a planned thing that he forgot to tell her about. More than anything she hoped that this wouldn't change what they had between them, whatever it was. She hoped he wasn't about to pull the rug out from under her. A child could complicate things. She knew that better than anyone. Two children, one suddenly very near and one not even in the world yet brought the complication factor up a few thousand degrees. She moved her head so she could look into his icy blue eyes, "How can I help?"
NOTES ; I MODDED THE WHOLE HIM WALKING OVER TO HER THING, LET ME KNOW IF YOU WANT ME TO CHANGE IT!!
Ruby had felt like the past week had gone by in a blur. She and Will had been discharged from the hospital, her cases were piling up and the little gremlin inside of her was apparently rebelling at the idea of living happily inside of her. She had agreed to go home with Will and stay at his place, at least until they could figure things out formally. She had momentarily wondered if they were moving too fast, but that thought had lasted all of seven hours before the pregnancy hormones began rearing their ugly head. Her days since the hospital seemed to move in a blur between sleeping, vomiting, and working.
She had been thankful today was the last day of work for a short while. Three of her cases had been unexpectedly wait-listed, which was disappointing, but also meant she had four days off. Four days that would let her catch up on rest, have some much-needed conversations with Will, and let herself breathe. Let life slow down a little bit so she could actually gather her thoughts and think about what the hell they were going to do.
City Hall had recently been re-opened and she had spent the majority of the day trying not to focus on the events that had happened there. Thankfully, the day had been too busy to let her mind wander too much. She was in and out of courtrooms and offices, her phone on silent the entire time. She knew Will was busy today too. They had thankfully put him on desk duty for a while. She knew he hated it, but she would be lying if she said she wasn't relieved. The thought of him out there, dealing with rioters and bullets was too terrifying for words. She had just found him, she couldn't lose him. Exactly what they had she didn't know, but she didn't let herself think about any of that, at least not right now. They would have plenty of time this weekend.
Ruby exited City Hall and turned on her phone, calling a car. She gave them Will's address and dialed his number when she got inside. He didn't answer and she frowned slightly at the message he left. Harper? She tapped her phone lightly against her knee, her mind anxious and jumping from one wild idea to the next. She sent up a silent prayer for the girl's safety, hoping maybe it was something to do with her school. That maybe Will had to be somewhere, maybe he had to travel to see her. With all of the chaos going on right now there was no telling what could be happening.
Ruby paid the driver and used her key to get inside, slipping her shoes off at the door. It was heartbreakingly familiar, even after only a few days. The smell of his house, the cool air that kissed her skin, the utter feeling of being home. She turned the tv on, scanning the stations before leaving it playing MLB highlights. She missed sports. She missed going to baseball games most of all. There was nothing like a cold beer and greasy stadium foods on a summer Sunday. She sighed, watching the highlight on the screen for a moment before making her way to the kitchen.
She had just gotten things out of the fridge to begin cooking when she heard his door open. Ruby walked out of the kitchen, a smile on her lips when Will walked through the door. Then a blonde little girl made her way inside, all smiles, her blonde curls bouncing as she began speaking, asking if she was Ruby. Ruby felt her breathing hitch, the smile faltering as she realized that not only was this girl Harper, but Harper was here...with them.
The girl was a carbon copy of Will, blonde hair and piercing eyes. Her smile was even like his and she took a steadying breath, the smile returning to her face. She moved to the girl, kneeling down so they were eye-level. "Hi Harper. Nice to meet you. I'm Ruby. Your dad has told me so much about you." She held out her hand to the little girl. She was utterly and totally terrified of course, but her issues weren't Harper's fault. She shook the little girl's hand and stood, unsure of what to do next. Normally she would have kissed him, asked him about his day, but this was anything but normal.
She didn't know what Harper knew, she didn't know what he had told her about them or heaven forbid, the baby. She herself didn't know what was going on, much less now that his child was here with him. She wanted to ask him a million questions, but now clearly wasn't the time. She cleared her throat, forcing a smile, "I'm sure you guys have a lot of catching up to do. I should...go."
She met Will's eyes. She wasn't angry of course, how could she be? Harper was his child, she was a little mini Will, who wouldn't love her to pieces? She had nothing against the girl, she was just terrified. This wasn't her. Though, she supposed it would be soon, maybe. It was a lot, it was much too much hitting all at one time. She put her hand on his arm, "We can talk later. You go enjoy your daughter. I'll...call you tomorrow."