Gina Smythe (glass_onion) wrote in blurred_lines, @ 2009-07-26 04:55:00 |
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Entry tags: | ! [1980-07] july, gaius travers, georgina smythe |
Who: Gaius Travers and Gina Smythe
What: Gaius has another patient to see, and gets much more than he bargained for.
When: 26 July 1980
Where: The Rehab Centre
Status: Complete.
Rating: PG13
It had felt like a long time for Gaius since Gina Smythe had wound up beginning her stay in the Rehabiliation Centre, but he was sure that it felt even longer for her. With a difficult week or so after she'd arrived, he had finally decided that the best method of breaking her down would be a long stint of alone time. Stronger had succumbed to their own inevitable fates when deprived of any and all stimulation and he had been both relieved and assured that the tactic was working when the aggression had started to wane. He would make a proper purist out of her yet. "Miss Smythe," he said as he entered the room in which they'd been holding her. "I think we have made considerable progress. Your cooperation has not gone unnoticed. If you will allow me to escort you to the new room we've prepared for you, I am sure that you must be very hungry -- there will be a warm meal awaiting you." Gina hadn't bothered trying to keep track of the time since she'd been captured. There was no reference point to start with, first of all -- she'd woken up in the same windowless room that she currently sat in, and had no way of deducing how long she'd been out before then -- and even though she could feel that it had been "a while," Gina preferred not knowing. She'd never been an extremely social creature, and was content with being left alone. It nagged at her Aurorish senses that she was trapped and unarmed, of course, but she passed the time by singing along to the albums that she played in her head by memory and plotting grand and likely impossible plans for escape. She'd been trained for this, and didn't need someone to swoop in to save her like some helpless damsel in distress. Getting herself out just required waiting for the right opportunity. Said opportunity was slow-coming, and as the days passed, there were several incidents which Gina incorrectly identified as "the right time." She'd refused to eat or drink anything they brought her for the first while, fearing they'd slip her something laced with veritaserum or some sort of poison. Her paranoia backfired on her, and the people keeping her captive stopped bringing her anything at all. Physically attacking her kidnappers after lying in wait behind the doorway to spring on them had gone badly as well, leading to events that Gina was in no hurry to repeat. The last while had been quiet though, on both their part and hers. They hadn't completely broken her yet -- solitary confinement might have worked for some, but they would have done better to toss Gina into a crowded, endless party if they wanted her to crack -- but she'd realised after some time that it would do better on her part to go along with their plans if she ever wanted to see daylight again. She remembered that they'd given Jo a journal once she started to cooperate (whether she'd done so by choice or otherwise was debatable and unimportant), and as Gina had no desire to die sitting useless in a dark and quiet room, perhaps she could trick them into providing her with better treatment by behaving with less volatility. "Alright," she nodded, standing up to allow Gaius to lead her elsewhere, watching the man and hoping for an opportunity to knee him in the groin. Keeping the fact that she'd attacked several of the Healers on previous occasions in mind, Gaius kept his distance from Gina and his wand trained unsubtly on her, lest this taste of the world outside her confined cell gave her any ideas that could lead to negative consequences for him. He wasn't too proud to be overly cautious and had arranged for additional security at each of the entrance/exit points, just in case. An Auror with a wand, should she find a way to get one, or even without a wand could be a danger to everyone in there and he was taking no chances. After the ordeal with Ms Savage, he was going to make sure this was done properly, even if it meant taking time -- more time than he felt he had -- to get it done. Standing up a bit taller, a bit straighter than usual, he led the way to Gina's new room -- it at least had two windows, placed just below the ceiling, a bed, desk and the meal he'd assured her would be there. For most anyone, it would have been a massive improvement but Gaius didn't expect much gratitude from this one. It would have been easier to Imperius her, but that had caused problems for wizards who were far more experienced with the curse than he was. It would be more efficient to 'rehabilitate' her and have it taken care of once and for all. It would certainly help if he could make her believe that she was not only being rewarded, but following his orders of her own accord rather than force. Once could not be mended as such when they couldn't remember any of the conditioning involved. "Here you are," he said, swinging the door open and stepping aside to allow her to pass. "Just as I said." Gina's eyes immediately flew to the windows lining the walls near the ceiling. It wasn't as if she'd expected to be able to escape, especially not with Travers and his wand right there, but it was something different, and she'd spent an unhealthy amount of time in a space where nothing ever changed. Perhaps her previous environment had affected her more than Gina cared to admit. "So it is," she replied, moving ahead of him into the room, thankful that there was a bed, and food, real food that took everything still in her not to go diving for, and windows, and a generically more cheerful atmosphere than the black, relentless hole she'd been brought from. "It's nice." Why they'd chosen today of all days to move her somewhere "nice," though, was beyond her. Gina moved to sit on the edge of the bed, folding her arms across her chest before looking back up at him. 'So. Why am I here?" With a feeble attempt to relax his stance, Gaius crossed his arms over his chest and looked down at Gina. He was confused -- why wasn't she more excited or at least relieved? She'd been completely cut off and yet, to him, she hardly seemed phased. What else did he have to do to get through to her? The other options he had weren't anything he was necessarily confident would work and they were difficult, draining and notably unpleasant. Why couldn't this just be easy? "You are here because you have proven your ability to behave. This is a reward," he said, sounding far less hostile than his demeanor suggested. "We think you are finally ready to begin your treatment in earnest. But why don't you have something to eat first?" So receiving basic human decency was a reward to these people. No wonder most of the purists were ridiculously messed up. The growling from deep in her stomach was making it impossible to focus on the hows and whys of the situation, though; Gina could smell the food on the table, and good lord was she thirsty. There was every chance in the world that it was poisoned, but it was a risk that she wasn't strong enough not to take. One last curious glance in Travers's direction, and Gina practically beelined for the breakfast tray, munching on the food (a "thank you" escaping between bites) and debating whether or not to ask the question that she was frankly terrified to learn the answer to. They'd been told what had happened to Jo, and she'd witnessed the results of that in the journals. If they'd managed to break through Jo's multiple layers of spite and rebelliousness, Gina was pretty sure she didn't have a chance. She wasn't strong enough, and she knew it. "What d'you mean, "in earnest?"" Gina inquired once she'd finally finished her drink, watching Gaius warily. What was all that in solitary confinement considered, then? Gaius watched her, almost curling his lip in distaste as she spoke to him between bites of food. It was taking every ounce of strength he could muster not to correct her right then and there -- that was not how ladies behaved. Forcing himself to look away, he was finally able to concentrate enough to formulate an answer to her question. "Your process has only begun, Miss Smythe," he said, fighting to keep any and all disdain from his voice. "Do you have anything you would like to confess to doing before we begin? I find it is always helpful to have a point to start that you have given of your own volition." "I'm not sure what you mean," she replied, chomping away on her toast hungrily and completely missing Gaius's expression of disgust at her eating habits. Locking her away in a box for however long hadn't suddenly forced Gina into the belief that she'd been fighting for the wrong side, or that she'd been a very bad girl or anything of the sort -- she knew that she was tired and didn't want to fight anymore, but she didn't think that the purists were suddenly in the right with their death eating and their murder. "I confess that I could go for some more of this toast; it's really good." "I think we should talk before you eat any more toast," Gaius said, refraining from commenting on the fact that her stomach would probably appreciate the break before being over-filled after not eating for some time -- it was irrelevant, if she wanted to make herself sick, he would go ahead and let her. At least she appeared to be interested in something, even if she did not seem to be very grateful for her meal or her new room. "You have spent the last several months operating as a terrorist. I am sure you have something to admit to and I suggest you do -- it will only make this easier. Your violence has caused many a great deal of pain and cost some their lives. Is that something you want permanently on your conscious, Miss Smythe?" Gina finished shoveling the slice of toast into her mouth before even beginning to think up a response to that. "How many people've you shoved into closets until they tell you what you want to hear?" she finally responded, reaching for her cup again only to remember she'd already finished it. Damn. "I've spent the last several months fighting for my country, sir, because our Ministry was taken over by Death Eaters. If killing a few of them helps us get it back, then yes. I do want that on my conscience." It was difficult for Gaius to pretend that he was any less displeased with that answer than he actually was -- the frown that appeared on his face must have made it rather obvious. "You have been fighting against your country, not for it," he said, refraining from even dignifying her comment about closets. "And there is no excuse at all for killing. A person's life is not something to be callously disregarded and we will both be better off as soon as you learn that." Gina agreed with him completely, which wasn't something that she readily and openly was prepared to admit. Because while Gina honestly believed in it, everything they'd learned through Jo's experience was that this was all scripted bullshit to Travers. "So what about the people in Tinworth then? What about the ones at the Quidditch game explosion last year; there were innocent people there. Families with their children." People she had forced herself not to think about for almost a year until she'd been kept away in that windowless room with nothing to do but think. "There is no excuse; you're right. We're just trying to stop what your type started," she glared, setting her jaw and trying to avoid letting anything but spite and determination creep into her voice, because good god, if she was going to get emotional in front of anyone, it wasn't Gaius Travers. "Do not presume you know anything about my type, Miss Smythe. I am simply doing my job, which is something you must miss doing since you left the Ministry to pursue whatever murderous ends you have been hoping to achieve. Considering that you once held one of the most respected positions in the DMLE, I should think you are a bit disappointed with yourself over what you have become." Gaius raised his eyebrows to assist him in making his dubious point. He tried not to be too disconcerted by this conversation about murder, particularly when only several weeks earlier, he had been responsible for a man's death. He wasn't pleased by it and he'd certainly wrestled with his fair share of guilt over the incident (even if Warrington was one of those sorts who were not likely to be missed), but it was his small handful of encounters that led him to believe that she could not be as cavalier about her actions as she appeared. "The only reason that I'm not there any more is because your type took over and would have killed us had we stayed. You give this little speech of yours to the Death Eater that tried to kill me when your lot overthrew the Ministry? Is he here somewhere; can I meet him?" she demanded, annoyed at herself that she was letting herself get ruffled by his ridiculous lies. It'd been weeks since she'd had anyone to speak with though beyond a few words, and frankly, it felt nice to argue and get her thoughts off her chest. "Or do I know him and not just realise it? Who's your leak, eh?" Gina sat back on the bed, crossing her legs, wondering how far she'd get if she started asking him questions. "I do not have the slightest idea what you are suggesting," Gaius said, having managed to work himself into an unphased disposition -- he'd need to be, if they were going to continue this discusion. It wasn't exactly what he'd had in mind, but at least she was talking, now. And the more she did, the more ammunition he would have to convince her how wrong she was. "Others who worked for the Ministry prior to you Aurors leaving have stayed and been subjected to no harm whatsoever. What you are saying makes no sense -- it would be counter-productive to kill those who remained loyal to their stations." "They're not being loyal to their stations, they're cowards who are putting up with your stations," Gina spat back, wishing that he would actually display some sort of emotion beyond "calm" now that she was getting riled up and angry. "The only reason they haven't been hurt is because they're telling you what you want to hear." "They have not been hurt because they are doing their jobs," Gaius said, keeping his tone even. There were few things that infuriated him more than these 'terrorists' -- they'd been responsible for kidnapping his sister and that was not something he would soon forget, but he was not about to give her the satisfaction of seeing him angry. Not yet. Maybe he would press her for information about that incident at some point, but for now, he knew that it would do nothing to help their progress. "You and your type abandoned the Ministry and threw out whatever loyalty you had invested in it. Fleeing -- setting peoples' homes on fire -- those are the true marks of cowardice and weakness." "You would know all about that, wouldn't you?" she snapped, and in one fluid streak of motion Gina jumped off the bed to her feet and snatched the plate her meal had been on off of the table and cracked it toward Gaius's face. She debated for a moment whether she should try for the door or physically go after Traver's herself -- the latter wasn't her strong point, but the door was likely locked and warded behind them. And if she could get Travers's wand away from him... She dove at him, attempting to feel for his wand in his robes, trying not to think about the fact that this was probably more action than the purist had gotten in his life. After the way their conversation had been going, Gaius had almost let his guard down -- at least, he had certainly not been expecting any violence, so when the plate hit him in the side of his face, drawing a long, red line across his cheek beneath where the scar from Bellatrix's knife had left its own mark, Gaius was too stunned to reach the wand in his pocket fast enough to fend her off. He found himself almost spontaneously on the floor in far too familiar a situation, except this time, he was neither being tackled by a werewolf or a virtually dispensable member of their own cause -- this was an unfamiliar woman who was quickly becoming far too familiar with the waist of his robes. "Excuse you!" He raised his voice a bit as he reached for her wrists and attempted to shove her off him. He knew he needed to get to his wand before she could, but with her on top of him, he could not even get to his pocket. "Excuse you," she grumbled back, practically scoffing as she attempted to pull her wrists free from his grasp. Gaius managed to temporarily shove Gina off of him and she rolled to the side, her attempt to get his wand away foiled for the moment, but also brought her back within closer distance to the plate. Scooping the dish off the ground again, Gina slapped Gaius across the face for it with one hand while she returned to her search for the wand with the other. Bloody unbreakable glass; the plate would've been so much more helpful if it hadn't been protected against potential violent outbursts. Why would they be worried about something like that? His hand had been halfway to his wand when she hit him again with the plate, leaving him only to respond with a grunt as he recoiled, instinctively reaching up to put his hand over the place she'd hit. He'd consequently abandoned the plan of getting his wand so that he could subdue her and did not realize it until he felt her hand resuming its own search. He couldn't let her get to his pocket -- she was an Auror and probably knew her way around a wand in a sense he was not comfortable with, particularly if it left him defenseless. "Get off!" he said, his tone betraying his indigence. He tried both to take the plate out of her hand and push her away while deflecting her attempts to reach his pocket -- three things with only two hands, which didn't work nearly as well as he'd have liked, particularly with the side of his face throbbing and being generally distracting. Gina was relentless in her search -- she didn't WANT to be this close to Gaius Travers, but she knew that opportunities like this were few and far between. If she wanted a chance at escape, this was it, and she needed to take it. Attempting to keep him from pushing her away with one arm, she navigated her way around his robes, attempting to turn her mind off and not think about it until she found his wand. Unfortunately for them both, Gina's hand found the wrong wand. Recoiling back and screaming as soon as she'd realised what she'd grabbed, Gina pulled her hand away in disgusted fear as if she'd been burned, rolling away from Gaius and abandoning her plan to try to find the wand she'd wanted to find. Instead she scrambled to her feet and dashing to the door of the room, pulling desparately against the handle, just wanting to get out and away from Travers and his little friend. Gaius' cheeks instantly flushed as soon as he realized just what was happening and he shrank back at the precise moment she had. He was too embarrassed and humiliated to even be grateful for the fact that she was no longer attacking him and it took him a moment of staring in wide-eyed horror for him to regain his wits. He had never felt quite so violated -- even being tied up front-to-front with a hag had not been quite this bad. If only he could somehow erase the last few minutes, for both their sakes and his propriety's. Hands trembling, he finally found his wand and drew it as he got to his feet. "Step away from the door," he said, sounding breathless even as he tried to remain calm and show no signs of just how bothered he was feeling. He pointed his wand -- the right one -- at her and repeated his demand in a voice he hoped sounded far more authoritative. "I said, step away from the door." Gina showed no sign of stepping away from the door. Gaius's demands only added fuel to her attempts to break out and away from the room, beating her hands against the door and yelling for help. As if there was anyone out there who would help her anyway, if they could even hear her. ...Although maybe they'd help their "Healer in charge"... "HELP. MR. TRAVERS HAS HAD AN ACCIDENT!!!" Gina screamed at the door, forcing herself not to look back. What was the worst he could do, kill her? Better that than living with the memory of accidentally grabbing Gaius Travers's junk burned into her brain. "I have not," he said, narrowing his eyes at her. He wasn't thinking clearly enough to understand what she was trying to do -- he only knew that he wanted to get out of that room and as far away from that woman as possible, but she was standing in his way. So, he cast a Levitation Charm and lifted her out of his path, dropping her back down onto her bed before he rushed to the door and made quick work of opening it and disappearing out into the hallway. There, he stopped to breathe and to pull himself together. He'd have one of the mediwitches take a look at his face just as soon as he could stand being in the presence of another female again. He didn't have the slightest idea what he was going to do with Gina now, since he wasn't certain that he could ever even be in her presence again without feeling uncomfortably warm all over but he would worry about that later. For now, he was going to take a very, very long lunch break and hope that the afternoon's patients were nothing like this one. |