serendipity ~ {{silas everard/sophia inoue}}

[SILAS EVERARD]

It was the soft sound of rain cutting through the early morning silence that woke him, rather than the irritating chirp of his alarm clock. The despicable thing sat on his bedside table, ticking softly, only seconds away from emitting that all-too-familiar shriek when he groggily reached out and dropped a pillow over it, muffling the high-pitched alarm.

The routine was the same as always, exactly as it had been yesterday and exactly as it would be tomorrow. Shower, dress, scurry about looking for the necessary bits and pieces he'd managed to thoroughly scatter the previous evening- coat, clipboard, shoes, glasses- (Though those garnered a hateful glance before they were relunctantly snatched up and set in their usual place atop his head, half-hidden by stray locks of navy blue hair.), make the mandatory cup of coffee, and finally duck out the door precisely fifteen minutes before he was due to arrive at work.

The steaming mug was tucked precariously into the crook of one arm as he stood half in and half out of the doorway, tying his waist-length hair back. The large window at the landing's end revealed the morning as gray and bleak, a heavy rain pounding futilely against the glass and providing the only sound to be heard- until the footsteps.

He'd turned to shut the door when he heard the jarring echo of running footfalls on the stairwell below, accompanied by voices- muffled thumps and the occasional shout for whoever it was to stop. The doctor flinched, a few drops of coffee splashing onto his white coat and onto the thick hallway carpeting. His cobalt-colored eyes widened just slightly as he turned to the metal door a few yards away and paused, waiting to see if the apparant chase would continue into the hall. There was nowhere else to go, after all, should they take the fourth flight of stairs...

He'd have dismissed it all as some game by the rowdy teenagers from the second floor and continued on his way- but some nagging little feeling- call it intuition- insisted that it was not.

And so he waited, mentally berating himself, half-convinced that he was an idiot.

[jewel]

"Don’t stop. Don't even slow down. Keep running, Sophia."

The same urgent words repeated themselves to her as she ducked frantically into side alleys and pushed herself through the heavy throng of morning-goers. Most seemed unconcerned about the fact that she was being pursued at all, interested only in staying out of the torrential downpour and hugging their styrofoam coffee cups close in one last bid to keep warm. After all, nothing out of the ordinary transpired in Utopia. It was a place free of imperfection. A sanctuary. Perhaps she was simply late for an important meeting and the two men following her were coworkers? They must have alerted one another to their tardiness and all rushed out the door at the same time. It was a simple coincidence … certainly nothing more.

If she hadn’t been so preoccupied at the time, Sophia would have snorted derisively at their blatant display of ignorance and disinterest. Not one of them even bothered to spare a brief glance in her direction as she elbowed her way past them, sloshing through puddles that had collected upon the pavement and stumbling clumsily through busy intersections. The only evidence that her presence had been acknowledged at all came in the form of blaring car horns as she ran recklessly out into the road, turning to look over her shoulder in order to gauge the distance left between her and the two agents hot on her trail.

They’d nearly managed to apprehend her at work, having spent the last few hours posing as customers and waiting until their target had begun the long walk home. She couldn’t pinpoint exactly when she suspected that someone was following her. It had been a gut-feeling of sorts and as soon as she’d picked up her pace, they followed suit. She allowed them to continue their pursuit for another few minutes and then – when they’d caught the same bus as her and made the same stop – she bolted for it. It was better to be safe than sorry after all and, as though to confirm her suspicions, they’d broken into a run as soon as they realized she’d picked up on their intentions.

They’d been running for a good fifteen minutes now and the two men seemed to finally be feeling the repercussions of the rain, the cold and the distance of their run. Being a ‘Special’ Sophia was left unaffected and was able to lose them temporarily as she approached the apartment complex in which she’d recently taken up residence. Judging by the time they’d been out of sight, she had approximately five or six minutes before they caught up.
Shoving her key into the lock, she pushed through the lobby doors and scaled the stairs two at a time, pulling herself up with help from the railing.
She made it to the second landing before she was intercepted, although the man that stood in her way now was not part of the pair from earlier. He had likely been waiting inside of her apartment for most of that morning’s duration.

Swearing, she seized the moment to think about a potential escape and, just as the intruder reached out to grab her, she’d climbed up on to the banister, jumped so that she was using the man’s shoulder as a makeshift boost and put every ounce of effort into throwing herself towards the flight of stairs directly above, managing to grip the edge of it and pull herself up and over the next railing. Below she could hear him stumble against the wall, and took the opportunity to climb further until she reached the fourth floor of the building. Unfortunately they were quicker than she’d anticipated as she heard the three men regaining ground. It was only a matter of seconds before they’d have her trapped.

That’s when she spotted a young man who seemed to be in the midst of closing his apartment door. He was her only chance.

“Wait!” she called, jogging up to him with a troubled expression. “Please … I need your help. There are three men following me.”

This could either work in her favour, or go very badly she realized. If he wasn’t the charitable or trustworthy sort, he’d take one look at her bedraggled appearance and brush her off as some deluded, mentally incapacitated individual. And she knew for a fact that she looked worse for wear; her mascara likely a smudged mess and her hair in wet tangles. But there was a genuine sincerity in her eyes as she stared imploringly up at him.

And that's when they arrived, breathing heavily and soaked to the bone. But once they realized she had involved the young man, they froze ... unable to proceed with the task of retrieving her.

"Sorry I'm late honey, I missed the bus. Can we hurry and head inside? I need a change of clothes."

"Please. Please .. I need his help. It can't end here."

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[SILAS EVERARD]

Silas had locked into place, staring intently at the stairwell door, coffee mug clutched in such a way that it could be a potential weapon- pointless as that was- for what certainly felt like an eternity before logic took over and he realized how utterly ridiculous he must look.

Irritated, his alert expression snapped away abruptly, replaced by a little frown, and he fumbled into his coat pocket for his ring of keys, mumbling to himself all the while. What had he been thinking? Nothing out of the ordinary ever happened.

Not here.

He'd locked his door and was just about to shut it when the woman came running out of the stairwell.

"Wait!"

The call made him instinctively stiffen, and not quite certain what he was doing- it was more of a reflex than anything else- he grabbed at his door just as it clicked shut, stopping it a split second before it would have locked. He'd missed the handle altogether, however, and caught the fingers of his right hand between it and the frame. A sharp cord of of agony twisted its way painfully up his arm, but he gritted his teeth, squeezed his wounded hand into a tight fist, and shoved it into his pocket, turning without any pause.

A woman, certainly about his age as far as appearances went, stood just behind him, blonde hair half-hiding her face in a dripping curtain, makeup smudged with rainwater. Her expression was what had ensnared him, freezing him him for a moment in the sheer rareness of it. It wasn't the first time he'd ever seen it, no, but it was the first time he'd ever seen it here in this 'perfect' world, where it was most certainly out of place.

Surprise and hesitation written across his features, he stood there, quite at a loss for words. He did make an admirable attempt to search for them, but they slipped away again and again, the only sound he managed to make a little "Nn.." of puzzlement as she gazed up at him, her desperate appeal reflected in bright blue eyes.

The fact that this was a trap crossed his mind- yes, perhaps he was paranoid, but he had no trouble believing that this entire scenario could be some devious attempt to root out traitors. There were, after all, those whispers of rebellion.

And there was always the possibility that this woman's pursuers were in the right. That she should be apprehended. She was, after all, a stranger, and her guilt- or innocence, as the case may have been, were not his place to decide.

Some might have dismissed her as insane, and while that was a possibility, he refused it almost immediately. He was a doctor, after all, he knew what mental incapacitation looked like, and her eyes carried far too much clarity for it.

Then the landing door crashed open again, three winded, drenched men in black staggering into the hallway after her.

In a split-second, his decision had been made.

Yes, he would help, he answered with nothing more than an near-imperceptible little nod in the woman's direction.

He could remember a time when he'd worn that expression. And no one had come to his aid. Besides, there was, as far as he could tell, genuine sincerity in her eyes.

He would fight his very nature and trust her.

His shell-shocked expression was dropped for one of calm placidity, at odds with the adrenaline suddenly coursing through his veins. One hand rested on the doorframe as he blinked languidly at the dark-suited agents, arching a brow in mild distaste. The very look was a silent beratement for their intrusion, for the commotion, for the mess they were making of the hallway carpeting, which resembled a marsh more and more with each passing second.

'Typical clueless Utopian' was what the vaguely disgusted gaze said he was, doing an effective job of hiding the intelligent clarity and careful calculations in the depths of his dark blue eyes.

He turned his back to them rather dismissively, against the screaming insistence of his rational mind that he keep an eye on the menacing men, harboring hope that the woman, who was still facing them, would react if they decided to try anything. Reaching out to tuck a honey-colored strand of damp hair behind her ear in a casual, convincing gesture of affection, he nodded, a rare smile crossing his lips for the benefit of their audience.

"Of course, darling."

The words slipped forth effortlessly and he hid a twinge of curiosity at how easily the lie (And the term of endearment he'd been convinced he'd never use again) came. He stood aside so she could pass into the apartment ahead of him, nudging the door open with his good hand, and tossed a last glance over his shoulder at her pursuers. The three imposing men remained in the hallway, shivering and scowling, powerless to do anything but watch as their target slipped to safety before their very eyes.

He'd pay dearly for this in one way or another, he suspected.

But no matter.

He followed the stranger into his apartment and shut the door behind them.

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[jewel]

It was as though they’d been standing there for hours, when in reality it had merely been a moment or two; the long pause that had settled between them stretched on for some time and Sophia’s anxiety mounted.

Eventually a flash of doubt touched the man’s features and, immediately, her heart sank. So he was going to refuse her after all? This was the end of the line for her? Of course she shouldn’t have been so surprised. After all, the people of Utopia always did the right thing. And the “right thing” meant following the rules and serving their government without even a hint of hesitation or reluctance. They did not question and they did not pry. They acted dutifully. And so she couldn’t fault the young stranger for his decision. If she’d lived an average life and hadn’t witnessed the abuses of the system first hand … she probably would have done the same thing.

Bracing herself for the assault, Sophia stiffened but was – in turn – taken aback by what she heard next.

Was he actually playing along?

Lifting her chin just enough so that she could watch him from the corner of her eye, the blonde was greeted with a most peculiar sight.
His expression had made the smooth transition from puzzled to comprehending, the almost wry twinge of his lips convincing even her of his act. She had to keep herself from flinching at the touch of his hand however, warm fingers grazing her cheek in an effort to rearrange a lock of hair that had fallen astray. Frigid rainwater slid down her back and arms, causing an array of goosebumps to rise and a chill to leap from her spine to her toes but still … she remained quiet and unmoving.

The three men that stood unblinkingly at the end of the hall realized that they had arrived at a stalemate, especially since this compassionate stranger had agreed to help her. Unless they wished to deal with the repercussions that would surely arise later, they had no choice but to abandon their target.
Seeming to realize this, the tallest man – he’d been the one that had cornered her in the stairwell – wiped down the front of his jacket in one fluid motion and gestured for the others to follow him back to the lobby. Before he disappeared completely, Sophia could see him toss her a knowing look, one that was colder than the rain and she gave an involuntary shiver before proceeding into this stranger’s apartment.

She said nothing, simply allowed herself a moment to regain her composure and shift off to the side so that she wasn’t standing in the way. Sparing the apartment a brief, curious glance, she was instantly greeted with a sense of warmth and for that she was grateful. If she hadn’t been who she was, she’d probably have wound up suffering the onset of a cold sometime over the next few days. That’s when she realized she was thoroughly soaked and was dripping water all over her rescuer’s carpet.

”I’m so sorry!” she exclaimed at once, bending over to remove her boots with a flush of embarrassment. “Ugh. … For everything really.” Sophia's expression had turned to one of exasperation and hopelessness as she began unbuttoning her long coat, fingers slipping clumsily over the buttons. "Thank you though, for what you did. Not many people would have acted so selflessly." A pause as she looked up again, managing a small smile. "You saved my life."

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[SILAS EVERARD]

The doctor had bolted the door behind him, taking no chances with the mysterious agents. They'd stalked off, yes, but frustration had been evident in every move they made, the tallest of them, (The leader, perhaps?) shooting the woman an icy glare before he went. They'd be back, of that, he was absolutely certain. Those pitiless eyes would haunt him for a while yet, and his door would be carefully locked every night now for... the forseeable future.

His act dropped abruptly once they were inside and Silas set his coffee and clipboard down before gingerly working his hand free of his coat pocket, casting a slightly pained glance at his bruised fingers. It was his writing hand, too. He was a clumsy idiot, wasn't he?

He had been faintly distracted until the woman spoke, at first dwelling on his battered hand and then the scene that had just played out, still slightly dazed from the ordeal- and just how quickly it had all happened. The stranger's words tugged him abruptly back into reality and his cobalt blue eyes flicked to regard her wher she stood, just to the side of the doorway, slipping her boots off so as to keep them from dripping onto the charcoal-colored carpet, apologizing profusely for the puddle that had already soaked into it. He shook his head, lips tugging upwards in the barest hint of a smile. To anyone who didn't look closely, it might have seemed insincere, detatched, and cold, but that wasn't the case, and it was, nonethless, a genuine smile, something rarer than a July snow when it came to Silas Everard.

"A-ah, don't worry. It's water, only water." He reassured vaguely. Even one as meticulously neat as he was could readily admit that. It'd dry quickly enough, and then it would be gone, leaving no trace behind. Idly, he wondered for the barest moment if this stranger would vanish as rapidly as the cold water that had pooled around her feet.

The abruptness and sincerity of her thank-you left him slightly taken aback and faintly embarassed, a pink tinge just lightly creeping onto his usually pale cheeks. He cleared his throat, suddenly ducking his head and raising a hand to his dark blue bangs. They did need to be brushed aside, but it was mostly so that his arm would hide his face from view- and thus hide the color in his cheeks. When on earth had he gotten to be like this? 'Idiot.' He mentally berated himself.

"Selfless?" He asked with a little shake of the head. "Please. I'm no knight, Miss. I did as I judged was right." A wry little smile, a warmer one this time, if still a bit stiff, flickered across his face briefly before he continued.

"But you're more than welcome nonethless." The little sentence she suddenly added afterwards, that sudden, blunt acknowledgement of just what he had done (Saved her life? Just how much trouble had she been in?), accompanied by a smile, caused him to freeze momentarially and lose what little control he still held over his expression, the impassive mask cracking thoroughly. If he hadn't been that embarassed before, he certainly was now. Silas cleared his throat awkwardly and made a weak attempt at again insisting that he was undeserving of such.. what was the proper word? Gratitude, perhaps?

He failed miserably, and it came out as a halting half-stutter which he finally attempted to mask with a cough before falling silent as he debated whether or not to try again. Not trusting his own voice, and never one to be skilled in social tact anyway, he eventually just turned and hurried off into the kitchen, blue hair drifting in a fluttering trail behind him.

He halted there for a few moments to regain his composure, staring unblinkingly at the white tile of the floor before rummaging around in the freezer and filling a porcelain bowl with ice, which he buried his damaged fingers in. The coffeemaker still sat on the black marble countertop, the remains of the batch he'd made not ten minutes ago steaming slightly. He gazed thoughtfully at the white wisps for a moment before finding a clean mug and emptying the squat glass pot's contents into it.

This, thin handle gripped tightly in his uninjured hand, he took back into the foyer, along with a clean white towel, wordlessly holding the both out to the woman. She might not like coffee, but she was shivering, it was warm, and he hoped that'd be reason enough for her to accept it. Used to the weight of his long hair, he only now realized that he hadn't tied the ribbon that should be holding it back thoroughly enough, and in the confusion that had ensued shortly after, it'd been lost. A little sound of annoyance escaping his lips, he located another ribbon, a black one, and gathered loose blue strands in his fist, shakily attempting to tie it with only one hand, the one that hadn't been caught in the door. His dark eyes fell to the woman as he did, bearing no small amount of curiosity. She was blonde and blue-eyed, nearly as tall as he was, and yes, he noticed hesitantly, she was beautiful.

"I don't belive we've been properly introduced, Miss.." The doctor finally offered in an uneasy attempt at making conversation without prying (Certainly this woman had her secrets, that was clear enough.), his usually faint British accent suddenly terribly obvious.

[/justify]

[jewel]

Sophia watched curiously as he withdrew the hand he’d been keeping safely tucked away within his pocket and, taking note of the faint bruising spreading across his fingers, hurriedly made to offer her assistance before realizing she’d likely end up inspiring more harm than doing any semblance of good. And there certainly wouldn’t be a point in apologizing further, as awful as she felt for all the trouble she’d caused him. So, biting down upon her lower lip, she felt the most productive thing she could do was to stand out of his way and take the time to reconsider whatever options she had left at her disposal. It had become immediately apparent to her that those three agents would be back, possibly with reinforcements. She would no longer be able to remain in the complex … that much was clear. They’d know exactly where to look and they now knew where she worked as well. If they wanted to keep tabs on her, they wouldn’t have any trouble.

And then something else struck her as the young man disappeared into what she presumed was the kitchen. He was in just as much of a delicate situation as she was.

Of course DOSE wouldn’t have the authority to arrest him under suspicion that he was obstructing justice by being dishonest, but they might return and attempt to interrogate him indirectly. That would prove a fairly simple task on the condition they came up with a plausible enough reason for why they needed information on her. In fact, they’d likely go so far as to insist she was some high-profile criminal and attempt to guilt-trip him for having housed someone so dangerous. Who knew what they might resort to in order to retrieve her. They were afraid, afraid that she would expose their lies and their deception. And they had a legitimate reason to fear such a calamity, because she had every intention of jeopardizing their operation. She’d simply needed to lie low for awhile until the right opportunity presented itself. She couldn’t accomplish such a feat on her own after all, especially not one as dangerous as defying Utopia’s superpower.

Instinctively she hugged her dripping boots closer to her chest, as though they offered some unseen source of comfort or sense of security, waiting patiently for her “rescuer” to reappear. While she hovered uncertainly by the door, she surveyed the small but tidy space with interest and decided almost instantly that this was someone who appreciated order. There was no clutter and nothing seemed to be in disarray, everything was clean … immaculate really. Things looked polished and well looked after. But despite the fact that she admired his efforts, it made the apartment look almost lonely. The fact that the lights were currently dimmed and the only sound that filled the living room was the thrumming of the rain made it seemed even emptier and she felt herself growing a bit sad.

Shaken from her troubled thoughts by the sound of returning footsteps, Sophia tossed him a grateful look as he offered her the steaming cup of coffee and towel. “Oh, thank you.” Wondering where she should set her boots, she turned to reopen the door and stuck them outside in the hall where they wouldn’t track more mud all over his beautiful carpet. Shutting it behind her with a gentle ‘click’, the blonde accepted the towel, shrugging out of her damp jacket and draping it over one arm.
What she hadn’t anticipated was the fact that the rain would soak straight through the thin material of the coat and then – inevitably – her new white dress. Giving a humourless chuckle, she picked at the skirt a bit and shook her head, using the towel to dry her arms, shoulders and neck before taking a sip of the flavourful coffee he’d made her.

She sighed contentedly, looking up beneath long eyelashes and about to offer another ‘thank you’ before she found herself involuntarily distracted. “You have very beautiful hair,” she commented softly, both her tone of voice and facial expression blatantly honest. “And you don’t have to bother with the formalities. It’s Sophia … m-my name I mean.”

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[SILAS EVERARD]

He'd lost focus as he awkwardly fumbled with the ribbon, his mind drifting slightly. Those men were easy enough to read, and they wouldn't give up the hunt quickly or without quite a fight, he was certain of that. The thought of them still prowling about in the complex was an unsettling one, and just as soon as it formed, he banished it from his mind in favor of something less disturbing- or attempted to. He hadn't quite managed, his focus instead turning to the consequences of his actions. He'd be questioned now, surely, he realized. Perhaps worse than that, arrested or.. who knew what? Few had any idea what the Utopian goverment was truly capable of, he noted, and at the moment, he wasn't one of them. His fate would remain a mystery until it finally befell him, but whatever happened now, one undeniable, biting fact remained.

In perhaps six seconds, with a mere three words and one tiny smile, he'd made a terrible mess of his life.

And yet when his gaze flicked to the stranger standing in his foyer, he couldn't quite bring himself to regret it.

After countless failed attempts to loop the ribbon together- partly thanks to his distraction, partly because he could only use one hand- he simply gave up, stuffing it into the pocket of his white coat and sweeping his hair away from his shoulders so that it hung in a blue-black curtain straight down his back.
"A-ah, do I? Thank you." He responded hesitantly, one rarely complimented as he was not entirely certain of how to answer.
Her name suited her, Silas thought as she spoke, soft, almost musical, and without the sharp, jutting syllables so many names seemed to have. Didn't it mean wisdom? "Sophia. Lovely..." He murmured distantly, trailing off for half a moment and shifting the bowl of ice before realizing that he'd never given his own name in return.

"My name is Silas. Silas Everard." The doctor suddenly added, having to raise his voice slightly to be heard over the fresh onslaught of rain that pounded down upon the building, cursing that accent that seemed to creep further and further in with each passing second. "And we're both in quite a bit of trouble now, it seems." His tone was one of calm, logical resignation. What was done was done, he wasn't at all sorry for having done it, and now what would happen would happen.

[/justify]

[jewel]

“My mother loved the ballet. One of the dancers she idolized was named ‘Sophia’.”

It served as quite a random and, admittedly, useless bit of information. But the sound of the rain had become overwhelming and she found herself shifting her weight from one foot to the other, uncertain as to what exactly she should do or say. As a means of distraction, the blonde took another cautious sip of her hot drink, moving freely across the plush carpet so that she stood alongside the balcony window.

The rain had begun to fall in heavy sheets of grey now, and the streets below were almost entirely devoid of milling pedestrians. Where had they all disappeared to so quickly; coffee shops and their favourite bistro perhaps? Or maybe even a friend’s place for a game of cards.
All of those things sounded so very mundane and yet so very enticing all at once. If she attempted it – if she chose to put everything that she now knew behind her – would she have been able to live her life normally? Would she have been able to overlook the injustices of this new world so that she could pursue average goals and an average career? Could she possibly allow herself to be happy when she knew that there were other families being torn apart for the sadistic, power-hungry purposes of their corrupt government? No she could not. As much as she longed to return home she would never have been able to live with herself if she knowingly allowed such tragedies to occur to others. Something had to be done. A life that was not your own was no life at all. This was all, more or less, an experiment. And the people had a right to know that.

Having lost herself again to the scattered disarray of her thoughts, Sophia turned abruptly with an apologetic expression, allowing an eventual smile to smooth itself across her lips, this one brighter and more heartfelt than the last. “Silas? That’s certainly interesting. Unique but not at all ostentatious. I like it.” Absently she found herself recalling a conversation she and her mother had once had. The subject had been one related to work and Sophia could have sworn that the name ‘Everard’ had cropped up somehow. Of course she hadn’t paid much mind to it at the time – it had meant nothing to her – but it nagged at her now. With nothing else to go on though, she had little choice but to dismiss that strange feeling.

“I am so very sorry that I dragged you into all of this,” she began hesitantly. Honestly, Sophia had no idea what she was going to say. Would he even believe her?

“Those men that were chasing me … they were undercover agents sent by DOSE to, well, ‘retrieve’ me if you will. They’ve been searching for me for over a year. And now that they know where I’ve been hiding, they will most certainly be back.” She paused, raking the hair out of her eyes and staring morosely into her cup of coffee. “Unfortunately they’ll probably go out of their way to question you as well, acknowledging now that there is a significant association between the two of us. I doubt they’d go so far as to arrest you but it seems as though your life is bound to become a lot more complicated.”

She allowed silence to fill the room again and lifted her chin to look up at him from beneath long, sooty lashes. “You can reassure me and tell me that it was no trouble, that you knew what you were getting yourself into. But I can promise that you really don’t. You have no idea what’s going on, although you deserve to. And I can’t apologize enough for that.”

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[SILAS EVERARD]

DOSE... The experimental division? The name was familiar, but only passingly. As far as he knew, the scientific order held next to no significance to anyone besides those who were in its employ, and they preferred to keep it that way. He arched a brow, wondering what their motives were for hunting this woman so intently and tirelessly- for a year, no less. Could she have once worked for them? She didn't seem the sort, but no other reasons came to mind other than the possibility that she knew things she shouldn't, that she'd unwittingly stumbled upon secrets. And that was only plausible if the division did, in fact have its secrets, as some citizens speculated. Though he did wonder, he kept silent, never one to pry.

She confirmed what he'd suspected, that he'd certainly be a person of interest to the division now, that he'd be questioned, though her doubts surrounding an arrest served as a small comfort. Very small, but one he gratefully kept in mind nonethless. Crossing over to the end table that sat beside the charcoal-colored sofa, he retrieved his own now-lukewarm coffee, the pale, slender fingers of his uninjured hand encircling the white ceramic tightly- a bit too tightly, as if he clung to the mug purely for the sake of having something to cling to. Absently, the doctor pulled his glasses from where they sat atop his head and slipped them on properly, albeit relunctantly. His impaired vision was starting to make him dizzy, and the last thing he needed was a headache on top of everything else.

Blinking once or twice as his dark eyes adjusted, his gaze followed her as she crossed over to the rain-streaked window, surveying the city below, gray in the dappled, somehow grimy light that filtered through the dark clouds. Never had the perfect world looked so deserted and dismal. She was still explaining- and apologizing- in the same soft tone as she studied Utopia, and when she finally halted, turned to gaze up at him with dark lashes half-hiding blue eyes that only barely concealed a tumult of emotions.

Silas simply shook his head, expression impassive as ever as navy blue eyes glittered behind the thin lenses of his glasses. "I'll be the first to admit that I had no clue what I was getting into, yes.. But I'd have done exactly the same even if I did." The words were blunt and utterly sincere, as often they were with him. He spoke so little that he saw no point in sugarcoating things when he did- or wasting his rarely-used voice on a lie. His actions had come at a price- but not a price he was unwilling to pay.

[/justify]

[jewel]

She watched as his expression changed, varying degrees of confusion and doubt passing across an otherwise inscrutable façade. It was unsettling for her to see this composed, generally calm individual so disturbed. And she felt quite sad for him, knowing full well that – once he discovered the truth about his average, seemingly perfect life – he’d never again be able to live as an ordinary man amongst ordinary people. He’d be forced to forsake his friends and his family in favour of the life of a wanted fugitive; glancing anxiously over his shoulder every few minutes wondering whether he was being followed … of being watched.

It changed everything, but some part of Sophia still held no regret for the way things had transpired. Despite the fact that she would never be reunited with her family, she was glad that she no longer lived life veiled and unaware. They didn’t control her any longer and she revelled in that fact if nothing else. It was a strange sort of comfort to be sure, but at least it was something.

As silence fell between the two of them again, Sophia turned to once more survey the gray cityscape, blue eyes casting themselves over the traffic below and the dim lights of the tall skyscrapers clustered together in the distance. The rain fell in a cloudy mist now, creating a thick haze that fogged the windows a bit. It truly was haunting, and she felt another involuntary shudder course through her as she finished the last of her coffee. It had grown a bit cold while she’d submitted herself to her thoughts, and suddenly she realized that she’d left her companion to guess what was troubling her so.

Clearing her throat, the blonde set the mug down on one of the coasters left on the end table and quickly proceeded to dry herself with the towel she’d left draped over her arm. It smelt freshly-washed, the scent of detergent reminding her instantly of home. Frankly it was a nice feeling, and she found herself smiling a bit as she took a few steps in Silas’ direction. She hadn’t realized how tall he was until she stood a bit closer to him, though he couldn’t have had more than a few inches on her.
All through middle school she’d been picked on because of the fact that she towered over everyone else. Now that she reflected on it, Sophia acknowledged she’d been so gangly and awkward; teasing her had actually been made too easy.

“Is that so?”

She was looking at him directly now, expression a cross between dry amusement and admiration. Although she hadn’t known him for very long, she could already tell that he was a man who didn’t say something unless he meant every word of it. He was honest and straightforward, and though his words may have been biting or particularly blunt, he didn’t mean any harm by it. He valued the truth as much as she did, and it inspired confidence that this may not all be a lost cause after all.

“You’re a genuinely good person, Silas. But would you really be willing to give all this up for an existence like mine?” She paused, drying the ends of her hair with the towel, before adding "As you've seen, it's not particularly glamorous.”

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[SILAS EVERARD]

Her eyes, reflected in the glass of the windowpane, were distant, the bright blue clouded with thought- and rather melancholy thought at that, he suspected, though it could simply be his misinterpretation of the grim atmosphere that suddenly held reign over his quiet apartment.

Sophia at last tore her gaze away from the rain-streaked window and the faintly illuminated city spread out below. She instead turned to face him, taking a few small paces forward and gazing evenly up at the doctor, her expression one he couldn't quite read, to his faint surprise. More often than not, he could at least make an assumption as to what a person was thinking with a glance into their eyes. Not so for this woman. She was the guarded sort, perhaps. Not unlike him, though, admittedly, he did take the concept to an extreme.

A weak, mirthless tone of amusement in Silas's voice, he nodded in response, raising a brow in an almost wry expression. "That I can see..." He again fell silent for a few heartbeats, losing himself in careful consideration. A question was gnawing at his mind, demanding to be answered- but it was no trifling one. When she answered- if she answered- it could very well shatter the pretty facade that the Utopian government had so meticulously constructed. The world as he perceived it would never be the same- and the thought in and of itself only unsettled him further.

Once he knew for certain, there could be no turning back.

And so he hesitated, setting his mug down on the coaster with a glassy clink, only to pick it up again seconds later for lack of anything else to occupy himself with, chewing his lower lip. This much emotion- registering outwardly, at least- was entirely out of character for him, and here he was, showing it to a near-stranger, no less. The fact was noted with mild, detatched frustration in the back of his mind, and he inwardly rolled his eyes at his own siliness. Not important. He firmly insisted to himself an attempt to nudge his focus back to what was relevant. Why he was worried was the pressing matter here, not whether or not she could see that he was worried. It was high time he stopped being so cold anyway, he suddenly decided.

"Perhaps I would. If I had a better idea of precisely what your existence.. was."

The doctor continued at long last. There was no small amount of hesitation in his voice, but it was underlaid with an iron resolve. Yes, he'd decided. He wanted to know.
The chilly possibility that Utopia might have worn a mask all these years, that it was not all that it claimed to be- and the harsh sense of reality that would come with it- was still far preferrable to the false security of ignorance.

A lie was easier to live with.
But the truth was, after all, the truth.

"Might I ask.. exactly why DOSE was hunting you?

If Utopia's perfection was no more substantial than spun sugar, it was only fitting that it would be dissolved now, in this pouring rain.

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[jewel]

Sophia considered him quietly, and for once seemed at a loss for words. What should she do now? Was she really ready to expose an innocent Utopian civilian to the hard and unforgiving truth? That was the ultimate goal of the rebellion after all, to enlighten those who lived, misguided, under the control of a corrupt group of politicians and scientists whose only interest was in themselves and using the city and its inhabitants – in their greatest hour of need – for their own purposes. But despite the fact that her intentions were noble, she couldn’t dismiss the fact that there were some people who were probably quite content living this peaceful lie. They’d settled and raised families with a newfound faith in humanity. Happiness didn’t seem like such an unattainable goal and they were able to feel safe again. In their eyes, she was one of the few who would strip them of that sense of comfort. She just couldn’t fathom why anyone would want to live their lives as a fool. But was it really her place to decide? Suddenly she had begun to doubt whether involving this man at all had been a wise idea.

And then she took one long look around his dim, lonely apartment. She surveyed the neat order of his things, the strained effort it had taken to ensure everything was tidy and clean. It was as though performing such mundane tasks was what fuelled him. From what she could tell, he lived to work and when he wasn’t working he spent his time whittling away hours in this dismal apartment complex, likely asking himself whether he was truly happy … or if there was something lacking in his life that he simply couldn’t place a finger on.

Again, she’d found herself lapsed into a thoughtful silence; only this time it was far more purposeful and not simply because she had nothing of interest to say.

Running a slender hand through her mussed hair in an effort to tidy it, she folded the towel she’d been using in a small square and moved to place it, distracted, upon the side table along with the ceramic mug he’d handed her earlier. Her right hand slid awkwardly down to clutch at her left arm, and her two front teeth snagged her bottom lip in a show of uncertainty. She’d only known this man for about twenty minutes and already she was about to detail to him her secrets, her fears and the inevitable uprising the Utopian government had on the hands that they yet remained unaware of. It was more than she’d confided to anyone, even her mother and father. But somehow, she knew it was a risk she needed to take.

“My father had been promised a promotion of sorts a few weeks after we arrived in Utopia. My guess is that certain execs were interested in his past involvement in political affairs and sought to use his influence to their advantage. In exchange for such a highly coveted position however, they requested the cooperation of myself and my sister Elizabeth. I knew my father had his reservations, but working directly underneath the mayor is not an opportunity that presents itself a second time. What could have been the harm, right? We should have felt honoured.”

Sophia gave a dry, humourless laugh then … recalling her father’s weak attempts at consolation the night before they were set to leave for the research compound.

” … My sister was a beautiful girl, but she’d always been very fragile.” There was a pause as she hesitated before continuing, levelling Silas with a meaningful look before turning her back to him and staring unhappily out the rain-streaked window, trying to ignore the pain of returning to her past.

“The experimentations were minor at first. And then, as they grew more intense, they told us that we needed to fast. We went hungry for days at a time before they agreed to use our bodies for their research. My sister and I were frequently ill. Well … most of the patients were. We had no energy, we could hardly force ourselves to stand. Probably to keep us subdued. This went on for months. We were always told that they were arranging for us to return home, and that our parents knew exactly what was going on. Obviously these were all lies, but we could hardly differentiate the truth at the time. We had no choice. And then … one of the women from the other sectors told me that Elizabeth hadn’t made it. Just like that, she was gone. And I was alone. It was then that I knew I wouldn’t be seeing my parents again; that I wouldn’t even be seeing the outside of the research facility. ”

She half-turned to cast Silas a sad smile over her shoulder, shrugging.

“I barely managed to escape. And they’ve been searching for me ever since. I’m a risk to their entire operation. Their perfect tool had turned against them and was running amuck amongst the ignorant masses. I could ruin everything.”

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[SILAS EVERARD]

His question brought about yet another long silence, and she regarded him wordlessly with those sky-blue eyes, clearly weighing the odds. She set the towel down, then picked it up again and folded it uneasily, her arms latching together. Her expression was one of hesitation and relunctance and he'd resigned himself to getting no answer, or a vague one at best, when she finally spoke.

Her story came out quickly, miserable years shortened into a few concise sentences, and it left him stunned. It was a shocking one- and yet she told it so matter-of-factly. He dug his good hand into the couch back for support, lips parted in surprise as the world took on a slightly wobbly quality. So the Specials were real. And Sophia was one. They'd been whispered about for so long, the Mayor's secret weapons who constantly prowled about, cleverly hidden among the populace, ever-watching. He'd always avoided such stories, finding them far too plausible for his taste. It was clear now. They were plausible- because they were true. An icy chill ran up his spine as he considered the horrors she must have endured, exactly what DOSE had done to an innocent in their pursuit of the perfect weapon. The memories were painful, no doubt, but Sophia hid it well, a faint sadness lingering in her eyes and tone the most that was revealed. Her control had never once slipped.

He recovered from his surprise quickly enough and gazed at her with an altogether new expression. Something unreadable was reflected in his dark blue eyes, as always, but it was a different sort of unreadable. After a few moments of rationalization, he found that he didn't doubt her story in the least. Some might have- have decided even now that it was some fabrication, but he had not. It explained several things, for one, and for another, for some inexplicable reason, he wanted to trust her.

Finding the words to respond was even more of a struggle than usual- what did one say to a story like that? "...I'm sorry." He finally offered. "They'd no right. And you're..." He hesitated and finally trailed off. He knew what he wanted to say, to express just how impressed he was with her.. courage, her resilence, with everything, really, but forming the words to actually do so was another matter altogether. He cleared his throat and abruptly glanced off to the side, reaching up to straighten his glasses and leaving the sentence unfinished. He'd certainly embarass himself again if he made any attempt to complete it.

"They belive you could ruin everything. But do you intend to? You certainly have a great deal of power over them at the moment.."

His coffee was ice-cold now, but he sipped at the final dregs in the mug anyway, the bitter, chilled liquid still serving as some tiny comfort in its familiarity.

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