(no subject)

Characters: AU3 Revolver Ocelot, Neal Cassidy, and YOU
Setting: Around the tower
Format: Starting action
Summary: Event catch-all
Warnings: trauma, possible character death

Revolver Ocelot

[The whispers in her ear didn't stop. It was maddening. Horrible. Liquid's voice was the loudest one. Demanding to tell him why she had let him die. It was her fault that the world was in ruin. Had she not ruined his plans, had she not set him up to fall, he would have succeeded.

The shadow child using his voice stood in her way, staring her down. Ocelot couldn't speak. There was nothing to say.

In the months since she had arrived, she had come to deeply, deeply regret the murder of her own son. But there was nothing she could do. Nothing. But there were other voices, too. Solidus too spoke to her. You called me son, he said, angrily. Accusingly. And yet you left me behind! You said that we would destroy the Patriots! You liar! You'll never know what happened! What should have happened!

In the silence, the old woman collapsed to her knees, hugging herself, fighting to hold back tears she didn't know she could still shed.]

Neal Cassidy

[Emma was following him everywhere. It was fate's way of telling him just how badly he had screwed up. Telling him how she had been abandoned by him once again. That he was a coward. How she could see the family resemblance. He deserved every bit of it. Emma has a right to be angry.

He never wanted to leave her again. But here? Now? He hadn't had a choice. If she could somehow be here too, if Henry could be here... he would have been happier. Worst of all, though, was the shadow on his opposite side.

Henry.

The small boy that he barely knew, wondering aloud in a small, sad voice, if he ever should have looked for his father to begin with.]

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[His collar has faded enough to be immediately noticeable. But to look stronger than he feels, he looks up, somewhere past where his father is standing.

You're the dad I was always looking for? But you abandoned me again! Why did you leave me and mom?]

I'm fine.

[There was a hint of disapproval in his expression as he looks at Neal. Of course he wouldn't be fooled so easily about this sort of thing.]

I'd prefer it if you told me the truth.

[Why should he? It's not like you were a father before.

...Gold really wished they would shut up and let him speak to Neal in peace.]

[He lets out an exasperated groan.]

I'm fine, okay?!

This isn't even close to the worst thing that's happened to me.

[His eyes flash, almost accusingly, as he looks from Gold to the two shadows by his side. You lied to me then, didn't you? I thought you wanted to be in Henry's life!]

[Yeah, Gold's just giving him a full on look of disbelief now.]

If I was to take into account what I'm dealing with at the moment--[And he gives a dramatic wave with his free hand to indicate his own shadows.]--then I would say you're not fine at all, even if this isn't the worst that you've gone through.

[You were always the clever one, Rumple. But you're not clever enough this time.]

[You should listen to him. Trying to put on a brave face, but you're really just a coward, Neal. You're a terrible man who abandoned a pregnant girl after promising to leave with her to go to Tallahassee.]

Shut up!

[It's not really clear if he's talking to Emma or his father at the moment.]

[Gold doesn't seem bothered by Neal's words if they are directed at him.]

The shadows that are following you, who are they?

[He won't tell you. Why would he? You won't tell him who we are.]

[He doesn't answer that question. He can't answer that question. The woman he loves is standing next to him, hating him. His son is next to him, questioning what kind of person would leave his child behind again.]

How about the ones following you?

[He could lie or not say anything at all, but that would be what his shadows want and he's well aware that Neal wouldn't tell him if he doesn't.]

They are the people I care about the most.

[Well, of course they are. Wait...

Then why was Tamara not there? Why was she not there, taunting him with Emma?

He frowned, though, staring at his father for a long moment.]

I take it... I take it mom's not there.

[Thinking about the possibility of Milah being there almost made him laugh. Why in the world would she be there? The woman had berated him for being a coward long before her death and she had obviously stopped caring for him long before her death.]

No, she's not here.

[Smart woman.

...She had the right idea, leaving you.

...oh dear lord, now his shadows are agreeing with each other about his ex-wife. What is his life, seriously.]

Because you killed her, right?

[Because he was told that, papa.]

[That revelation visibly shocks him for a moment before that surprise is replaced by his normal calm. He can't let himself worry about that now when there are bigger things than the death of his ex-wife to worry about.]

No, because neither of us cared for the other by the time that she died.

[Hopefully Gold has some quick reflexes, because Neal has launched a fist at his face.]

[Come on, you should have gone for the leg! It's an obvious weak point to exploit.

Knock away his cane!

Thankfully, Gold has some pretty sharp reflexes and dodges the punch. He lets out a sigh and looks over at Neal, doing his best to ignore the shadows as they call out.]

Do you know what the last thing your mother said to me before I killed her? "I never loved you."

Screw you!

[He barely remembers his mother, but now, now all he can think about is everything that is so, so horribly wrong with his family.

So cowardice runs in the family, does it? That explains so much about you, Neal!

And his response is to launch another punch.]

[Gold knows it's easier to just let Neal get angry and deal with it like this. Yes, learning about his mother like this probably wasn't the best thing, but really, he had to know. As long as Gold keeps dodging the punches like he has been, he'll continue with this.]

No matter what you may believe right now, what I said was the truth.

[It's because you're that unlovable, Neal. That's why she left you. That's why your father abandoned you.]

What would you know about anything?!