001 ♦ Jesse Finch ♦ Audio

[rigging]

So I've got three guesses as to what this is right now. [ The voice that comes through the communicator is quiet and calm. The undertone to this voice, however, is not at all -- there's a hint of panic and a whole lot of anger underneath. ] One, I traveled back in time to land in some Twilight Zone-Silent Hill bullshit. Two, I've finally cracked and I've gone insane, which, y'know, could be worse, my brain coulda put me in somewhere much more terrifying than a room with a camera -- or three, I'm dreaming. [ Which is what he's afraid of. There's a beat, and then the sound of a lighter being flicked on, a cigarette being lit. ]

Watch, m'just talking to myself. I don't even know if anybody's out there. [ It's been an hour and he hasn't seen anybody yet, after all, though to be fair he hasn't gone very far. He's waiting. Come get him, nightmare. He's not scared of you. ]

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[gleans]

[ Okay, he can forgive the initial confusion, but this is just weird. And upsetting. It almost makes him stop as he heads out the door, but he has to get to Jesse. ]

Jesse, baby, I -- fuck. I don't understand what you're talking about. We're not dreaming -- what do you mean, it?

[rigging]

[ ... Did Galen forget? ] What d'you think I mean -- did you hit your head or somethin'? Or are y'just fucking with me, cause lemme tell you, I ain't real happy t'hear it, if it actually is...

[ He trails off, and curls up on a park bench, frowning. ]

[gleans]

[ He sounds incredulous, not to mention a little hurt! ] Why the hell would I ever fuck with you, Jesse? What are you talking about?

[rigging]

I don't -- I don't fucking know! [ Jesse doesn't even know where to go with this, and everything is weird and there's some girl pretending to be his conscience and -- it's a lot, okay. ]

Just -- come find me.

[gleans]

I'm on my way. I'm gonna cut through the cemetery, if you want to head towards the church. [ He'll just -- speed up a little. Jesse's here. Jesse's actually, finally here. ] Fuck.

[rigging]

[ The church. Okay, he can do that. Jesse heads off towards what he thinks is the church, pulling his jacket more tightly around him, hood up. He hasn't seen Galen since the nightmare. How is he supposed to handle this? ]

[gleans]

[ Once he sees the church, Galen breaks out into a run, even though it's difficult with the snow underfoot. He doesn't stop until he sees Jesse, and then he slows, turning the communicator off and taking steps towards Jesse. Something's wrong, he can tell that much. But Jesse should be able to tell that even though he's a little bit out of breath, Galen looks better than he has in... well, months. ]

Jess?

[rigging]

[ And Galen should be able to tell that Jesse looks considerably less better than he was when Galen left him. The dark circles under his eyes suggest he hasn't slept well for a couple of days at the least, and he's a bit skinnier than normal. The way Galen looks, though -- a look of almost relief, and confusion, settles on Jesse's face. ]

Galen. [ He looks so much healthier... ]

[gleans]

Fuck. [ It's relieved, but concerned. He doesn't look good. What the hell happened, for him to be looking like this and going on about dreams? Galen closes the distance between them and wraps his arms around Jesse, holding tight and close. ] Fuck, Finch, what happened to you?

[rigging]

[ Oh god, what. Jesse tenses up when Galen pulls him into a hug -- but not for long. It's familiar and safe and Jesse fucking missed Galen while he was psychopathic, and here he is, like nothing ever happened. Jesse presses his face against Galen's neck and holds tightly in response. ]

I dunno, nightingale, I -- I dunno, where are we? What's going on?

[gleans]

[ Galen doesn't let go just yet. He's missed Jesse so much, especially after this bullshit with Ghoul, and even though he's acting weird, he just -- wants him close. Just for a few more seconds. ]

It's called Cape Kore, it's like -- it's a scientific research facility, and time's all fucked up and we have fucking clones, and -- [ Fuck. Galen pulls away so he can just look at Jesse, like he needs to see his face to get Ghoul's out of his head. ] And I don't know how we're gonna get out.

[rigging]

Times all -- clones? [ UhhhhHHH. Jesse frowns deeply, totally confused. He reaches, holds the front of Galen's jacket uncertainly. ] I -- okay, back the fuck up here, explain this t'me like m'five. Slowly.

[gleans]

[ Galen sighs, trying to iron out his nerves, and nudges his glasses up. ] I'm trying to think of like -- a movie, or something, to get this across easier, but -- fuck. Okay. I don't know where we are. There are like thirty of us in this tiny cape town, and nobody's found a way out. There are cameras fucking everywhere, and there are these scientists, and there are two guys here who look exactly like us. [ Following? Sorta? ]

[rigging]

[ ... Sorta. ] And I'm assuming we gotta worry 'bout the guys who look just like us more than the scientists? Judging by what I heard already.

[gleans]

[ Galen's just gonna lean his forehead against Jesse's, here. ] No, I'm pretty sure the scientists are the bigger problem. The guy who looks like you -- I mean, the lookalikes, they're just douchebags. But the scientists are the ones keeping us here.

[rigging]

[ Jesse takes Galen's hands and links their fingers together quietly. It's okay for now, he thinks -- as much as he doesn't think he can trust Galen's word on this, he still wants and needs the touch Galen is giving him. It's reassuring. ]

... Right. So do we see the scientists runnin' round?

[gleans]

[ He can almost feel Jesse's hesitation, and it settles on him uncomfortably. Galen starts chewing at his sore-from-the-cold lips, grips Jesse's fingers tightly. ]

No. Somebody caught one the other day, grilled him for answers, but if they found anything useful, I haven't heard about it. [ A little shiver. ] We should head to the house. [ A beat. ]

... So -- did I disappear, or anything, at home?

[rigging]

Don't. [ Jesse says out of habit, nosing at Galen, nudging him. Stop biting your lips. It's such a familiar action that his chest twists, and he sighs, shoulders slumping. ] No. You were still there. Band's still there, it's still December. [ You're still in the hospital. ]

[gleans]

[ Galen stops, but quickly licks his lips. He's already fucked in the way of chapped lips, but having the reminder again -- god, they weren't even separated long, but he kind of missed it.

[ ... Wait. ]

You -- December? Jess, it's October. [ He glances down at the snow worriedly. ] Or... it was...

[rigging]

It -- [ wat. Jesse blinks, halfway through the motion of covering Galen's mouth with his palm like he always does when Galen licks his already chapped lips. It's like second nature -- but he doesn't get all the way there, just drops his hand to his side and shifts. ]

No, it's... when I left it was December. Mid-December. [ He raises an eyebrow. ] ... What's the last thing you remember doing with me?

[gleans]

[ Galen looks just as confused as Jesse does, reaches for that hand. He tries to think -- what was the last thing they did together? ]

No, it was like -- it was near the end of October. You were gonna meet my dad in a couple days.

[rigging]

[ Jesse lets Galen take his hand, rubbing his thumb along the side absently. ] Wh -- I met him already, though. I met him... in. [ A beat. ] Wait, so y'don't remember any of November? D'you remember getting -- [ He stops. Getting sick. If Galen doesn't remember, Jesse's not going to remind him. ] This don't make any fucking sense.

[gleans]

No, it doesn't -- what do you mean, getting what? [ He looks a little scared. What the fuck happens in November to make Jesse act the way he was acting? ] What happened?

[rigging]

Nothing. [ Jesse says very firmly. He lets go to take Galen's face in his hands. ] Nothing. If you don't remember, it ain't a big deal. You're fine. You're sleeping, right?

[gleans]

[ What, no. Galen's hands come up to wrap around Jesse's wrists. ] Yeah, but -- Jess. The first thing you said to me was about kicking my ass. You don't think I'm gonna want to fucking know?