audio | forward dated a bit to day 66

[rigging]

[ It's early in the morning. Before most humans should really be awake, honestly. So that's why maybe it's surprising when the communicator, and by extension, the network, catches the sudden panicked inhale of breath and the panic that follows. There's a good minute of rustling and noises that sound a little like whimpers before the sound settles down.

And then it's quiet. A beat. Another, then: ] Fuck, where --

[ That is definitely a familiar voice. Deep breath. Slow exhale - and the recording cuts off in the middle. ]

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[nedofpies]

[ There's not a whole lot to do in the small dark hours of the dawn, when he isn't really awake and isn't really asleep, either. So when a message comes over the communicator, Ned pays attention. It's someone in distress, and Ned's heart seizes with fear for whoever it is. Not something else going wrong - not after everything. He thinks the voice sounds familiar, but no, no, it couldn't possibly be. That's just his brain playing cruel tricks on him. ]

Are you alright?

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[rigging]

[ It scares the ever-loving fuck out of him. Thankfully the communicator doesn't catch his not-quite-scream, because he would've probably died on the spot of embarrassment.

When his heart stops thudding in his chest, Jesse turns on his communicator and whispers. There's the sound of leaves crunching under his feet, the sound of frogs and rustling in the trees. ]

I -- Ned? [ The noise stops. He's just. Going to press himself against this tree. ] S'you, right? [ And very quietly, almost muffled, there's an oh god. ]

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[nedofpies]

[ There's no mistaking that voice, now, even though it's merely a whisper. But- but that's impossible. Ned scrambles to change the settings of the communicator to video to show that it is, indeed, him. Or at least, a dimly-lit and dimmed version of himself, ragged with grief and lack of sleep. ]

It's me. Where are you?

[ Because that's an easier question than how are you alive and this must be a dream, he knows it must. He's drifted off and any second now he's going to wake up and remember that feeling of hope budding in his chest and he's going to be sick ]

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[rigging]

[ It's Jesse. When his own video function comes on, Jesse looks pale, a little frightened, a little out of breath. Or a lot out of breath - he has problems with his lungs as it is, and waking up in the middle of the fucking woods after... after, well, all of that, isn't helping.

He's pretty much magnetized to the tree, shirtless and cold. ] In the woods. I - I can't transform anymore? I -- [ A beat, and he looks closer at the communicator. ] Did - what's wrong?

[nedofpies]

[ Ned doesn't care that it's the woods and there are sabre-toothed tigers, or that the whole thing is completely impossible. It's Jesse and he's panicky and alone and alive. The wrist communicator shows a whirl of Ned's unlit bedroom, video lurching around as he rolls out of bed, pulling on his shoes, grabbing a coat, and pelting out of the house at full speed. ]

I'll find you. Stay put.

[ He isn't going to believe it until he sees it with his own eyes. For all he knows this is a trick, a trap. Those bastard scientists messing with the communicators to lure him out on his own. Or else drugging them again, giving them hallucinations. Or else, perhaps, he's finally lost it, finally taken the plunge and gone completely insane. None of that matters though, because there's just the tiniest sliver of a chance that this is real, that Jesse is somehow alive again. ]

[ Ned doesn't bother trying to be quiet, once he gets to the woods. He goes right in, safety be damned, yelling Jesse's name at the top of his lungs. ]

[rigging]

[ Jesse does exactly as Ned asks, sliding down to curl up with his arms around his knees at the base of the tree. He's trying his very best not to remember the knife, or the pain, or the humming. His best, however, isn't really enough, and he's on edge, ready to tip over into a panic attack. He's never had a panic attack - he's never been this panicked, really - but then again, he's never been stabbed repeatedly, either.

When he hears Ned shouting, Jesse jumps, and then scrambles up, straining to see the piemaker in the dark. It's only when he does that he leaves the safety of his tree, practically sprinting, like a child trying to avoid the monster under his bed grabbing at his feet. Jesse runs, and pretty much slams into Ned, clinging.

Who cares how long Jesse's known Ned? Jesse doesn't. It's just nice to have someone familiar, someone he knows isn't... going to stab him. Possibly. Jesse isn't sure. ]

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[nedofpies]

[ Ned doesn't even have a chance to worry what might happen if Jesse touches him, doesn't have a chance to get out a warning or pull away before Jesse's running into him at full speed. Jesse's hand brushes his wrist and Ned freezes, stops breathing (and he could swear his heart stutters), but there's no sound of electricity. Jesse doesn't crumple to the ground, but instead hugs Ned so hard that it makes his ribs ache. ]

Jesse?

[ Ned doesn't hug back, doesn't do anything but stand there like a statue, white-faced and wide-eyed ] How- [ His voice is small, lost, a childlike thing. ] It can't be you. You're dead.

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[greenisnteasy]

[ Bruce never found out about Jesse dying, but he has noticed that he hasn't heard from him. The audio is alarming enough until he realizes who it is on the other end, and then he's pulling out his reading glasses and starting up a reply. ]

Jesse? That you?

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[rigging]

[ It takes a while for Jesse to respond this time, but when he does, he sounds a little less panicked, and a lot more exhausted. His voice creaks and breaks a little. Just - just audio for now, because if he knows Bruce is looking at him, he's going to sob. ] Yeah. Yeah - s'me. M'glad t'see you.

[greenisnteasy]

[ He sounds terrible is what he sounds like, and Bruce wonders why he isn't showing Bruce his face. Did something happen to him? Did someone hurt him? ] I'm glad to hear from you. Are you okay?

[rigging]

[ Jesse's at the point where that question is almost funny, and when he laughs, it's a little hysterical, not that he means for it to be. ] Ahah. Nobody - nobody told you, that's - that's right.

[greenisnteasy]

[ That only sounds slightly insane. ] Nobody told me what?

( private )

[rigging]

[ How do you even say something like this? ] I died. Kicked the bucket, pushing up daisies, the fuck ever metaphor y'wanna used. I ain't - I ain't called cause I was dead.

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[onteamdyson]

[Yeah, it's a familiar voice. So familiar that it could be the voice of two different people! One of which is fucking DEAD and the other being a person she would really like to jack the hell up.

So later, much later, when she wakes up and hears that shiz, she's reluctant to respond. But she does. Because she can hear that panic. And she'd been hoping he'd come back. Why tell Galen to hang on and not give up if she didn't think there was a chance he'd be back? But it's been a really long time. She can't be sure. She doesn't know.]

... This better be the right one and not that murderous piece of shit, because I don't care if KK and Jet freak on me, I will seriously fuck you up. So just... please be the right one. For the love of everything, it better be you.

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[rigging]

[ He's on his way home as it is. When Kenzi answers, Jesse very nearly collapses in relief, and scrambles to answer, pulling the coat Ned gave him closer around himself and sniffing. ] No, m'not - [ Oh. She thinks he might be Ghoul. Here, have a visible shudder, and Jesse's drawn, upset face shows up on the communicator. ]

Kenz, s'me. I'm coming back to the h-house.

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[onteamdyson]

Holyfuck-- [Do NOT cry. Not on video. But oh my god it's actually Jesse and she seriously thought she'd never see him again and-- she carefully slips out of bed and heads downstairs. Hold it together, you might make him feel bad for something totally out of his hands.]

Are you okay? Are you hurt? How long until you get here? Where the crap even are you? Don't say 'outside' you smartass, I swear to god...

[rigging]

M'not hurt. [ He says very quietly, looking away from the video, taking a deep breath. Ned's been helping him, that's the only reason he's not more frantic than he is. ] Woke up in the woods. M'close, maybe five minutes. Less than.

[ They're out of the woods, and Jesse's glad, but - he's still twitchy. Still letting his eyes dart up to where he knows the cameras are, scanning around him. He can't keep his eyes on the communicator because he's too busy with that. ]

[onteamdyson]

'Kay. Okay, awesome. That's good! That is just...

[She trails off, staring at the front door and then back at the communicator before bouncing from one foot to the other and then pacing around the couch. She scratches at her bad arm, thanks for giving that back, jerks. But they also gave Jesse back. You're safe for now, scientists. Play it cool. Tough chick, remember?]

I was so scared you weren't coming back. [Tough chicks with quiet voices being totes pathetic on a public feed. Nice.]

[rigging]

Y'can't get rid of me. [ Maybe he's thoroughly exhausted and twitchy, but he can still try to make this into a joke. Somehow. His voice is a tad flat and soft, but he tries. ]

I can see the door. [ He tells her, and he's maybe walking a little faster. It's too open out here. Jesse needs a smaller space. ]

wheeee i'm tagging this late and no fucks given

[magnets]

[ It's one of two people, Finch or Ghoul, and there's the harsh sound of panic going on there, something all to familiar to Jesse that kind of perks up his ears when he hears it, puts a cautious edge to his voice. ]

Hey- [ It's a 50/50 chance. ] Finch?

OuO!!!!

[rigging]

[ Out of the woods and Jesse is exhausted from everything, scared and wrung out. When he answers, his voice is small. ]

... Pinkman. [ Hi, no, Jesse is not doing so hot. ] H-hey. Hey.

[magnets]

What the hell are ya doin'- man? Are you alright?

[rigging]

Fine, fine. Fine. [ He sounds... not fine. ] Just - been. M'okay. Are you? You back to normal?

[magnets]

[ He goes quiet for a moment, shakes his head a little before he starts back up again: ] Yeah, yeah, I ain't feelin' anything anymore. Kinda- like, upward movement from whatever I was doin'. Sorta. Look-

Like bullshit you're okay, man, I'll like eat my shoe if you are.

[rigging]

[ Is his voice really shaking that badly? Jesse thought he was doing an okay job. ]

I just - came back. M'fine. I will be. I will. Eventually, I - I just gotta stay. Stay here and not let. [ He stops, and swallows hard, going silent. Ignore that he said all of that, he'll obviously be fine. ]