The shack was abandoned, crumbling, the roof sagging, one دیوار completely destroyed, another caved inwards creating a space underneath that served as the only protection from the elements. In this opening, this crawl-space, she sat, huddled, shivering, straining to see in the thick darkness that surrounded her. How long had she been in here, she didn’t know. Why did her gauging power have to fail her so easily? How long had she been gone from Tesla’s clutches, and how long until he’d get her back?
She sighed, wondering if anyone missed her back at the cave. She longed to go back, but Tesla’s cameras meant that as soon as she was spotted, they were dead. He knew she was gone, but she had gotten the sense that he wouldn’t do anything until he found her. Probably wanted her to watch. She leaned back slightly, propping up her weak, emaciated body up with her hands, still shivering uncontrollably. A trickle of blood oozed out of a cut above her eyebrow, and she half-heartedly wiped it off, eyes glazed over. She stared at the faint دائرے, حلقہ of moonlight in front of her, at the dark ceiling inches from her head, at her bloodstained hands on the ground. Suddenly, she heard a loud thunk, from somewhere not too far away. She nearly jumped out of her skin, slamming her head on the ceiling, and sat, staring, paralyzed, at the shadow coming closer and closer. She knew she had one chance to get out of there, but she couldn’t get herself to move. It was coming steadily closer. She tried to scream, but no sound would come out, her head was throbbing, her دل pounding, and there was nothing she could do. Now the owner of the shadow came into view, he was bending down, inches from her face, her terrified eyes reflected in his red-framed glasses...She sighed with relief. That wasn’t Tesla. It was Jackson. His eyes lit up when he saw her, but quickly clouded over again. She whimpered. She knew that look.
“Aisling?” he کہا softly. She noticed his voice was slightly hoarse. She couldn’t speak, couldn’t get the words to form in her mouth, so she merely nodded. The danger was fading from his eyes, thank God, but they were filled with a deep sadness. He stretched out his hand; she took it, and he pulled her out from under the collapsed wall, and dragged her to her feet. She stood, shakily, her rubbery legs ready to give in at any moment, and tried to figure out the expression on his face. It seemed like a mixture of sadness, relief, and anger.
“Aisling, what were آپ thinking?”
Somehow, she managed to find her voice; it sounded strange, coming out of her mouth, as if it belonged to someone else. “Jackson, I had to. I-he-he was going to kill you. All of you.”
His eyes narrowed. “I thought آپ were dead! We all did! Why couldn’t آپ come to the cave, if آپ were going to leave?”
“I-I couldn’t, I’m telling you. He set up c-cameras...if he found me there, y-you’d all be killed! Th-the only way was for me to find somewhere he c-couldn’t find me...He wanted me to watch.”
The anger was clear on his face, lit سے طرف کی the faint moonlight, but he کہا no مزید on the matter. A shudder passed through her; she was starting to grow dizzy. He looked her up and down. “Let’s get آپ back,” he کہا gruffly, and slipped an object out of his belt--a teleporter. Someone must have lent it to him. Finally, her feeble legs gave out, and she collapsed into his arms.

When she awoke, she was back in the cave, in the infirmary. It had been one week, she noted, glad to have her gauging power back, and slowly, she sat up. The infirmary was empty, although a few of the beds around her showed signs of recently having had occupants. The door swung open at that moment, and Jackson walked in. She couldn’t help but notice the redness around his eyes, یا the missing chunks of hair as he slowly headed towards her bed. She gave a faint smile. He didn’t smile back.
Jackson sat down on the edge of the bed, forlornly running his hands through his messy blonde hair. Aisling looked at him curiously. Finally, he spoke.
“I’ve come to tell آپ I’m leaving.”
She stared at him, unable to believe what she was hearing. “No! آپ can’t! Whatever this is, it isn’t necessary!”
Jackson shook his head. “I’m sorry, Ash, but I have to.”
Tears began to well up in her eyes, and she didn’t even bother trying to stop them. He noticed, and sighed. “Does this mean--I mean, are we...?”
“Yes. We’re over. I’m so sorry, Aisling. It’s just...when آپ were gone, I-I completely lost control this time. I thought آپ were dead, and I just couldn’t handle it. And it didn’t help when I found آپ like that, escaped but still hiding from him, and from us. I hurt too many people with my anger, Aisling. It’s not محفوظ for me to be here anymore.” He sighed, looking down, unable to look at her, the tears streaming down her face, blurring her turquoise eyes.
“I just wish it didn’t have to come to this,” Aisling کہا softly, wiping her face. “I thought we were perfect for each other. I thought our love was real.”
“That’s the problem though,” Jackson said, a tremor in his voice. “It was real. Too real. I got so attached, that at the thought of آپ dead, I just couldn’t control my anger anymore. I’m so, so sorry.”
She looked up at him then, her turquoise eyes meeting his deep blue ones. “I understand,” she کہا quietly, and pressed her lips to his. He leaned in, kissing back, and they held it for a long time, neither wanting to let go, dreading what would happen when they did. But finally, they had to break it off, and he stood up, a tear sliding down his cheek as he walked out the door and towards the zeta. Recognized, Thunderblade. B37 the computer announced, and he was gone.

*hides* Don’t kill me. Please!!! I just wanted to give them a little break..............