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Jonathan was sitting on the couch, aimlessly channel-hopping. He was bored, he had actually copied the security footage that proved his innocence and stored it somewhere safe weeks ago, MW had no idea; he had returned the thumb drive before she found out. He could have proved his innocence and gone back home, but he hadn't. He didn't know what sort of life he would be returning to, or if his brother would ever forgive him. Plus, he was really curious to find out where this treasure hunt led. He would go back home and apologize to his brother afterwards, maybe Cameron was better off without him for a while…..
Jonathan was so deep in thought that it took him a few seconds to process what he heard.
- "Jonathan Black is dead!"
- "Excuse me?" Jonathan said out loud.
He was watching a talk show, there were a man and a woman discussing while a big picture of Jonathan sat between them.
The woman continued: "Yes Jack, the Black twins have made the news yet again. It was over a year ago, we were in shock after having found out that there is more than one Black! Jonathan Black didn't exist till then and now he is gone for good.
- "Do we know what happened, Rita?"
- "We do. About 2 weeks ago, he was moved to the hospital after being the victim of multiple stab wounds, his surgery had gone well. But apparently there was a complication yesterday. Maybe his wounds were infected…. Anyways, the ambulance that was transferring him to the hospital crashed and exploded. The bodies were burned beyond recognition.
- "How unfortunate"
- "Jonathan is survived by his brother Cameron."
- "I feel bad for Cameron. First, he finds out that his brother is a murderer, and then he has to hear that his brother died in a crash. It's terrible."
- "I know, and…….
The voices in Jonathan's head became louder than the TV. "No, no, no. Cameron can't be dead. This must be a deception, right?"
Another voice argued: "He was stabbed 2 weeks ago, that's almost 2 weeks after I left him in prison. Why would he be stuck in prison for 2 weeks? He could have called someone, the team or his friend Kay the day after in order to get him out. Does this mean that he didn't tell anyone? Why?"
"Maybe he believed that I would come back soon. ….. He stayed in prison to help me out, which means….."
Jonathan suddenly felt empty inside. His brother was really dead, Cameron died waiting for Jonathan to do the right thing, to come back and save him, and he never did…. Cameron died because Jonathan was too selfish, because he wanted to stay away and have a meaningless thrill.
Jonathan couldn't move for several long moments, he couldn't cry, couldn't scream, couldn't hit sth. When he finally came to, he did the only thing he could think of: go back home. He couldn't care less about MW then.
…………………..
Jonathan didn't even know how he got himself back to the Archive, it was all a blur. He walked in, and found no one in the living room. He was actually glad, he couldn't face the team. He walked to Cameron's room with a heavy heart, he didn't know what he was expecting to find, he only knew that it felt right. He opened the door and his jaw dropped. He was speechless for a few seconds, then he yelled: "What the hell….."
Cameron jerked up. When he saw him, Cameron watched him with an expression of awe and disbelief. Both of them were still for what seemed like 10 years.
- "Johnny, is it really you?
Jonathan didn't answer. He didn't even realize when Cameron ran to hug him. He didn't hug back.
- "I can't believe you're here. I thought for sure you didn't wanna see me again. Boy, am I glad I was wrong."
Jonathan just stared at him.
- "Where is the mystery woman? Have you found the security footage? Can you come back home for good this time?"
Jonathan felt like his blood was boiling, he was seeing red.
- "Why on earth would I want to come back to this dump?"
This sudden outburst caught Cameron off guard. He didn't respond.
- "I thought you were dead. I blamed myself…. Heh, I actually thought it was my fault. I should have known you were pulling one of your classic tricks on me."
- "What are you talking about man?"
- "You could have just told your FBI friends who you were. They would have gotten you out, no fuss. But nooooo, you had to be dramatic. You had to fake your death so that the news would bring me here. You couldn't let me have my own life for 5 minutes."
- "Johnny let me explain, it's not like that…."
- "Oh isn't it? Dad made us be one person, he made me be you. You were all too happy to continue in his footsteps after he died. You were always, ever since we were kids, the amazing Cameron Black, and I was your shadow…… I finally had my own life, and you took it away from me. You faked my death so that we would be the same person again, only the amazing Cameron Black lives."
- "Johnny no, I….."
It seemed like Cameron was on the verge of tears. Jonathan didn't care, he was furious.
- "I felt like the villain for wanting to have my own life, away from this prison we call the Archive. Little did I know, you were …… You know what you're just as bad as dad."
Cameron opened his mouth, but Jonathan didn't let him get a word out, he stormed out.
.........................
Jonathan spent the next day in a haze. Up until someone knocked on his hotel room door, everything was a combination of drinking, sleeping and punching the wall.
- "Go away whoever you are."
They didn't, they just knocked harder this time. Jonathan opened the door, it happened so fast. His cheek really hurt. Someone had slapped him hard. He touched his face and looked up to see Kay. He was impressed, she was strong.
- "You're a monster."
- "How did you find me?"
- "What did you do to him? What did you say to him?"
- "Who? Cameron? Nothing that he didn't deserve."
Kay tried to slap him again, but he stopped her hand.
- "Where is he? He has to send you to defend him?"
- "In the hospital"
Jonathan was shocked; he opened the door further to let the agent in: "What happened?"
Kay immediately sat on the couch, as if she couldn't keep herself upright.
Jonathan sat opposite her and impatiently waited for her to talk.
- "Last night I went to the archive to see Cameron. I knocked but the door was open…."
Kay choked on her tears for a second. Jonathan wanted to scream at her to keep talking.
- "I found him on the floor…. in a pool of his own blood. The whole place was trashed."
Jonathan couldn't do anything but look at her, he couldn't even make a sound.
- "At first I thought someone had broken in. That's when I saw his knuckles, and realized he had been punching the walls and mirrors. He had thrown around everything he could get his hands on, broken every dish in sight and punched everything repeatedly. That's why he had torn his stitches. There was so much blood….."
Kay couldn't continue, she fully burst into tears. Jonathan was dumbfounded at first, and then he understood what he had heard.
- "Stitches? What stitches? I thought the whole thing with him getting stabbed was part of the deception."
Kay looked at him with such hatred. If looks could kill, Jonathan would turn to dust. He didn't know what to think.
- "Please agent…. Please Kay, tell me everything."
And so she started from the beginning:
- "2 weeks after you left, I got a call that Jonathan Black was moved to the hospital due to multiple stab wounds."
"It must have been Harold, I pissed him off", thought Jonathan.
- "When Camero…. Well you didn't answer my many calls, I went to the hospital and waited with everyone else for the surgery to be over. The doctor told us they had successfully removed his damaged kidney…"
Jonathan was horrified; Cameron had lost one of his kidneys?
- "Apart from a minor complication of being allergic to some drug…."
- "Succinylcholine. Cameron is allergic to Succinylcholine."
- "But you aren't. This made Dina discover that it was actually Cameron who almost died."
Jonathan asked: "What I don't understand is why he didn't tell anyone who he was. He could have called you the day after we switched places….."
Kay interrupted him: "You sound like you gave him a choice"
A sudden rush of guilt overcame Jonathan; it was his fault that his brother now had only one kidney.
- "Anyways" Kay offered: "I asked him the same question. He said he didn't want to get you in trouble. He blamed himself for not being able to get you out, and maybe if he stayed put in prison, he would give you the chance to exonerate yourself."
The room was spinning.
Kay continued: "And because he believed you didn't deserve to be in prison. I told him that he didn't either. He said he was a terrible brother, he should have shielded you from your father, he should have run with you long before you were in prison….. and that's maybe the reason he deserved to be in prison."
Jonathan's whole world came crashing down. He was barely aware of his environment. Cameron blamed himself for everything since they were kids….. and….. Jonathan fought his tears….. and Jonathan told him he was as bad as their father….
Kay was still talking: "I never wanted to let him go back to prison, but he disagreed. He was insistent that nobody should find out you escaped. So I came up with the fake death."
- "How is he now?", said Jonathan with much difficulty.
- "He's catatonic. When I found him, he only blurted out 'Johnny hates me'. Now, he won't speak to anyone when he's awake. When he's asleep he occasionally calls your name and sometimes your father's. What could you have possibly told him?"
Jonathan didn't know when he had stood up, he wanted to hit his head into the wall when everything went dark, he didn't even feel hitting the floor.
……………..........
His face was wet, which was really annoying. Why wouldn't anyone let him sleep as long as he wanted? He jerked up when he remembered……..
- "What happened?"
Kay was the one who had poured a glass of water on him.
- "You passed out."
Jonathan was having a hard time forming words: "I have to…. I need….. Cameron, I have to see Cameron. …..Tell him it wasn't his fault….. I….."
Jonathan wasn't fighting his tears anymore. Kay gave her a mixed look of hatred and pity.
- "Please, will you take me to him?"
……………........
Cameron was sleeping. It wasn't a peaceful sleep, far from it. He was having a nightmare. He moved sideways, tried to catch sth in the air, and said muffled words.
Kay had gone out of the room to make sure nobody was gonna come in and see Jonathan. Jonathan stood beside Cameron's bed and tried to wake him up.
- "Cam, wake up, It's just a nightmare. You have to wake up."
Cameron slowly opened his eye. He screamed when he saw Jonathan.
- "No, go away. I can't…. not again."
- "Please Cameron, I have to talk to you."
- "No. You're not real."
- "I'm real Cam, I promise"
- "Real Jon wouldn't come to see me"
Jonathan's heart broke. What had he done to his brother? Cameron started crying before Jonathan made another move.
- "I'm sorry Johnny. I'm sorry that I let dad treat you like that. I was weak. I'm sorry that you felt trapped. I'm sorry that I made you keep the secret even after he died. I'm worthless…."
- "No Cameron, it wasn't your fault. Dad was a piece of shit. You did the best you could…. And…."
But Cameron wasn't listening.
- "I'm sorry that I didn't try to break you out sooner. I'm sorry that I told the police it was you, I should have just let them arrest me…. I wish you were here Johnny."
"But I am here Cameron, please hear me."
Cameron had fallen back asleep. Jonathan sat in a chair. Nothing changed during the night, except for short visits from Kay who kept brushing Cameron's hair with her hand.
Jonathan watched Cameron sleep, he didn't know what he would ever do if he lost his brother. Why had he gotten so angry at him? Why had he acted like he hated him?
It was early morning when Cameron woke up again. He opened his eyes and just stared at the wall, an empty expression on his face.
Jonathan got up and made his way to his brother's bed. This startled him. He glanced at Jonathan and sighed: "Not again"
Jonathan couldn't tell if his brother had been hallucinating or just remembering his nightmares. Either way was bad.
- "Please Cameron. Listen to me please. I'm really here."
Cameron didn't react. Jonathan took a hold of his bandaged right hand and squeezed it. This made Cameron wince. Jonathan realized he had hurt him and let go of his hand. However, Cameron grabbed his hand again.
- "This feels so real."
- "It is real, Cam you have to believe me. I'm here for you."
- "It's real? Johnny?"
- "Yes". Jonathan smiled at his brother.
- "Oh my god. Johnny, I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I…."
- "No, no, no. You apologized enough last night", interrupted Jonathan.
- "Last night actually happened? You were here?"
- "Of course I was. Now it's my turn to apologize."
Cameron looked confused: "But You don’t have anything to apologize for."
- "What the hell are you talking about. Of course I do. I was a jerk to you."
- "That wasn't your fault. I…."
- "Let me finish brother. I didn't know you stayed in prison, or that you were actually stabbed. I didn't know how you felt. I'm sorry that I snapped at you. After I thought you were dead, all the bad memories of what dad did to us came rushing in. I was just angry, I don't actually blame you."
- "I made you perform after….."
- "Are you even listening to yourself Cam? I have free will, I could have resisted if I absolutely wanted to………"
Cameron stared at him, he didn't know what to say. Jonathan continued: "Will you be able to forgive me?"
- "Will you be able to forgive me Jon?
They smiled at each other. They both knew right then and there that the answer was yes. Cameron's whole face looked different with a simple smile. Jonathan felt like a weight was lifted off his chest.
- "Johnny?"
- "Yes?"
- "I really want you to stay."
- "I am…"
- "But you should go."
- "What?" Jonathan was shocked. He thought they had patched things up.
- "If they catch you, they'll throw you back in prison. You should run. You can stay away as long as you wish, forever if you want. I won't stand in the way of you having your own life."
- "I have the footage Cam"
Cameron's eyes brightened.
- "I have already given it to Kay. And I'm not leaving you ever again."
………………..
Jonathan watched his brother sleep again. This time he was peaceful. Jonathan was glad he hadn't fully broken his brother. He was tired too, sleeping seemed so pleasant now…..
Kay walked in and woke Jonathan up. She didn't say a word to him; she just ran her fingers through Cameron's hair again. Cameron opened his eyes and smiled at Kay. This surprised her.
Suddenly, Cameron's expression hardened, he rapidly looked over at Jonathan's side, as if to make sure he was there, to make sure that he hadn't dreamt everything. Cameron smiled at Kay: "Did you bring him here?"
Kay smiled back.
- "I knew it Kay. Thank you so much, you are amazing……… and beautiful."
Jonathan decided to give them some privacy.
…………….
That afternoon the doctor told them that Cameron could be discharged that very night. After calling to tell the team the news, Kay left for the office.
In the afternoon, Jonathan and Cameron chatted.
- "Sooooo…… You and Kay….."
Cameron panicked: "Me and Kay what?"
- "Oh come on, I can see the way you behave around each other. And she was so worried about you. She actually slapped me."
- "Seriously?"
- "You can't fool me so easily little brother."
- "Little brother? We're twins Johnny."
- "Yeah, but I'm older."
- "Only by a few minutes. That doesn't count."
They both chuckled.
Cameron shrieked and his hands went to his side. Jonathan ran to him.
- "What's wrong?"
- "Apparently, I shouldn't laugh for a while."
Jonathan relaxed. After that he let his brother get some sleep.
He was pacing aimlessly outside Cameron's room when Gunter and Jordan arrived.
- "Hey guys. Thanks for coming to help discharge Cameron."
They didn't answer. They just glared at him. Obviously, they were mad at him, and they had every right.
Jonathan tried again: "Where's Dina?"
- "Trying to clean all of Cameron's blood in the living room." Gunter started.
- "It's no good man. Cameron's favorite carpet is ruined; we have to throw it out." Jordan completed.
- "Alright I deserved that." Jonathan answered.
They didn't speak to each other for the rest of the night. The only Person who spoke was Cameron, cheerfully I might add.
Jonathan sighed when they arrived at the Archive.
- "Sorry man, you have walk the rest of the way."
Cameron was too happy to complain. Jonathan helped him out the car and let Cameron put most of his weight on him when they walked. When they were nearly at the door, Cameron stopped.
- "I can't anymore"
Jonathan let him rest. Cameron leaned against the wall and took his weight off of Jonathan. The door suddenly opened and Dina walked out. She saw them both and glared at Jonathan. She raised her hand, Jonathan realized that she was about to slap him, but he didn't move, he deserved it. He closed his eyes for a moment, he then heard the slap, but didn't feel it. Jonathan opened his eyes, and saw… the reason he didn't feel the slap was that Cameron had jumped in front him, Dina had slapped Cameron. Cameron stumbled and Jonathan caught him before he fell.
- "Oh my god Cameron, I didn't mean to…. It was him…."
Cameron had difficulty catching his breath, he finally said: "Don't Dina….. We're all good here…… Let it go…. Let it all go…."
Jonathan was truly happy for the first time in so long. It was all gonna be ok as long as he had his brother.