Chapter Text
Artem ran his hand through his hair, feeling the exhaustion settle in his limbs after confirming Jack Barlow was going for medical treatment now that they had finished speaking. He had heard that Marius and Alice had arrived at the temporary base camp not too long ago, with Bryce Thatcher requiring medical care as well.
The sun had come up just recently too and it drove home how long he had been awake and moving. But he couldn’t rest until they were sure everything was resolved. On the encrypted channel, Vyn and Owain had clued him in to the fact that Zachary would have been the one to shoot Jack…and was probably wandering with his own injury now. That was its own issue and Zachary had abandoned his gun in that cave.
Still, a few of the PAX employees and treasure hunters had reported hearing a loud bang from the ruins that Marius and Alice were supposed to have been near. Either Bryce had tried shooting them or Alice had to use her gun. Either way…
A quick check of his phone told Artem that Marius was dealing with Bryce’s health issues so Alice was probably alone. Even if the sun was up, she was probably still somewhere around the campsite. Probably out of the way because the senior attorney knew that his junior hated bothering people.
And there he found her, on the edge of the camp, curled up under the shade of a tree, even paler than normal and so obviously trembling.
He knew it. Things were catching up with her now that they were all relatively safe. The adrenaline was gone and everything that happened would have made its’ mark, even if all he knew was that Bryce’s health issues acted up enough to warrant medical attention.
Artem removed his jacket, and draped it over Alice’s shoulders, prompting her to look up with teary eyes. The same ruby eyes that widened as she tried to rub away those same tears, “M-Mr. Wing! Sorry, were you looking for me?”
“Yes, but you don’t have to move.” Pushing on her shoulder to keep her sitting down, he sat down in front of her, “How are you feeling?”
Immediately, he could see how the question put her on edge, her arms wrapping around herself, as she forced a smile on her face, “Just a bit tired, sir. It’s been a long day without much rest.” Artem wanted her to be able to be open with him.
“You’re not a very convincing liar, Alice,” He reached out to cup her face, his thumb rubbing away a stray tear falling from her eye. At this distance, he could see the tinge of red in her eyes. Alice had been crying for a bit, probably since Marius had left to see to Bryce’s medical treatment, “You don’t have to hide if you’re not feeling well.”
At those words, Artem could see her start to pull away so he moved before he could think, pulling her into a hug, tucking her head under his chin. Her trembling was even more pronounced like this, as he cradled her in his arms. He knew his ears were red but he couldn’t let go of Alice, not when she was like this, “I’m here. You can tell me if it’s too much.”
He didn’t know what it was. Maybe it was the physical comfort, maybe it was the warmth, maybe it was his words, but Alice buried her face against his shirt, wrapping her arms around him as she quietly cried, trembling. Artem didn’t know how long they stayed like that, his sweet Alice hidden away from the world in his arms, trembling as she cried.
After a painstakingly long time, the crying stopped (but the trembling didn’t) and Alice pulled away, not from his arms but from his chest, and she rested her head on his shoulder, still hiding her face from him.
“I didn’t…shoot him. I shot near him but I didn’t shoot him.” Ah. So Alice had used the pistol she had brought. The senior had been worried about the first time she used it outside of the training range. Rambling was rare for Alice; she thought out her words to have the greatest impact so to hear her so scrambled, to hear her thoughts as they came to her…so Artem stayed silent and let her continue, because she needed to get all this out, “I just did it because I wanted to protect Marius. He trusted Bryce and B-Bryce would have just stabbed him.”
Artem’s heart thudded in fear at the new information. There was a flash where he imagined that it was Marius receiving emergency care right now and the attorney decided that was one of the last things he wanted to see…ever.
Alice wasn’t looking at him, she just continued rambling in a soft whisper, “It was a warning shot. I didn’t want to hurt anyone. I just wanted him to get away from Marius…”
Silence reigned between them as Alice’s trembles continued. After long enough, Artem found his words, cradling her head against his shoulder with his hand, “It’s always scary the first time you even point a gun near another living thing. Most people would have just frozen at even the idea of a warning shot…but did it help Marius?”
He could feel her nod against him, “Then you followed our lessons. It’s for defense…and you used your gun to defend Marius. I’m proud of you.”
“…Bryce would have stabbed him if he didn’t get distracted.”
The quiet admission made Artem’s heart pound harder in the silence. He could hear the blood rushing in his ears. Instead of allowing his anger to take control, he simply focused on Alice, “Then I’m extra proud of you. You’re why Marius is well enough to worry over Bryce now.”
“…yeah, he has enough to worry about.”
Ah. There it was, why Alice was all the way out here having her breakdown.
“That’s why I’m here. You can tell me anything, Alice,” The unspoken, We’re partners, resounded in his mind, “We’ll stay out here until someone calls.” He made a mental note to have Vyn check in with both Alice and Marius in a professional capacity once they were back in Stellis. Likely, he’d be able to help both of them more than Artem could.
“…thank you, Artem.” If he was any farther, Artem would have missed the sheer amount of emotion in those three words. But he meant every word he said, he’d be here for Alice for as long as she needed.
…and maybe he’d check on Marius later. To take some of the pressure and worry off Alice. Both of them had dealt with more than enough here on Nosta.