entranceway | ✥ video .005

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✥ video .005

[ Chloe is sitting at her desk with the camera propped up in front of her, and she looks wholly uncomfortable, which is par for the course whenever she addresses the network. She takes a deep breath, speaking with an even tone, clearly having rehearsed what she's about to say quite a few times. ]

Hi, everyone. If you don't know me, my name is Chloe Decker. I've been in Wonderland for almost two years, and before I came here I was a homicide detective with the Los Angeles Police Department. For the last few months I've been running the Deux Lux bar and nightclub, so if you don't know me personally, maybe you've seen me there. That's, uh, not really the point of this, though.

[ She clears her throat and pushes her hair over her shoulder, trying to get back on track. ]

I'm not closing down Lux or anything, but I've come to terms pretty recently with the fact that I'm always going to be a cop. About a year or so ago someone put together a guard to help protect people who had died multiple times in Wonderland. That person has since gone home but I always thought it was a good idea, and even though our relationship with the Mirrorside has seemed to change a little since last year, I think the concept is still applicable. So what I'd like to do is talk about reforming something similar, a group of people who have experience that might be able to offer resources or even protection for those who need it, especially during the more chaotic events.

And even outside of them, when necessary. Some of you are probably aware of an incident that occurred last year involving one of our own being murdered, and I don't think I'm the only one who felt helpless to do anything during that situation. I don't plan on laying down any law here... For the most part, I've learned we take care of each other as best we can. But I do think there is a basic code that needs to be upheld and that is one of decency towards each other, and for me, that means letting the people I care about know that they have somewhere to turn when they need help. I think this idea could help with that, whether it be organizing rescues or safe areas during events, or developing some kind of due process when someone is doing active harm to our community.

[ The part of the script she's more or less memorized is over at that point, so she presses her lips together and nods at the camera. ]

I'm open to suggestions, and volunteers.

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( Clementine smirks slightly at the question especially since she didn't mean to do so to be rebellious. She just absolutely understands what it is like to raise someone. She knows what it is like to be responsible over so many people. Her arms fold loosely over her chest. )

Yeah.

But I would have done it anyway no matter what. Even if you'd never made this post. ( Her arms fold loosely across her chest. )

I've lost so much, been the horrible cause of so much shit- so much terrible shit. ( all the death and blood on her hands. ) ...no more. I'm fighting.

[ Sometimes, it's easy for Chloe to forget that a lot of the people in Wonderland have been through a lot worse than she has. Her life often feels hard enough on its own, without having to deal with the weight of being sixteen and dealing with all of it. When she was sixteen, her life was still--nearly--normal. At least she got to enjoy her childhood before it all went to shit. ]

Fine. I'll take the responsibility if anything happens, but from now on if you go in, you're going in with back-up.

[ She hates that she's bending on this, but she doesn't really feel like she has much of choice. ]

Will you? I'm not asking you to do that shit. I don't fucking want you to take responsibility for anything I do.

( Clementine folds her arms further across her chest as her gaze grows hard. )

You don't have to do me any favors. ( That was not the point of all this, and she can see she's already fucked this all up. ) Especially cause you sure as fuck don't know how to listen.

It's not a favor. It's basic human decency. Anyone who signs up for this is my responsibility because it was my idea.

[ God, teenagers. Chloe knows Trixie will never see the kind of stuff Clementine has, but she still hopes she has to deal with less of the attitude. ]

You're going to be on a team, and you're going to have to deal with that. Take it or leave it.

Not really. That's spreading your responsibility too far. People want to fight back. No matter what.

( Clementine tightens her jaw, folding her arms further across her chest. )

Could you listen to me first? Cause you're not listening to me at all, and if you can't, then I'm going to fucking leave it.

( and that's that. )

[ Clementine is absolutely right, but it's going to take Chloe a while to see it that way. She's on a mission now, and it's easier to say she'll shoulder the responsibility of all of this than to admit that she has no control over any of it at all.

Still, she crosses her own arms. She can shut up long enough to give Clementine her say. That probably falls into the 'human decency' part of her own point. ]

Fine. I'll listen.

Good.

In my own world, I was a leader- I was in control of the actions of nearly ten people. People died. I have killed people. People have died because of me, because of my choices. ( Her jaw locks, and she breathes in and then breathes out again. She straightens her shoulders. )

This is my home. I haven't had a home in a very long time, but I have killed plenty of people in my life trying to get this or that or- I'm not good, Chloe. I'm shit. ( she's worse than shit. her eyes close hard. ) I just want- ( her eyes burn. she didn't expect chloe to actually listen. she stares down at her feet. ) I taught people how to fight against raiders, and I couldn't protect them.

I just want to be able to help people now. instead of being the reason they die. Instead of pulling the trigger at their face- ( She huffs out a breath, strangled. )

[ That leaves Chloe speechless. She would have never guessed the extent of any of it, and it certainly changes her view about Clementine almost instantly. It wouldn't make her feel any better if something did happen to her, but it does help her understand where she's coming from. ]

If I've learned anything about this place, it's that we all have done what we need to do to survive. [ She has killed, too, to protect herself - to protect her daughter. ] I know I haven't dealt with even half of what you've had, but I've seen people here become more than they thought they could be. It can be a second chance, if that's what you want.

[ Starting all of this is Chloe's own second chance, to try to regain something of herself that she's lost since she came to Wonderland. It hasn't been great, but it hasn't been all bad, either. ]

I've watched the Devil redeem himself. I think you'll be okay.

( Clementine looks over at Chloe and then releases a breath after a moment. It's a shaky breath. The world that she's from- It's difficult to describe to other people. Very few people don't have blood on their hands in some way. Most of the kids at the Boarding School don't have that blood on her hands like she does, like AJ does. Louis doesn't. She hopes he never has to, hopes none of them do. )

Yeah, that's what I want. I'm trying to be better back in my world too. A different kind of second chance. ( Only kill people when it's necessary instead of as easily as she did when she was thirteen. She wants to learn about law and order instead of the mess that happens in her world. )

...you've watched the Devil redeem himself? ( Her eyebrows raise. ...That's new. )

[ Chloe nods. At least she can understand that on some level. She's always tried to be a good person, to put the kind of good into the world that she wanted to see, even when it felt impossible. She'd had her chance to betray that more than enough times back home. She'd had the chance to kill the man who killed her father, to abuse her power and do something that only the darkest parts of her heart wanted to do.

She managed to overcome all that back home, but it was easier there. She's learned, for her, it's not as easy in Wonderland. ]

Lucifer Morningstar. He was here for a while. He is the Devil and I... [ Well, she loves him. But that just seems to make it more complicated. ] I've seen him change. He went from being selfish and narcissistic to someone who actually cares about other people, who does his best to help them, even if it means putting himself in danger. Here and at home.

[ He still hurts people. He still hurts her. But it isn't the same as it was before. ]

He makes mistakes. We all do. But it's never too late to become the person you want to be. And if you think being part of this might help you with that... [ She pauses for a moment. She doesn't want to drive Clementine away, so she's doing her best not to discount her again. But she wants to help. ] I'd like to have you on our team.

( Clementine does remember Lucifer being here before, but she never interacted with him much. She just noticed him on the network sometimes, and it's strange to think Chloe was so close to him, watched him change, become... better. The actual Devil. She has a hard time believing there's hope for redeeming everybody.

Lily, Carver.

But she wants to hope there's- there's a chance for her. )

I don't think there's anyone who won't make mistakes sometimes, but that's- that's a lot of growth. ...how did he change? ( What does she need to do to turn her brain... better? She breathes out sharply as Chloe trails off, and she nods.

Emotion weirdly tugs at her, fills her. ) Yeah, I hope it might help me with that. I want to see... what justice should actually look like, and I want to protect this place.

...thank you.

[ Maybe she's naive, but Chloe has always believed there is hope for everyone. It's part of why she became a cop. Because she wanted to put some good into the world, to help people when she could.

Lucifer started following her around for his own selfish reasons, many of them still not clear to Chloe. He claims it's because she fascinated him by being the only one not swayed by his angelic powers, but part of her believes he was trying to find a chance for redemption, and maybe he saw that in working with her. ]

Honestly? I think he learned to care about people. Or, more specifically, he learned what it was like to be cared about by someone else. Lucifer... has a lot of problems. He didn't come from the best background. [ Chloe knows that's a gross understatement, but it's the most succinct way of phrasing it. ] He never felt like anyone cared about him, he never believed anyone could care about him genuinely. Working with me, with my team... I think it made him realize that he not only had people who would always have his back but that he could do some good in the world, too.

[ This is one of the first time she's managed to talk about him since she came back from her own world without the shade of bitterness she usually associates with him. Regardless of what transpired between them at home, she did truly believe he was still good. ]

I think there are people here--myself included--who would be able to show you what that looks like.

( Clementine remains quiet through the story, listening, taking in the details, understanding as much as she can. Even if there are bits and pieces that don't apply to her.

Bits and pieces, she's not so sure about. )

That sounds like it was a really difficult place for him to reach. It's hard to believe people always have my back or- or that there's good to be made in the world I came from.

It feels like there is here- feels like I can do give so it... gives me hope.

( it gives her such hope when she doesn't always have that, doesn't always feel those emotions. ) I would- It'd mean a lot to see what that all looks like.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

[ Chloe offers her a kind smile. While she knows Clementine has done some terrible things, just as many of the people in Wonderland Chloe cares about, she also can clearly see that there is capacity for good there. And as long as Clementine wants to learn, Chloe is more than happy to offer that guidance. ]

Why don't you come by Deux Lux later? I'm sure you'll have some good ideas and I'd like to hear them.

Really?

( Clementine looks at Chloe carefully, but she doesn't think Chloe would bullshit her. It's kind of nice to be taken seriously even if she gets why it would be hard. )

Okay, yeah, I'll come down later. ...thanks. ( and she smiles back a little but very genuine. )

[ Chloe is pretty terrible at bullshitting as it is (it's a wonder she made it as far as she did as an actress, really), but she still wouldn't even try to with Clem. The kid has already shown she's far too clever for that. ]

Good. [ Her smile warms. She's glad they got through the bumpy part, since she really does think that Clementine has great potential as a member of her team. ] I'll see you later.

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✥ video .005

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