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[ooc: tw for body horror/decapitation. set after this. open to fourth walls given this happens the same night as the throne-room party.]

[Peter has no idea how to do this. He's still shaking, hunched in a corner, having tried to contact Bonnie only to get no response, because she's probably just passed out. It's late. He figures no matter what people want to know about this. They deserve to know. He would want to know if someone he cared about here died (ha).

He has seen dead people before. He held his Uncle Ben in his hands while he died. He was there when Captain Stacy took his final breaths, but there is something else- There is something different about stumbling on someone's head detached from their body on the floor after the action is all done in the silence when he only expects to stumble on nothing. It's different to then realize he recognizes who they are, and now he's hunched over his network device, stuck to a corner of his own room.]

If you know Faith, I found her. She died. I'm sorry. Her

She's Her body and head

She's

Her body is in my room right now. I don't know what happened. I mean she was murdered but I don't know how or who. I just found her. Also I didn't clean stuff up down there but there's blood and stuff. [stuff being his own vomit. he still feels sick.]

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[ even with the select exceptions of a few happenings on the network the past month, nothing has been quite as interesting as this. and no wonder, with so many visitors and now mirrors milling about tonight; it truly was only a matter of time before this place and its agents showed their underbelly. klaus has been in his room not long at all when he sees the missive and reads the replies. he's barely had the pleasure of imbibing a drink when he reads camille's.

just in time to tune into her footfalls nearing the hallway and the sound of her door opening.

in a flash he's outside in the hall, tux still on, the bowtie loose around his neck. ] Going somewhere?

[In truth she probably should have been expecting the sudden company, but in between rushing to put on a pair of sandals and grabbing her day bag, Cami's focus is divided to say the least. Her eyes are on the phone still even as she walks back out in the red dress she'd worn for the House Party earlier that night.

So Klaus likely isn't surprised when the sound of his voice makes her jump, Cami instinctively reaching into the bag for one of the sprays she keeps stowed away. She recognizes him before she pulls out the canister, however, huffing out a sigh as she realizes not only who it is, but why he's there.]

You already know the answer to that. [Something in his look tells Cami as much, and of course there's reason for him to be concerned. But Cami's stubborn as always, especially about this, especially if Angel hasn't heard and the poor person who sent out the message is on his own.]

You can either come with me or stay here, Klaus, but I'm going.

[Never mind that he's a hybrid with strength beyond measure. Cami will fight him tooth and nail if he tries to stop her.]

[ he does know the answer to that. he knew it seeing her handle had responded on his phone, he knew it reading her messages, and he knows it now. he knows also she will not bend in the matter, and least of all because of her desire to do good, to set right what has been wronged. he knows she cares for the woman who has been so brutally murdered. he knows faith was—is—her friend.

klaus is not here to stop her. no, he knows it would be an effort in futility.

still, his jaw works and he lets out his own exasperated sigh at her stubbornness. because there is danger, whether she will admit her fragility and recklessness in the face of it or not.

no matter. it's only a moment's worth of frustration.

such a game look in his eyes as he lips pull into a smile resembling a grimace. her rules then, but he'll have a few of his own. he walks past her to lead the way to the stairs. ] Since you insist.

[He relents with only token frustration, and despite everything the corner of Cami's mouth lifts as Klaus steps in front of her. The danger, whatever it is, already feels so much further away simply for his presence, and that he knows not to fight with her on this comes as it's own comfort.

In spite of everything, she feels better simply for having him there.]

Thank you. [Picking up the pace enough to walk beside him, Cami starts making her way up the stairs. They've got a way to go, four stories, but it's a walk she's made often enough to feel confident taking the stairs two at a time in her rush to make her way up.]

[ there's little token about his concern, if not his frustration. she might feel better for having him here and he certainly does feel better to be here, but the facts remain the facts and the stakes remain the stakes.

and she is not invincible.

he's quiet on the trek up the stairs, even lets her lead once they are on the right floor, falling only a step behind. they have done this before, and though it is not to her knowledge he thinks of it now: how helpless he was watching her face the detective, the gun raised to her face.

he stops beside her, his shoulder next to the door jam, and spares it a look: for he knows behind that door is only trauma for her, if not also danger. his hand lifts to touch her shoulder, to stay her from knocking or walking in; he listens and hears little, only the breath and beating life of another. he has smelled the two strong scents in the stairwell and stronger here, one ripe with blood.

all as it was said it would be.

still, it's written on his face, worrying the lines of his features not set with decision as he turn his eyes to her: be careful. ]

[The silence emphasizes the heaviness of the weight, and not for the first time Cami finds herself wondering just what thoughts, what memories plague Klaus in this moment. She cannot deny his cautiousness and concern since he had shown up in Wonderland; at first it had been easy enough to set aside, but more and more that seed takes root, nurtured by his actions, the looks in his eyes that she cannot help but to see.

Still. Now is not the time for those concerns. She stops when Klaus' hand comes to her shoulder, giving him that moment to be certain. A nod stands as reply to his silent message, and Cami swallows before she knocks on the door, even though she'd been told it wasn't necessary.

A stranger is beyond there. A stranger and a friend, stilled by death.]

Hello? [She calls out softly, reaching for the knob to open the way. As a human she needs no invitation, and Cami steps inside to take a look around, not just for Faith, but for the unfortunate person who had sent out the message.] My name's Cami. We were just texting a few minutes ago, and you said I could come up?

[Peter is in a corner of his room. Faith- Well, he put her on his bed, and he covered her up as best as possible. He shoves himself up quickly to his feet though when the door opens, dropping his network device to the floor as he looks over at her... and he catches sight of the man behind her too. Maybe he came for emotional support or something. He'd heard the steps walking up to the door too. It's those super senses, kicking in even when he's overwhelmed. Part of him relished their existence. He listened to every single sound instead of the knowing that there's a decapitated woman on his bed.

He hasn't even cleaned the blood off his hands or his shirt yet.]

Yeah. Hi. I'm Peter. You can come in. Just-

There was something I didn't say- I didn't say over the network. [He shoves his hands into his pockets, trying to figure out the most gentle way to do this especially since Cami seems to care about her.]

[ the stench of death is stronger now, thick and harsh as camille opens the door. he spots the body on the bed, the stained sheet; klaus scents the boy's presence as well, foremost even, peter being the most unpredictable card in this deck. he does so before camille has concluded her pleasantries, before he even looks to take in the distressed young man with an equally unfazed gaze.

for the lad is distressed, plainly so, covered in the slayer's blood, huddled in a corner, that rampant heartbeat unmistakable. (though klaus wouldn't mistake that, nor his earnestness, for guilelessness.)

klaus doesn't walk in, not right away; he isn't so eager to step into an uninvited space and give away not only his otherness but his helplessness, should this prove dangerous. but he does slip inside quietly behind cami the moment the invitation's extended, given so easily. klaus supposes camille will want to comfort whoever this is and all the better, so klaus heads not for cami, not for peter, but for the prone figure of faith's body with slow, purposeful steps, taking in every detail.

the bloody trail and the sheet, the position of her limbs outlined underneath.

he memorizes it all before he takes the edge of the sheet and lifts it, enough so that only he may see. (this was violent. he sees now: a death full of brutality if not passion. a death perhaps meant for someone to find.)

the coolness of his expression falters, if for a moment. this was vicious, yes, and he's certain the viciousness will affect and certainly not escape camille and her dogged search for answers. he drops the sheet after a beat. hesitates, for camille's sake, before injecting. ] You didn't mention the manner of her death, nor where you found her.

Edited (look i forever edit i can't help who i am. but i'm done this time swearsies) 2016-09-13 17:22 (UTC)

[peter is not looking for comfort at all. he's here to tell cami what she wants to know about her friend and how it happened and to make sure that no one sees faith with her head off her body since she likely has no interest in people viewing her like this (in pieces, as a victim), which is exactly why he whirls and follows klaus as he just moves over to the body like he's some kind of forensic investigator. he didn't let them all in so everyone could view faith's body as much as they wanted to. she's going to come back. she won't want anyone seeing her like this maybe especially potentially a complete stranger.

he dashes backward, but he's too late to actually stop him from looking.

he does insert himself between klaus and faith though- the pieces of faith though as his jaw locks, frustrated at himself for not thinking it through before he just invited everyone to his room where she's at. by the time he started talking to people, it was too late to take it back. it was too late to realize his own mistake.

there's a silent apology to faith.]

Her manner of death is why I didn't want just anyone, looking under the sheet at her.

She's going to come back, and she probably doesn't want anyone seeing her like this.

[Klaus understands Cami's immediate goals exceedingly well; although she is there first and foremost for Faith, Faith is dead. Her trial begins when she revives, forced to endure the cruel reality of that aftermath, however that murder happened. But Peter is young, innocent, alive--and Cami knows all too well what it's like to stumble into the body of a friend, lifeless and brutalized.

(It is something else Klaus won't remember, nor that Cami will ever forget while Wonderland keeps hold of her.)

But before she can reintroduce herself, offer reassurance or sympathy, Peter moves after Klaus, towards where Faith lays still. There's something wrong with her outline--Cami can't place what, only getting a glance before Klaus lifts the sheet--and the question is pushed aside when Peter bristles at Klaus for examining her first.]

No, she wouldn't. [She speaks softly, acknowledging Peter's correct assumption, but without blame. Klaus knows exactly what she's there to do, all of it, and he's trying to prepare her for the worst.] But I'm a therapist, and I've got some experience in forensic psychology. [Since between Wonderland and New Orleans, she's seen and studied more than one crime scene.]

Klaus isn't trying to be unkind, Peter. He's trying to help me. Faith is--she's my friend. And I need to try and understand what happened, so I can help her. [Her eyes move to Klaus' then; he doesn't want her to see, but knows he won't be able to stop her. He's trying to figure out how to prepare her for what's to come, and she silently thanks him for that before she addresses the owner of the room again.]

You know her well enough to realize she would hate people just parading in here, which means you probably also know her well enough to realize she's not going to handle her death well. The more information we have, the more likely we are to figure out who did this, and how. It's going to be the best way to be there for Faith when she does revive, not to mention protecting other people if this turns out to be someone who isn't done with just one murder.

[Peter shakes his head sharply as he stares at her, and he does not move an inch from where he stands in front of Faith's body. He is already so pissed that he let one of them see and look underneath the sheet like they had any right to do so when- when Faith would never be okay with it. He's in such a state that he's not thinking about how the name's familiar.]

Yes, he is.

[This is Faith. This is her body. This is her choice. And this is his room, and he didn't say, go wherever the hell you want and disturb whoever the hell you want. It's why he is bristling now. Well, it's that and the full weight and trauma of the past night into whatever hour it is right now. He's lost track of time. He's lost track of how many people he's tried to explain things to on the network. It's been an endless night, and he's still covered in blood and he is not moving.]

You do not have to see. You've agreed she wouldn't want it, and that's what matters. How she feels. She's not here to stand up for herself. She can't be so I will. What exactly will looking at her body tell you? It's not going to tell you who killed her. [Peter is not just young. He's a genius, and he's a genius with a strong knowledge in biological science, and she can look at the body all she wants, but it's still Faith without a head because of a sword. That's all there is.] She will be back. You can ask her then exactly what happened, and it's her right to tell you or not to tell you.

I can tell you how she died. I can show you the weapon. I can show you where I fucking found her, but you don't get to come in here and be part of the parade. There's no reason for it. I have to protect her.

[Except he's wrong. The intensity of that trauma, of every insecurity he feels, of his own sense of failure and responsibility has Peter breaking things down into their simplest terms, rather than looking for more.]

It'll tell me more than I want it to, to be honest. [Cami's always had a gift for seeing into the heart of people, but when it comes to something like this? It feels almost like a burden--a curse.] Whether the person who attacked her was angry or not. Whether they were hesitant or not. How strong they are, based on how much Faith fought back. If--If somehow someone made her just stand there and take it, because that's the crazy sort of power some people have, and they're twisted enough to use it that way.

[She hopes to God that isn't the case, but Cami can't rule it out. She doesn't know if Faith took vervain, or if something else has come along that could take away a person's will.]

I understand why you need to protect her, Peter. You found her, and it doesn't matter that there was nothing you could've done, or that you could've ended up dead too. You still think you should've been there--you should have saved her, somehow. And now, you're trying to answer all these questions people have, to give reassurances without foundation, and all the while you're coated in her blood, and all you can see is the image of her lying there, dead, when she should be okay and alive.

[She sucks in a sharp breath then, her eyes wet with forming tears. When she can focus on the work, it's easier. But the longer they stand there, the more the reality sets in. Faith should be able to speak for herself, but she can't. She should be fine, but she isn't, and she won't be.

Sickly, she wonders if Faith's head had been smashed in like Sam's had.]

It isn't fair. Not to Faith, or to you. And you don't know me, or have any reason to trust me. But I know, I know what comes next for her. I know how hard it is, how terrible it feels to realize you've died. If she's willing to let me, I want to be able to help her--and the best way I can do that, is to understand what happened.

[Peter does not move from where he stands, and he swallows thickly, because she's wrong, and he tried to do this better. He tried to tell her better more gently how it happened, but he didn't have the chance to before he had to stop the man from looking underneath the sheet. He closes his eyes tightly, and in a second, he runs through it all (all the details of the crime scene. how he found her, where he found her, where her head was in proportion to her body. it's nothing he wanted to think about yet but now he's doing it to try to preserve faith's dignity.

there was a lot of blood too. a lot of blood. and why did it trail? someone else was there.)]

It happened quick likely from behind by someone who had a lot of strength. She isn't injured anywhere else.

Someone sliced her head off with a sword.

[It's the answer. It's out there now, settling in the silence and in the air with a heaviness. He is not going to let this be some kind of thing where everyone gawks at her and is wrecked by the sight of her. He stares at Cami with his jaw locked and his eyes bloodshot, and his hands tight fists at his side, pressed against his bed.]

I'm sorry about what happened to you and that you know what it's like, but you're not listening to me and you're not listening to her. If she's willing to let you help, she will tell you herself. I am not moving.

If you can't handle that, you can leave.

[ what faith doesn't know won't hurt her, as far as klaus is concerned. actually it can only help her and them in the meantime. though in point of fact peter is right: klaus doesn't particularly care what hurts faith so long as it doesn't hurt camille or his loved ones as well, and looking at her body is certainly in service of that.

klaus barely budges from his stead at the bed's side, doesn't flinch at peter's distress and does not let him find much space between him and the body, just on principle. but he does face the young man's stalwart steadfastness and his desperate attempts to keep control of the situation head on, no doubt for all the interesting reasons camille begins to detail shortly. he's impressed with the audacity, truth be told, and it shows with subtlety in his gaze.

impressed enough to be slightly amused and not entirely agitated by its unfortunate futility. he glances down, away, as if to weather it. to see camille at the edge of his vision and exhale softly at her protestation that he's not being unkind. (camille is right; he's not trying to be, whether he cares to or not, but peter's response is futile. the woman who occupied this corpse has already lost her dignity. she's certainly not going to gain any back, with or without an ill-advised public announcement and this little scene. she is dead, and the shock of having her life ripped from her hands will be unpleasant enough, corpse-viewings aside. if klaus knows anything, he knows that.)

so, in other words, they both can argue as much as they like about the trauma of finding a friend decapitated. it is of little consequence to him. if klaus had his way, neither camille nor he would be here in the first place. but they are here, and unfortunately he knows camille will not let it go. he's quiet during their back and forth, sobered of his reaction to peter's initial challenge, but his agitation at the current proceedings begin to show in how he licks his lips and shifts on his feet.

that is until he hears the note of camille's voice strain. his pale blue gaze moves to find her; she's shaken as much as her words are shaken, as much as they shake him. this is what he wanted to avoid, what he can't protect her from, and something terrible seems to grip and squeeze his insides, take his breath at her confession: that she knows what this is like.

she must mean she has died here. yet for a moment all he sees is her ghost and all he remembers is her dead in his arms, truly dead and gone, prostrate on his bed. it terrifies him, that she could know the pain and fear he knew she felt in those moments, knowing the loss of her humanity, knowing there is no after. but that is not what this is. klaus blinks and looks away, steels himself of horrors and questions that will not have answers now, and listens with half an ear to peter's response. later, he will be not a little curious at how much peter does know, how much he figured out by himself.

for now he sees where this is going: nowhere. his jaw tightens and he turns away from peter, rests his hand on camille's arm. ] Perhaps it's time enough to let this go. He can tell you all else you need to know to help your friend. [ she does not need to look. ]

Edited 2016-09-14 14:07 (UTC)

[If. If, and Cami already knows--or rather, she's terrified that Faith won't. She's a strong and stubborn woman, someone who carries deep guilt and shame alike, who has been hurt, probably even broken--and who even before this danced around the idea of talking about all those things. Danced around the idea of trust. Now she's died, been horrible murdered and if Peter's right? It's going to strike at every one of her vulnerabilities by piercing the shield Faith has been able to pride herself on: her physical prowess.

Or maybe Cami doesn't have a clue what she's talking about. Maybe Faith will be fine, and all of this is an exercise in pointlessness. Maybe what Cami's looking for is the same thing she's thinking Peter needs: a way to help. A way to make this better, to believe that these horrible things don't have to continue to rule over people. That it might not take Faith the better part of a year to get over her death, the way it had Cami.

(Something she'll have to explain to Klaus now, too. She hadn't meant for him to learn of her past like this--or at all.)

She swallows, and once again asks herself what she's honestly doing anymore--what else she even can do, if she can't offer a place to listen for the people around her that they'll accept? Back home, she'd gotten dragged into the role, her kindness and her understanding and her empathy all making her perfect to be that support. Maybe those experiences made her arrogant in a way.

She looks towards Faith's covered form with Peter's words echoing in her mind. You're not listening--God. When was the last time anyone accused her of that?]

You're right. [Cami looks down, speaking to Klaus and Peter both. She can't keep trying to force open the wounds, as much as she might see them bleeding. Her arms crossed over her chest, she takes a slow breath before she looks up at Peter, the ghost of an apologetic grin across her lips.]

I'm sorry. [To Peter, for letting her own grief get in the way. To Faith, for making a terrible, undeserved, unwarranted death somehow worse. To Klaus, for her earnest efforts wounding him. She swallows, unable to stop the tears from falling any longer. None of them should have to go through this. It isn't right. It isn't fair.]

You are doing right by her. It may not feel like it, but you are. [This is all she can offer, and it isn't enough.] Someone named Angel will be in touch when he sees your message. Please--let him take care of her. They're from the same world, and they're like family.

[Peter's whole body practically sags relief when the both of them seem to see what he means. He's slide back on to the bed if he wasn't standing in front of it, but he nods in answer. His head is low. H'es not good at people. There's a reason he has always been a loner, pulled back, isolated. It's part abandonment complex, part just being a loner.

But he's changed lately in more ways than just a spider bite with spider powers given to him. He's been made to realize that there are more important things out there, and he has to step up and deal with it instead of chasing old mysteries.

He has to help.]

Okay, I'll keep an eye out for him.

[If they're family, he's sure to see the- to see what was written and respond.]

Thank you for getting it.

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busts in

Re: busts in

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oops had to sneak this in here

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yep sneaking in again

same same crystal ilu but cami thinks it's better if she takes this

peter fighting ya'll until the end

ok guys ok I'M HERE

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