Gaia

Eli finished fixing Reuben's programming and revealed the opening on his back. Reuben's eyes slowly lit up as he stood.

"Good evening, Sir. How may I be of assistance?"

"Good, you're back to normal. I'll be having two guests for dinner, so if you could please prepare something."

"Very good, Sir. I'll get to it straight away. Good evening, Miss Gold," he added as he made his way into the kitchen.

"Hi, Reuben." She watched Eli clean up the little tools he'd been using to fix Reuben. "I'm a little impressed you know how to do that on your own," she said. "Where'd you learn to program androids like that?"

"I've always been good with wiring and connections and other computer related things," Eli said. "My dad taught me."

Her face softened. "That's sweet," she said gently. "I wish I could meet him."

"I'm sure he would have liked you." The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. As with everything he seemed to say or do or think when Mari was around, he felt a wave of confusion and jumbled emotions. He knew the words were true; his parents and grandfather would have adored Mari. Gracie certainly already did. But Jess's face flashed across his mind and he wondered if saying that was an insult to her memory. Then again, she probably would have liked Mari too. Barring the fact that Eli had slept with her last night. And even worse, wouldn't mind doing it again.

"Eli, are you okay?" Mari asked. "You look like you're going to be sick."

"No, I'm fine." He shook himself. "Sorry. My mind was somewhere else."

"Somewhere bad?" She looked genuinely concerned, a little frown forming between her brows.

"It's...complicated. Don't worry about it." He gave her a reassuring smile and the frown disappeared. He hurried back to his study to return the tools, sitting down and running his hands through his hair. He needed a few moments to collect his thoughts. He didn't know how long he sat there but he heard the front door open and Mari talking to Andy in a low voice. It sounded like they were arguing so Eli waited a few minutes before going back down the hall. Andy spotted him first and immediately scowled. Eli stared coldly back.

"I thought you were going to get cleaned up," he remarked mildly.

"Fuck off, rich boy," Andy retorted.

"Andy!" Mari hissed. "Knock it off! He kept me out of prison and he bailed you out of prison. You could try being a little nicer."

"Be nice? To him?" Andy scoffed. "He took you from the Ground and dragged you up here for who knows what nefarious purpose, and you want me to-"

"Technically I carried her up here," Eli interrupted calmly. "And considering that we caught her stealing and breaching the security network, you should be thankful that I chose not to hand her over to the Enforcers. I chose to have her work off her debt. I'd hardly call that kidnapping, and besides, she hasn't come to any harm while she's been here. Quite the contrary, she keeps spending my money, breaking into my house and stealing my food."

"And why would some rich jag off like you care whether Enforcers got a hold of her or not?" Andy demanded, eyes narrowed in suspicion. Eli didn't answer, just crossed his arms and glared back. Mari huffed.

"He's from the Ground, Andy," she said. Surprise broke through Andy's hostility for a moment.

"This guy? Is from the Ground?"

"It's been a few years since I've moved up here, but yes," Eli said. "I grew up on the Ground."

"And exactly how did you manage to make it all the way up here?"

"Hard work," Eli replied flatly. He looked Andy up and down. "And being clean."

"I am clean," Andy snapped. "I just took a shower."

"Really?" Eli feigned shock. "This slovenly appearance combined with your winning personality and still somehow you wound up in prison?"

"Very funny. At least I'm not a worthless suit."

"This worthless suit just bailed your sorry ass out of Grelhurst," Eli said. "A decision I am starting to regret immensely. You should consider yourself lucky that it was a favor to Mari, or I'd send you straight back."

Andy opened his mouth to say something snarky, but Mari poked him in the ribs. "Andy, for crying out loud. He bailed you out because I asked him to, and he's the one who put all that money into our account."

"I never said I did that," Eli said in exasperation.

"Dinner is ready, Sir." Reuben appeared in the doorway and Andy arched an eyebrow.

"This guy seriously has a fucking butler?" he scoffed.

"Call it a perk of being a worthless suit," Eli said. "You're both welcome to stay and eat, unless you'd prefer to stay here and keep scowling." He turned and went into the kitchen. He heard another heated whisper fight, and then what sounded like Mari pinching Andy. A few moments later they both joined him, Mari looking annoyed but smug and Andy just looking as pissed off as always. It must have been his permanent expression. He slouched into a chair but Eli still caught him looking at the food with interest.

Mari tried to lighten things up by talking to Andy about things she'd seen on the top level, and about all the food he had to try while he was here. He and Eli mostly ate in silence, pointedly ignoring each other. He could tell their behavior was making Mari frustrated, but Eli was not going to be the one to extend an olive branch. He'd done his part and gotten her sketchy brother out of jail. That didn't mean they had to be friends.

Eli went to his room after dinner, deciding they probably wanted some privacy to catch up. He looked up when Mari knocked.

"I just wanted to say thank you again," she said. "I promise I'll do whatever it takes to work off what I owe you, or pay some of it back-"

"Mari I told you, you don't owe me anything."

"Eli you spent a lot of money to rescue my brother, who you don't even know and who's been a jerk to you ever since."

He shrugged. "I guess it's become a pastime of mine to keep the Golds out of trouble. It could easily become a full time job, from what I've seen of the two of you hooligans."

She smiled, coming further into the room. When Eli didn't protest, she came and sat beside him.

"You could have told me no," she said quietly. "When I asked you to bail him out."

"Apparently I'm not so good at telling you no," Eli replied. "If I hadn't done it I'm sure you would have gone off and done something crazy to get the money yourself."

"And that would be...bad?" Mari guessed. Eli sighed.

"You might be an extraordinary pain in the ass a lot of the time, Marilyn, but clearly I take issue with the idea of you getting hurt. If you'd like to, you and your delinquent brother can crash in the living room. There's more room there than your apartment. Just don't let him touch anything."

She seemed surprised by the offer, but she smiled. "You may try to hide it, Eli, but you're a good person."

Eli didn't reply, not sure he agreed with her. She hugged him, and as she went to stand he couldn't stop himself from catching her hands and pulling her closer to kiss her. They stayed like that for a few moments until he made himself pull back.

"You should go before Andy comes to investigate. He probably thinks I keep you chained up in a dark room."

She laughed, brushing a kiss across his cheek before heading out. She paused briefly to cast a quick glance at him over her shoulder and then hurried back to the living room. Eli closed the door and changed out of his suit, crawling into bed and trying not to think about how huge and empty it was. He'd grown used to it but after having someone filling up that space it felt even bigger and even emptier now. He fell into a fitful sleep, and the memories came for him as soon as sleep took over.

"Gracie, stay in here and don't make a sound. Okay? Stay perfectly quiet and no matter what you hear, don't come out."

"Eli, I'm scared."

"I know. Just stay here. Stay right here."

He shut the door on the secret crawl space, heart in his throat. He grabbed Jess, trying to make her sneak out the back.

"I'm not going anywhere without you, Eli." So sure, so calm in the face of what was coming.

Then the door crashed in, and the Enforcers were there. Eli tried to shield her from them, but hands were on him, dragging him away. Searing pain. He felt bones breaking, heard screams, high and terrified. His mother, and Jess. His father was shouting, he saw his grandfather slammed forcefully to the ground. Everything tilted and spun and became a haze of black and red and gray and more red. He remembered it all. Every moment of torture, an entire lifetime of agony.

He fought to get free of the dream; tried to claw his way back to consciousness. Then the dream changed. The twisted, broken bodies around him faded, leaving him in a dark space. He saw Mari walking toward him, and someone dressed in a black robe loomed behind her. He tried to call out but his voice didn't work. The hooded figure closed bone-white hands around Mari's throat.

Eli woke with a sharp intake of breath, kicking his sheets off and sitting up. His heart was hammering violently against his ribs and his face was covered in a sheen of cold sweat. The nightmares never got easier to bear, and it was even more jarring to see Mari in one. Knowing he was being paranoid and ridiculous, he crept down the hall and peered into the living room, finding her curled up and sleeping soundly on one of the overstuffed chairs. Andy was snoring on the couch. Eli breathed a quiet sigh of relief, but it took him several long minutes to make himself stop watching her and go back to bed. He didn't sleep any more that night.