Asset out of Containment (A collection of One-shots)

Things That are Never Said

Summary: Claire and Owen are caught trying to sneak into the Lockwood State and thrown into a cell to be dealt with later.

A little Oneshot on how they spent time in that cell between breaking Mills's nose and Stiggy helping them escape.

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Surviving is more complex than what it is given credit for. Perhaps, managing to survive makes the world see you as a champion, immortal, and a warrior...however, the dark reality is that it transforms you, it makes you question every choice you've ever taken, appreciate things you have taken for granted and — unlike believed, there's nothing about feeling immortal on the matter. If anything, it makes you taste human mortality and how bitter it is. It makes you realize that you may die at any moment, because that's how powerless we truly are in the universe; it doesn't matter how much we demand to have control of our lives, go along on our own terms... we are always one breath away from having everything stopped and be taken away.

Death, the more intimate you become with it.. the less scary it gets. It's human nature to get comfortable around something after we get to know it pretty well. Cheating death doesn't really give you balls of steel, but your mind becomes familiar with the feelings triggered by it. There would be a point in your life when you'd know what to expect and once it finally happens you'd be mentally prepared.

Standing in front of death; cornered against the wall, it breaks and transforms you. It shatters everything you once were and transforms you into a new person, one you never thought you'd become — you could call it evolve.

Each time Claire Dearing was forced to face death, her mind shifted and she was never again the same. She was a fighter, but sometimes even the most determined and strongest ones could feel themselves suffocating. The redhead wasn't one to sit down and count the seconds she had left, she had to stand in front of the battle and go into it with all she'd got left to give.

She had survived predators, she had almost drowned, and even escaped an exploding volcano... and yet, it was being imprisoned what made her feel like it was over. She roamed that cell like a lioness circling a cage, studying every inch and corner, feeling defeated. It didn't matter her intelligence and her strength, she was locked with nothing left.

She had to admit, it had felt good to slam that asshole's face against the bars. He had played her and done the worst you could do to her; make her feel stupid and naïve for falling for his fake ideology and believe they both wanted the same thing.

Claire knew Mills could have gotten her killed for that move, but at this very moment she didn't care — she was not afraid of him. She kept walking around the cell, breathing heavily. She had a pair of hazel eyes on her, following her every step. Owen had never seen her like this, not even during the worst of their fights.

"On the other hand, this is something someone should have done long time ago." He chuckled softly, trying to make her think on something else, distract her mind. He knew her wheels were turning and if she didn't stop, she'd go crazy and he'd have to be the one dealing with her in that state of mind.

Claire rested her hands on her waist and turned to look at him, "what are you talking about?" She spat, annoyed at how casual and random his observation had been.

The man shrugged, slowly walking behind her and sitting on the edge of the empty feed trough in their cell, "lock us up and either come out in a plastic bag or with our differences sorted out."

The redhead rolled her eyes, but he had a point there. The reason why they had never managed to work anything out was because they never talked and when things got heated one of them would just walk out. That's how he had ended up leaving her in the middle of nowhere after that infamous van disagreement and that's how he had ended up alone in a bar after she had left once finding it impossible to deal with him.