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Labyrinth
By Demeter

 

"You're lucky that I trust you this much," Echo says cheerfully. "Hypnosis? Linds, you haven't even told me what this is all about."

"I will, I promise you." Lindsay doesn't have to look up to see the confusion and worry in her friends' faces but she hopes that they are beginning to understand, that this doesn't mean she is going crazy or so much in denial that she's trying to forget about Cindy. Her goal has remained the same since she found out that Cindy's name was not on the passenger list of the flight home from L.A.

The doctor Claire has brought is a renowned hypnotherapist, and she must really owe Claire, because Lindsay can tell she's uncomfortable. Who wouldn't be in her position.

The light is dimmed, and Echo lays down on the couch, drawing the blanket over her. "You are aware that I'm going to have a lot of questions for you?"

"That's all right," Lindsay assures her again. When she looks up to meet Jill's pained gaze, she can't help feeling a flicker of relief. They can see it now. This is Cindy and still, she's not. Each of them in the room has sworn to help and protect people and now, in order to make that happen, they're going to have to bend the rules more than ever before.

Each of them could be forever banned from their profession for this.

Yet they are here, helping her, willing to take the risk. Except for Echo who doesn't really care for the risks because the person she's been imprinted with, believes that Lindsay would never hurt her.

It makes her head spin. She doesn't really deserve any of this. There's no time though to dwell on her own issues now, because the doctor starts inducing a light trance.

Jill reaches over to squeeze her hand and Lindsay is grateful for the contact, because part of her wants to join Echo into that relaxed, blissful state and never return.


"Why do you think you can help Inspector Boxer find the Dollhouse?"

Echo laughed, as if the answer to this question was most obvious. "Because I live there."

"And why do you want to help?"

The woman's gaze turned serious. "Because I need to," she said. "That is my place in the world."

The End

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