[ open ] the spirits are ruthless with the paths they choose

[thevulnerability]

Who: Chloe Decker and Julia Shumway and you!
Where: Various
When: Oct 26-29th, during the AU event
Rating: PG
Summary: Chloe is an actress who never met the devil. Julia is a savvy reporter who never ended up under a dome. Shenanigans ensue. Open starters in the comments, gifs under the cut, will match format.
The Story:

Comments

[beautifullies]

"Jesus H. Roosevelt Christ," Claire mutters, dropping her arms. "Something is happening, and I've got a good notion that Wonderland is to blame."

Leaning against the wall opposite Julia, she continues. "I've never been married to Jamie. I've been married to Frank Randall for twenty years and we have a lovely home near Oxford when I haven't been kidnapped to a random location. But both you and Jamie believe I'm married to him."

[thereporter]

"God damn it."

Julia shakes her head before resting it momentarily in her palm. It doesn't seem like the best time to mention that in Julia's memory, Frank is dead and Claire is perfectly happy with Jamie.

"And we have no idea which one is real and which one is a fake memory implanted by Wonderland." She looks at Claire again. "I'm happy with Peter. I can't imagine a universe where I would have moved on from him."

[beautifullies]

Claire's more hesitant to agree, her eyes shifting downward before finally looking at Julia again.

"Of course. Neither can I. With Frank, I mean."

Yes. Everything's perfect, nothing to see here.

[thereporter]

Totally perfect. Julia has a husband who loves her, a great job, and a nice house in Chicago. That's all a girl really needs, right?

Right?

"And knowing what we do know, we just have to wait out the next few days until we figure it out," Julia says. She hesitates for a moment. "Although... This morning, I couldn't find my wedding ring. I haven't taken it off since I got here. But..." She heaves a resigned sigh. "I did find Barbie's dog tags in the drawer next to my bed."

[beautifullies]

"Well, I certainly wouldn't simply sleep naked in a man's bed for no reason," Claire says pointedly.

"Perhaps the truth lies with the men confused about our confusion." Which is hard to accept, considering that would mean the life both she and Julia thinks is real is a complete fabrication.

[thereporter]

"Barbie doesn't remember me either, though. He was just as baffled by the whole thing as I was."

She didn't believe Wonderland was up to anything at first, and that he was just a creep or a drunk that found his way into her room. He made a convincing argument in the end, though, one Juliet wasn't thrilled about.

"I take it Jamie remembers you?"

[beautifullies]

Claire's quiet for a moment, then nods, looking at Julia. "He said we've been married for three years. Well, twenty, because I'm also about thirty years older than he is. But he said we've...always been married according to what I told him when he arrived," she says with a confused frown.

"How can that be, when I don't remember it or him at all?"

[thereporter]

"Maybe it's true. We know Wonderland runs on memories. What if..."

Julia looks shifts slightly, staring over at one of the paintings, her face turning pale.

"What if they gave us fake memories so they could take our real memories for good?"

[beautifullies]

"You mean..."

She can't even imagine it, swallowing heavily and looking back toward her room, then at Julia again.

"It could be true."

[thereporter]

"If it is, we'll never know for sure."

Damn Wonderland. Chances are this is an event, sure, but that doesn't mean Julia trusts anything Wonderland throws at them.

"We deserve to know. Barbie doesn't know anything but Jamie remembers things differently. How much have you talked to him?"

[beautifullies]

"He convinced me to sit and speak with him." Claire looks insanely uncomfortable, clearing her throat. "He...knew things about me. And...he isn't lying. Maybe it isn't true, maybe it's just Wonderland, but he believes it, whatever he's trying to tell me is true."

[thereporter]

"It might be true," Julia says, although she looks about as comfortable as Claire does. "Or maybe all of our memories have been changed. But Claire, if you and I woke up with Jamie and Barbie, and Barbie's dog tags..."

She lets out a breath, crossing her arms over her chest.

"We can't ignore the possibility that he's right, any more than I can ignore the possibility that you're right about me and Barbie."