Mirror, Mirror || Shay & PU Shay || V8 W3 || Wednesday Morning
Although it had been a few days since being re-hired, thanks to Noah, Shay still hadn’t gone back to Fortis to get her new assignment, though it was probably still the same as Rebel’s; watch the portals, make sure no one came through and if so, take them to get checked out at the Fortis building. Regardless, everything still felt weird and Shay couldn’t help but be a little bitter at Peter, even if Noah hired her back.
As Shay pulled her car onto the campus and got out, she noticed a figure by the edge of the forest. Since she wasn’t in any hurry and curiosity had gotten the better of her, Shay decided to check it out.
“Hello?”
“I was wondering when I’d finally get to meet you.”
Shay’s head spun around only to come face to face with...herself. The other was much more covered in tattoos and there was a certain dark gleam in her eyes that Shay recognized a little. She’d had the same look a few times.
“Well, guess I can’t say that I’m too surprised to see you. Came through one of the portals, yeah?”
“Oh yeah. It was loaaads of fun. Like stepping through Alice’s looking glass. Just what I always wanted out of life. Oh, wait. That’s not quite right. What I really wanted was Robert. Or maybe Dimitri. I wanted something of a normal life, but yet you’re the lucky girl.”
Shay couldn’t help but roll her eyes at her counterpart. “Seriously? You’re jealous? Well, don’t be.” She sighed and shook her head. “Dimitri was a psychotic and selfish asshole. As for Robert, he’s not all that he’s cracked up to be, but I guess neither am I.”
She snorted at her, letting out a dry laugh. “You’re joking, right? Robert is so much more than you give him credit for . God, I wish I had your life.”
“Oh please, don’t give me that nonsense, you’ve no idea what I have been through, especially over the past few years. I’m pregnant, which although is great and all, it’s making me domesticated and Robert a little more insane than usual because all he wants to do is protect the baby and me. Not to mention, I’ve been kidnapped and experimented on and died a couple of times. So please, don’t be jealous of me.”
Shay paused, eyeing her other self with curiosity. “What happened to you? What’s it like where you’re from to make you so jealous, huh?”
She raised an eyebrow, snickering slightly and starting to walk around the nearest tree as if taunting Shay. “Well, you see, there’s this virus that was released and killed almost the entire world. But of course, before that, Robert decided to sacrifice himself to save his beloved Kathryn so she and Jacob could live happily ever after.” Shay stopped, narrowing her eyes and surveying the other her. “Though that didn’t exactly happen either.”
Sighing, Shay shook her head. “Look, I’m sorry, I don’t know what I’d do without Robert now that I’m with him, but you’re being a little...childish.”
“Me? Childish.”
“Yes. Though I have to admit, I do like your outfit.”
She laughed, stopping in her tracks and leaning against the tree with her arms cross. “You’re a dumbass.” Pausing, Shay scrutinized the other some more before finally giving in. “Alright, so maybe my being jealous is a little childish, but I can’t help it. What would you do if you basically lost both the men you loved and were pretty much doomed to be alone?”
“You’re not doomed to be alone. Buuuut, I don’t know and hopefully, I’ll never have to find out.” She crossed her own arms, looking at the parallel version of herself with more intensity. Shay was half wondering if the other her was thinking about doing a swap, but at the same time, she wasn’t the concerned about it.
“Maybe, maybe not. Either way, I doubt we should ever let Robert know what it feels like. Sooo...” Shay paused, half regretting what she was about to say even though the words hadn’t left her mouth yet. “Keep an eye out for a man named Leroy. He’s pretty southern and wears a hat. I think he wants us, or rather you, dead. Almost killed me until I won him over with my charm. Also known as my gun and a few choice words.”
Shay considered her, grinning slightly at the comment. “Okay, I’ll keep all this in mind, but I’m confused as to why you’re telling me this, considering your jealousy and all.”
She laughed heartily. “Really? You’re actually asking me that question.”
“Yes. Obviously.”
“For him. I could care less about you. Hell, I have half a mind to take your place, but he’d know and I’ve met him. He loves you more than anything and would totally know the difference. Besides, he’d never forgive me or love me for doing it, for taking you from him. And also, my Leroy is completely opposite. Mine is my partner at Fortis and I don’t like seeing him as a traitor here. Maybe you can take him out.”
Shay didn’t really know what to say, though parts of what her other self had said made some sense. “Okay, fair enough I suppose. I’ll keep an eye out for this Leroy. But I need you to either get out of my world or get checked up by Fortis. No one has mentioned seeing another me yet, so I doubt you’ve done that and I don’t really fancy my world turning into yours. Ever.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”
“Good.” With that, she turned on her heal and left her parallel self there, trusting her word about not killing her. What Shay was most upset about was Robert not telling her that he’d met this other version.
“Wait.”
Shay glanced back over her shoulder, quirking an eyebrow in curiosity. “What?”
“You mentioned Dimitri being a selfish, psychotic asshole. Or, whatever you said. But...how so? In my world, he’s quite the opposite. Kind, maybe a little bit of an ass, but he’s not crazy or selfish.”
A small sigh escaped her as Shay turned around to face her other self full-on. “Well, if my assumptions about how them being raised the same are correct, then that really only leaves on option. Doesn't it?”
“He stayed in the family business.”
“Yup. It made him terrible, for lack of a better word. He was different, so different. Scary.” Her smile was tight and almost full of regret. “I loved him, as I’m sure you love yours, but he scared me, literally. And then I met Robert.”
“Must have been nice. Meeting him, I mean. Did he rescue you like some prince charming? Sweep you off your feet?”
“Actually, not really. He saved my life when Dimitri tried to kill me. Kill him instead. Then we argued and fought and hated each other for a while, though I still wormed my way into his life trying to show him that his bitterness and resent wasn’t the only way to live. Until we both kind of realized that all that arguing and shit was just us protecting ourselves from hurting each other.”
She shrugged small and turned back around to leave. “But none of that really matters now. Dimitri is in the past and Robert is in the future.”
“You’re right. And now I don’t feel so jealous of you.” She paused, licking her lips with a nervous laugh. “I don’t think I could have survived that. I loved Dimitri too much.”
“I wouldn’t trust him, even if he is as you say and wonderful compared to how mine was. There’s still a darkness in him and it’ll always try to peak out. But that’s enough chatter for now. I’ve got a man’s ass to kick, a husband to yell at, and a future baby to feed.”
She laughed, rolling her eyes. “Have fun, but don’t get too comfortable. I have a feeling someone you won’t like will show up soon.”
[closed]