Chapter Text
“Oh, God. It’s true isn’t it?” He asked, voice nearly shaking in it's eager anticipation.
Jessica Jones couldn’t move. Her limbs were screaming, every muscle and tendon and bruised inch of skin commanded her to stop. Her mind was another matter. Within her head was a mass of panic and sorrow and true utter terror.
She tried to think of her childhood streets as the man in purple stepped away from Trish and closer to her, but even those memories had now been tainted by him. She knew she should feel relief. Her friends were going to be safe if Kilgrave realized that this wasn’t some kind of jest to try and gain the upper-hand. Still, at the core of her selfish, loathsome heart, Jessica almost wished he could just stay at the edge of the pier in that terrible embrace with Trish. At least that would have given her time to think, time to grieve. Not now.
“You would let me take your beloved sister. My god.” He exclaimed again, somehow even more breathless.
Jessica could feel hot tears beginning to spring from her cheeks. She couldn’t do this, not again, not when she had been so close to ending it all.
“It’s finally over. You’re mine now.”
Her throat felt like it was about to collapsed. It couldn’t be over, not like this, not with words. A scream remained trapped in her chest. It clawed at her already broken ribs, pushed up against the bile on her tongue.
“No more fighting, no more...no more of these ugly displays.“ Kilgrave continued, waving his arms about the mess of blood and people scattered across the pier. “You’ll be with me now.” It looked as if his eyes were about to mirror the same glassy tears as Jessica's own. His mouth was contorted in some strange shape, something between a smile and a sob. Jessica wanted to hit it so hard that it would stay that way forever. Kilgrave seemed to read the concealed fire in her face immediately.
“Look, after a while….however long it takes, I know, I know you will feel what I feel!” He tried to persuade, as if he needed to. He bounced on the balls of his feet like an excited child, so far from the whimpering, defeated boy that Jessica had become so accustomed to. She wished someone would come, a real hero. She imagined Luke springing forth from the churning water beneath the yacht, smashing Kilgrave’s skull against the pavement before he could say another word. She imagined his body contorted and limp beside her feet, her hands finally able to curl around his neck….
“Let’s start with a smile.” Kilgrave interjected.
Jessica’s teeth flashed immediately, and his laugh was like razor’s in her skull. He went to place his hands on her cheeks, or her hair, but hovered over them instead. She blinked away the remaining tears, knowing they would do no good here. Now his breath was in her ear, fast and plain as if to convince himself it would hardly be an order.
“Tell me you love me.”
Jessica tried to spare a glance to the only one of the dock she cared about. Trish would be safe, wouldn’t she? Kilgrave had what he wanted now. Jessica would finally be back to only having to look out for herself. But, there was still so much she had left to do, so many wrongs she had planned to….
“Jessica, tell me you love me.” He asked again, and like a static shock through her teeth Jessica obeyed.
“I love you.” Her voice obeyed.
Kilgrave laughed again and finally laid his cold hands against Jessica’s windswept hair.
“Oh, I love you too. I love you so much. It’ll all be alright now that we’re together, you’ll see.” He assured. Thee command sent Jessica's fear and anxiety exhaling from her mind, like warm breath escaping into winter air. She tried not to let the relief show on her face, but the quiet serenity seemed to be reflected back at her from Kilgrave's eyes, telling her she had managed to fail again.
He moved forward to brush a strand of dark hair behind Jessica’s ear. As he did so, he felt the fine, straight scarline hiding up at the top of her neck beneath his shaking fingers. He frowned slightly. “It’ll be different this time, promise.” Kilgrave seemed to vow, removing his hold and turning his feet slightly.
“You, stay here.” He commanded, looking straight into Jessica’s eyes with blatant authority before he paused, softening a bit and smiling sheepishly. “Everyone else, clear out! You’re all drunk and out of sorts. You just need to sleep and forget about this, yeah? Yes. Now go.”
The crowd of people began rubbing their heads and shoulders, helping one another up and clearing out from the harbor, some stumbling and tripping as they left. Even Trish made her way along, eyes vacant as she passed, running a pale hand down her arms as she abandoned the now quiet and emptying pier. Jessica stayed where she was told, but she felt a stab of pain as her best friend and sister walked out of her life for the last time.
“You won’t miss any of them, it’s fine. You have me now.” Kilgrave murmured in Jessica’s ear and she felt her mind blink, as if her grief had merely been a grain of dust.
She felt the weight of Kilgrave's hand in her own as he began to lead her into the awaiting boat. It was as if she were floating, somehow sleep-walking and lucid-dreaming both at once. As the pair entered the grand yacht Kilgrave immediately began barked orders at the attending staff, while Jessica tried to keep her feet against the seas both below her and in her head.
She was aware of the small kiss planted on her hand when Kilgrave's harsh voice had finally silenced. A delicate and boney finger began rubbing the chilled skin lightly above her wrist.
“It’s amazing. Ten minutes ago I was planning my escape from the country after your demise- and now here we are, together again.” He beamed as the boat began it’s departure from the New York City Harbor. “Oh, I love it when life let’s us win. Don’t you, Darling?” Kilgrave asked.
Jessica tilted her head, barely noticing the passing scenery that was marking the beginning of their second lives together. “I wouldn’t know, I’ve never gotten to.” She answered honestly.