1997
Liz sat in her car, watching the rain splatter across the windshield. She had been sitting in the parking lot for thirty minutes, wondering what the hell she was doing there. She contemplated turning around and going back home, but she had come this far.. might as well go a little further.
She shut the engine off and stepped out of the car into the rain. Just her luck that she had forgotten to bring an umbrella with her. No matter. With a heavy sigh she made her way across the parking lot and gazed up at the building before her; The St. Canard Maximum Security Prison.
Brushing a strand of wet hair out of her face, she stepped through the large doors, into a waiting room. There weren't many people there, just a few families waiting to visit their loved ones. Making her way to the sign in desk, she cleared her throat to get the attention of the officer that sat behind the glass, separating the small office from the lobby.
He raised his head, "Yes? Can I help you?"
"I'm uhh... here for a visit," Liz mumbled.
"Name, please."
"Mine or his?"
"Both."
"My name is Elizabeth DeQuacka," The girl replied. The man nodded, scribbling something across a sheet of paper in front of him. "And... I'm here to visit...," She lowered her voice a bit, "Negaduck.."
The officer stopped writing and glanced up at her, "Are you really?"
She nodded.
"Well... okay then," The man wrote something down on his paper. "Wait out there. Visiting hour doesn't start for another ten minutes."
Liz turned, glancing around the waiting room, before taking a seat along the left wall. Maybe this was a bad idea. Maybe she should just leave now. She had no idea what had possessed her to come out there. Why, after everything that had happened, she would even THINK about going to see him again. He terrified her. He didn't used to, but he did now.
Before the incident in Scrooge McDucks money bin, Negaduck had only made her slightly nervous. As long as she managed to stay out of his way, they never had issues with each other.
After Stephans disappearance, Liz had been so grateful to Negs. He had helped her, in his own way, though she was sure he would have never admitted that. He'd have said he hadn't done it for her. That he had his own reasons for getting rid of the man. It didn't matter what the reason was, Stephan was gone and Liz was free of his abuse, and it was because of Negaduck.
She jumped slightly as a door to her right opened and an officer came through. "Mallarosa," He called. A family consisting of an elder woman and two small children stood up, following the man from the room. Liz sighed. Part of her wanted to walk out, but she couldn't do that. At least by doing this she'd be able to face her fears, and that was always a good thing... right?
The door opened again, and another family disappeared inside. Wouldn't be long now. The officer would come back out and call Lizs name. She took a deep breath to steady herself as she waited.
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"Hey, you," An officer appeared at the small window of Negaducks cell door. "Get up, you have a visitor."
"I have a WHAT?!" The masked duck raised an eyebrow. Who the hell would be coming to visit HIM?
"A visitor," The officer replied. He opened the door and motioned for the masked villain to follow him. Negaduck hesitated, before following the man down the hall.
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"DeQuacka," The officer called from the doorway. Liz jumped, then stood up slowly and followed him from the room. Now she really was having second thoughts. Her heart was beating so loud she could hear it pounding in her ears, drowning out all other sounds around her. What would he say when he saw her? What would she say to him? Would he be angry that she had come? Why had she come?
They stopped at a set of double doors, which the officer pushed open, motioning for her to enter. "Window 9," He told her. Liz nodded, slipping past him into the room. She saw some of the people from the waiting room, speaking to their loved ones over phones, separated by a thick plexiglass. She made her way to her assigned window and sat, waiting on pins and needles.
The click of a door caught her attention and she glanced up as Negaduck was lead through on the other side of the glass. Liz was sure at that moment her heart was going to explode. Their eyes locked, villain and victim, staring across the room at each other. Negaducks brow furrowed in annoyance and he turned to leave, but stopped, then walked over to where Liz sat.
She swallowed nervously, fully expecting him to have the biggest fit ever and to watch him be dragged off by the armed guards on the other side of the room. Hesitantly, the masked duck sat down, staring at her through the glass. The look on his face seemed to be caught somewhere between contempt and confusion. Reaching up, he picked up the receiver on his side of the glass. Liz did the same.
"What are YOU doing here?" His gravely voice hissed into the phone.
"I...I don't know," She replied. "It was just something I felt I needed to do. I guess I felt... bad."
He snorted, "Save your sympathy for someone that actually NEEDS it."
"I have no sympathy for you," She glared. "I just wanted to make sure you were alright."
"Do I bloody look alright?!" He snapped. "I'm in prison, you knob! How do you THINK I am?!" He paused, "What do you care anyway?"
She shrugged, "Its in my nature. Despite everything thats happened between us... part of me..." She trailed off.
"Part of you what?"
"I dunno... I want to say I forgive you, but I don't think I do."
"I don't need your forgiveness, Elizabeth!"
"I know," She smiled half heartedly. "Look... Negs.. I.." She sighed, "I came because you terrify me." He smirked, but she ignored him and continued. "After that night, I've had nightmares about you coming after me again."
"Pffft..." He snorted, "If I ever get out of here, I'll have better things to do than waste my time on you."
"Are you mad at me?"
"What?"
"For what I did. Are you mad at me."
He raised an eyebrow, "What do YOU think?"
"Its okay," She told him, "I'd be mad at me too. So... how are they treating you in here?"
"Lousy," He mumbled, glaring over his shoulder at the guards behind him. He glanced back at her, waiting for her to say something. They sat in silence for a moment before Liz spoke again.
"I miss you..."
He blinked, "Were you dropped on your head as a child or somethin'?!"
"I really wouldn't know," She shrugged. "Its true though. You scare me now, but things aren't the same without you. You know, I had to do what I did. I don't really expect you to understand though.. you don't know what its like to actually care about someone."
He rolled his eyes.
Liz went on. "You know me, Negs. You've known me for years, and you know I've always done everything I could NOT to cross you. I had so much respect for you. I may not have approved of the things you did, but I tried so very hard to turn a blind eye, because you were my friend.. whether or not I was yours. I'd never cross you without damn good reason... you know that."
"I... I have to go," He hung the phone up and stood up, turning away from her. Liz blinked, watching him go. She remained where she was for a moment, before standing up and heading out of the room. Leaving the building she made her way back to her car, turning over everything that had just happened in her mind. A part of her still cared for him, because whether he thought so or not, at one time he had been her friend, and she had been telling the truth when she said she respected him.
With a heavy sigh, she started her car and pulled out of the parking lot. "I forgive you Negs..." She hadn't before, but she did now and it was because as he was being lead away by the guards, he paused and glanced over his shoulder at her. He said something, and though Liz couldn't hear it through the glass, she was sure he had mouthed the words "I'm sorry."
-Finis-