Chapter Text
‘No, absolutely not!’ Emma looked appalled, her eyes full of anger and disgust and – was that fear? ‘I absolutely forbid it, Sebastian. The answer is, and always will be, no!’
Shaw sighed and, straightening up from where he had been standing with his shoulder pressed against the wall, looked at Frost with exasperation.
‘Come now, Emma,’ he said impatiently, tucking his hands into his pockets even as he frowned at her. ‘You’re being unreasonable.’
Emma let out a harsh laugh.
‘Unreasonable?’ she repeated disbelievingly. ‘Sebastian, that’s a lot to take coming from anyone, but from you it’s laughable.’
Shaw gritted his teeth.
‘You’re making this very difficult,’ he said, annoyed. ‘I don’t see why you won’t just do this one small thing for me. It’s not as if you’ve ever refused any of my other requests.’
‘Your other requests weren’t for this!’ Emma snapped, gesturing sharply with her hand.
‘Come, Emma,’ Shaw said, impatience entering his voice. ‘This is hardly the worst thing that I’ve asked you to do. This isn’t even the worse thing that I’ve asked you to do to Charlie!’
Emma’s lips tightened.
‘That’s not the point,’ she said coldly. ‘What you are referring to occurred with Charles Xavier. This is Charlie. There is, as you well know, Sebastian, quite the difference.’
‘Whatever the difference is, it’s minimal,’ Shaw said, trying very hard not to snap. ‘He may be Charlie now, but once you return Xavier’s mind to him, he’ll be-’
‘He’ll still be Charlie,’ Emma snapped, her eyes narrowed into slits. ‘He’ll still be Charlie because he will still be under contract and he won’t have the ability to say no. He will still be an Active, Sebastian, and as I am in charge of the welfare of everyone under this roof, I am going to firmly put my foot down and tell you what I don’t think you have heard enough of in your lifetime: no.’
Shaw gave up all attempts at reigning in his temper.
‘Need I remind you that I am the founder of this whole facility?’ he hissed. ‘That I own this whole operation and everyone in it? That I own you?’
Emma’s eyes narrowed dangerously even as her outward appearance remained otherwise unchanged.
‘Is that a threat, Sebastian?’ she asked, her voice calm.
‘That very much depends,’ Shaw replied grimly, his eyes fixed on Emma’s, ‘on whether or not you give me what I want.’
‘Then I shall have to assume that it was a threat,’ Emma answered calmly, ‘As I have no intention whatsoever of giving in to your demands.’
Shaw’s expression became thunderous.
‘Be very careful, Emma,’ he said warningly, his voice low. ‘I am a forgiving man, but the one thing that I will not tolerate is disloyalty.’
Emma raised an eyebrow at that.
‘I’m afraid that you have it all wrong, Sebastian,’ she said, her voice cold. ‘You are the one that put me in charge of the Dollhouse. You yourself charged me with keeping the Actives safe. You told me that it was my duty to look after them.’ She paused. ‘You should know that I take my duties very seriously, Sebastian. And if that means keeping them safe from you,’ her eyes met Shaw’s and she held the gaze as she said the next words, ‘then so be it.’
Shaw gritted his teeth together but Emma hadn’t finished.
‘So it is not my loyalty to the Dollhouse that is to be called into question,’ she said lightly before turning to glare at him. ‘It is yours.’
Shaw folded his arms and stared at her in disbelief.
‘My loyalty?’ he laughed incredulously. ‘Emma, dearest, this is my company. Without me there wouldn’t be a Dollhouse.’
‘Maybe so,’ Emma acknowledged with a brief dip of her head, ‘But let’s not forget that the Dollhouse, for all its … futuristic originality, is, at the end of the day, still a business. And all businesses have boardrooms, and all boardrooms have directors, and all directors …’ There was a pointed pause. ‘… have influence. And be very assured, Sebastian, that some of us have more influence than others.’ She glanced down at her nails. ‘How do you think the board will take the news that their chairman – their Founder – was breaking rules left, right and centre all in pursuit of one piece of tail? I have a feeling that they won’t be too pleased at that. Very conservative group, I find, for a committee that essentially deals in a form of very high-level prostitution.’ Her eyes flicked up to meet Shaw’s. ‘You see, Sebastian, I have no illusions about what it is that we do. I see things very clearly. I hope, for your own sake, that you come to do so as well.’
They were at an impasse.
Shaw stared at Emma, his inner rage fighting with a sudden deep sense of respect for her. In the end, respect won.
‘Oh Emma,’ he said at last, a short, rueful laugh escaping him. ‘I really ought to have made you into a Doll when I had the chance.’
Emma smiled sweetly at him.
‘We all make mistakes,’ she said coolly, before raising an eyebrow. ‘And I think we can both agree that this conversation was one of them. Yes?’
Shaw hesitated for a moment, but gave a stiff nod when he saw Emma cock her head questioningly.
‘It appears so,’ he said dryly.
Emma smiled.
‘Good,’ she said, and suddenly she was once again her usual frostily-gracious self. ‘I hope you have enjoyed your time with us, Sebastian. It has been very good to see you again. I trust you found everything to your satisfaction?’
Shaw turned to her with a cocked eyebrow and a wry expression but Emma’s air of unaffected placidity didn’t falter.
‘Yes,’ he said after a moment, sighing in a terribly put-upon manner. ‘Yes, everything was … satisfactory.’
Emma’s smile was sharp and it did not meet her eyes.
‘I’m glad to hear it,’ she said coolly. ‘Do make sure to drop by the next time you are in the country, Sebastian.’
‘Count on it,’ Shaw replied, a smirk returning to his face. ‘After all, Charlie misses me if I’m gone too long.’
‘Yes,’ Emma said sweetly. ‘Most of our Clients think so, as well.’
Shaw’s expression flickered for a moment but he quickly covered it with a charming smile. He knew when it was time to retreat.
‘It’s been delightful as always, Emma,’ he drawled, offering her a mocking bow as he slowly moved towards the door. ‘I’m sure that our next meeting will be just as … scintillating. Until next time …’
He offered her one last smirk before he turned and left.
Emma stood tall and still, staring at the spot where Shaw had stood mere moments before, wondering what on earth she had done.
Then, slowly, she turned on her heel and made her way over to the far side of the room.
She needed a drink.