Broken Engines, Broken Hearts (Guillermo)

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

She stared into his face and he watched the wall that she had been rebuilding begin to crumble.
He smiled at her.
"I lo- JESUS!" She jumped away from him, her face horrified, eyes focused over Guillermo's shoulder. He looked and saw nothing.
She had nearly given him heart attack!
"I-I have to-" She backed away, sprinting from the room.
He jumped up, following behind her, opening the bathroom door a crack.
"I did what you said! I broke up with him-"
He frowned. Who was she talking to?
There was a pause. Was she on the phone?
"WHAT IS HE HURTING? You've got my body, why can't I just let him have my heart? Why can't that just be okay?"
His frown deepened and he pushed himself into the room, staring at her conflicted reflection in the mirror.
She really was seeing something.
"I just want him."
Rose wasn't lying. She needed help.
"What are you- He's not some FUCKING OZ CHARACTER YOU FUCKING PSYCHO!"
Her voice was angry and frightened. He felt helpless.
Rose's voice became deadly, as she stopped the water, staring into the filled sink.
"You're just scared cause he's stronger than you."
Rose dunked her head into the sink, baffling him. Collecting herself, maybe?
She came back up for air and wiped her face, finally spotting him in the mirror. He watched the fear cross her face.
Guillermo rushed to her side, kissing her.
"I'm sorry, Rose."
He embraced her, breathing into her ear, "I believe you, Rose. I'm not sure what you're seeing and why, but I'm going to help you."

[ROSE MERCER]

"I'm sorry, Rose." He didn't give her a chance to speak, before rushing to her side, embracing her fear stricken body. He knew. He knew. True, she had told him. But he had seen her interacting, seen her talking to something no one else can see. "I believe you, Rose. I'm not sure what you're seeing and why, but I'm going to help you."

Bruja cackled meanly, her pale brown eyes focusing on Rose's blanched face. "He thinks you're off your rocker, you know that, don't you? He thinks you're crazy."

"I'm not crazy." Rose defended, her voice unable to raise above a whisper. "I'm not-"

Hiro instantly burst through the door, followed by Stefano. Rose wiped the rest of the water from her face, getting a hold of herself, as she broke out of Guillermo's grasp. "Are you alright? We saw you fall and freak out!" Hiro said, too worried to realize exactly what he said. Stefano paled a little, taking a step closer to the door.

"I'm fine." Rose answered, her eyes slitting. "What do you mean you SAW me?" She stepped closer, as Hiro's eyes widened.

"Uhhh, what?" He laughed nervously. Rose looked down at his hand, which was balled. Instantly she grabbed it, squeezing his wrist until it opened, revealing fifty dollars. "Uh. Oh. That. I can explain that."

"Hiro, maybe you should shut up now-"

Rose smiled, though her eyes remained hard. "Oh no. You guys weren't calling bets. Not on me. Were you?" Hiro, comforted by the smile, nodded a little. "And what would that be about? Hrm? Me and Guillermo?" He nodded again, as Stef inched closer to the door. Rose laughed a little, letting go of Hiro's wrist. "What? About when he'd hit that sweet spot?"

"You're taking this really well..." As if his words were a trigger, Rose swiped him across the face with her fist, no longer grinning. He staggered back, looking shocked. "You swung at me!" He yelped, rubbing his jaw.

"You made a bet on when he'd fuck me!" She accused right back.

"Yeah, and you lost me fifty bucks by not doing it in the lounge, you DON'T SEE ME SWINGING!" Rose shoved him against the stall, only to be pulled away by Stefano, though she didn't stay in his grasp long.

¿Qué está pasando aquí? Came a voice behind her.

Rose didn't bother to turn to see who it was. "The Tweedlefucks have been making bets about my fuck life that's-" She whirled on heel, seeing her Uncle's eyebrow raised. She instantly calmed, gulping a little. "I mean. Um. What?"

In the calm gravity that was her Uncle Fernando, he looked at the boys closely. "Hiro, Stefano. I am thinking you should go to my office now, yes?" Other than the puzzled looks about the sudden use of English, they left with no comment, as if off to the principals office. His eyes fell on Rose and Guillermo, his eyebrows raised a little. Rose braced herself.

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

"I'm not crazy. I'm not-" Rose whispered to him."I didn't say you were."Just because someone saw something no one else saw, doesn't mean they were crazy. And she was seeing a shrink. Which meant that she knew that there was something wrong. Crazy people didn't know they were crazy.
He loved holding her like this. He missed it.
"Are you alright? We saw you fall and freak out!" Hiro said, as he burst into the room. Rose pulled away from him, her eyes narrowing.
"I'm fine. What do you mean you SAW me?" She stepped closer, as Hiro's eyes widened.
"Uhhh, what?" He laughed nervously. Rose looked down at his hand, which was balled. Instantly she grabbed it, squeezing his wrist until it opened, revealing fifty dollars.
"Uh. Oh. That. I can explain that."
"Hiro, maybe you should shut up now-"
"Oh no. You guys weren't calling bets. Not on me. Were you? And what would that be about? Hrm? Me and Guillermo?"
Hiro nodded and both Stefano and Guillermo stepped away, noticing his mistake.
"What? About when he'd hit that sweet spot?"
"You're taking this really well..." His voice was cut off as Rose punched him in the face.
"You swung at me!" He yelped, rubbing his jaw.
"You made a bet on when he'd fuck me!" She accused right back.
"Yeah, and you lost me fifty bucks by not doing it in the lounge, you DON'T SEE ME SWINGING!" Rose shoved him against the stall, only to be pulled away by Stefano, though she didn't stay in his grasp long.
"¿Qué está pasando aquí?"
Guillermo froze as Fernando entered the room.
Rose didn't turn to look at him.
"The Tweedlefucks have been making bets about my fuck life that's-"
Fernando's eyebrows raised and Rose turned. Catching sight of her uncle, she swallowed, looking like a little kid who had gotten caught doing something they weren't supposed to.
"I mean. Um. What?"
"Hiro, Stefano. I am thinking you should go to my office now, yes?"
They left silently and Fernando looked at Guillermo and Rose.
He felt extremely guilty, although he wasn't sure what he should feel guilty for.

[ROSE MERCER]

Rose should say something. Anything. But she couldn't. She just stood in between Guillermo and Fernando, grabbing Guillermo's hand behind her, her eyes staring nervously ahead. So much for the facade of her not having experienced the wonders of intercourse. "Tio, I-"

"Estás siendo seguro, ¿verdad?" Rose blushed at the question, almost laughing out in her out nervous discomfort. But she nodded, watching Fernando's face. It was the face of a Father who knew a bit more than he wanted, and now had to address it. It was Rose getting her first period at the shop all over again... "Pero usted sabe accidentes todavía puede suceder, ¿verdad? Ellos no son prueba plena." Rose buried her face in her free hand.

"Uh, yeah, I know."

"Buena. Aunque es bueno que se le está seguro." Fernando said, watching them both closely. "La seguridad es importante."

"Being very safe, Tio. I swear it." Rose winced in discomfort, as Fernando started to back away.

He stopped, his face suddenly serious. "Have you two had relations... here?" Relations? Did he really just call them 'Relations'?

"In the bathroom?"

"In the shop." Rose grew another shade scarlet, nodding curtly. As she opened her mouth to confess, Fernando stopped her. "In my office?"

"What? Oh! OH God! No!"

"In my car." Moaning, she shook her head in the negative. "In my bed?"

"NO!"

He relaxed a little, smiling. "Bueno, bueno. Eso es bueno. Pero no para tratar de ... perder el tiempo ... durante las horas de trabajo. No fue durante las horas de trabajo?" Okay, he had her there. She didn't answer, so he took it however a Fernando took it, and left with a bit of awkwardness, mumbling about safety and what have you.

Rose turned to Guillermo, laughing a little. In truth, she felt a bit faint. A little overstimulated. She leaned against one of the sinks, suddenly aware that they had been in the middle of something. "So. You believe me. What now?"

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

"Tio, I-"
"Estás siendo seguro, ¿verdad?"
Rose blushed, shifting uncomfortably.
"Pero usted sabe accidentes todavía puede suceder, ¿verdad? Ellos no son prueba plena."
Rose buried her face in her free hand.
"Uh, yeah, I know."
"Buena. Aunque es bueno que se le está seguro. La seguridad es importante."
"Being very safe, Tio. I swear it." Rose winced in discomfort, as Fernando started to back away.
Guillermo couldn't look Fernando in the face. It was just too awkward.
"Have you two had relations... here?"
"In the bathroom?"
"In the shop."
Guillermo's mouth popped open in shock as Rose grew another shade scarlet, nodding curtly.
"In my office?"
His mouth opened more.
"What? Oh! OH God! No!"
"In my car."
Moaning, she shook her head in the negative.
"In my bed?"
"NO!"
Guillermo's jaw was slack, fear across his face. For once, he was actually afraid of his girlfriend's (or ex's) uncle. This was too mortifying for words.
Why would they have used his office or bed?
Of course, they did use the supply closet..
He relaxed a little, smiling. "Bueno, bueno. Eso es bueno. Pero no para tratar de ... perder el tiempo ... durante las horas de trabajo. No fue durante las horas de trabajo?"
Rose laughed as he walked out, more out of horrified relief, it seemed. "So. You believe me. What now?"
It took a minute to make his mouth work.
"I'm... I'm not sure. What do you want?"

[ROSE MERCER]

At least the experience was equally awkward for Guillermo. It sort of made her feel better, really. A guilty pleasure. He considered the question carefully, but gave a quite unhelpful answer. "I'm... I'm not sure. What do you want?"

She sniffed a slight laugh, rubbing her temples. "Yes you do. I know I do. I'm not saying it's going to happen, but damn, don't lie. You know exactly what you want. Hence you being in the ladies room." Scientist Rose was back, her voice logical and precise. She dug around in her pockets for her pack of cigarettes, scowling as the one she picked out fell apart. Damn water fight.

Rose's eyes peered over to Bruja, who sat dignified and proper on one of the old bathroom sinks. "I suppose it really doesn't have much to do with what we want, does it? What matters is what's best, and what's best isn't always what we want." Throwing her soaked cigarette pack in the trash, she sighed, and begun undoing her braids. "I left because she threatened you, Guillermo. And just because you know about her, doesn't mean her threat goes away." The logical aspect in her voice started to fade, gentling to a soft, sad, truth. "But... I mean. I tried. I really tried staying away from you. I didn't want to, but I tried. And... well... it obviously doesn't work." Obviously. They had in the course of two hours turned each other on, laughed, got into a fight, turned each other on again, got into ANOTHER fight, started making out, and outed Rose's sex life to her Uncle. Pretty full day, really.

"So... I have no clue, really. She doesn't like you, and I love you. What fuck, right?" Rose laughed sadly, hugging herself. This was all too fucked up for words.

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

"Yes you do. I know I do. I'm not saying it's going to happen, but damn, don't lie. You know exactly what you want. Hence you being in the ladies room."
He shrugged as her voice slipped back into the logical tone.
Rose's eyes flicked to a sink.
"I suppose it really doesn't have much to do with what we want, does it? What matters is what's best, and what's best isn't always what we want. I left because she threatened you, Guillermo. And just because you know about her, doesn't mean her threat goes away."
How could that make any difference. How could her illusion have any affect on him?
"But... I mean. I tried. I really tried staying away from you. I didn't want to, but I tried. And... well... it obviously doesn't work."
He grinned at her, chuckling. She was very right.
"So... I have no clue, really. She doesn't like you, and I love you. What fuck, right?" Rose laughed sadly, hugging herself.
She loved him.
She loves him.
He found himself able to breathe better and he embraced her.
"I love you, Rose. Why does anything else matter? I can't not be with you. It doesn't work. I hurt when I'm away from you."

[ROSE MERCER]

While his embrace was most welcomed, she couldn't help but be slightly annoyed by his words. "I love you, Rose. Why does anything else matter? I can't not be with you. It doesn't work. I hurt when I'm away from you." Of course her inner girl was quite pleased with this. It was, after all, terribly romantic. But what was romantic was often also quite dense. She shook her head, though stayed put in his arms. It would probably be more effective to speak to him, when they weren't cuddling, but whatever. It needed to be said now, and she didn't want to move.

"Guillermo, you're not understanding." He should see her face. But she really, really, REALLY, didn't want to move. Besides, if the conversation turned sour in anyway, he was usually subdued a bit by touching. Rose turned to face the mirror, pulling him close, wrapping his arms around her like a blanket from behind. "Listen, she- that one time, she... took control. I told you that, right? Now what if she decided she didn't want too..." Anxiously, she waved her hand, wanting him to fill in the blank. She hated the memory of Bruja with Guillermo. It churned her stomach. "And instead got it in her head to hurt you."

"Rose, my patience is wearing thin." Rose closed her eyes, pulling Guillermo tighter around her.

"If something happened to you, Guillermo. I'd never be able to forgive myself." Rose whispered, kissing his arm. And it was true.

"Ugh, this is nauseating." What a hating bitch. She was just jealous, Rose was sure. "Jealous of you. Don't make me laugh." Bruja scoffed. "Darling, for all his love, he certainly didn't mind the relations we had when I was in control." Rose stared at Bruja stung, knowing she was feeding on Rose's insecurities. Cheater. "Seems he would have stopped, had he noticed there was something amiss-"

"I'm sure about you Guillermo." Rose snapped, though she had not meant to. Though it was directed at Guillermo, it was more for Bruja's benefit. He voice softened, looking at Guillermo in the mirror. "It's just... dangerous."

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

"Guillermo, you're not understanding."
Rose's voice was slightly exasperated. He felt like a child being chastised.
She shifted so that she faced the mirror and pulled his arms around her. Guillermo stared into the reflection, his eyebrows drawing together, a bit confused.
"Listen, she- that one time, she... took control. I told you that, right? Now what if she decided she didn't want too..."
Rose's hand waved and he nodded in understanding.
"And instead got it in her head to hurt you."
Rose closed her eyes, pulling Guillermo tighter around her.
In her head? Or in Rose's head?
"If something happened to you, Guillermo. I'd never be able to forgive myself." Rose whispered, kissing his arm.
He sighed. It frustrated him, this real-ish-hallucination thing that Rose had. It made no sense and it made the both of them miserable.
"I'm sure about you Guillermo. It's just... dangerous."
"Then where does that leave us, Rose?"
He snapped, pulling away.
"What do you want from me? I'm in love with you, and I'm ready to give you anything you want, and you give me two contradicting answers. Which is it?"

[ROSE MERCER]

"Then where does that leave us, Rose?" He snapped, yanking away from her. She felt suddenly very cold. Very alone. At least her cloths were drying, though the dampness probably wasn't helping the chilliness. On the other hand, that might not have anything to do with the temperature in the room. "What do you want from me? I'm in love with you, and I'm ready to give you anything you want, and you give me two contradicting answers. Which is it?"

"Ohhh, I see why you're so in love with him. He's soooo very understanding." Sneered Bruja, her voice dripping with sarcasm. But of course he was agitated. This was a fucked up situation. "But I thought love knew no bounds." Okay, seriously, this catty bullshit was getting old.

Hugging herself, Rose shuddered slightly. "Guillermo... please..." She turned to look at him in the face, looking exhausted. "It's not like I'm enjoying this! I don't want it to be like this! You don't think I just wish it was normal again? I do! I want it more than anything!" She was starting to sound a little hysterical, so she pulled into herself, trying to collect herself. Weeping in a bathroom would not help anything. "This has been making me sick, Guillermo. I can't sleep, I can't eat. Of course I want you! I've never wanted anything more. And it's killing me, alright."

"Drama Queen..."

Covering her ears, Rose nestled herself between the sinks, tears flowing out of her eyes. This was too much! Why was this happening to her? Was it karma? "La odio!" She cried out. At least with Spanish she had a little privacy. "¡Deseo que acababa de morir en el accidente de tráfico! ¡Por lo menos entonces no sentiría como estoy perdiendo mi mente!" She didn't mean it, of course. Had she died in the accident, she would have never been able to tell Guillermo that she loved him. They would have never had that small bit of time that was actually good. The best time in Rose's young life. But she was tired, and hurting, and Guillermo was mad at her! No matter what she did, he got hurt!

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

"Guillermo... please..."
She turned to look at him in the face, looking exhausted.
Her voice broke his heart.
"It's not like I'm enjoying this! I don't want it to be like this! You don't think I just wish it was normal again? I do! I want it more than anything!"
She wrapped her arms around herself, her voice rising and he moved towards her, as she seemed ready to cry.
"This has been making me sick, Guillermo. I can't sleep, I can't eat. Of course I want you! I've never wanted anything more. And it's killing me, alright."
Covering her ears, Rose nestled herself between the sinks, tears flowing out of her eyes.
He watched in horror as she broke down. He wasn't sure what he was supposed to do. Guillermo wasn't used to feeling helpless and it made him extremely uncomfortable.
"La odio! ¡Deseo que acababa de morir en el accidente de tráfico! ¡Por lo menos entonces no sentiría como estoy perdiendo mi mente!"
Guillermo listened to her words, frozen.
If she would have died... He couldn't even think about what would have happened.
He sat facing her, his folded arms propped up onto his knees.
"Basta, Rose. Hubiera sido irrelevante si tu hubiera muerto, porque me habría matado yo. El accidente fue mi culpa."
He studied her face carefully.
"Dime qué hacer, Rose. No sé cómo ayudar. Tienes que hacerme entender. Quiero estar allí para usted y le ayudará, porque Te amo. Pero no sé qué hacer."

[ROSE MERCER]

Rose felt his arms sit on her knees, and it was a comforting weight. She laid her head on them, her finger grazing over the little hairs, as she tried to calm down. Being hysterical wouldn't help the situation. "Basta, Rose. Hubiera sido irrelevante si tu hubiera muerto, porque me habría matado yo. El accidente fue mi culpa." His eyes were on her face, watching her. It would have been better, if she just handled it herself. If she had never brought him into it. "Dime qué hacer, Rose. No sé cómo ayudar. Tienes que hacerme entender. Quiero estar allí para usted y le ayudará, porque Te amo. Pero no sé qué hacer." But he did know. He was involved now. There was no point in whining about how she wished he wasn't, because that wouldn't do anything.

She couldn't really talk at the moment, the tears were too thick, clouding her throat. Nuzzling into his arm, she tried just to let the tears out, as stopping the, was pointless. It made her feel like a child again, hiding under her bed, so that she could just cry in peace. Her Father was dead, and had taken a new form of Bruja. True, Bruja didn't beat her with a curtain rod, but the emotional torture of it all was far worse. The threat against this Dorothy was so startling, and deep down Rose wondered if Bruja meant to kill someone. The idea of murder made her want to vomit, and she wondered if she would have any power to stop it. If she told Gretchen that, she'd probably be locked up. Though, at this point, that didn't sound too awful.

People would be safe.

"No sé lo que podría hacer, Guillermo." She sniffed a little, not looking up. "Tú creer mí es maravilloso. Aunque no estoy seguro de que nada bueno para usted. Lo siento." Finally, she looked up, cautiously touching his face. He was strong. Strong enough to handle this. "Estoy muy asustado." Rose whispered, feeling the tears threaten to resurface. "Pero si usted podría ser mi amigo a través de él, Guillermo-" It was so much to ask from him. "Y luego, cuando puedo arreglarlo, si no ha encontrado a alguien ... mejor. Podríamos-" Then they could be together.

Rose did not know she was going about it all wrong, though. Bruja could not be removed, she had to be reasoned with. But it was a process of correction by mistakes, one would say. Rose would learn, all in due time.

[GUILLERMO SALAS-ORTIZ]

She sobbed into him for some time, before speaking softly.
"No sé lo que podría hacer, Guillermo."
She sniffed a little, not looking up.
"Tú creer mí es maravilloso. Aunque no estoy seguro de que nada bueno para usted. Lo siento."
Finally, she looked up, cautiously touching his face.
"Estoy muy asustado. Pero si usted podría ser mi amigo a través de él, Guillermo- Y luego, cuando puedo arreglarlo, si no ha encontrado a alguien ... mejor. Podríamos-"
He was crushed again.
Guillermo looked away from her, unable to bear it. So they were right back where they started?
Hell, he could kill someone. This could not be happening to them. Why? This just wasn't right.
"Soy tu amigo, Rose."
He looked back at her, his heart breaking more as he watched the tears drip down her face.
God, this hurt.
Guillermo leaned forward and kissed her gently, whispering.
"Yo nunca encontraré a nadie más. Te amo, por siempre."
His eyes burned into hers for a few moments, then he stood and walked out. He ignored Hiro and Stefano as he went back to work.