Rachel had expected to confront Janet the moment she returned home, but found the place empty upon her arrival. It was a bit of a surprise, given Janet's penchant adherence to her schedule that Rachel had become all too familiar with. Rachel none the less welcomed the postponement of whatever was to come, allowing her a few more moments of assured freedom.
However, the wait did nothing to settle the turmoil her thoughts found themselves in. Rachel began to doubt if this was the best idea. For all she knew, Janet still had a way to put her under. As soon as the door opened, Rachel could be mindless with just a single word. She'd be all alone, at the mercy of Janet's lust for control. She'd be made to do anything, and made to love it.
She knew it was due to Janet's conditioning that she felt a twinge of excitement at the idea.
Maybe she should have asked Emma to come with after all. If anything, a witness would have Janet thinking twice about putting her under right away. Was it fair of her to risk her friend's freedom for a chance of her own, even if for just a few minutes?
She may still have time. She could still call Emma. Maybe she could even warn her not to look at the tablet in the process. The two of them could wrest the device away from Janet. They could use it on her, make her normal again. Once Janet was dealt with, Rachel could simply make Emma forget about it. She then could live her life, free from the control of others.
That was assuming that Janet didn't trigger Rachel and have her turn against her best friend. Maybe Janet would have Rachel hold Emma down. Rachel would force her to stare into the device, whispering words of surrender into her ear until she lay limp in Rachel's arms, ready to do whatever Janet wanted.
There were so many ways this could go down, most of them ending with Rachel on her knees. Before she could even pull her phone out, she heard the keys sliding into the lock on the other side of the door.
So much for any help.
This was it, the moment of truth. Rachel had no idea what the fuck she was going to do. She got up from the stool and stood in front of the door.
It swung open. When Janet looked up, the smile faded from her face as her eyes went wide. "Rachel?"
Janet let go of the tablet, the device falling to the floor with a thud, protected by its case. She rushed at Rachel, throwing her arms around her friend, so elated to see her again. She put her head against Rachel's chest, never wanting to let go. She could hear Rachel's steady but fast-beating heart, and it brought her a sense of comfort.
Rachel scrunched her nose as she caught a whiff of Janet. The girl reeked of sex, and it filled her with disappointment. She made no move to return the embrace.
Noticing this, Janet pulled away. She looked up at Rachel, seeing the impassive look that was returned to her. Her heart sank, the reaction dashing any hope Janet had that Rachel would be happy to see her as well. She knew it was a naive expectation, but it did little to diminish the relief she felt just to see Rachel again. It wouldn't be easy, but the best she could hope for now was to make amends.
"Where have you been all this time?" Janet choked out. She wiped away the moisture collecting at her eyes and sniffled.
Rachel didn't answer. Instead, she turned around and approached the kitchen table, taking a seat. She was still herself, as far as she could tell. Whether or not that meant anything, she wasn't sure. She gestured to the empty chair across from her.
After Janet followed suit, the two stared at each other in silence.
Janet squirmed in place. "I'm glad you came back." She looked away, Rachel's oppressive, wordless gaze becoming too much for her. It was just like before, just like the day Rachel left. At least this time Rachel was here of her own volition. Perhaps this time she would stay.
Janet took a deep breath.
You got this, Janet.
"I'm sorry for what I said, Rachel. I didn't mean to scare you away. I just wanted to be completely honest with you." She took a tentative glance upwards, but Rachel remained as stone-faced as ever.
"You know... the worst thing about this last week wasn't that you were gone. It hurt, but no... it was that every new day was starting to feel more and more normal, as if the days themselves were trying to tell me that I'd be able to move on without you. I hated myself for feeling that way. I don't want those days to be the new normal.
"I understand you may not like the idea of me continuing to use the device. I can't help how I felt when I used it on you..." Janet expected some sort of reaction from Rachel at that, but got nothing. She had no clue if that was a good sign or not. "I just want to remind you that... that you're more important. If necessary, I can give up the control if it means I can be with you. Anything you want, you can make it happen. We can go back to how things used to be. Even if it's just as friends... I'd find a way to live with that," Janet pointed at the device, all but forgotten over by the front door. "You can make me live with that."
Janet held her breath, having said all she could think of to say. It was up to Rachel now, and this time Janet hoped things would turn out differently.
If Rachel was affected by, Janet's words, she didn't show it. "What did you do to me last week?"
"I..." Janet was caught off guard by the sharp, accusing tone of Rachel's question. "What do you mean? I didn't do anything, I undid it. I undid everything I could, just before you left."
"You're lying!" Rachel's nostrils flared.
"Rachel, no... I..."
"Prove it." Now Rachel was pointing to the device. She kept her eyes on Janet, still wary that she might be put under at any moment, and there was nothing Rachel could do about it. Janet hadn't tried anything yet, but Rachel knew she was hiding something. Janet couldn't fool her with that act of innocence anymore.
"Rachel, that's not necessary," Janet protested. "I'm telling the..."
She saw the conviction on Rachel's face. Regardless of why Rachel was reacting this way, appeasing her seemed like the best course of action. If Janet wanted to be trusted, then she would need to trust in Rachel as well.
Janet retrieved the tablet from the floor before returning to her seat.
When the device was placed on the table and opened, Rachel grabbed it by the sides. She held it with a tight grip to ensure that Janet couldn't turn it around on her. She watched as Janet poked and prodded at the screen, presumably loading up the program.
As screen came to life, Janet closed her eyes. With a slow, deep breath, she pictured Rachel's smiling face, a reminder of the happier times that they shared. It gave Janet hope as she opened her eyes and looked at the tablet.
The colors danced across the screen, and she let out a sigh. Her thoughts slowed as her face relaxed into a calm expression. The screen consumed her vision as the image in her head began to fade until all that was left was the shifting colors in her mind.
Rachel watched as Janet slumped into the chair, her eyes dull and lidded. She let out the breath she was holding, safe from the worry that Janet would subjugate her once more. Now that Janet was under, Rachel could... she could do anything she wanted. Now she had the power to change Janet. She could return Janet to the shy roommate she used to be. Janet said herself she'd be okay with that anyways.
