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[5055034455]

[There's something different about Saul today.

He's seated in front of the camera, as usual, and he's in a suit, also as usual, but —

Oh, maybe it's the fact that Stephanie's leaning against his shoulders as he speaks, which takes away all possibility of him being his usual, businesslike self.

It might be that.]

Hey, everyone. As some of you've noticed, Jesse Pinkman went home a couple of weeks ago. Since there was some concern over the cookie situation last month, we — [With a brief nod upward, toward Steph — ] Figured that we'd harness some of the holiday spirit that's been goin' around and make sure this month's newbies are fed and clothed. Feferi will be taking care of handing out jackets and whatnot on the first, and Steph and I will be manning the cookie table alongside anyone else who decides to join us.

[Without missing a beat, Steph adds:]

Might even see if I can get one of those big urns to put hot cocoa in, to help warm the newbies up, and us, if we're hanging around there for a while. Any chance you can help out with that, Ella?

[She gives the camera a bright smile, which is mostly for Ella's sake. Sorry about abusing your powers.]

What we're not gonna do is make a party of it. I know that kinda sucks, but we just don't have the space, so the plan is that everyone who wants to can bake a couple batches in their own ovens, then bring them to our place sometime on the thirty first. If you don't know the address already and you're planning to help out, I'll give it to you here. [But she's not - just giving it out on the network openly.] If you need ingredients, let me know; I went on a mission and made sure we had plenty of stuff so I can give you flour or sugar or choc chips. Same goes for the recipe. Annnnd if you need help getting cookies to us, speak up, and we'll work something out.

[For a second, it looks like she's about to wrap it up, but then something else occurs to her.]

Speaking of parties, I dunno if anyone's doing anything for New Year's Eve, but if they are, can everyone try to get the cookies to me before like - seven, so I can still go out. Thanks.

[At which point Saul looks up and over at her, feigning a pout.]

Sorry, so we can go out.

[And then he's all smiles.

Before the feed clicks off, he adds another "thanks," and away they go.]

[Then, a private text to Sonya from Steph, sent only moments later:] sonya, i know you're smart enough to put two and two together, but please don't say anything to anyone else. it's not something that needs to be spread around.

Comments

[5055034455]

[Silently, he points to Steph.

He'd point to himself, too, but we all know that he's all talk.

Then, to break the silence, he adds:] Among others who have far less self-control.

[controlledvariable]

[All she does is lift a shoulder in a lazy shrug.

Because it's true.]

[legal_eagle]

[And that earns another, nastier laugh.]

Then why the fuck are either of you on the fucking case? If you're willing to go that far, then you need to step the fuck aside.

[And, to Steph:]

And that's some nice enforcement of your word. What the fuck happened to being done with him? Now you're willing to kill in his memory?

[controlledvariable]

I'm willing, Saul isn't. And I'm not on the case.

[And that's true, because she isn't. Officially.

But then nothing she does is official.]

If someone did that to him, I'm making sure it doesn't happen to anyone else. Not to mention that Jesse wasn't the only one hurt.

[Ellie, Saul, Lisbeth. That's where the revenge aspect really comes in, though it would in part be for Jesse.]

[legal_eagle]

[And Sonya stares at Steph a moment, then gives another laugh, shriller.]

Fucking...Have I been taking crazy pills? Have I honestly, seriously, been taking crazy pills, or has the world fucking gone defective around me?

[And then she gestures to the side, the motion like a slash.]

You honestly don't see what the fuck is wrong with saying, oh, we need to keep this quiet so that no one engages in vigilante justice, and then you chatter blithely about how you're gonna engage in vigilante justice? You don't maybe see an eensy-weensy little problem with your logic there?

[controlledvariable]

[She's almost surprisingly passive in the face of that, for her, at least, just watching Sonya while she rants.]

Apparently you missed the part about self-control. [another shrug, and a brief glance at Saul] The words you used, that I agreed to, where would and willing. Last I checked that doesn't mean will. If someone killed him and we find out who, I'm hoping the police can handle it, but if not, I'm willing to make sure it doesn't happen to anyone else, whatever that takes.

[Anyway, it's not like she doesn't know she's a hypocrite.]

[legal_eagle]

[Another laugh.]

Then you have no right to keep that from other people. Because if you claim that right, then others do, too.

[She shakes her head, the tension in her neck clear from the jerkiness of the motion.]

Give me a reason why I shouldn't broadcast a follow-up message to yours saying exactly what happened to him. And, sorry, "We're keeping them from vigilante justice so I can get my piece" won't fly. I'm hearing you right now, and I would very much like a reason, but that's not it.

[5055034455]

Because you have no right to say anything about Jesse Pinkman. [This is snapped at her through his teeth. What follows, after he's taken a breath, is less angry — but only a little:] You had no right to announce to the entire network that he did what he did during the mutiny, either. It's not your place, Sonya. I don't give a shit if you think you're doing what's "right" — which, by the way, is hilarious, considering how you threatened to starve him — because I know, and Steph knows, and I'm sure plenty of other people will know that you're getting some sick satisfaction out of this. And how do you think that'll make you look, huh? Making an example of him for your own selfish, bullshit reasons again — nice.

[No, okay. The anger's back.]

When the truth is ready to come out, it'll be from my mouth. I'm his lawyer. I'm the one who cares about him. It'll come from me, not you. Are we clear?

[legal_eagle]

[She remains calm in appearance, but her voice is hard:]

Yet another repetition of something I said in anger and didn't mean and a lot of condescending ordering me about. Not your best effort, Goodman. No.

[And a twisted smile:]

And I gave up on having any sort of reputation, or fucking future, when I agreed to represent the mutineers. So don't come at me like my image is worth shit any longer. Try again.

[5055034455]

Something you said in anger that left someone terrified that that would actually happen.

[He clicks his tongue, all disapproval.]

You need to choose your words more carefully, Sonya. I'd suggest you start by keeping those that have anything to do with Jesse's death to yourself for now.

[legal_eagle]

I'd suggest you fuck yourself.

[Another laugh, jagged and unpleasant.]

And seriously, Goodman, treating me like a drooling idiot child isn't winning you any points. As a matter of fact, it's losing you points. You're starting to drop pretty fucking far into negatives, in point of fact.

[5055034455]

[Flatly:] Oh no, I'm back on your shit list.

[Cue a roll of the eyes as he looks over toward Steph like, Can you believe this?]

How about we try this: I'll ask you nicely. Please don't go to anyone else with this. [It's not begging, but he sounds very sincere.] You don't have to do it for me or for Steph, so — do it for Lisbeth. Do it for the person who's grieving the most. The last thing she needs is for someone to turn this into a spectacle.

[Least of all Sonya.

Saul is pretty sure Lisbeth would go after her in a heartbeat.]

[legal_eagle]

[That -

Is, at last, a reason that means something to her. Some bit of the aggression melts out of her face. She still doesn't look anything like happy or friendly or not-pissed, but it's a step in the right direction.]

There are more than just her, you know. More than just her that deserve to know. Justify keeping it from them.

[controlledvariable]

I had to tell Ellie that Jesse was gone.

[It's quiet, almost, but there's still a hard edge to it.

Sonya has no fucking right to talk about the people who love Jesse.]

Until I know for certain what happened, telling her we don't know, telling her maybe it was murder, is only going to hurt her even more. If we wait for more conclusive proof either way and then tell people, they can have closure.

[legal_eagle]

[She lifts her chin.]

It's not your right to decide that.

[5055034455]

And it's not your right to take the situation into your own hands in the name of goodness and righteousness and whatever the hell other convenient excuse you have for your shitty behavior, especially when you didn't give a shit about him. So it seems we're at an impasse.

[The look he gives her this time is challenging. Try to tell him otherwise.]

[legal_eagle]

[And that earns a snort. She crosses her arms.]

No, we're not. Because you trying to convince me not to do something and failing doesn't constitute an impasse, it constitutes a loss on your part. Unless you murder me here, which you're not gonna do, I walk away from this knowing full well what happened and fully empowered to talk about it, no matter how much you try to look like you're my fucking boss.

[controlledvariable]

So what's the plan, Sonya? You gonna smear Jesse's business all over the network again, tell everyone that he committed suicide? Because god knows people have a right to that information.

[Her tone is cutting with sarcasm. Last she checked, it's generally left to the family of the deceased to decide whether to disclose a detail like that.]

I mean, shit, it's not like I wished people had kept their fucking mouths shut when I died, it's not like I wished someone had done a little digging before asking my mom to plan a funeral.

[Bruce knew. He knew something was wrong with Steph's "death", but he never cared enough to find out more.]

[legal_eagle]

[Steph just gets a shrug from her.]

If you're bringing up your own autobiography, that probably hints that you're feeling this too personally. All the more reason to step back.

[controlledvariable]

[Fuck you, Sonya.]

You didn't answer my question.

[legal_eagle]

[And another shrug.]

I don't know whether it was suicide or not, so no, I'm not going to state what it was. I'm just going to say he's dead. Unless, again, you give me a reason not to that isn't just calling me a shitty person for daring to not keep secret information that neither of you have the right to hoard.

Bear in mind that you're also both free to amend your announcement. It doesn't have to come from me. Hell, ideally, it won't.

[5055034455]

[Saul finds the nearest solid surface and leans against it, silent for the moment it takes him to run a hand over his face.]

I'm not doing anything without talking to Lisbeth and Roslyn first. And I'd appreciate it a whole hell of a lot if you stopped taking matters into your own hands like this — you're not helping. You're hurting a lot of people. But I guess that doesn't matter when it means you get to see those of us who loved Jesse suffer, huh? Are you just pissed off because your little attempt to turn everyone against him didn't work? Is that it?

[He folds his arms, expression turning grimly serious.]

Or is it that you're happy he's gone and can't wait to see who crawls out of the woodwork to join you in the chorus of "ding dong, the drug addict's dead"?

[legal_eagle]

[Her lips thin. There's a level of hurt she cannot help but feel at him being so...utterly, completely wrong about her, but she won't voice that. She knows she hasn't exactly been struggling to disabuse him of his notions - Instead, she'll just reply, coolly:]

Brilliant deductions as always.

[5055034455]

What, am I wrong? Go ahead. Tell me otherwise.

[It's half sincere, half dare.

If she tries to tell him she cares about Jesse, he's not sure what he'll do.]

[legal_eagle]

[She wants to sneer at him. She wants to bite out that she's exactly what he thinks of her. She wants to maintain her pride.

But even if she thinks Goodman is being a fucking dick right now, he still meant something to her once. Maybe still does. And even if she wants to tear out Steph's eyes, even if she thinks she's being a fucking hypocrite and liar, the fact remains that the girl was the only one to give a shit about how wretched Pinkman had made her.

So she unbends herself enough to bite out:]

You're wrong.

[Only that. No more. But it's the truth.]