#oc: braeden creed | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

western-writer · 5 years ago

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After the Fall: War Within Family

Fandom Far Cry 5/New Dawn

Warnings: mentions of abuse, drug addiction, and sex addiction, general angst, brief mention of suicide

A/N: this is long lol. Just warning you. I’m honestly really proud of this and hope anyway reading it loves this as much as I do. Like all my writing, this is my own idea and Braeden is my OC for Far Cry 5. This is unedited so there may be mistakes. Should I make a second part? Enjoy!

Summary: Braeden is riddled with guilt and remorse for her actions before the collapse. With the death of the Seeds, her friends, and coworkers on her mind, she retreats into herself for seventeen years, only to be brought out of it by Joseph himself. After finding out some alarming news, Braeden is left feeling betrayed by a person she thought you would never feel that from.

I thought I was doing the right thing. I thought I was going to save everyone, save the county. I was wrong. I was very, very wrong. Jacob tried to stop me, begged me to stay. That was the first and last time I had ever heard him beg.

Now I wish I had listened.

“You don’t need to do this, Braeden,” Jacob spoke softly to me. His face wore an expression I was unfamiliar with. “You have me. You have John and Faith. Isn't that enough? Joseph can only do so much without us.”

I spun around to actually look at him, instead of looking at him through the mirror. “Yes, I do, Jake. I tried to be reasonable. I tried to get him to stop of his own free will and he refused. It doesn’t matter if he can’t do much on his own. He can do enough and the county deserves to live in peace.”

I took a few steps toward him and cupped his face. He was beginning to worry me. “Please be careful...”

“I will. Go to your bunker. I made sure the Peggies cleared out so it should be safe. John and Faith are already preparing to leave in the safety of their bunkers. You should too.”

He pressed a kiss to my lips, soft and hesitant.

That was the last time I saw Jacob. I left to go face Joseph with the support of Whitehorse, Pratt, and Hudson. Joseph had taken my friends, the members of the Resistance, and it was a battle to get them back. Eventually, it was all of us against Joseph and he didn't stand a chance. As he made his final speech, crawling across the ground bloody and bruised, I checked my watch. I was supposed to meet the others in ten minutes. I was running behind schedule.

I watched as Whitehorse put Joseph under arrest and Joseph spoke a few words to me. I couldn’t really hear him over the howl of the wind and the sound of a bomb exploding in the distance.

That was the moment I knew I fucked up.

Whitehorse ushered us into the truck while Nick and the others took off in other directions.

I tried to get us to safety. I tried to get us to Dutch, but I crashed. I was knocked unconscious and when I came to the others were dead and Joseph was gone. Joseph ripped me out of the truck and I was in and out of consciousness until we reached Dutch’s bunker. There, when I came to fully, I saw that Dutch had been killed by Joseph.

Joseph became my family that day. My only family. I was sure that John, Jacob, and Faith were dead.

Joseph and I were stuck in that bunker together for over five years. Over the course of those years, I changed, Joseph changed me. He told me he forgave me for turning his family against him, but I never quite believed him. I still don't.

I haven’t said a word since right after the bombs destroyed the world, nor have I shown my face. I left myself behind when the door to that bunker sealed shut and I lost everyone I loved. After everything I did... I deserve this.

The Twins were quick to move into the valley and New Eden, Joseph’s new following, fought The Highwaymen until they extinguished the fire in Joseph’s statue that I had destroyed years ago. They lost faith in Joseph, despite still being completely loyal to him, even after he left us. They’re scared, and I don’t blame them. The Highwaymen aren’t like Eden’s Gate was all those years ago. They aren’t taking over for the greater good, or what they think is the greater good. Unlike Eden’s Gate, The Highwaymen are self-absorbed. They care about their survival and their survival only.

News of outsiders in the county traveled fast and word of some “Captain of Security” giving The Highwaymen hell circulated through the compound. Whoever she is, she reminded me of me when I caused trouble for Eden’s Gate. Sometimes I miss those days, but most days I don’t.

“I know you’ve heard of this Captain of Security,” Ethan muttered to me inside his living quarters. “She intrigues you, does she not?” He turned to look at me. I just stared at him. “My father has told me about you and him before the collapse.” I stiffened up at the mention. I never talk about that. Never. I never want anyone inside these walls to know who I used to be. I’m ashamed of it. “She’s a bit like you, isn’t she Deputy?”

The name hit my ears like nails on a chalkboard. It pulled memories out of the deep pit in my mind causing an acid taste to hit my mouth. I glared at him through my mask. If I could’ve, I would’ve yelled at him. Shouted that he doesn’t know anything, but not talking for nearly seventeen years does a number on your vocal cords. Instead, I clenched my fist and he got the message, brushing it off with a chuckle.

“I have received word that the Captian will be coming here to seek our assistance with The Highwaymen. You remember what to do when an outsider wishes to come inside these walls, correct?”

I nodded.

“Good. I doubt she will succeed, but I guess we will find out.”

Ethan walked away from me at that point. My glare followed him as he disappeared out of sight.

Not long after that, the Captain appeared at our door, but I turned her away just as I had been instructed to do. Everyone was surprised when she came back with the Book of Joseph and I had to let her in. Ethan instructed her to bring back proof that Joseph was dead. He wanted his father to be dead so badly so that he could take over for good, but that didn’t happen. Joseph was alive and well and Ethan was furious when New Eden rallied behind him once again.

After that, I began to accompany the Captain on her journey to take down the Twins. It had been a long time since I had done anything like that. It felt good to get away from New Eden and away from Ethan. It gave me a distraction. And God knows I needed it.

***

“You see that sniper up there?” Cap asks me, pointing to a tower on the other side of the Chop Shop. I nod to her. “Take it out.”

I break into action and sprint to the tower silently. I was a bit rusty when we first teamed up, but my old instincts have kicked in once again and I’m back to kicking ass just like I used to.

Maybe John was right. Maybe I am wrath.

My arrow lands in the neck of the Highwayman and he crumples to the ground, bleeding out silently. I look back to Cap and watch her takedown of the Highwaymen with a shield. She picks it up and throws it at another Highwaymen. I can hear the crack of her neck as it snaps from the force of the throw.

“You hear that Joseph Seed is back?” I hear one of the Highwaymen mention to another, blissfully unaware of their dead colleagues.

“Who hasn’t?” the other responds. “You hear about the sighting of what people are believing are the other Seeds?”

I nearly choke on air at that.

“What?”

“Yeah, people are seeing what they think are other three Seeds up north.”

“C’mon, you don’t really believe that, do ya? There’s no way they’re still alive.”

“Of course I don’t believe it. I just think those people drank a little too much ethanol.”

Being distracted, I didn’t even realize I was being snuck up on until I felt the buzz of a bullet fly past me and land in the head of a Highwaymen. I look back at Cap who motions for me to charge. She’s taken out the alarms.

I do as I’m told and jump a barricade. Within mere minutes we have taken back Fall’s End-I mean the Chop Shop.

I stand in front of what used to be the Spread Eagle, thinking about when I first met Mary May and Pastor Jerome. I had saved them from the peggies that had taken Fall’s End. Then I shared a drink with them right there in that bar.

I wonder how Jerome is doing. I know Mary May died, as did most of my friends when the bombs dropped. I haven’t seen any of the living ones since that final battle with Joseph. I refuse to enter Prosperity. I don’t know if I’ll be able to handle seeing John’s Ranch.

I remember when I took John’s ranch from the cult. John was so upset with me. He threw every insult he could at me and got even angrier when I didn’t react. I wonder if he’s ever forgiven me for taking his home away from him.

I wouldn’t forgive me for that.

“Whatcha lookin’ at?” Cap questions me, pulling me from my thoughts. I glance at her, then back to the ruins of the bar and shrug. “You don’t say much, do ya?” I shake my head. “Joseph told me you haven’t spoken since right after the bombs dropped. Is that true?”

I nod slightly in response.

“Why?”

I shake my head and look around what used to be Fall’s End while thinking, You wouldn’t understand.

She sighs, slinging her gun over her back. “I’m going back to Prosperity. You comin’?”

I shake my head again. She’s told me who’s there. I want to see everyone, but they wouldn’t recognize me. I’m not the Deputy anymore. I’m the Judge. I couldn’t stand to have them see me how I am now. I shell of what I once was. I couldn’t stand to see John’s ranch.

“You’re gonna have to go there eventually, Judge. What if the Twins attack it and we need your help?”

I shrug again and at this point, I can tell she’s irritated with me.

“Fine, do what you want. I’ll be at Prosperity getting a hot meal and some sleep if you need me.”

I want to tell her everything. Tell her that I was like her once. Naive in the mindset that I could save the county. But instead of saving it, I caused the apocalypse. I ruined the whole world and destroyed myself in the process. I caused the death of so many of the people I cared about. Why did I get to live?

Maybe that’s why Jacob had tried to convince me to not stop Joseph. Maybe he knew what would’ve happened if I did, but couldn’t tell me, or didn’t want to tell me for some reason.

Why didn’t I listen to him?

***

I make it back to New Eden and immediately go to my bed. My stomach grumbles, but I ignore it. My tiredness trumps my hunger as I fall asleep the moment my head hits my pillow.

I wake back up to see Joseph standing next to my bed and holding a bowl of soup.

“I noticed you did not stop to eat,” he mentions. I sit up and take the bowl from him. He sits down next to me as I move my mask up to eat. He chuckles a bit and glances at me. “You know, I never thought that you would actually stick to your vow of silence. When you stopped talking to me, I thought you were angry with me for some reason, but then when we came topside and I saw that you wouldn’t speak to anybody, I was sure it wouldn’t last more than a few weeks. But you proved me wrong.”

He places a hand on my shoulder as I eat.

“Their deaths were not your fault. None of them. Not my siblings, not your coworkers, not your friends. The collapse would’ve happened one way or another. We just sped up the process.”

I want to ask him how he’s so sure, but I can’t seem to get the words to leave my mouth.

“Do not keep punishing yourself, Braeden. It is not what Jacob would’ve wanted. It’s not what any of them would’ve wanted.” With that, Joseph walks away and I’m left in my thoughts. I haven’t been called by my real name for a long time. It felt strange to hear it, especially from Joseph, the one who rebranded me as the Judge.

It’s insane to think that that crazy son of a bitch could’ve ended up being my brother-in-law one day. Jacob and I had never talked about marriage; we never really got a chance to talk about our future together. I doubt the man would’ve wanted to be married, especially being in his late forties by the time we got together. I wouldn’t have blamed him for that. Being with him was enough for me. A piece of paper saying that we were legally bonded together would never have changed anything, and I’m sure Jacob felt the same way. Jacob wasn’t always vocal about how he felt about me, but he didn’t need to be. He showed his love by his actions and he was incredibly good at it. I understood his love language better than most people did, maybe even John and Joseph, but I also got to see a part of him they never did. I loved him. I still do. No one will ever be able to replace him.

I loved John and Faith, too. I love Joseph, despite everything he has done.

He’s right. Jacob wouldn’t want this for me, especially this long after the Collapse. None of them would’ve wanted this.

After that night, I decided to take Joseph’s advice. In private, I began working on being able to talk again. Not speaking for so many years took a hard toll on my vocal cords and for a while, I began to think that I had lost the ability. No matter how hard I tried, the words just wouldn’t come out.

It wasn’t until I stumbled upon what’s left of John’s bunker that I finally spoke. It was the only bunker accessible, the other two being stuck inside the radiation zones and making it impossible to reach, even with Eden’s Gift.

Seeing it in ruins like this makes me unreasonably emotionally. I stand at the top, staring into the flooded hole in the ground. Memories pour back. When I first met saw them in the church when we arrived in Hope County. When I seized control of his house singlehandedly. Me, never being able to stop apologizing for that. When John first found out about Jacob and me.

I still remember the look on his face when we decided that we were leaving the valley after Joseph was stopped. I could tell he was devastated. I don’t blame him, though. I promised him happiness, a life where he’s not a herald.

At least one of those things came through. He’s not a herald any more.

“I’m sorry, John...” I choke out, my voice rough and raspy. Tears fall down my face and I rip my mask off. “I... I j-just wanted you all t-to be h-h-happy and I-I-I fa-iled.”

“John? Who’s John?” I hear Cap’s voice behind me. I glance back and see her coming up the hill. “Judge, is that you?”

I wipe the tears from my face. “Ye-ah, Cap, It is.”

“You’re talking!” she exclaims.

I laugh a bit. “I am.”

“Who’s John?” I look back at the broken bunker.

“He would’ve been my brother-in-law if life had been kinder.”

As I talk, it gets easier and quicker, too.

“Ew, did you have a thing with Joseph?”

I laugh. “No, no.” I turn and face her. “Have you heard stories of the Deputy that nearly saved this county singlehandedly back before the Collapse?”

“Of course I have, Kim and Nick never shut up about her.”

“I was that Deputy, Cap.”

She looks as if she’s about to choke on air. “W-what?”

“I was the Deputy. My downfall was falling in love with the oldest Seed, Jacob. Joseph wouldn’t stop what he was doing and after he was stopped, I was going to leave the county with Jacob, Faith, and John,” I look at the bunker. “But the Collapse started before I could get to them and I believe they died that day. I was stuck in a bunker with Joseph where the guilt and mourning ate me up until I became this, the Judge. Joseph certainly didn’t help.”

“I never would’ve guessed that you were the Deputy.”

“Most people don’t and haven’t. The only ones that do are Joseph and Ethan.”

She takes a few steps toward me. “That’s why the other day at the outpost you got distracted when those Highwaymen were talking about the rumor that the other Seeds are alive.”

I nod.

“How are you so sure they aren’t alive?”

“I missed our meeting time. They would’ve been topside and away from safety when the bombs dropped.”

“But are you sure?”

“Please don’t get my hopes up, Cap. I’ve spent the last seventeen years mourning these people and feeling responsible for their deaths. Do you know something I’m unaware of?”

“Well... I wasn’t gonna say anything, but knowing what I know now...”

“Tell me!”

She sighs, crossing her arms. “I was up north a few days ago and... I saw what those Highwaymen were talking about.”

“What!?”

“I don’t know how, but I think they’re alive.”

***

My first steps into Prosperity feel strange. It feels like I’m coming home yet arriving at a completely unfamiliar place at the same time. My mask stays on as I look at what they’ve done to John’s ranch. I’d like to think that he would like it.

I walk around and find so many familiar faces that I almost feel overwhelmed by it. I don’t know how I should do this. Should I expose my identity to everyone all at once or do it one at a time?

Now that I think about it, all at once may be too overwhelming. One at a time it is.

My eyes wander over the sea of faces before they land on one that causes an indescribable feeling to shoot through my body. It’s Sharky. My crazy pyromaniac best friend. My ride or die for as long as I was the Deputy.

His back is to me when I walk over to him alone in the explosives lab, but he turns when he feels me getting close to him. He eyes me, unable to figure out what to make of me.

“Who the fuck are you?” he asks. His words would sound aggressive if you didn’t know Sharky like I do. Or did. Good thing I know better than to think that he’s being an asshole.

My hand reaches up for my mask and grasps it firmly. He’s looking at me strangely and I lift it up barely enough for my mouth to show.

“Hi, Shark,” I whisper.

His expression changes quickly. “Shorty?” he whispers back. Finally, I get the nerve to take my mask off all the way and I do. He wraps me in a bear hug when he sees my face, and he tells me he’s not crying when I feel wetness hit my neck, but I know Sharky too well. When we pull away his eyes are filled with tears, just like mine. He holds my shoulders, staring at me.

“I missed you too, Shark.”

“What the hell happened to ya, Brae?”

I hold up a hand and shake my head. “That a long story for another time. Just know that I’m back.”

A huge smile spreads across his face and he pulls me into a hug again.

One by one, I go to everyone and show them who I am. Then, I get to Nick, Kim, and Carmina.

She grew up into such a beautiful woman, Carmina did.

“The Captain brought you in, right?” Kim says, sparing a glance at me as the three of them have their backs to me and are looking at a map or something. For a moment I forget my mask is back on.

“Mhm,” I answer.

“Great, well, welcome to Prosperity. I’m sure you’ll be of great help. I’m Kim, the unofficial leader of our community. This is Nick, my husband, and our daughter-”

As she was talking and slowly took my mask off. Then, I finished the sentence for her. “Carmina,” I say. “Heard that name once or twice.”

My mask drops to the ground and the three of them turn to look at me. Nick and Kim stare at me in awe for a second, seemingly unable to move before they both spring forward and wrap me in a tight hug.

“Braeden, is that really you?” Kim questions, sniffling. I nod to her.

“Braeden...?” Carmina says. “You don’t mean that this is...?”

“Yes, honey,” Nick says. “This is Braeden Creed. Your godmother.”

Without hesitation, Carmina hugs me. And when I say it was the best feeling in the world, I don’t mean it lightly.

***

“Where have you been all this time, Braeden?” Nick asks after I got into a change of clothes. Those old rags I had been wearing were beginning to be uncomfortable. They sit around a fire, eating, and I join them, being handed a plate.

“I’ve been up in New Eden,” I answer. “After the bombs, I was stuck in Dutch’s bunker with Joseph. I... I felt guilty. I blamed myself for everything. For the end of the world, for the death of my coworkers. For the death of Adelaide, Mary May, Jess, Dutch, Eli. For Jacob, John, and Faith. I was mourning the loss of the people I loved while feeling responsible for it at the same time and Joseph took advantage of that.”

“Why for the Seeds?” Grace asks me. “What made you feel like it was your fault they were dead?”

I sigh. “The day we went to stop Joseph, I was supposed to meet with them after and we were gonna leave. Leave the county. I missed our meeting time and they would’ve had to have been topside and away from safety by the time the bombs dropped.” I set my food down, suddenly not being hungry anymore. “Jacob had pleaded with me to not confront Joseph that day. Maybe he knew what would happen if I did, I dunno, but he begged me not to and Jacob never begged. He was too proud for that.”

“But, if he knew what would’ve happened, why would he have let himself die?” Carmina asks.

I shrug a bit. “Jacob was fully prepared to give up his life for Joseph’s throughout the war. And he didn’t even really know if he believed that Joseph could talk to God.”

“That’s one thing about Jacob,” Hurk cuts in. “He never needed a reason for anything.”

“Ain’t that the truth,” I respond.

The more I think about Carmina’s question, though, the more it makes sense. He wouldn’t have just let his family die. Not if he could have prevented it. Maybe Carmina’s on to something here.

Maybe the others really are alive.

***

I stare at John’s house, still in awe of how good of shape it’s in, even all these years later. The Ranch is still as beautiful as it’s ever been. Kim has taken such good care of it.

“Do you think he’d mind that we moved into his house?” I hear Carmina behind me. I turn to look at her and she hands me a cup with something in it.

“What?” I ask, my voice cracking a bit, making her laugh as I take the cup. “Sorry. Rusty vocal cords.” I crack a grin at her and she smiles back.

“Do you think John would mind that we moved into his house?”

“That’s a good question. I had never really thought about it. If I’m being honest, I think he would’ve preferred this to it ending up like a lot of the other structures around here.”

I place my cup on my leg, smiling sadly at the house.

“I remember when I took this place from the cult,” I mention to her. “Jacob and I were nothing more than two smartasses flirting with each other, and John was furious. Called me every name under the sun and more and me not reacting to it made it worse. I thought it was hilarious.” My face falls a bit. “Eventually he got it back, but he didn’t get to enjoy it much. I knew he was mad at me still and even when he said he was over it, I never quite believed him. The Resistance had destroyed a lot of his property: his plane, family photos.”

Carmina looks at me for a second before pulling something out of her pocket. “Here,” she says, handing me a photo. “I found it in the master bedroom in a safe. When you find them, you can give this to him.”

I glance down at it and find a family photo of him, Jacob, Joseph, and Faith. I smile and look back up. “Do you really think they’re alive?”

“What I think doesn’t matter,” Carmina responds. “If you know, deep down, that they’re alive, that’s all that matters. Do you think they’re alive?”

I look down at the photo and run my thumb over it. “I want to. But if they are then I spent all these years punishing myself and feeling guilty for they’re deaths. I’m scared that if they are alive, things won’t be the same.”

Carmina stares at me for a second. “You’re afraid that Jacob won’t love you anymore. That’s it, right?”

“I...” I pause, the realization hitting me. “Yeah... I am afraid of that. Terrified, actually. A lot can happen in seventeen years and I still love him with all my being. I don’t know what would happen if he didn’t love me anymore.”

“I’ve heard about how you and Jacob were. And from what I’ve heard, it seemed like he really loved you. Not just any kind of love, either, no. The kind of love that can and would survive the end of the world. If he’s out there, there’s not a doubt in my mind that he would love you the same, even after seventeen years.”

Carmina’s words of encouragement stuck me with me over the next weeks as we started our search while simultaneously fighting the Highwaymen. Even New Eden is searching, wanting to bring the beloved heralds home. For a long time we turned up empty and I was beginning to lose hope. Then another sighting would happen and the process would start over. It began to feel like I was chasing ghosts.

“Times like this is when I wish I had one of my old guns for hire or fangs for hire” I mutter as me and the Captian steak out an outpost.

She glances at me. “Who were yours?”

“Well, for my guns for hire I had Sharky, Nick, Hurk, Adelaide, which was Hurk’s mom and Sharky’s aunt, Grace, a girl named Jess, a dog named Boomer, a cougar named Peaches, and a bear named Cheeseburger.”

“Sharky was a gun for hire?”

“Well of course. He and I were best friends. Loved to fuck shit up on the cult’s expense. I remember this one time-” My recollection gets cut short when commotion starts in the outpost. We watch as cheering spreads through the outpost. One by one, we see prisoners being dragged in. I grab my makeshift binoculars so I can get a better look and that’s when I spot a familiar blonde being dragged in. The green eyes were a dead give away, if the hair wasn’t.

I smack Cap’s arm and she gets annoyed at me before seeing my expression.

“That’s Faith,” I breath. “It’s Faith.”

“Let’s go raise some hell, then.”

Faces blur together as I take them out one by one, making my way to Faith as fast as I can. It feels as if time as slowed down as bullets fly out of my gun, embedding themselves in the flesh and bone of the scumbag Highwaymen. Then my gun gets knocked out of my hands and I barely manage to dodge a swing as the bat connects with the metal behind me. I roll off to the side to put distance between me and my attacker when suddenly my gun comes sliding up to me. I look up, expecting to see Cap, but it’s not.

It’s John.

With a heavy breath and a smile, I pick up my gun and land a shot into the guy trying to kill me. After that, I jump to my feet and run over to him.

“I’ve got the key to free the prisoners they’ve already put away,” he sighs quickly. “I’ll go get them and Faith. Just keep doing what you’re good at.”

He leaves me with a hand on my shoulder and the question, “Where’s Jacob”, hangs in the air but I stop myself. For now, I need to focus on killing these bad guys.

I spin on my heel and fire off a few shots, dropping them like dead flies. The recoil of the gun feels familiar and for a second, Hope County is back to normal and I’m dropping Peggies faster than you could say Eden’s Gate. The memory waivers for a second before the scene in front of me turns back to normal and the last Highwaymen drops in a heap on the floor.

I glance to my left and see John making his way over to me, Faith in tow. Her eyes light up when she sees me and I run over, crashing into both of them and wrapping them in a tight hug.

“Please tell me that Jacob is okay.”

I pull away from there and their expressions are unchanged, giving me hope.

“He broke up away from the group when they were bringing us in and ran off,” Faith explains.

“We’re not really sure where he is, but we know he’s okay. It’s Jacob,” John adds.

Their eyes look past me and I hear heavy footsteps behind me. Turning around quickly, I see him.

I see Jacob.

Jacob.

My Jacob.

It’s almost like he doesn’t believe his eyes when he looks at me, but an emotion washes over him that I’ve never seen on him before. A look of confusion, mixed with pure joy and happiness.

I can barely contain myself and find myself crashing into his chest. Even seventeen years later, the man is well built and takes my impact without budging. My arms snake around his neck and I hold on like he might disappear if I let go, and a part of me might believe that.

“I thought you were dead, all of you,” I whisper to him. “I thought I had gotten all of you killed.”

“You can’t get rid of us that easily, sweetheart,” he says into my ear. His voice... I missed his voice so much.

I feel something wet on my face and it takes a minute to realize what they are.

Tears.

I haven’t cried in years.

“I wouldn’t want to.”

“Braeden, backup’s on its way! We need to go!” I hear Cap yell to me. I gather myself quickly and nod to her. “We’ve got a ride waiting on the road on the other side but we have to make it there in one piece!”

I let out a loud, ear busting, whistle, pulling the attention of the survivors around us. “Listen up! Highwaymen have reinforcements on the way so if you wanna live, you’ll follow us!”

The group of us run up into the tree where Cap and I were waiting and just as she said multiple trucks are waiting for us and we all pile in.

“Braeden, you’re bleeding,” Cap points out from across the bed of me.

I look down, seeing a gash in my upper right arm.

“When that person tried to take me out with the bat, the metal he hit must’ve buckled and cut me...”

“Well, I guess it’s good we helped Selene out so she can patch you up when we get back.”

“Back where?” Faith asks.

“Our base,” Cap answers.

“Yeah... John, you may not like this...”

***

The moment we’re through the door to Prosperity, Carmina’s on me, clinging to me for life.

“We heard what happened through the radio. I was so scared we lost you.”

“I’m not going anywhere.”

“What happened to my house...?” John mutters, looking at me.

“Hey, don’t look at me. I had nothing to do with this.”

A little bit later we sit down for dinner and the three of them start interrogating me.

“So, all three of them died...?” Jacob questions me, talking about Whitehorse, Pratt, and Hudson.”

“Yeah,” I breath out. “The truck crashed when I was driving us to Dutch’s bunker and, well, when I came to, it was too late...”

“Wait, then how did you survive?” John asks.

I smile a bit and look down at my food. “Joseph. He pulled me out of the truck. Unfortunately, I was trapped in that damn bunker with him and it changed me.”

“Changed you...?” Faith says.

I stir my food around, debating on whether I should tell them or not. “For the last seventeen years, I felt guilty and responsible for the collapse, for the death of you guys, my coworkers, my friends-everything. I became a shell of what I was. Stopped talking, never showed my face.” I glance over at Jacob. “It wasn’t until Joseph came to me a few months ago and told me that none of it was my fault and to stop punishing myself...”

“Braeden... did Joseph ever tell you what he tried to do?” Jacob asks me.

I feel my stomach drop at his tone and cautiously, I question him. “No, he didn’t. Why? What did he do?”

“He tried to convince us to stay... to stay hidden in our bunkers while he fought you. Tried to convince us to not leave,” Faith answers. “We didn’t listen to him and John and I, we went to meet Jacob at his bunker so we could go meet you together, but when we went to leave, there was a small army of followers outside that kept us from leaving.”

I stare at her, trying to make sense of what she just told me.

“Joseph sent the followers, Braeden,” John continues. “He’s known this whole time that we were alive.”

Once the realization hits me, I feel the rage bubble inside me-my wrath. I slam my bowl down, spilling what was left inside of it, and jump to my feet. “That son of a bitch let me believe that you were dead for the last seventeen fucking years. Let me feel guilty and responsible for your deaths and mourn the loss of all of you at the same time. He had the audacity to look me in my face and tell me that your deaths weren’t my fault. All while knowing that you’re alive!?” I pause for a moment, looking at them for a second. “I’m gonna kick his teeth down his throat and rip his fingernails out.”

***

They tried to stop me. They really tried, but they should know better than to stop me while I’m indulging in my wrath.

I was an unstoppable force when I stormed into New Eden for the first time in months with the other Seeds in tow. New Edeners were stunned to see my face as I blew past them in search of Joseph.

Ethan tried to get in my way when I found them, which was a major mistake. I shoved his bitch ass so hard into the wall that it seemed like the wall cracked under the pressure.

Joseph’s face was priceless when he saw the others and even better when slammed his back into the wall behind me. My rage was nearly palpable as I stared at him.

“You,” I seethed.

“What did I-?”

I pull him forward and slam him into the wall again. “YOU KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU DID,” I roar at him. “For all these years, all these FUCKING YEARS you let me believe that they were dead and for what? To make me into your fucking monkey!?”

Joseph falls quiet for a second. “I wanted you to feel my pain. To feel what I felt when you turned them against me. I never meant for it to get this far.”

“Yeah!? And what the fuck did you mean to happen!?”

“I wanted to tell you! I wanted to find them, but the further you fell into yourself the harder it became.”

“Yeah? And what about them? What about leaving them trapped in that bunker for years!?”

“I never intended for they’re exit to be blocked! Believe me, I tried to move the rocks time and time again, but I am only one man! It was by the Grace of God that an earthquake came through and uncovered the doorway.”

“You’re a piece of shit, Joseph. Fuck you for what you did to me and fuck you for what you did to your siblings. I didn’t turn them against you, Joseph. You did that yourself by refusing to see that truth. You’re lucky I don’t put you out of our misery right now.”

I back away, glaring at him as I do. The rage eventually subsides and all I'm left to feel it betrayed.

Who would’ve thought that I could feel betrayed by Joseph Fucking Seed?

What a joke.

#jacob seed #john seed #faith seed #joseph seed #Far Cry 5 #far cry 5 oc #new dawn #far cry new dawn #the deputy #the judge #oc: braeden creed

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western-writer · 4 years ago

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Hello all. Just wanted to stop by and say, if you follow me, thank you. Writing has been one of my favorite pass times since I was 11 and I love that people are finding enjoyment in my writing.

However, I do want to apologize for being MIA. It feels like anytime I make one of these I say that life has been tough recently, but it's the truth. I have found it hard to get motivation to write anything and I am struggling with writers block.

The goods news is that I want to get back to writing. I can't promise how often I'll be posting but I want to start by writing a second part to After the Fall: War Within Family. If you have not read that and are a fan of the video game Far Cry 5, I strongly urge you to do so. I'm very proud of how it came out.

My question for those of you that have read it is, would you he interested in a second part, especially after how the first one ended?

ALSO I just wanna add that I am open to requests and story ideas.

Again, thank you for following me and reading what I write. You have no idea how much it means to me. Thank you for being here.

#far cry 5 #jacob seed #joseph seed #john seed #faith seed #deputy rook #personal #personal post #oc: junior deputy braeden creed #oc: braeden creed #far cry new dawn #far cry 5 oc

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western-writer · 5 years ago

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Friendship on the Rocks

Fandom: Far Cry 5

Warnings: small angst, language

A/n: I know I've been MIA, but I've been writing this so here you go!!! Enjoy! I missed writing so much! I didn't edit this so if you find a mistake feel free to tell me and I'll fix it.

Summary: Staci finds out about Jacob and Braeden's relationship and it doesn't go well at first.

Staci wasn't an idiot. He caught all the flirtatious remarks shared between Braeden and Jacob through the radio. He saw how Jacob's mouth curved into that slight smile when Braeden said something sarcastic back to him, taunting him exactly as he does to her.

No, he thought. Braeden would never do that to me. She would never have a relationship with that man.

He couldn't believe it. He wouldn't. He refused.

That is, until he saw them.

How Braeden managed to get into Jacob's office with no one noticing was beyond Staci, but she did it. There they were, Braeden sat on the desk and Jacob standing over her. His hands are on her hips, lips pressed to the side of her neck and Braeden giggles.

The intense feeling of betrayal surged through his body at the sight, hitting him like a freight train. The sudden rush of anger and pain made him dizzy.

Braeden then realized Staci was watching them and her eyes went wide, pushing Jacob away from her. Staci began to retreat, eyes focused on her as he did so.

"Staci, wait!" Braeden called after him as he turned away and disappeared. She cussed under her breath harshly, jumping off the table and going to the doorway.

She didn't understand how he was able to disappear so quickly, but he did. She glanced around outside the office and he was nowhere to be found.

"Goddammit," she cursed under her breath. Braeden turned back to face Jacob.

Jacob stared at her quizzically as she began to pace around. He has never seen her like this: panicked.

Through all the time Jacob as known the Junior Deputy, she's held a facade of calm and collected, never letting the enemy see the true fear underneath. Of course, Jacob understands the weight of Staci's discovery. He's not an idiot, he knows exactly how close the two of them are and that this could destroy their friendship.

"I need to find him, Jake," she says frantically in a hushed tone. "I need to talk to him. I need to talk to him before this destroys us..."

The panic in her face is a bit startling.

Jacob took the initiative from her and made an announcement over the intercome. Braeden watched his lips move as he talked and within minutes the Vet's Center was cleared of all Peggies.

"Go," Jacob spoke to her. "Go find him."

Braeden exhaled harshly and nodded, turning on her heel and taking off through St. Francis. She ran up and down every hallway, through every room, but he was nowhere to he found.

"C'mon, Staci, where the hell are you..." Braeden mutters to herself.

The Vet's Center is empty, abandoned. Jacob's announcement made them clear out and clear out fast. It's... peaceful. Or, at least, it would be if it weren't for Braeden's friendship on the line right now.

She searched for what felt like forever and had scoured the whole building. As a last resort, Braeden went outside and found Staci sitting alone on a bench, away from the prisoners. Her face fell a bit when she saw him, a look of heartbreak plastered on his face.

You did this. The voice in her head hisses. You ruined everything. You always ruin everything.

Braeden shakes her head and approaches him cautiously, unsure of how to start this conversation.

"Staci...?" she whispers faintly. "Can... can we talk?"

"About what?" he growls quietly. If Braeden hadn't known him the way she did she would've taken his tone as anger, but she knew him too well. Staci had a habit of making his anguish as anger and that was exactly what he was doing right now. "There's nothing to talk about, Rook."

Rook. Braeden thought resentfully. He never calls you that. Never.

"I wanna talk about what you just saw."

Staci's eyes finally wander up to meet her own and they're bloodshot: bright red with the veins more noticeable than usual.

"What I saw, you mean whatever the hell it is you have going on with Jacob? He's a monster, Rook, not to mention being twice your age! He supports that psychotic brother of his, who, seeings as it seems like you've forgotten, has people kidnapped and brainwashed."

"I know..." Braeden mutters, taking a seat next to him. "I just... there's no excuse. I know that..."

"Then why the fuck are you still doing it!? You can't really believe that he cares about you, can you!?"

Braeden thought a moment. "I... I don't know what I think and I really don't care. It just-something between us changed, Staci."

Staci stared at her, prompting her to keep talking.

"I don't even know how it happened. I just went away for a couple days. I needed to get away from all this cult shit and Jacob had the same idea. We ended up going to the same spot and after some distrustful banter we decided on a truce, just for those days, for that time. And we talked. I saw him in a new light, Staci. I stopped seeing him as this being that's untouchable and started seeing him as a human."

"So you two spend a couple days together and you suddenly forget your job and your obligation to this county? Whitehorse made a mistake on bringing you on, Rook. You made a promise when you put that badge on and took on the title as Junior Deputy and you failed. Putting your own selfish desires above everything else."

"Oh, I'm selfish!? For months I have put myself through the wringer trying to save this county, trying to save you and Hudson. Maybe I'm tired of being 'The Deputy' all the damn time, Staci. Why's it up to me alone to save this whole fucking county!? It isn't fair! I'm just one person!"

"News flash, Rook! Life isn't fair!" Staci is on his feet now, yelling in her face. "Your job comes first! You do not get to go running around with the bad guy! And as for me and Hudson, voice done shitty job at helping us."

"That isn't fair. I've been trying to convince Jacob to let you go. I've been trying to get you out and I've been trying to figure out how the hell to get Hudson out too! I'm only one person! Who the hell are you to tell me what I can and what I can't do, Pratt!?" Braeden is on her feet now too. "When I'm with Jacob, the crushing weight of the lives of a l whole county disappears. I don't have to worry about being shot, beat, taken, drowned, or drugged! How is it fair to leave the fate of Hope County to me and me alone!? For just a little while there are no Peggies or cult. I can just be Braeden with out the 'Deputy' title attached to my name."

"So just because you wanna take a vacation means that the whole county gets to suffer and it excused all of Jacob's actions."

"No, it doesn't, but look around Pratt. When I'm with Jacob the county settles down more than when I'm out causing trouble. And face it, the Resistance is not completely innocent. They kill unproked and will kill Peggies that lack even a knife for protection. I have seen people attack unsuspecting Peggies while they're sleeping and they weren't even soldiers! Everything is not black and white when it comes to right and wrong, especially not now in the situation we're in."

"You're just saying that to make yourself feel better," Staci hisses. "Wait until the county finds out. You'll be exiled. You'll never be safe again as long as you're here and the moment this war is over, Whitehorse will make you hand in your badge and you'll be lucky if you're not thrown in jail for treason. Or dead. You're the biggest disappointment this department has ever seen. You're parents would be ashamed of you. I hope you're happy."

The words stung like boiling water on her skin.

"You can go to Hell," Braeden growled. "And to think that I actually felt bad because of whatever Jacob might have put you through. What a joke. If this county can't survive on their own, that's their problem. All they've done is rely on me to do the heavy lifting and I'm done. I quit. They can handle the cult themselves."

Staci couldn't believe what Braeden had just said. The county is doomed and he knows it. What did he just do...

The moment Braeden reentered Jacob's office, he could tell that it hadn't gone well. She nearly slammed the door behind her and huffed, leaning against it.

"How'd it go?" Jacob questions. Her eyes flicker up to him, a glossy, lost look on them.

"I just lost my best friend, Jacob."

"So, he didn't take it well?"

Braeden shoots him a look he's never seen. It's a warning. "Can you blame him...?" she mutters, shaking her head. "He... he called me a disappointment. Said I was selfish and that my parents would be ashamed of me. Told me that Whitehorse bringing me on was a mistake and that when this is all over I'll be lucky if he doesn't make me hand in my badge, if I make it out alive."

Jacob inhales sharply. Staci wasn't just angry, he was furious.

"I would've understood if it was about things between you and him... but he didn't even mention that once. He made it all about my obligations to the county, as if I'm some supernatural creature with supernatural abilities and not just a single person." She looks up finally and locks eyes with Jacob. "I quit the Resistance, Jacob."

"What...?" he breathes out.

"I quit the Resistance. They use me and I'm sick of it. Staci made me realize that. This doesn't mean I'm joining you, but I'm not fighting against you anymore. I'm neutral from here on out."

A slight smile flickers onto Jacob's face and he approaches Braeden, cupping her face in his hand and leaning down to kiss her forehead. This is a side of Jacob that Braeden has never seen before but she'd be lying if she said she didn't like it.

"He basically threatened me, Jacob."

"What?" Jacob snapped, straighten his back quickly and looking down at her.

"He told me to wait until they found out. I'd never be safe as long as I'm here. That I'll be exiled."

"I'll make sure that doesn't happen, even if it means you staying here with me. They won't get to you, I promise."

A few days later, Jacob takes Staci for a ride. Staci is apprehensive to get in the truck with him but does anyway. The ride is quiet and Staci is preparing for whatever may happen to him but is surprised when the truck comes to a stop and Jacob puts it in park. He looks over at him.

"Aboit half a mile up the road is one of the outposts Braeden took from me."

Staci furrows his brow, hand on the doorhandle. Is this some sort of trick...?

"W-what?"

"You heard me. Now get out of the truck before I change my mind."

"You're letting me go? Just like that?"

"Do you not wanna be let go or somethin'?"

"No, no! I wanna go, I'll just-" Staci cuts himself off and goes to get out of the truck, but Jacob catches his wrist.

"And if I ever find out that you threated Braeden again, your body will never be found."

"W-what...?" Staci stammers.

"She told me what you said to her." Jacob's voice is low. Dangerous. If he wasn't frightening before, he sure is now. "I'm lettin' you go for her. Not you." Jacob lets go of his wrist. Staci exits the truck quickly and just before Jacob started it again he calls out the window. "Remember, Peaches. I keep my promises."

And with that, Jacob drove away. Staci stood by the side of the road for a minute, watching the truck disappear before leaving himself.

"How did things go with Mary May?" Jacob asks as Braeden walks through the door. She looks up at him and down to her bruised fist.

"About as well as you could expect," Braeden answers.

"You're not welcome here anymore," Mary May spat at Braeden as she walked through the door to the Spread Eagle.

"Its a free country, Mary. I just wanna talk."

"There's nothin' to talk about, Deputy. You left the Resistance so you left us."

"At least I did something for the Resistance, Mary. I don't see you out there taking back outposts or getting drugged, kidnapped, and beaten every week."

Mary came around the counter, sticking a finger in her chest. "I'm not the one that put her own selfish needs above everyone else!"

"Here we go again with the selfish thing! All you've done is use me! I do the heavy lifting while you stay here in the safety of Fall's End. You didn't even look for me when I dissapeared for days on end. Maybe I'm being selfish but it's better than using someone!"

Without warning, Mary May pulled back and swung on Braeden fast. Braeden backed up and caught her wrist swiftly and knocked her down with one square punch.

"I feel for you, Mary. I'm sorry that you can't see that what you and most of the Resistance did was wrong. I came here to talk but you weren't ready so you know how to find me when you are ready."

"Sounds like an eventual day," Jacob remarks.

Braeden nods a bit and sits down, sighing. "I need to talk to Eli."

"What? Why?"

"I owe him an explanation. It's the least I could do. And I got some intel that Staci made it to the Wolf's Den. I wanna speak for myself before whatever bullshit he told them sets in..."

The mention of his name causes pang of guilt and sadness to hit her in the chest. She'd never admit it, but she misses him. She misses him a lot.

"Well," Jacob says, standing up. "I don't think it's a good idea, but I won't tell ya what to do." He goes to leave but Braeden calls after him.

"Hey, did you ever figure out how he escaped?"

Jacob responds with a mere handshake and disappears out of sight.

And so Braeden went to the Wolf's Den. Cautious at first in order to avoid being shot but able relaxes a bit after seeing that the Wolf's Den is mostly empty.

"Eli...?" Braeden calls out softly. "Are you here?"

"In here," Eli calls back. Braeden enters the Den and into the weaponry. Eli glances up at her and smiles softly, a pleasant surprise. "What's up, Deputy?"

"I assume you've heard about me and Jacob and my leaving the Resistance," she says, leaning against the doorframe.

"I have," Eli replies.

"You're not gonna... I dunno, cuss me out? Yell at me? Call me selfish?"

"I think you've got enough of that from everyone else."

"You're not... mad?"

"If I'm being honest, I was. I was furious. But then Deputy Pratt found his way here after Jacob let him go and told me everything that happened between you two." He sets down his bow he's cleaning and turns to face her. "It got me thinkin' that you're right. We placed too much responsibility on you. I don't necessarily approve, but I understand."

Jacob let Staci go...? Braeden wonders. Why did he tell me he escaped...?

Braeden sighs, relieved. "I've seen some awful shit, Eli. Stuff a person should never have to see."

Eli stares at her. "I was... I was leading a group to get supplies. There were a bunch of Peggies camping around it. Mothers and fathers. Children. They couldn't even fight back, Eli. They didn't even have weapons but they got massacred. It wasn't self defense. It was murder."

"That's horrible, Dep. I'm sorry you had to see that."

"Me too. I wish I could scrub the images from my head."

Eli stares at her for a second, crossing his arms. "Can I ask you somethin', Dep?"

"Sure, Eli."

"Whaddya see in Jacob...?"

Braeden laughs a little bit, crossing one leg over the other. "I was waiting for you to ask that." She looks at the floor and then back up at him. "I... I really don't know. It's just different with him. I'm not 'The Deputy' when I'm with him, not anymore. I'm just... Braeden. I never thought in a million years we would've ended up like this. When I saw him in that church..." her thought trails off and is cut off by Jacob's voice coming through her radio.

"I guess that's your cue to go," Eli says.

Braeden nods softly and turns, preparing to leave but turns back around and throws her arms around his shoulders. "Thank you, Eli. For everything."

With that, she disappeared out of the Wolf's Den and Eli sighed, content. As long as she's happy, the Resistance will survive.

Over the next few weeks, the war between the cult and the Resistance has come to a standstill. Members of each side no long go out of their way to harm each other. An effect of Braeden leaving the Resistance, maybe, no one's quite sure. What everyone can agree on, though, is that the standstill certainly isn't a bad thing.

Staci has seen what's been happening. He sees the seemingly peacefulness in the county. He can't help but wonder if Braeden's absence has caused this. Her being with Jacob no doubtly slows his operation, which in turn slows everything else down.

Or maybe it was intentional.

He doesn't know.

What he does know, though, is that he needs to talk to Braeden. It's been a month, at least. Jacob releasing him got him thinking and now he's thinking he was wrong the whole time.

He ruined the relationship with his best friend because he couldn't see things from her perspective. He doesn't know what she's gone through these last months. He doesn't know the things she's seen, how close she's come to death. All he cared about was him.

"Hey, Eli...?" Staci mutters.

Eli glances up at him from the camera screens. "What's up, Pratt?"

Staci sighs. "I think I fucked up..."

Eli turns his whole attention to Staci. "Braeden?"

"Yeah." Staci takes a deep breath. "I might've ruined our whole friendship and for what? Because I held her up to impossible standards? Because I couldn't realize that she's human like the rest of us?"

"Well, to be fair she did some pretty inhuman stuff. The fact that she was able to do so much against Eden's Gate by herself would make anyone forget she's human."

"I still was an asshole. And then Jacob released me and... I dunno."

"It made you rethink everything?"

Staci nods. "Yeah. Yeah, it did."

Eli sighs a bit. "You know, I used to work for Jacob before all this cult shit happened."

"You did?"

Eli chuckles. "Who do you think built all the cult shit?"

"Oh..."

"Anyway, I used to work for Jacob and we... we were friends. He wasn't... he wasn't a bad person. I still don't believe he's a bad person, he's just... misguided. They all are. They're misguided and doing misguided things."

"You call all of this misguided?"

"I mean, obviously it's not an excuse for their actions. They think they're doing the right thing, though."

Staci sighs again. "I need to talk to her... I need to apologize and make things right. I just dunno if she'll speak to me..."

Eli sighs and walks toward him, clamping a firm hand down on his shoulder. "I couldn't say I'd really blame her, but just try. Ask her to meet you. Something tells me she'll show up." With that, Eli walks away, leaving Staci with his thoughts.

Braeden walks into Jacob's office and is surprised to see the other three in there. All four of them stop talking and look at her and Braeden freezes.

"Oh shit," she mutters. "This isn't awkward at all..."

Joseph laughs a bit, motioning for her to enter further. "Come," he says.

"I mean... the last time I saw him " she points to John. "I had to throw myself down stairs to get to Hudson only for him to nearly bliss me out. And then everytime I see her she makes me go on the biggest drug trip I've ever had."

"Nice to see you too, Deputy," John states, his voice laced with sarcasm. Faith just smiles softly.

"Braeden. Just call me Braeden." She walks over and the chair and sits down.

"Where're you been?" Jacob asks.

"Needed to clear my head," Braeden responds distantly.

"Why?"

She looks up at him, arms crossed over her chest. "Staci. He called me on my radio and said he wanted to meet with me to talk."

"What? Why?"

"How am I supposed to know!?"

Jacob sighs, nodding. "Are you?"

"Gonna meet with him? I dunno. I kinda wanna hear what he has to say."

"If ya do, I'm goin' with."

"Fine. I don't care. I'm gonna go take a shower." Braeden stands up and walks toward the bathroom, stopping to kiss Jacob on the cheek. He watches her disappear before turning back to his siblings.

Together, Braeden and Jacob ventured to the meeting spot with Staci: Hawkeye Tunnel. They arrive first and wait and wait for what feels like forever until finally another truck pulls up and Staci steps out.

"Thank you for meeting me," Staci says quietly, coming to a stop a few feet in front of them. His eyes dart to Jacob briefly before settling back on Braeden.

"I wanted to hear what you have to say," Braeden responds. "I figured I owe you that."

"No, you don't owe me anything, but thank you anyway."

It's strange for Braeden to see him wearing something besides his uniform. Over these last few months that's all she's ever seen him wear.

Staci takes a deep breath that turns into a sigh. He crosses his arms and starts talking. "I want to apologize."

"You-what?" Braeden stumbles over her words.

"I... I was an asshole. I see that now. It wasn't fair for me to expect you to save the whole county. I never stopped to think about what it could be doing to you. Truth is, I just didn't want to see something bad happen to because of him," he glances at Jacob. "But then he let me go and it got me thinking that maybe... maybe I was wrong about you and him."

From the corner of her eye, Braeden watches Jacob tense up at the mention of him letting Staci go.

"Why did that make you change your mind?" Braeden questions, taking a few steps forward.

Staci looks at Jacob, then back to Braeden. "Because he showed me that he really cares about you and that's all I've ever wanted for you, Braeden. You're not only my coworker, but my best friend-my sister. And I don't want to see you hurt. But now I realize I was the only one hurting you."

Braeden smiles at him softly and closes the gap between them, throwing her arms around his shoulders and hugging him tightly. Surprised, but relieved, Staci hugs her back.

"That's all I wanted from you, Staci," Braeden whispers. "I couldn't understand why you never brought up being mad about us because of things between you and Jacob, but now I get it." She pulls back and looks him in the eyes. "It was never about you and him. It was about him and I."

After the friendship was repaired, things in the county got even better. Braeden even managed to convince Joseph to stop everything. To stop killing people and kidnapping people. Then she got the Resistance on board for the truce and everything was peaceful again, but that's story for another time.

Not to say that everything went back how it was before, because there was no going back to that, but it's normal. Their normal. And the people of the county wouldn't have it other way.

#jacob seed #staci pratt #oc: braeden creed #far cry 5 oc #far cry 5 #Jacob seed x oc #staci pratt x oc

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western-writer · 5 years ago

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Home

Fandom: Far Cry 5

Warnings: mentions of abuse, swearing

A/n this is a story about Jacob and my oc, Braeden Creed. This takes place after Eden's Gate and the Resistance make peace.

Summary: Braeden is conflicted about her relationship with Jacob.

Nuzzling into her neck stirs Braeden awake, and for a second she forgets where she is. She dreamt of being home and the sounds of birds chirping outside did nothing to prove that statement's falseness, but the moment her eyes fluttered open, reality came crashing down.

She wasn't home. This isn't home. It's the absolute farthest thing from home, so why does she feel some comfortable? Why does it feel so familiar?

Braeden turns her neck slightly to see the large man pressed against her, head nuzzled into the back of her neck like a puppy. She almost laughs but stops when Jacob's arms tighten around her middle.

When she first laid eyes on Jacob in the church when she tried to arrest his brother, never once did she think she would end up like. Never did she think she'd be waking up in his bed and not regretting it immediately. She never expected for it to become like this, but it's better than anything she could have ever hoped for.

"Braeden what the fuck, did you forget about breakfast at Whitehorse's?" a familiar voice comes through her radio. Through phone lines have been reinstated, many people throughout the county still communicate through radio. They just find it easier.

"That Peaches...?" Jacob mumbles behind her and Braeden laughs.

"He has a name, Jake."

"Yeah, Peaches."

"No," Braeden emphasizes. "His name is Staci."

"Whatever," Jacob mutters tiredly. His grip on Braeden tightens and she chuckles.

"Jake, c'mon. Hudson will have my ass if I don't show."

"Sorry, Hudson, I've already claimed ownership on that ass."

"Jacob, seriously?" She can't help but laugh at that and pry his arms off her.

Jacob growls a bit and sits up behind her. Braeden throws her legs over the side of the bed and looks around the room. Once her eyes find her jeans, she stands and trudges over to them and throws Jacob's shirt and jacket to him while she does so. Slowly, she puts the article of clothing on.

"Creed, you there? Did you hear what the fuck I just said?" Staci's voice comes again. Jacob reaches for the radio and Braeden shoots him a "don't you dare" look. Pausing, he shoots her a smirk and grabs the radio before she can.

"Yeah, yeah. She heard ya. Patients is virtue, Peaches."

The line goes silent and a bit of guilt hits Braeden.

"Why do you do that?" she sighs, leaning against the wall.

"Do what?" Jacob respond innocently.

"You know what I'm talkin' about, Jake. Why do you feel the need to terrorize him?"

Jacob scoffs and gets up off the bed. "I hardly think I'm 'terrorizing' him."

"Look, I don't know what you did to him when I wasn't around, but it's clear you damaged him. I already feel shitty about being involved with one of my closest friend's abuser. Please stop makin' it worse." Braeden looks up at him, eyes soft as Jacob stares at her.

"Abuser?"

"Psychological torture is still abuse, Jake. Not to mention that everytime I saw him, he always looked beaten up."

Jacob rolls his eyes a bit and turns away from her, pulling his shirt. Braeden sighs again.

"After I told him about us, we had a huge argument, Jake. It almost destroyed our friendship and Staci is one of my best friends. I just can't have you damaging him anymore. Please, Jake. If you won't do it for him, do it for me."

Jacob turns and has an unreadable expression. "Fine. For you." And he leaves it at that, exiting the room.

"Took ya long enough, Rook," Hudson says, clapping her on the back. Braeden mocks Hudson a bit and kicks her shoes off before entering Whitehorse's house any further. She slides into a chair and Whitehorse is setting down plates with food on them. Braeden is the last to dish up and slow at it, too.

"You okay, Braeden?" Whitehorse questions, concerned.

With her head resting on her hand, Braeden nods. "Yeah. I'm fine."

"You sure?"

Braeden scoffs a bit. "I doubt any of you would like to hear my domestic issues." Her eyes raise and meet Staci's, being cut off when he looks away quickly.

She knows she's very luckily any of them still talk to her and she doesn't want to push her luck.

"Issues... with Jacob?" Hudson forced out. She is the last one Braeden thought would engage in this. Braeden watches as Staci flinches at his name.

"Let's not talk about here, alright? Let's just enjoy breakfast."

Later after breakfast, Braeden realizes the Staci has disappeared. She looks around for a bit and finds him in the backyard. Cautiously, she takes a seat neck to him.

Silence lingers in the air and Braeden sighs. "I'm sorry about Jacob earlier. I tried to get him to not say anything, but he didn't listen..."

Staci doesn't say anything and the tension Braeden already feels intensifies.

"Look, I have no idea what he put you through. And I know I'm insanely lucky that you and the rest of the Resistance still talk to me."

Still no response.

"Truth is, I feel... guilty." She hangs her head a bit. "You and Hudson and Whitehorse are so important to me... but so is Jacob and I want the two sides to be able to live harmoniously. But, I also get that that will probably never happen. I just don't want you to end up hating me."

Staci sits for a minute before finally turning to look at her. "Does he make you happy?"

Braeden smiles slightly. "Yeah, he really does."

"Do you love him?"

"Well, uh, I think the potential is there... but I don't think I'm quite there yet."

Staci laughs a bit and turns his head. "Everything... all that shit... it got way outta hand. And you're right, we destroyed lives just as much as they did. We hurt people, killed people and it wasn't always in self defense. I'm not sayin' that they didn't absolutely deserve what they got... but I want it to behind me, ya know? You probably got the worse of it than anybody, and you somehow managed to fall for the enemy, right?"

The sound a vehicle pulls their attention away.

"Braeden, you need to come here right now!" Hudson calls.

Quickly, Braeden makes her way to the front yard where Hudson had called from. Staci is close behind her as they enter the front yard and find Hudson and Whitehorse standing at the gate, facing someone.

"Jake? Why're you here?" Braeden asks, pushing past her coworkers.

Jacob looks at her and he looks conflicted when he looks a Staci. Jacob leans against his truck and folds his arms.

"I don't know if Joseph talks to God and I really don't care," he begins. "What I care about is my brother and that's why I did what I did. Braeden's dedication to her friends reminded me of that..."

"Jake, what're you-?"

"Just let me talk," Jacob cuts her off. "I'm not sayin' I regret what I did because I will never regret supportin' the family that saved me. What me, and the others, regret is how we did everything. Not that makes a difference, but there. Now you've heard me say it. We never wanted be become like our father. I never wanted to become like our father. But, I guess the cycle of abuse just keeps goin'."

"Are you... apologizing... to us?" Hudson questions.

"Sure, if that's what you wanna call it. But don't get used to it. I don't usually regret things I do."

"Why say all of this to us and not the rest of the Resistance?" Whitehorse asks.

"Because she doesn't care about the rest of the Resistance like she does you guys."

Braeden walks toward Jacob and wraps her arms around his neck and Jacob laughs a bit.

"I'll see ya at home, alright?" he says to her.

Braeden nods, pulls away from him and watching him get in the truck and drive away.

Yeah. He'll see her at home. This is her home.

#jacob seed x female deputy #jacob seed #oc: braeden creed #far cry 5 #fc5 #fc5 fanfic #jacob x oc #staci pratt #jacob seed x f!deputy #joey hudson

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