Timeline - October 16th | ( Next Day)

No amount of training could mend the turmoil within him. Slaying monsters only fueled his restlessness, and each tequila shot forced him to confront thoughts he'd rather avoid. Hours later, having barely slept, he found himself in the cafeteria, his finger hovering over the tablet on the table, his knee bouncing and his foot tapping on the floor. Besides that, he could feel Snow's power relentlessly pressing on him, wherever the hell she was. But what consumed him more than anything was Eko's email announcing her reassignment, sent at 3:54 am that morning. It loomed before him, ending with a huge 'fuck you' as her sign-off. The message only served to anger him more, stoking the fires of his frustration and unresolved emotions.

As he sat amidst his friends—Jesse, Richie, Toni, and Jasmine—all nursing hangovers, Matthew reached for his coffee cup, hoping its warmth would provide a distraction from thoughts of her—the soft, sweet moans that escaped her lips when she reached her peak with him. But as he lifted the cup, he realized it had long since gone cold.

Frustration simmered within him as he stood up abruptly, without a word. The others at the table watched him leave, and before anyone could ask what he was doing, he was already making his way to the front of the cafeteria, appearing as though he was going to order another coffee.

"I'd love one as well!" Jesse called out after him, a hint of sarcasm in his tone. "Thanks for asking!"

Ignoring the comment, Matthew reached the counter and ordered another coffee, his mind consumed with thoughts of her and the email announcing her reassignment. He couldn't shake the feeling of frustration and anger that had been building since he received it in the early hours of the morning. He needed to do something about it, and he needed to do it now.

After receiving no response from Matthew, Jesse turned back to the table, her fingers pressed to her temple. "Can somebody tell me what happened with those two? I thought it was fine, they left together."

"She came back in," Jasmine replied, struggling to recall the events of the previous night. "To be honest, it was all a blur. They were gone for like half an hour or something." What she did vaguely remember was dragging Eko's sorry state back to base with Sawyer after she got into a brawl with some of the fan club girls.

The scene had been chaotic: Eko, already incredibly drunk and emotional, had been cornered by a group of girls. They had started with snide remarks, but things quickly escalated when one of the girls shoved Eko. Fueled by a mix of alcohol and pent-up frustration, Eko had swung back, landing a solid punch that set off a full-blown fight. Jasmine and Sawyer had to wade into the fray, pulling Eko away from the fight as fists and insults flew.

When they finally managed to extricate Eko from the chaos, she was a mess. Her nose was bleeding, her hair was a tangled mess, and she kept muttering incoherently about wanting to vomit and killing Matthew somewhere in between her gagging.

They had dragged her back to base, where Madison was waiting, clearly unhappy. When Eko vomited, Jasmine was pretty sure Madison was reminding her that her mother would be horrified and embarrassed by her behavior. Jasmine honestly didn't really care at that point. Additionally, Eko was going to be in a far worse state that morning than any of them. The fan club had been circling around, waiting for her. Jesse had already told them to back off when they got there, and Matthew was in no mood for any of them after whatever had happened between him and Eko last night.

"Just, someone please fill in the gaps?" Jesse moaned, looking up. "Where was I for this?"

"In the bathroom," Toni grinned, "you were throwing up like you always do."

"Hmm," Jesse eyed him suspiciously, "did you hold my hair back again?"

"I'm getting pretty good at it," he smirked. "Didn't get any in your hair this time."

"See, this is why I like you better than Richie!" she teased, drawing a long smile from Toni.

"Oi?" Richie frowned. "I've told you a million times, I don't do well with vomit."

"Yeah, yeah," Jesse waved him off playfully, "that might work on Mya, but not the rest of us." She pressed her fingers to her head now, "My head is literally pounding still," and she rolled her head to Toni. "Will you love me enough to get me some ibuprofen?"

Toni chuckled, shaking his head, but before he could respond Eko entered the cafeteria, her appearance spoke volumes. Her usually immaculate hair was tousled and disheveled, and her eyes were weary and bloodshot, dark circles underlining the exhaustion etched on her face. She moved with a sense of purpose, her steps determined but heavy, heading straight for the front counter of the cafeteria without so much as a glance at anything or anyone else. Her shoulders sagged slightly, betraying the weight of her burdens, and the usual spark in her demeanor was replaced by a hollow, distant look.

Richie noticed her first, his expression shifting from amusement to concern. "Eko doesn't look too good," he murmured to the group, and with that they followed his gaze, their playful demeanor fading.

"Well, she's alive!" Jasmine leaned forward, studying one of her closest friends. "That's a positive considering last night right?"

Toni nodded in agreement, his eyes following Eko's every move. "Definitely doesn't seem like she's in the mood for chit-chat."

The table tensed up as though the universe had answered their prayers. With everyone on tenterhooks, they watched as Matthew and Eko came face to face at the entrance, neither expecting to bump into the other.

Richie glanced at Toni with a smirk, raising his coffee. "Get ready for round two!"

Jasmine bit her lip, her heart aching for her friend. "This isn't going to end well," she whispered to Jesse, who nodded in agreement.

All eyes were on Matthew and Eko as they faced each other, their expressions inscrutable. The tension between them was palpable, and the rest of the group, like the rest of the full cafeteria, held their breath, waiting for the next move in this unfolding drama. The silence was thick, each second stretching into eternity as they waited to see what would happen next.

****** *****

Lost in thought, Matthew wove through the bustling cafeteria, replaying the events of the previous night in his mind. The weight of everyone's gaze made him more uneasy with each step. Near the exit, he unexpectedly came face to face with Eko, and everything else seemed to disappear. Any semblance of composure and rational thought vanished as he took in her despondent, pallid appearance.

"We need to talk about last night," he said, locking eyes with her, his voice low and intense. "And where do you think you're going when you leave here?"

The cafeteria, filled with soldiers and cadets, quieted as they observed the charged interaction between Matthew and Eko. Despite the once bustling activity, Eko remained unfazed by the attention, her composure unwavering. The crowd watched in anticipation, waiting to see the outcome of their confrontation.

"I am NOT in the talking mood right now," Eko growled, her voice hoarse and strained, as she shot a glare at Matthew before diverting her attention away from him.

She wasn't lying. She had woken up with a pounding headache and a hoarse voice from arguing with Madison most of the night. Madison had relentlessly reminded her of her choices and their consequences, every word a sharp jab at her already fragile state.

If that wasn't enough, she could feel Ace's vicious rampage of emotions. Wherever the hell he had been and whoever he had been fighting, his emotions were spiraling off like never before. If she hadn't had her head down the toilet, she would have found him, shoved her staff into him just to stop him from infecting her with his own turmoil. She only had the capacity for her own emotions right now without taking on his as well.

Having barely managed to get any rest, she still had to navigate through a fan club frenzy on her way to the cafeteria, desperately hoping for a much-needed large double-shot latte. And of course, like fate wanted to kick her when she was down, she bumped into Matthew. He looked so miserable that it tore at her heart even as it made her viciously angry at him for invoking all these feelings.

"I don't fucking care about your fucking hangover right now. We are sorting this out," Matthew insisted, his determination cutting through the tension. His eyes bore into hers, desperate and resolute.

Eko's expression hardened, the raw pain in her eyes mingling with fierce defiance. "Sorting this out?" she echoed bitterly. "Matthew, there's nothing to sort out. It's done. We're done. You got my paperwork; I am fucking out of here!"

The cafeteria seemed to hold its collective breath, the charged atmosphere between them crackling with unresolved emotions. Matthew's face fell, the desperation in his eyes giving way to something raw and vulnerable. Then something else took over him, and his jaw tightened, the intensity of his emotions barely contained, like a dam about to burst.

"You can't just walk away from this," he snapped. "From us."

"WATCH ME!" she shouted back, her voice slicing through the air like a knife. Her body trembled with pent-up frustration and exhaustion. When he tried to grab her wrist, she recoiled violently, her eyes blazing with a mixture of hurt and fury. "We are not together, so don't you fucking touch me!"

"You do not get to decide this!" he roared, his voice echoing off the cafeteria walls.

In an instant, she drove her hands into his chest, and when he didn't budge, she leaned in close, her voice a deadly whisper laced with venom. "Follow me, and I'll drive one of these fucking knives into your throat! Understood?" The threat hung in the air, a chilling promise that sent shivers down the spines of those watching.

Matthew's eyes widened in shock, his breath catching in his throat. For a moment, they stood there, locked in a battle of wills, the tension between them almost tangible, and when Eko couldn't stand being there for one minute more, she turned on her heel and stormed out of the cafeteria.

Each step felt like a war within herself, the weight of the past night pressed down on her—Madison's accusations, and now this explosive confrontation with Matthew. Behind her, the cafeteria buzzed with whispers, the fan club fanatics murmuring, "Did you see that?" and, "I can't believe she said that."

Could this day get any worse?

Shaking off the thought, she made her way through the hallways, each step an effort to keep herself from collapsing under her emotional turmoil. She accidentally bumped into Gracie and her posse, who were equally surprised to see her.

Oh, Jesus...just fucking great.

Gracie's eyes widened in shock and then narrowed in disdain. "Look who it is," she sneered, her voice dripping with outrage. "You sneaky little conniving bitch!" The fan club girls stared at Eko as if she were a literal plague, unable to believe she had been seeing the man behind their backs. Their eyes were filled with contempt, and whispers of betrayal floated through the air.

Eko glared at her, too exhausted to muster a verbal retort. She tried to push past them, but Gracie blocked her path.

"Not so fast," Gracie began, her tone icy. "I never said you could leave."

Eko clenched her fists, the anger bubbling up again. "Get out of my way, Gracie. I'm not in the mood for your bullshit."

Gracie gritted her teeth, taking a step closer. "I don't know who you think you are, but I suggest you go and take a good, long, hard look in the mirror and see yourself for what you actually are! You're a pathetic conniving loser, and now everyone can see it."

Eko felt a surge of anger and defensiveness rise within her, but then her frustration bubbled over. "Oh, I'm the fucking loser?" she scoffed. "Fuck off, Gracie. I promise you, you won't get back up if you go head-to-head with me!" she hissed, her calm demeanor shattered. Gracie could see the anger written all over Eko's face, and she wasn't about to let her get away with it.

As Eko tried to move away, Gracie grabbed her wrist to stop her. "Get your mangy, unmanicured hands off me, right now!" Eko gritted her teeth, her temper spiking.

Gracie's sneer twisted into a malicious grin. "Let me remind you of your place," she began, her tone dripping with contempt, grabbing Eko's full attention.

"You are nothing but a disposable toy to him. Just a pitiful, unappealing, little distraction. Face it, you were never going to be anything more than a dirty little secret, a temporary plaything until he got bored." Her words cut like knives, and the girls behind her snickered, reveling in Eko's discomfort. "Knowing this, facing the truth of it all now. How does it feel to know that you were just never good enough?"

Eko's anger flared, her hands trembling. "And who the fuck do you think you are to speak to me like this?" she spat.

Gracie laughed, a cold, cruel sound. "Oh, I think I do. Everyone sees it, Eko. You're just a joke. A pathetic, washed-up joke. And soon enough, even he'll see it too. You're nothing and will always be nothing."

The words stung, hitting Eko in her most vulnerable places. Her chest heaved as she struggled to control the rage bubbling up inside her, but deep down, a voice scoffed at Gracie's words, mocking the idea that she was not good enough. That voice reminded her exactly who she was—the future Queen of two worlds. Her subconscious hissed and snarled, demanding she remember her worth and power.

She was more than good enough, and if she weren't so concerned about blowing her cover, she would have made that ignorant bitch eat her words. She would make her bow at her feet and beg for mercy. But she wasn't a queen in this world, nor a princess. Here, she was nothing. And there was only one thought that consumed her with that realization: the laws did not apply to her, which meant she could do this without fear of anything else but a scolding coming her way.

Like a light switch, a determined smirk appeared on Eko's face. She clenched her fists and charged at Gracie like an enraged beast. The other girls screamed, but Eko was beyond reason. Consequences and trouble were the last things on her mind; in that moment, she was a force of nature, and anyone who dared to challenge her would face her wrath.

Eko tackled Gracie to the ground, overpowering her with raw, unrestrained strength. Despite the frantic attempts of the other girls to intervene, Eko was relentless. She unleashed her pent-up fury upon Gracie, each blow more vicious than the last. Her screams turned feral, the sound echoing through the hallway as she struck Gracie's face with a resounding thud. The taste of iron filled her mouth where she had bitten her own lip in rage, but it only fueled her further.

Gracie tried desperately to shield her face with her arms, but Eko's fury was unyielding. Her fists found their mark again and again, a brutal symphony of flesh and bone.

"What did I tell you?" Eko's voice roared through the hallways, dripping with rage. "I ASKED YOU A QUESTION, GRACIE! WHAT DID I SAY?"

Gracie screamed up at the woman on top of her, her voice a mix of terror and agony. "Somebody get this psychopath off me!" Her words barely coherent through the chaos.

Eko's fists paused mid-strike, her breathing heavy and ragged. She glared down at Gracie, her eyes blazing with unrelenting fury. "I told you to back off," she hissed, her voice low and dangerously steady. "And you didn't listen."

Gracie's face was a mess of blood and tears, her anger growing louder as the reality of her, as were the sounds of other soldiers around them.

But Eko wasn't done. She grabbed Gracie by the collar, lifting her partially off the ground. "You think you can mess with me and get away with it?" she snarled, shaking her roughly. "Do you?!"

***** *****

"Eko! Stop!" Mya's voice was frantic as she pushed through the crowd, her eyes wide with fear and concern, as she watched as Eko's curled fist hit into Gracie's face.

It's at that moment that pandemonium erupted as a rush of bodies tried to separate the two girls from each other, while there was screams from other soldiers to get someone to stop the fight, Mya pushed her way forward, only for soneone to grab her by the arm. One of posse's that hung around Gracie was staring at Mya wide eyed.

"You need to stop them! She is fucking crazy!" Her voice shrill with panic.

But both girls attention's were pulled away from the other when there was more screaming from the crowd and then a few, "Gracie, hit her back!" chants were echoing in between.

Mya observed as some of the older men stood with folded arms, laughing and looking quite smug. She made a point to remember their faces, mentally noting every detail. She intended to ensure their headmaster would reprimand them thoroughly once everything was said and done.

"GET OFF HER! YOU MADE YOUR POINT!" Another scream echoed through the halls from the posse, and all around her, it seemed like everyone had lost their minds as some were now cheering them on to fight.

"Catfight!" The chant rose from the crowd, "catfight!" they repeated, adding to the frenzied atmosphere.

****** ******

Eko felt arms trying to pull her off Gracie as she straddled her, glaring down with eyes blazing in fury. Gracie, pinned beneath her, spat up at Eko, "You fucking whore!" She managed to get her arm free and, with a tightened fist, swung forward, hitting Eko in the face and connecting with her nose.

The impact was met with a fierce retaliation from Eko, who tightened her fist and delivered a punishing blow, causing an audible crack to fill the hallway. Gracie writhed in pain, her cries piercing through the chaotic scene. Her hands clutched her broken nose as she cried out in agony.

"Fuck! Eko! Enough!" Mya's voice cut through the chaos, her words pleading with Eko to stop as she tried to pull her away from the now-bloody and injured Gracie. Eko struggled against Mya's firm grip, her rage still bubbling beneath the surface.

Some students had their phones out, recording the fight, while others looked on in disbelief. The metallic taste of blood from her bitten lip mingled with the adrenaline surging through her veins. Just as Eko began to regain control, Gracie staggered to her feet, blood trickling from her mouth.

"Is that all you got, you piece of shit!" Gracie spat, her voice dripping with venom.

Eko's vision turned red as her fury reignited. She broke free from Mya's grip with a surge of raw strength and pounced on Gracie, sending them both crashing to the floor. The crowd gasped in shock, the noise around them growing louder as Eko's fists flew, each strike more forceful and frenzied than the last. Gracie tried to fight back, but Eko's rage was unstoppable, a relentless storm of violence and anger.

The chaos reached its peak, the sounds of the crowd's shouts and the scuffle filling the air. Mya's desperate cries for Eko to stop were drowned out, lost in the commotion and the palpable tension. But it all came to a piercing stop when a commanding voice cut through the uproar, powerful and undeniable. He became the only person who could actually control the rage coursing through Eko's veins, the only person this had ever been about in the first place.