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Chapter Text

“Loomis?”

Jamie’s eyes fluttered open in that moment in the hospital as she looked around. She was in the hospital. She was safe. Wynn wasn’t here. 

Thank God. She could still remember that horrible night that Steven was conceived. That terrible night, when they had injected her with drugs and wheeled her into that room. She swore that she could still smell that room…

”Jamie,” Loomis finally said. “Thank God. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”

”I’m right here. I’m all right.” Then, “Your face…it’s changed.”

”Plastic surgery. At least I don’t frighten people anymore…”

”You never really frightened me.” That wasn’t entirely true, Jamie knew, because Loomis had frightened her, he truly had at times, back in 1989. But what was a little white lie, really? 

Besides, she knew that Loomis was being manipulated now. Wynn had talked about using Loomis’ more morally ambiguous tendencies as a test to see if he could step into the role of Michael’s successor. Even the idea was outright repugnant to Jamie, but Wynn was like a magpie only with people. Collecting them, really.

”You’re very kind, Jamie,” Loomis said. “But…I did frighten you, back in 1989. You were a scared child and I only added to your burden. And then I wasn’t there for you when you were kidnapped by…by him. I’m so sorry.”

”It wasn’t your fault,” Jamie said. “You were incapacitated at the time.” Then, "Loomis…what I said on the radio: I have a baby. I had to leave him behind…”

***

It was Tommy Doyle who came in with a familiar, squirming bundle. Jamie all but rose, or tried to rise, only to wince — Michael hadn’t hurt anything vital, but her stab wound still hurt. “My baby,” she murmured.

”It’s yours?” Tommy said. He changed his hair, Jamie thought. She liked the old blond hair, Tommy didn’t have to change, but she supposed Tommy could do what he wanted with his hair. 

Jamie nodded.

Tommy, gently, gave him to her and Jamie rocked him softly. “You’re here,” she murmured. “You’re really here. You’re safe.” She looked up at Tommy. “Thank you.”

“It was the decent thing to do,” Tommy said. "Besides, I’ve been hunting Michael for a while. When I heard you on the radio…”

”You came.” Then, “I never fancied you to be a Michael hunter.”

”It was for Brady. For Rachel too."

Jamie did smile at that. “They’d be proud of you." Then, “I actually named my baby Brady.”

”I thought it was Steven, but…that’s a good name.” 

A faint, melancholy smile came over Loomis’ face. He clearly approved too.

***

”Terence Wynn actually got arrested,” Loomis said. “Outside the hospital. They suspect he was trying to kill you.”

”Of course he would.” Jamie’s voice cracked. “Loomis…he’s not your friend. He’s a monster. He’s a beast in human skin. I hate him.”

Loomis winced. “You don’t usually hate anyone.”

”He…” And Jamie told him everything. 

Tommy spoke, cautiously. “I knew about Thorn but not this,” he said. “I really…”

Loomis, meanwhile, looked like someone had shattered his heart. “Terence did all this,” he said. “Terence…”

”I wish it wasn’t true,” Jamie said.

”It wasn’t your fault, Jamie,” Loomis said. “What he did to you was unambiguously an atrocity. I thought your uncle was a monster, but Terence…” 

“I couldn’t fight back,” Jamie said. “They shackled me and drugged me. And when Michael didn’t do the deed, Wynn did it himself…”

”Oh, my poor girl.” Loomis murmured. “It was not your fault. Terence is…you are correct that he’s a beast in human skin.”

***

The sheriff, Meeker’s replacement, stormed into the room looking white as a sheet. “Wynn confessed to everything,” he said. “We have him in a holding cell. Hopefully unlike Myers, he’ll stay in jail.”

”He has followers,” Jamie said. “They’ll try and break him out…”

”Not if we have anything to say about it,” the sheriff said. "We’ve arrested people who were complicit.” A sigh. “Only exception is Myers. Now I don’t know if Wynn’s lying or out of his mind, but apparently he’s behind Myers’ rampage and there’s some magic spell on him. Crazy old man…”

”It’s true,” Jamie said. “He gloated about it. And I saw the tattoo on my uncle’s wrist.”

Silence.

”It could just be a tattoo,” the sheriff said.

”I know it sounds crazy,” Jamie said.

”Crazy doesn’t even cover it. You’re making it sound like it’s…magic." Then, “But we’re capturing Myers nonetheless. I guess we’ll see if this whole magic thing has any validity.”

***

After the sheriff left, Loomis turned to Jamie. “You should rest,” he said.

”I can’t. Michael’s still out there, and…I need to stop him. But I can’t do it by myself.”

”There is a way,” Tommy said. “Apparently the Druids invented a way to undo the Thorn curse in cases of emergency. Someone would have to line up the runes, then offer a sacrifice of their own blood. And then, afterwards, say ‘Samhain.’” Tommy pronounced it “Sow-han” though.

”Good Lord,” Loomis said. “I was pronouncing it wrong all these years?”

”We all make mistakes, Doctor,” Tommy said.

Jamie almost laughed, despite herself. Even almost laughing felt good.

More than that, there was hope. Wynn had never said anything about there being a cure, at all. But he’d lied. Wynn had lied, and there was hope there.

Chapter Text

The scar on her chest had healed, but Jamie Lloyd would carry it for the rest of her life. It was only fitting. A scar on her leg, a scar on her chest and back from where the knife had gone in and Michael had almost killed her. 

Even at the jail cell, Jamie was dressed up in a new dress that she’d gotten with Kara when they’d gone shopping. She found she liked Kara; Kara reminded her a lot of Rachel. Rachel would have liked Kara, Jamie thought. But she was dressed up, and she had the necessary instrument to make the cut. Tommy had been reluctantly allowed to use the knife and runes and he was originally going to do it, but Jamie knew she had to be the one to do it. It was her fight with her uncle; she had to end it.

”It’ll be okay, Jamie,” Kara said, soothingly. “You’re not alone.”

”Neither are you.” Jamie said. She took a deep breath, cut into her palm. Smeared the blood around the runes that she had already set up. And she said the word.

”Samhain.”

A blinding white column of light and when the light cleared…

Michael stood there, still maskless, clearly stunned at what had just happened. His eyes…they weren’t black anymore, borderline midnight. They seemed just a dark color, a normal dark. Thorn’s taint had been cleansed from him. Even looking at the glimpse of his wrist, that ugly symbol was now gone.

He looked from his wrist, clearly shocked, to Jamie. And then, slowly, he spoke. Not a bombastic sound, but a rusty, quiet, raspy sound.

”Jamie?”

And now Jamie knew what it was like for Tina when Tina had regained her voice. She wouldn’t mind if her uncle never stopped talking. It was a bizarrely beautiful sound.

”Uncle,” she said softly, and despite herself, she smiled. 

Chapter Text

The trial itself came around, and Jamie was already nervous about seeing Wynn in person during the trial. It was one thing to tell her story to Loomis, but to a whole jury? That was something else entirely. She could already imagine being cross-examined about what she did or didn’t wear, like it was her fault as opposed to Wynn’s.

Kara, Tim and Beth were there with Darlene and Richard at least to look out for Jamie during the trial. Billy Hill too; there were definitely hugs and tears and Jamie telling him everything and Billy saying it wasn’t her fault and that Wynn would never, ever hurt her again.

Jamie hoped that it was true, at least.

Even as they walked across the street, Jamie didn’t miss the protestors with signs reading FREE WYNN. Chanting. “Free Wynn! Free Wynn! Free Wynn!”

Jamie could swear that she was on the verge of hyperventilating. They wanted him freed. How could they? Why would they want to free a man who had committed these horrible atrocities? The man who had violated her, tried to hurt poor baby Brady, tortured Michael…

”It’s okay,” Kara said, softly. “We won’t let them hurt you, Jamie. Or your baby.”

They walked past the protestors — and the counterprotestors who were now joining the fray. “Justice for Jamie!” they screamed. “Justice for survivors!"

Jamie knew, in that moment, that she wasn’t alone, and neither was Brady. They had the Carruthers family. They had Kara, Beth and Tim. They had Billy. Everyone.

***

Walking inside the courthouse was almost a relief — until Jamie saw Wynn. It all came rushing back. Her kidnapping, that horrible night Brady was conceived, giving birth to Brady and Wynn taking him before she got to hold him and bond with him…

She already felt herself shivering, even though it wasn’t cold. Brady started fussing, and it was that where Jamie cradled him close to her chest.

”It’s okay,” she murmured. “I’ll never ever let him hurt you again. I promise, Brady.”

Brady seemed to calm a little bit, at least, even as Jamie cradled him close. He started fussing again though as the judge’s hammer came down. Jamie hoped that the trial would go in their favor.

Billy reached towards her. “I g-got y-you something,” he said.

It was another bracelet. Jamie looked at him in astonishment. “Is that…”

”It’s for l-luck,” Billy said.

Jamie beamed at him. “Billy, can you fasten it around my wrist? I’ll have to shift the baby a bit…”

Billy did so. Jamie shifted Brady to her hip. When the bracelet was fastened, Jamie did smile, despite herself. They would need all the luck they could get.

The judge spoke, barely contained fury in her voice. “Doctor Terence Wynn, you are accused today of kidnapping, brainwashing, child grooming, torture, and child sexual abuse. How do you plead to those heinous crimes?”

”Guilty,” Wynn said.

Apparently Billy’s bracelet worked too well. They were spared having to testify.

”And I would do it again in the name of Thorn,” Wynn said. “In the name of duty.”

“That son of a bitch,” Darlene murmured. “I could break his neck myself.”

”I know.” Jamie said. “I wouldn’t stop you.” She didn’t usually hate people; even Kyle and Michael she had been willing to forgive. But Wynn? Wynn was a beast in human skin. 

“Oh, my poor sweet girl,” Darlene whispered. She kissed Jamie lightly on the head, and Jamie almost wanted to start crying. It reminded her so much of when she was still very small. Before things had gotten worse.

The judge spoke again. “I have never seen such a scale of cruelty in Haddonfield, and I doubt I ever will again,” she said. “You had power over Jamie Lloyd — you abused it. You kidnapped her, raped her and tried to brainwash her baby into being one of your loyal soldiers in the name of a religious crusade. You abused that power over Michael Myers as well, using a babysitter to groom him into being one of your soldiers. You are responsible for the deaths of multiple innocent people — Judith Myers, Annie Brackett, Lynda Van Der Klok, Bob Simms, Nurses Jill Rosenthal, Janet Carpenter, Karen Hill and Gloria Alves, as well as Karen’s boyfriend Bud Castle. Not to mention Brady Jensen, Kelly Meeker, Rachel Carruthers, Samantha Thomas, Spitz Little, Mikey Kaplan, one of your own midwives, Mary Farrands — ”

”She betrayed Thorn. She was a necessary death.” Wynn said.

The judge continued. “And what about trucker Daniel Chappelle?”

”He meant nothing to me.”

The judge’s fury was ice cold. “I see. It must be truly a Halloween mask of your own, hiding behind piety and delusion. But now all of Haddonfield sees you as you truly are. I sentence you, Doctor, to death by lethal injection.”

”It means nothing. Thorn will live on from beyond the grave.”

”Thorn will disappear,” the judge said. “Your words will disappear, your legacy will disappear…everything about you will disappear.” Then, “Get this pathetic excuse for a man out of my sight.”

***

Michael himself pleaded guilty, and the judge sentenced him to court mandated therapy with Doctor Loomis. At least Loomis seemed relieved to get a second chance. Jamie knew that much. Even as she walked out of the courthouse, she could swear that the sun was shining brightly, brighter than she thought it was, and for the first time, she felt hope. 

“It’s over, Jamie,” Beth soothed. “Wynn is never going to hurt you ever again.”

”I know. I just…I never thought that this would end.” Then, “About baby Brady…” She turned to Richard and Darlene. “Mom, Dad…I don’t know anything about raising a baby. I really don’t.”

”You don’t have to keep him.” Darlene said.

”I do. He…he matters to me.” Jamie said.

Darlene paused. “Then we’ll help you,” she said. "We’ll help you so you can get back to some semblance of a normal life. You deserve a normal life, Jamie. After everything."

"Thank you.” Jamie already felt tears prick at her eyes, but they were happy tears. Relieved tears. Brady started to fuss and Jamie rocked him gently. “It’s all right,” she said. “Mama’s happy, that’s all.”

That summed it up. For the first time in a long while, Jamie Lloyd was genuinely happy. 

Chapter Text

Did it count as babysitting when it was your own son? Jamie didn’t know, but there was something about Brady’s excited laugh as Elmo came on television where she swore that it was like the sweetest, best thing that she had ever heard. After all this, with Wynn’s execution and Michael trying to atone for what he did and Jamie trying to make up for the school that she missed, spending time with her son already felt like a moment of peace and quiet.

”You’re really enjoying Elmo, aren’t you?” she said lightly.

Brady babbled something that Jamie supposed was one of his baby babbles. Babies were fascinating, Jamie thought. It was almost like they had their own language.

”I can’t say I blame you,” she said. “Elmo’s pretty fun.”

She had the crayons out and Brady was also drawing with them, drawing not only Elmo but…

It was her. Jamie. She had been growing her hair back after she had cut it short during her time in the Cult of Thorn. She could still remember being so disgusted with what Wynn had done to her that she had cut her hair off. Now she found that slowly, she was getting more comfortable over the months, including the therapy she was going to with Doctor Williamson for her abuse, growing her hair back. She doubted she’d ever want to get it back to the length she had when she was a kid, but she could at least try.

Brady’s picture was a crude stick figure, but it was still a cute picture, showing Jamie smiling, holding the hand of a smaller stick figure. 

“That’s me?” Jamie said. “Who’s the smaller one?”

Brady gestured to himself.

Jamie beamed. “Well, it’s a beautiful picture, Brady. It’s perfect."

In the end, Jamie could say she wasn’t sure if she was a perfect mother, but she tried. She thought of Rachel when she tried parenting. Tina too. Rachel’s warmth and support and love, Tina’s bright, sunny smile and how she always tried to make Jamie happy. She thought of Laurie and her warm support and love, of Richard and Darlene’s never-ending faith and belief. 

That was a good place to begin as any. It seemed with Brady that she had succeeded, if this picture was anything to go by.

She got out some paper and began sketching out with crayons alongside Brady, even as Elmo babbled along on TV.