Disclaimer: It's that time again, kids! Let's all repeat the Fanfic Writer's Creed: I don't own (insert show title here)* or it's characters. I'm not making any money off of this story, or any of my other stories about (repeat show title). While I may be infringing on all sorts of copyrights, I don't mean to be doing so. I just really like the show and it's characters. Story is for personal enjoyment only. Not to be taken internally. * La Femme Nikita.
Dedication: Hey, Circe. Dana/Melanie - for knowing I'd like Birkoff best.
Notes: Takes place after Abort, Retry, Fail, Terminate but before Four Light Years Farther. Just a little scene that lets me play fast and loose with the Birkoff boys' past. Ops POV
I Know You
"I know you better than you think I do, amigo." Walter's voice is coming from behind one of the shelves crowded with the tools of his trade.
"Yeah? Is that so? I'm not Seymour. I'm nothing like him. I can play him real good, but that's all it is, Walter. You don't know me near as well as you think you do."
That southern drawl still startles me. He didn't used to sound like that. He used to lisp, too, though. I pause, wait out of sight. This doesn't sound like a conversation that should be taking place. Jason may not work at Section One anymore, but I still don't like arguments between operatives.
"Oh, really? What about that scar on your pinky? You know how you go that?"
Seymour.
"Happened when I was a baby. Got bit by the neighbor's dog."
"Is that what they told you? Look at the way it wraps around your finger. Dog bites don't look like that, kid. I was there when you got it. Or, you were here. Right over there, as a matter of fact."
Near Walter's worktable. You were both playing on the floor.
"You and your brother were playing in here while your mother was on a mission."
This is classified, Walter. This is Level 5 disclosure. Jason may be bright, but he's still only level 2. Then again, he was never supposed to know about Section.
"You were pestering Seymour. Just couldn't leave him alone. He hadn't had two minutes peace from you all day."
You were always touching him. Petting him, really. He wasn't nearly as affectionate. He didn't really like being touched a lot. Especially not when he was thinking. He loved you, yes, but he didn't need you the way you needed him. So you'd force the matter.
"You wanted his attention, and he was trying to figure out a puzzle I'd given the two of you."
He was always more introverted, more apt to play with things than with people. You were the people person. Still are.
"So you were crawling all over him. He kept pushing you away, and you'd crawl right back and get in his face. So finally, he lost his patience. He heaved this big sigh, like he couldn't believe it'd come to this, and bit you."
Didn't even wait for Walter to turn his back, either. I was coming around the corner to return my panel when it happened. He didn't bother trying to hide the fact that he was going to do it. I still admire that.
"I thought for a minute he'd amputated the damn thing, the way you were screaming. And man, did he hang on. Took two of us to pull him off you."
He had quite the grip. And we were afraid of hurting you more by pulling while he had his teeth in you.
"My brother did this?"
He sounds incredulous. And maybe a little…touched. It's a link, however small.
"Oh, yeah. Used to bite you all the time. And you'd cry and cry and cry every time he did. Wouldn't stop for anything until he was so upset that he'd start crying. Which upset you even more. So you'd stop crying so you could try to make him stop crying. It was crazy."
I always had the impression it was a game to you. You had to have known he'd bite you when you got after him like that. You were both bright. But you'd do it anyway. Then you'd cry until he cried. Nothing else could make you stop. And every time Seymour cried, you'd get to hold him and stroke him as much as you liked until he stopped. Lisa hated it when you did that. She'd have both her boys crying and couldn't do a thing to stop it.
"Man, how many times did he have to bite me to leave scars like this?"
"Oh, that's just from that one time. He didn't usually bite you too hard; your mother would spank him if he broke the skin."
She did that time, too. Walter took you, sobbing and screaming, to Medical as Lisa walked in to drop off her stuff. She took one look at the situation and spanked Seymour for hurting you. Not that it did much good. He was already crying because knowing you had to see the doctors had scared him. He was terrified that you weren't going to come back, like so many of the operatives you'd both seen taken to Medical. Of course, that meant we had two hysterical little boys on our hands.
"Momma told me it took seven stitches to close this." Awed.
"That sounds right. Hard to get them in, too. They had to bring Seymour down right after they brought you down. You wouldn't stop struggling until he was there."
It was just as hard getting them in after we brought him to you. He stood over you on that table, growling like a little terrier. Wouldn't let anyone get close to you. Not even Lisa could get close. Of course, she'd just spanked him so god only knew what she might do to you. He snapped at anyone who reached for you.
"I calmed down when he got there? I'd have thought I'd be even more scared."
No. He was always your first concern. You cried every time he got spanked for biting you. Of course, you got spanked for goading him. It was a losing situation all around. Except that you got to protect your brother. I swear he was like a cherished toy to you.
"No, not at all. The biggest sin in your book was for someone to take your stuff away without your permission. And Seymour was definitely your stuff. You liked having everything out where you could see it. So you could make sense of it. Besides, you were scared of being alone in Medical."
Not nearly as scared as Seymour. You were the braver one. You were the one we were constantly having to track down. And it was you who finally calmed Seymour down enough to let the doctors reach for you. It was only six stitches, but that's a lot for such a little finger.
"Well, I've changed a lot since then, Walter."
"Sure you have, Jase. I know it. I'm just sayin' I know more than you think I do." It sounds like Walter is getting back to work.
"You know a lot about my past here in Section, anyway."
Less hostile now, and more curious. Watch yourself, Walter.
"Yeah. Well."
I step around the corner.
"Have you started on the ordnance for the next mission, Walter?" Only Jason jerks in surprise; how you manage to know where I am every single second, Walter, is still beyond me."Just getting started. Why?"
"There's a change in the parameters." I look pointedly at Jason. "Isn't there a SIM you should be running in Comm, Mr. Crawford?"
"It's running now, sir, but it should be about done."
You're learning. Just like Seymour, you duck out of Munitions and head back toward your workstation. Best to avoid those in power so you don't get sucked into the politics. I watch you walk. So much like your little brother.
"He's just curious, Paul."
"So was Birkoff. And it distracted him from his work." The distraction killed him. He wasn't careful enough with his AI.
"I know. But a few memories won't hurt."
"No." I leave it at that. I know how you'll take it, Walter. I know you'll do what's best. You love him, too.