Broken Toys
Summary: What if Sierra remembered what happened after the events of "Belonging?" Will Topher help her this time? Topher/Sierra friendship pairing. Mention of Victor/Sierra.
"The cold reality is that everyone here was chosen because their morals have been compromised in some way, everyone, except you. You Topher were chosen because you had no morals. You have always thought of people as playthings. This is not a judgment. You've always taken very good care of your toys, but you're simply going to have to let this one go."
Adelle's words have been hunting him all day. He had to get out of the lab, get some air.
Soon Topher found himself among the rest of the members dollhouse. It was strange for him to be down on the ground floor with the dolls and staff. Usually he was locked away in his lab upstairs having only his computers for company. He stood under the staircase and watched the dolls in their natural habitat. Well, actually he was just watching a doll. He needed to come down. He needed to check up on her.
While all the other dolls were either doing yoga or walking around like zombies, Sierra was sitting on the couch, drawing a picture. Victor was sitting next to her smiling like the love sick puppy he was. From where Topher was standing he could see her drawing two people; a man and a woman holding hands. Sierra handed Victor the picture and his smile grew bigger. To most people it was an ordinary picture, but to Victor it was a masterpiece.
Sierra looked happy as can be, not a care in the world. You never would have guessed that she recently murdered someone.
Topher had to suppress the urge to throw up, again. Sierra may not remember the ordeal but he sure as hell did. He remembered arriving at Nolan's home and finding him lying on the floor in the pool of his own blood. He remembered finding Priya, Sierra, cowering in the corner with blood all over her hands. She looked like a scared child, begging him not to tell on her or she'll get in trouble. And he didn't, because if he told DeWitt they would be dead.
He noticed Boyd walking by, leading Echo to have one of her treatments. They shared a knowing look and then quickly looked away. Boyd really saved their asses back there. If he hadn't showed up when he did, Topher and Priya would probably be in Mexico right now. It was amazing and pretty frightening how Boyd knew exactly how to get rid of the body.
Topher looked back to check on Sierra but she was gone.
Where did she go?
Topher walks over to where Victor was still sitting looking at Sierra's picture with child like wonder.
"Victor" Topher asked.
"Hello, Dr. Brink. Is it time for a treatment" Victor asked.
"No. Not right now. Where's Sierra?"
"Sierra had to go" Victor said.
"Go where" Topher asked confused.
"I don't know. I asked her if I could come, but she said she had to be alone" Victor said sadly.
"Well, don't worry. I'm going to go check up on her" Topher assured him.
"Thank you, Dr. Brink" Victor said.
Topher smiled awkwardly at him and left to find her. He checked the pods where the dolls slept. He checked the showers. He even checked Dr. Saunders office but no Sierra. He decided to check the monitors in his labs to see if he could find her from there. As he heads upstairs he hears whimpering. Topher follows the sound, until he reaches the little room in the back where he goes to sleep.
Sierra was sitting on his bed crying. Of all the places for Sierra to go, why did she come here?
"Sierra" Topher asked surprised.
She looked up at him and shows him one of his action figures he kept hidden from the rest of the staff. It was Superman with his upper and lower body ripped apart.
"It broke. I was waiting for you to come and I saw the pretty toy. I wanted to see him fly but he fell. And he broke. I'm sorry" Sierra said, crying.
Topher slowly sits down next to her. He holds her hand, trying to calm her down.
"It's all right, Sierra. It's okay. It's just a toy" Topher said.
"He's not a toy! He fell and felt pain. If you feel pain it means it's real. It's all real. We're real! We're not toys! I'm not a toy! I'm not the bad man's toy!" Sierra cried out.
Oh my god!
"Sierra, do you remember the bad man" Topher asked her, worried.
She nods.
"He hurt me, so I hurt him" Sierra whispered.
Without thinking Topher pulled Sierra into his arms. Sierra immediately responded by wrapping her arms around him. Soon Topher began to cry. The images of him cutting up Nolan's body like a Christmas ham and dumping the pieces into sulfuric acid ran through his head.
"I was just trying to help her. Now she's ruined" Topher said in a dazed state.
"You had a moral dilemma. You're first. And it didn't go well" Boyd said sadly.
"Priya does not belong in the Dollhouse" Topher strongly.
"She does now" Boyd declared.
It was the first time he actually showed concern for anyone other than himself. He thought giving Sierra her original self would help her confront the sick son of a bitch, give her closure. But like Boyd said, it didn't go well.
"I'm so sorry! I was just trying to help you" Topher declared.
Sierra gently pulls away and looks at him. She places her hand on his cheek.
"You care" Sierra said.
"Yes" Topher said without hesitation.
It was true. After what happened with Nolan, Sierra earned a special place in his heart. All the dolls were there by choice. Sierra, no, Priya didn't have a choice.
"Like Victor" she asked.
"No. Victor cares about you in a different way then I do. I'm your friend and Victor is more than that" Topher explained.
"You're my friend" Sierra stated.
"Yes. I haven't been a good friend though, but that's going to change. From now on, I'm gonna be there for you. I'm gonna help you. I will help you" Topher said.
Sierra laid her head against his shoulder.
"I'm broken" she said sadly.
"So am I" Topher said, stroking her hair.
"Thank you" she said.
They held each other as they took comfort in the silence. This secret they had will forever connect them. Two broken toys bound to a single act of rage, regret and retribution. At least they didn't have to suffer alone.
THE END