Authors Note: Why wont the link fucking work? Anyway, this is shortly what happened to Wash and Simmons. But it makes more sense if you read AlaskaMcCormicks counterpart of the chapter.
Chapter 2: Wash, Simmons and a whole lot of shaking
It had never been easy or calm back during the project. There were always missions, training and so on. But somehow, Wash got more of rest back then than he did now. It was just typical. Things finally got… normal again. As far as they could around them. But no, it had to be messed up around them. Either it was Tucker making a dirty pass at him after the party or two of them disappearing.
At least they all were slowly making something with their potential. Simmons managed a – for his standards – passable seminar early today and also Tucker matured a lot since what happened. Asides from the fact that he was really obtrusive lately and his innuendos got even worse.
So when Simmons came to him because Grif was lost he didn't really worry. He first though Simmons was just overreacting because he was mostly glued to Grif now. More than before. But when Tucker also didn't answer the radio, it got Wash worried. Since the younger developed some sense of responsibility it was unlikely for him to not answer. So he agreed to go look for them. Who knew if they weren't in shit already again?
It turned out to be not that hard to track them. Because Grif was the only one running around everywhere with food.
He really felt like in the fairytale with Hansel and Gretel.
They soon reached a cave and Wash was about to just go in when Simmons spoke up, already on the edge of panicking. "But, but the trace is going to the cave!"
"Yeah, so?"
"There are snakes in it! For sure! And I'm afraid of snakes!"
Wash again exhaled, this time a bit more unnerved. "Listen Simmons. I'm going in there. If you want to follow me, you have to make up your mind pretty fast. Either your worry about Grif is stronger than the fear of snakes or you'll forget it and go to wait for your boyfriend in your sleeping room." He said as calm as possible. He had no nerves to deal with irrational fears right now. Last time he dealt with something like that he had two cracked rips because Maine threw a table after him and the nurse with the syringe. Wash felt his chest tighten but ignored it. He didn't have the nerves for that either.
"Okay, I'm coming with you" Simmons agreed then. "Okay. Let's go"
The two entered the cave and Wash slowly walked ahead and followed the chips and Oreos laying around. Wash was walking slowly through the dark cave. Luckily enough they had flood lights attached to their shoulder pieces of armor. So they at least saw a few feet ahead. Simmons was right behind him, following him with an aura of nervousness. Not that Wash was feeling all too easy himself. He really had a bad feeling about this. And despite what Tucker used to say it wasn't because he was paranoid. He just knew better. Washs eyes scanned the ground for more of Grifs eatable clues. But the two didn't make it far before they heard a dull bang somewhere behind them. "Uh, Wash? What was that?" asked Simmons nervously.
Fuck.
Experience from years in battle kicked in right away with Wash. "Run!" he shout at the younger soldier and already dashed down, deeper into the cave. Simmons was on his heels and yelping. "Why? Where to!?"
"Just run!"
As if on cue more explosions got off, each a little closer to them. "Oh shit, oh shit, oh shit!" Wash and Simmons were running as fast as they could. The Freelancer had absolutely no idea on how Simmons still could be yelling now. All he did was focus on where he run. The ground and walls were shaking and pieces of the celling were falling down around them. An almost man sized rock crashed down in front of Wash, almost burying him under it. Wash barely avoided this with slithering to a halt. Simmons almost run him over though. "We gonna die!" Wash shoved Simmons to the side and around the rock. "Keep running!" He urged and shoved him. Both stumbled further, unable to really run straight with everything shaking and breaking down around them.
Washington felt how some rocks hit him but luckily the armor protected them well. He saw how a huge crack appeared in the ceiling above them and he leaped from the hallway inside a higher cave, covering his head. Simmons for his part more stumbled in and landed flat on his belly, covering his head reflexively.
The whole cave still seemed to shake but slowly everything went back to normal. Asides form Wash and Simmons pulse. The Freelancer still heard the rushing sound in his ears, felt his heart beat like crazy. His arms shook slightly as he pushed himself up as soon as everything went quiet. That probably was the adrenalin rushing through his veins. "Shit" he muttered as he stood again. He looked over to Simmons who managed a wobbly stand as well.
"Simmons, are you okay?" he asked the maroon soldier. Simmons nodded slowly. "I-I think… at least I'm still alive, I guess." He answered slowly.
"What about you?" Wash took a few deep breaths, steadying himself. "I'm fine", he answered as a matter of routine and carefully and distantly touched his hand against his neck.
Pain shot through Wash body like a current impulse the moment his gloved fingertips brushed against the scars in his neck. A rock must have hit him and tore open the fabric from his bodysuit. Wash flinched and cursed mentally because it hurt like a bitch. He blinked as tears stung in his eyes.
Oh god, if it hurt that bad… what if the neural implant was damaged? It was mostly covered by the helmet but still. It was something that gave Wash still the creeps. He brushed his fingers over the old and new scar again, another shrug of pain and black spots appearing in his vision. He was sure he felt something wet.
Oh fuck. Oh fuck. He's bleeding. And it hurts.
Wash hears Simmons say something but he just pressed his fingers harder against his neck, trying to feel how much damage was done without realizing that he was making it far worse than it was. And before Wash knew it there was an even worse shrug of blinding pain and everything went black.