Forgotten

(Miss Pauling POV)

This wasn't supposed to be happening… None of this supposed to be happening at all! It was supposed to be a day where we could all rest; that I could rest… Scout was trying to ask me out again after the whole nearly being hanged incident. His neck still had a slightly visible ring of purple on the pale skin. I felt a little guilty to have left him for Soldier to take care of. I had completely forgotten to lift him up when I had started my speech with all my wild hand gestures and pointing at the mayor. He didn't seem bothered, but I certainly was. After that day, he started wearing high-collared sweaters, jackets, hoodies, scarves, and even bandanas. He just waved it off with a smile every time he noticed me staring; something about the bandanas making him look cooler and more "chill, but no matter what he said, I just couldn't stop thinking about that execution.

(Scout POV)

She was giving me that look again. I moved my eyes to wear she was staring; my collar was unbuttoned and I noticed behind her some people were giving me a look of pity. The waitress came up to us just as I reached to button up and unintentionally gave me a wide-eyed expression with a small gasp. She seemed about to say something, probably just to take our order but Miss Pauling seemed to think otherwise. She tapped her fingers against the wood of the two-seat table impatiently and glared at the waitress

"What're you looking at huh?" She said; the same words I would usually say but in a much more serious tone. One that stayed true as a threat.

"Just taking your orders miss! W-What would you two like today?" the waitress asked quickly. She ran off quite eagerly when we were done ordering, not even suggesting any meals from the menu.

"Miss Pauling? Are you okay?" I questioned with my head angled just a bit to the left so that I could see her face.

"I'm fine, Scout… Button up your collar already…" She responded quietly from under her breath.

I quickly did as she told and pulled at it lightly to make sure it wouldn't unbutton too easily again. This was all so confusing to see her this way. In fact, the only reason we weren't sitting with the rest of the team at the larger table across from us was because she had requested that me and her sat together at a table for two instead. The team was in another section of the restaurant probably getting drunk while me and her sat silently. Usually I would be excited with the position I was in, but for some reason neither of us could break the silence. She had her arms crossed and leaned back on her seat. It didn't match her usually formal stature and attitude. This was what a date was like right? Where was the chatting and smiles? I hadn't even tried flirting with her yet! I was about to say something when the wall behind was smashed in and bricks flew everywhere. I managed to dodge the ones flying towards me but Miss Pauling was struggling to keep up. I grabbed her and tried to get her out. When I looked at her it seemed like she was screaming something at me. I looked to my right and felt an explosion of pain on the left side of my head as everything went black.

(Miss Pauling)

I cried out in pain as Scout flew back a couple feet from the impact of the brick along with me in his arms. The machines seemed to have noticed us amongst the rubble or were distracted as they seemed to ignore us and rushed over to the table where the mercs all seemed to have gotten their weapons out of nowhere and were yelling insults at the robots. There was a weight on top of me; it was Scout laying over me, motionless and unusually quiet. His cap and headset were surprisingly undamaged as usual, laying on top of a few bricks with only a touch of dust on them. I rushed over to Scout and moved his head just enough to look at the left side where he had been hit. There was a deep gash that bled profusely down to his neck and soaked his shirt. The collar was unbuttoned again where his neck had been bruised even more by the hit. It had probably snapped his neck to the side but fortunately stopped before it could break the bone.

"Scout… Wake up, we gotta get back to the others…" I said in the calmest voice I could muster and pulled him out of the restaurant myself when he didn't respond. "alright Pauling! Don't panic here!"

"Miss Pauling?" he had already recovered or at least waken from from the attack. He smiled deliriously. "You're real pretty gal ya know that? Right Pauling?"

"Scout… Stop talking…" I mumbled and just managed to avoid a bullet, though I ended up losing my grip on his shirt and he dropped back, hitting his head on the ground.

"Ow! Don't be so rough Missy!" he exclaimed in a demanding tone. Who did he think I was? His daughter or younger sister?!

The machines were already lessening in number as the others cut them down with bullets, flames, and explosives. The Medic had run over to us with his Medigun in hand.

"He's delirious! Just heal him already!" I demanded when the man just stood there.

He activated his beam and stood silently as the flesh wound healed over with the only evidence of there ever being a gash being the blood still staining Scout's shirt and neck. Scout was staring at me now with a blank expression. Once he saw the machines he took a pistol out of his bag and ran over to join the fight. Something wasn't right…

(One Week Later)

Scout was running alongside the others in the fight. He had slowed down just enough to let the others catch up, staying behind the Demoman and Soldier but ahead of the Engineer, Pyro, Heavy, and Medic. Spy had already gone invisible. There were only a few robots this time so it was a short-lived battle. I walked up to Scout calmly.

"Scout… You did well today…" I praised with a soft smile.

He looked at me with an eyebrow raised, "Miss Pauling please, I don't have time for this… Go bother Spy or Medic," he said in an annoyed tone before heading to join the rest of the team, his shotgun over his shoulder and an evident limp in his left arm.

He couldn't run as well as he used to ever since the attack at the restaurant. Medic had something about a special bullet that had lodged itself in Scout's knee earlier during the attack. She had not noticed the bullet wound until the Medic had healed him and the bullet had melded with Scout's kneecap. Now he had lost his ability to double jump and even tripped on occasion when landing from a considerable height. The odd grace he always had as the fastest mercenary as gone.

Scout had changed as well. He had lost interest in me entirely. It didn't seem as intentional. He did not blame me but it was almost like he had forgotten me instead. The affection he had for me since the first day we met was gone; in fact, he thought I was annoying. There was a clear tone of irritation in his voice every time I tried to talk to him. The rudeness he usually avoided using on me was now a tactic of his. He said it was one of the only ways to get me off his back. His once love-struck expression was replaced with one that saw me as expendable… he had even admitted to liking me the least. After all, I was, in his own words, a bossy little b**ch of the Administrator. I had nearly broken down in front of everyone that day but managed to hold it in until everyone was asleep. I looked at him again in the now rebuilt restaurant. The refusal to sit with me at the new two-seat table hurt me deep inside. I didn't understand the emotions or at least I ignored them. Now that I did know… I couldn't do anything. The Medic was there looking at me reassuringly and mouthed a few words of encouragement and I nodded. Now what kinda assistant would I be if I gave up so easily? If the Administrator wouldn't do anything to help me… I guess I'll just have to take matters into my own hands… I looked at Scout. He stopped to stare back and for a split second I saw him smile cheerfully and wave, gesturing me to come over. He may not remember, but I do.

After all; I can't allow myself to be forgotten so easily. It would be a huge loss in his… performance. Now that just won't do will it?

A/N: Just IMAGINE how the Pauling from the comics being all strict and loyal feel if she had more romantic feelings (at least more visible or existent compared to what the comics have shown so far). I mean dude, the possibilities of a determined Pauling trying to get him to remember her while his opinion of her has become a completely inverted (opposite) mind set now. How hard would it be for her? Being nice and all probably wouldn't help seeing she never really was too nice to Scout so that wouldn't really trigger memories. She just doesn't realize that yet so she keeps acting the wrong way. At least in the end of this Scout is lightening up to her a bit ^^'?