Hey! I'm so sorry that this took so much longer than the other updates. This chapter was hard to write, but I think the extra time made it better. There should be another chapter after this one, and possibly an epilogue/sequel. Let me know what you think in the comments!


"Don't," she warned, but it was too late. Root fired the taser gun and sent Shaw crashing to the ground, jittering with the electrical current running through her body.

Shaw saw Root's face lean into her range of vision, still expressionless. "I'm so sorry, Sameen."

By the time Shaw's muscles had stopped their involuntary contractions, Root had zip-tied her hands and feet and dragged her onto a wheeled pallet jack. The second she had the muscular control necessary to do so, Shaw wriggled off the pallet, forcing Root to stop and wrestle her back onto the cart. Shaw made it as difficult as possible.

After the third time Shaw rolled off again before Root could successfully secure her to the jack, Root leaned back against the nearest shelf. "Well," she panted, rubbing her hip where Shaw had kicked her, "I thought this would go a little better." Shaw watched her through her bangs from her place on the floor.

"So did I," Shaw grunted, more than a little pissed. "And I definitely thought we were past the whole tasering and zip-tying thing." She wanted a reaction, anything to make Root show some kind of emotion beyond this emo-depressed bullshit. She expected, no, hoped that Root would turn her comment into a flirtatious comment. I want Root back.

"I'm trying to help you," Root said seriously. "Why won't you let me save you?" Shaw watched closely as Root pulled out the Taser again, ready to render Shaw more compliable.

"That's ironic," Shaw grumbled, rolling herself onto her back and into a half-sitting position. "I could ask you the same thing."

Root smiled sadly. "That's sweet of you, Sameen. But if you could hear Her, She'd tell you that it's not worth it." Shaw frowned.

"Did She tell you to do this?" Shaw spat. I'm going to tear that thing apart. She knew that this was impossible, but she needed something on which to focus her rage. Root seemed to consider her question and lowered the Taser a bit.

"She didn't have to. There's no place for me in Her future, and She told me to take care of Decima's computer scientists," Root explained, finally settling on the floor near Shaw. Not too near, though. If I can get my hands free, I can take her down before she knows I'm not tied anymore.

"What do you mean?" Shaw asked softly, desperately trying to keep Root talking. Root stared between her legs, playing with the Taser loosely.

"She gave me a purpose, and that would have been enough. But then She and Harold taught me to care about people, Sameen," she said, her voice so low Shaw could barely hear her. "About you," she whispered, her eyes darting closer to Shaw's face. "They never mentioned that no one would ever care about me." Shaw was silent, afraid that if she interrupted Root would not start talking again. It hurt to hear these things from Root, to see the pain that she was feeling, but she suspected that Root needed to come to her own conclusions about her life. Shaw just hoped that she had the chance to clear some things up.

"She's been my God, Sameen," Root got out, laughing a bit. She seemed close to tears. "I used to think of myself as Her prophet, and I always thought it would end with my martyrdom. I just never thought She'd ask this of me." She turned to Shaw then, and her eyes were full with tears and hurt. "She told me to kill them, Shaw. To blow up this warehouse with them in it.

"After, I'm supposed to run again. Be where She needs me, to protect Her, and to lead the others she's recruited these last months. But my implant would lead them right to Her, and then Samaritan, the second I was caught. It has to come out," Root said sadly. "I have to finish this, but then…" her voice had returned to a whisper and her eyes to the floor. "I can't live with those choices, Sameen." She was silent for a moment, and then she spoke again. "It's better this way."

Shaw's mind stayed with Root's words the entire time, fully taking in and considering her confusion and pain. Meanwhile, her hands were busy working their way out of the zip-ties. By the time Root had finished, Shaw had the use of both hands and about half a plan. Well, that's about a gun short of what I usually have, she thought, but it'll have to work.

Root shifted suddenly, one hand wiping away tears and the other coming up with the Taser. "I'm sorry, Sameen," she breathed, "but this is the last time, I promise." Before she could pull the trigger, Shaw used her legs to push off and tackled Root. It lacked the impact of a running tackle, but Shaw managed to pin Root to the ground and wrestle the Taser from her grasp.

"You're an idiot," Shaw panted. Root was staring up at her from her position on the floor, shocked for the moment. Shaw decided to take advantage of the moment before Root started struggling, and before they ran out of time for talking. "The Machine gives people choices," she started. "It gave us a choice with that senator, and it's giving you a choice now." Root started to speak, but Shaw glared and shook her head. "I'm not finished.

"We can find another way to take care of Decima's scientists, Root. And we'll find a way for you to keep your implant." She couldn't stop talking, couldn't stop trying to break through Root's walls. "You're a part of this team, Root. With Harold, John, Bear… with me. We're a team. We'll do what we've always done, and I for one would appreciate having someone around with a direct line to the Machine. Someone else can protect Her and Samaritan directly, someone new. You matter, Root. What you want matters."

Root frowned up at her, struggling through her thoughts. "But…" she started before Shaw cut her off.

"You know I'm right," Shaw stated firmly. "Put it through that head of yours and wait for it to make sense. Ask Her, if you want." Her voice softened, the only weakness she allowed herself at that desperate moment. "You need to know that you matter."

Root seemed to be listening for a moment, and Shaw hoped that the Machine was backing her up. Then Root nodded as if in agreement, but she still looked sad and lost. "Do I matter to you, Sameen?" she asked softly, carefully.

Shaw stared down at her for a moment, then made up her mind. All in, goddammit. "You're an idiot," she repeated, then roughly put her mouth on Root's. Her kiss was full of fire, trying to say all the things that Shaw could feel like drums deep in her chest loudly enough that Root could hear them. As Root began to respond, Shaw fully grabbed the Taser from Root's loose grasp and tossed it away, freeing both of their hands. She ran her hands behind Root's back, bringing her closer and prolonging their kiss. Root responded in kind, tangling her hands in Shaw's hair. Suddenly, she pulled away, and Shaw lifted her head in confusion.

"If this is a trick to get me out of here, then I will kill you," Root threatened uncertainly. Shaw chuckled, relieved.

"You could try," Shaw responded. She leaned in again and kissed Root, biting her lip, just to make her believe it, not because I need to know she's not planning to go anywhere. And this isn't bad, she reasoned as Root growled into her mouth. But I probably shouldn't be getting this turned on when I'm on a rescue mission.

"You gonna let me up?" Root said shakily when Shaw was done. Shaw could see that she had her confidence back, that she was somehow… more alive than she had been a few moments before. Shaw cocked an eyebrow, eager to return to the teasing banter that had characterized their pre-Samaritan relationship.

"Sure you want me to get off you?" Shaw countered even as she stood up. When Root stood too, she smirked up at the taller woman, hoping for a witty response. She wasn't disappointed.

"You can always get back on later, Sameen," Root grinned. She then looked around at the mess they had created in their struggles, and her eyes filled again. "Thank you," she whispered.

Shaw ducked her head, suddenly unaware of what to say or do now that Root was closer to her old self. This is going to turn into a thing, isn't it, she thought. Her old resistance to human attachment was rising slowly, making her panic a little. It all suddenly seemed more than she could handle.

Shaw cleared her throat and avoided Root's eyes. "What do we do next?" she asked gruffly. When she heard no answer, she looked up and saw Root regarding her with her head cocked to the side. "What?"

Root closed the distance between them quickly, pulling Shaw up by her shirt collar and crushing them together in a kiss. Shaw instinctively grabbed Root's hips and urged her closer. When they pulled apart, panting, Root smiled down at Shaw, who could only stare at her with an open mouth. Root straightened Shaw's collar and kissed her again, softly. "Just checking," she murmured as she turned and strode down the aisle purposefully.

Shit. I'm done for now. Shaw shook her head at her own folly and followed Root down the aisle.

"Seriously, what do we do now?"

Root glanced over her shoulder, smiling at Shaw.

"Well, I have a few ideas… do you remember Augusta King?" As Root started to enumerate the steps to her new plan, Shaw grinned. She had always liked working with Root, and now that suicidal-Root was gone this was starting to look more and more fun.

And then later… Shaw shook her head again, trying to pay attention to Root's words and not just her mouth. Get your mind out of the gutter, Shaw. Until later, maybe. Hopefully. For now, there was work to do and people to kneecap.

As she walked out of the warehouse next to Root, Shaw grinned. I love my job.