We took a detour on the plan.
Washington's surgery date was in two days, and he decided to get an AI before we leave. I figure, it could be a smart idea. The AI could be helpful paired with my own. Or, maybe we could sell it.
I sigh into my pillow. Blankets wrapped warmly around me.
Wash was gone on a mission.
I hear a light knocking on my door. "Come in!" I shout. I hear it open and the sound of cautious footsteps.
A moment later North is sitting on the bed in front of me. "Hey Cal." He brushes my hair back behind my ear lightly. I smile in return. "You just going to stay in bed all day?lazybutt." I narrow my eyes playfully and stick my tongue out. "I think, after all the shit that has happened to me in these past two weeks, I deserve a lazy day. Or five."
He chuckles before moving to push me playfully. "Come oon! Let's go do something. I know about you and Wash's little plan. Lets hang out before you ditch."
I scowl before turning over onto my back. "Ugghhh, but that involves getting up!"
He chuckles then suddenly the door is opening both look. Wash is standing there all in armor. I grin,"Hey Babe." He pulls his helmet off and is leaping onto the bed snuggling me close to him. "Hey angel. Sorry, mission finished early. Plus the Doctors moved my surgery up. I'm going in today!"
My eyes widen. "Really!? That's, that's incredible babe!" He shrugs still holding me. He then glances up, as if realizing North was here for the first time. "Oh, hey North." North waves picking up Wash'es sketch pad. "Yeah I've only got a little bit of advice, regarding the AI. You're gonna have some killer headaches."
I chuckle. "Yeah."
A small beeping sounded and we glanced to Washes arm where a small device was wrapped around the armor.
"Well. That's the signal I'm going in now."
I move and hug him tightly, the armor making it awkward. "I love you babe. Do you think I can go in to watch?"
They both shake their heads. "No visitors are allowed in until after the procedure."
I frown. "Ugh, fine."
Wash kisses my lips, holding me there for a long while. When he pulls away his eyes are shining with emotion. "As soon as I get the AI we'll leave. Okay baby? It'll be just us. We'll be safe."
I nod. "Alright. Good luck!"
He starts to move off the bed. Grinning, "When am I ever not lucky?"
I was in the training room. Wailing into a punching bag. This was my 14th. Nervous didn't even begin, to cover how I feel about Wash.
I slam my fists even harder into the dense material as my thoughts fall to Whether or not he was okay. With a snap the chain breaks and the bag flies across the room to slam into the far wall.
I sigh, moving to the storage room to get another out. Just as Tex enters the room. I wave kindly but she storms up to me. "Tex?" I ask cautiously. She suddenly grabs me and covers my mouth. "Hmmmm! Mmph mmmhhhm!?" I mumble against her hands.
"Shut up. I need to talk to you." She chides dragging me to a maintenance closet.
When she finally let's go of my mouth I snap. "What the fuck, is so important you couldn't tell me out there?!"
"I know what the director has done. And I know what he's done to you."
I pause. "Oh, I suppose. That's a pretty good reason."
She nods. "I'm breaking out California. I'll be back later, but, I wanted to ask if you'd join me first?"
I bite my lip. "Me and Wash were already going to leave. After he's out of surgery and recovered." She curses. "I can't wait that long. I'm sorry. You gotta hold out though. You hear me?! I'll come back for you both. And anyone else who wants to leave."
And with that she was gone.
I frown, Walking through the closet door she'd left open in her haste. Just as I enter the training room again York and North ate running in. "CALIFORNIA!"
"SOMETHING WENT WRONG!"
I pause in my footsteps. "What? What do you mean?"
"Washes Surgery! The AI went insane and killed itself in his head!"
My heart drops. "What?" I ask shocked.
When I enter the room Wash has been laid on a recovery Bed. The director and counsellor, along with a few doctors standing around him.
York calls after me, but I ignore him as I make a bee line for my Washington.
"Agent California what are you doing here? You are not to Speak to Washington."
I ignore him. My heart full of worry For Wash as I ask a doctor. "Is he going to be alright?"
"Alright is a vague term. If you mean will he live, then yes. But other than that we have no idea what will happen to his mental state."
I don't tear my eyes away from his face. He looks as though he could be asleep. Except that his face was furrowed in pain. And dark bags had appeared beneath his eyes.
"Agent CALIFORNIA!? DID YOU NOT HEAR ME?!"
I slowly turn to look at the director. I reach up and take my helmet off. "Yes. I heard you." Giving him a look that could freeze fire. York and North were also in the room. I was aware of them telling me to leave.
"California. This does not concern you. You will leave now. Or do I need to put you in Soldier mode."
I grit my teeth.
I'd had just enough of this asshole.
"Director, if I may. Go choke on a big black dick, you stupid fucking cockbite."
Everyone jerks back at the insult. The director growls. "That's it! Order-"
He doesn't have a chance to finish as I dart my hand out to clasp around his throat.
"You listen here. And you listen good. Agent Washington is my Boyfriend. And nothing you can do will change that fact."
I narrow my eyes.
"Don't forget what I Am director. You've said it yourself. I'm a monster. A freak. An experiment. And I could kill every, single, person on this godforsaken ship. Starting WITH YOU. So I suggest, you don't meddle in my relationship anymore. Or I will tear your throat out."
I lean in closer. Squeezing his throat tighter. "With. My. Teeth."
His eyes were wide. And I think, for the first time, in a long time. The director felt fear.
I then drop him without a backwards glance. Moving to sit in the chair by Washes bedside. Clasping his hand firmly in mine.
~Washington~
I blink my eyes open. Blinding white light flooding them instantly. "Uggh." I groan.
"There you are." I hear North soothe. I moan some more in pain as my eyes adjust. "Slowly... slowly." My mind immediately flashes to the surgery. All the pain. And, The memories. "How long was I out?" I groan leaning up. I'm instantly aware of a warm weight on my lap. I look down to see my left hand was being firmly held in California's.
She was passed out cold laying on me. "Only a few days this time." North says. My eyes widen and I look at him. "This time?". "Hyeh, after they removed it."
I feel confused. "Removed it? Mmm-" I grab my head at a sudden sharp pain. As North goes on. "It's gone. They're gonna remove all of them. They started with you." I frown lightly. Unsure how to react as I was still drowsy.
"Hyeah, thanks asshole. The whole process is on hold now." South snaps. Suddenly Cali's voice grumbles, "You better not. Be. Yelling at my Washy." Before rolling off back to sleep.
I chuckle and stroke a hand through her now longer black hair. "How's she been? Also, why's she here? Won't the director be pissed?" I ask.
North chuckles. "Oh don't worry about the director. He is pissed. She came to see you the moment she found out, and when he tried to put her under, she grabbed him by the throat. It was pretty scary." My eyes widen, imagining it. "I bet."
I tilt her head lightly to the side, stroking my thumb down her cheek.
"Yeah, she hasn't left your bedside. Been awake for days, just terrified something would happen to you." South speaks this time. I smile. She really was perfect.
My mind suddenly flies to Carolina, and her two AI. "What about Carolina?"
North pauses. "Carolina's had it, kinda rough. The Director's considering sending her to hunt down Texas."
At this California starts waking up in my lap. Groaning lightly. I ask North, "Hunt her down?"
South answers instead. "She went rogue. Broke out of the facility in order to save her precious A.I. Little later we found Wyoming. Apparently she tried to steal his A.I. unit. Tried to get his equipment too."
North jumps to her defense. "That hasn't been proven. Besides, that doesn't sound like her." "How would you know?"
"Just trust me, I know, and believe me, if she had done it, there wouldn't have been anything left of Wyoming to find." "She's not a fucking monster, North."
Their voices were starting to bring a dull throb to my mind where the AI had been. I grab at my head lightly. "You guys are giving me a headache."
California now fully awake leans up. "You heard him. Zip it." I smile. "Hey Sweetheart." She immediately grins broadly and grabs me into a massive hug. "Hey Wash." I hold her close for as long as I could before South rolls her eyes. I sigh and pull away.
"How do you feel?" She asks. I shrug. "Like shit." She makes a face. North clears his throat. Stealing both our attentions. "Well. I'm, uh. We're gonna go. Give you two some alone time."
South goes to complain but he snaps his fingers at her. She groans and they both walk out. Him waving goodbye.
I then turn back to California. Who's gazing down at our still entwined hands. Rubbing small circles with her thumb on mine. "Tex didn't do what they say she did." She speaks after a moment.
I quirk an eyebrow. "What?" She looks up. "She didn't attack Wyoming. She came to me the day she left, she was just getting out. She said something about knowing everything the directors done. She offered to take me with her."
I make a face. "Why didn't you go? Get away from the director?" She snorts. "We both know why I didn't go." I chuckle looking down. "Right."
Suddenly she's grabbing my face in a kiss. I smile at the warmth of her lips. When she pulls away her green eyes hold a look of concern.
"I'm so glad you're okay." She says. I smile. "Of course I'm okay. When am I ever not?" She giggles lightly. Before yawning. I frown, remembering what North had said about her being up for days.
"Hey. Go back to your room. Get some sleep." I say worriedly. She frowns. "What? No, I've gotta stay here with you." I roll my eyes at her stubbornness. "Come on Babe. You've been up for days. And I'm fine now. Go to sleep. When you wake up, I'll probably be there with you, and Then we'll get out of this place. Alright?"
She pouts. Making a thoughtful face before with a sigh consenting. "Fine. But your ass better be snuggled up with me when I wake up." She teases. I mock her playfully. "Yeah yeah, it will. I love you Cali."
She smiles standing up. "I Love you too Wash." She kisses my forehead. Before pulling away. I focus my eyes lightly on the moment when her hand pulls away from mine. Time seeming to slow as I watch her fingers leave the grasp of mine.
And then she's gone.
Minutes later the sound of alarms fill the building.
I run panicked through the crashed Moi. Searching desperately for her. I scream her name until I'm Hoarse.
Her room had been empty. My room had been empty. I'd searched every part of the ship.
I scream for her just once more when. I notice a speck. Just a small speck of Blue glowing blood. My eyes widen and I take in the ground around it. Finding another, than another. Soon I picked up a trail. Following it quickly, to the point I was running.
It leads outside of the ship. Where snow was laid heavily upon the ground. I spot more Blue glowing blood, and scarlet mixed in. The trail covers a set of footsteps. Judging by their gait, she was running scared.
I also notice a second pair of footsteps. Much larger, and heavier.
They look, like Maine's almost.
I scream her name again. Running quickly after their old trail.
It leads to the edge of the cliff. Where it looked as though she'd fallen to the ground.
I fall to my own knees as I take in the sight before me.
Blue and red was splattered across the ground. A discarded shotgun shell also laid in the snow.
But what stole my heart the most. Was the sight of her helmet. Laying overturned, visor broken with perfect bullet holes entering it. Blood staining the silver and mint surface.
Then, was the streaks in the snow leading to the cliff side that went over the edge. As if, she'd been shot, and dragged over into the icy sea below.
I take the bloodied, broken helmet into my hands. Staring emptily into my own distorted reflection. Before releasing a wail of utter, and Complete despondency.
I scream long and loud, until the sun sets and I'm left lying in the cold snow, curled around her helmet sobbing.
"Why! WHY!? FUUUUCK. CALIFORNIA! COME BACK! PLEASE!". I continue screaming until my voice leaves me.
"I swear. I'll never forget you. I promise." I breathe with what little I have left. It came out more of a wheeze than anything else. But that didn't matter.
Nothing mattered anymore.
California was gone.
She was gone.
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A figure slowly drags itself through an ice flow. Careful to mind the edge, else they fall to a freezing drowning death.
They look to the sky with Glowing teal eyes. One side of their face bloodied and a carnage of what once was beauty.
They groan lightly. As they flop defeated to the ground. They then turn over to lay on their back, gazing up at the sky.
Mind rushing back to the moments before their mutilation. When a fiery red AI told her that Maine had Murdered Her lover.
"I'll avenge you Wash."
She speaks softly. "Or I'll die trying."
::AUTHOR NOTE::
who hates me? Let's be honest here
Well, that was that. Please, stick around for the next chap.
IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT ANYTHING, I WILL ANSWER THEM.
Even spoiler questions. Ask em.
Sorry for the weird way I wrote this