Chapter 1: Daze
In that final moment before the bullet hit his head, through the pain and creeping coldness claiming his mangled body like an old friend, David's thoughts were only of her. Lucy. Their time together, her every words and action seared into his mind, overriding his fear and sorrow with crystal clarity.
Looking beyond the bullet racing out of Smasher's muzzle with his name on it beyond his imminent demise in the hellhole that is Night City, he saw her. Illuminated by the brilliant halo of the moon.
Her future, the one thing he managed to carve out for himself in this city. With a smile on his face he felt the bullet smash through his skull, his bone structure collapsing and imploding, a sharp and short violent explosion of all of his senses at once.
"God's sake David watch your step!"
He hit the floor face first, his legs tangled together over the wooden floor. Cheek pressed against the cold surface David gasped for air his eyes pinprick flying across his surroundings his ears rang at the familiar voice and the footsteps getting ever closer.
Firm and harsh heartbeats rumbled against his ribcage, fresh air flowing through his nose, to his diaphragm to his lung, quicker with every thunderous beat of his heart. His still beating heart. His breathing lungs sucking in as much oxygen as they could with frantic greed.
Raking his eyes over the couches and sofas and their vibrant colour clashing with the glossy brown wooden floor and walls to the elegant winding stairway at the far end of the large room.
'Where am I?!' The question bounced around his mind with burning ferocity, dominating his thinking without exception, just aware of the click and clacking of high-heeled shoes coming down the stairs before revealing a woman of average height. Bright yellow jacket around her shoulders, red hair tied into a rough ponytail only one person could wear with such authority.
For second David was dead certain that his heart stopped its panicked beat, like it was gripped by a cold unfeeling metal claw, squeezing it tight. Whatever words he thought to spout out died in their infancy, his tongue feeling heavy and dead in his throat staring at the impossible vision of his mother coming towards him.
"David what did I tell you about running within the house? And you've gone so pale did you hurt yourself, let me look."
He was in her arms before he knew it a strangled sound escaping him as he was scrutinized by her warm and alive brown eyes.
Every moment felt like an eternity information overwhelming him as he was half carried, half guided to a nearby couch his hands gripping his mother jacket in a like a vice.
'I can feel her breath against my head, I can feel her heart beat beneath my hand!'
Only just aware of her sigh he forced himself to listen to hear her voice once again.
'If this is the afterlife I wouldn't mind it one bit.'
"You gave me quite the scare D. I know you're excited ever since you got the letter but you should know better than to not look where you're going." She made to move but in that moment David felt a chill racing up and down his spine and his grip tightened around her forcing her back down with an alarmed sound.
The embrace that enveloped him was strong and warm. Within an instant David felt the weight of Arasaka tower fall off his shoulders and melt away with a single comforting breath rustling against his messy mop of hair.
He didn't know how long he sat there on that silly violet coloured couch but it was easily one of his greatest moments in his entire life. Or whatever he was experiencing now. Face wet, his nose runny and eyes bright red and gentle palms cubbing his cheeks David smiled, bright and free, oblivious to the concerned look of his mother, when the sound of a door opening disrupted them both.
Heads swirling to meet a tall man, short messy hair wearing a cheap but clean suit, out done by the bright grin and twinkling blue eyes.
"Hey Glory I'm home- ah." His eyes fell upon the two and his grin still firm lost its lustre. For a brief moment David saw something he couldn't quite put his finger on swim across these twin fleshy blue eyes.
And then the man spoke again his words warm, tinged in sadness and dripping of times gone by.
"Hello son."
And once again David felt ever familiar sensation of the world flipping upside down at a pace that left him winded and dazed.
'What?'
The story is also posted on Spacebattles and on AO3 discussion and thoerising makes me happy. Also this is a secret crossover. Part of the fun of this story is figuring out which crossover it is :).