A/N from A.C.: Please remember, I totally make up everything that the medic says. None of it is probably true. I wouldn't know. Just go with it. XD
Oh, and italics are memories/flashbacks.
York and Eliza quickly carried Wash into the base's small, yet somehow roomy, bathroom. Eliza had been holding a cloth, now soaked through with blood, to Wash's head to prevent it from bleeding any more. The fresh blood had begun to dry and clot to keep any more from dripping out. But Wash was loosing far too much blood, too fast.
"Okay, we can set him in the bathtub, I'll go get my supplies."
The two took the limp body over to the tub and gently put him in. The medic left York alone with Wash's unconscious form for a few minutes. Memories of Wash and himself came flooding to the freelancer's mind. Happy, sad, even painful ones. Wash had gotten injured too many times to count, but he always recovered. He always, always pulled through.
"I fear he will not make it, York." Delta had said.
"No, no, he'll make it... I know he will." York turned his head to look at the man on the hospital bed. "I just can't believe this happened to him..." York nearly sobbed.
"Yes, it is rather unfortunate."
"I don't see why he got attacked... He was just recovering Beta."
"Maybe someone did not want Beta to be recovered..."
"Maybe, Delta." York said, he placed a hand gently on the man in the hospital bed. "Maybe..."
"York, perhaps I can be of assistance?" Delta's projected image flickered a bit before appearing completely in front of York's face.
"Oh yeah, D?" York turned to him, "What could you help with? Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
"I do apologize, but perhaps I could help with-"
"York, how's Wash doing?" Eliza interrupted as she walked through the doorway.
The freelancer looked over at the doorway and just blinked as Delta quickly disappeared before the wide-eyed medic.
"York... What the hell was that?" She shrieked.
"What..? It's Delta, my AI all the freelancers have them." York said quietly.
"Oh... I... I thought they got deleted or something..."
"What would make you think that?"
"Wash didn't have one."
"WHAT?" York jumped up to his feet, and turned to face the medic. "Where's Epsilon?"
"I have no clue! Why the hell are you so concerned about some stupid computer program?"
"Epsilon isn't just any computer program," York replied, "Neither is Delta..."
"And just what exactly makes Delta so special?" She huffed, putting her hands on her hips
"Delta's-"
"I am the logical one of the AI 'family'..." Delta interrupted as he appeared once more.
"Thank you D. Yeah, he is, Delta can put two and two together faster than any human. Or AI for that matter..."
Eliza crossed her arms over her armored chest. "Then why can't he tell us what happened to Wash?"
"There is not enough sufficient data for a proper assumption." The AI replied dryly.
"What's your problem with D anyways?" York frowned at Eliza.
"I just don't like them, it's a long story okay? These AI hurt someone close to me."
"I know what you mean." York looked at Wash's body sadly. "They've hurt someone close to me far to many times."
The medic replied,"I suppose we should tend to him, huh? But, York, what made Epsilon so special?"
Wash pulled York by the arm away from his training. The bigger man turned to York, his eyes held a mix of fear and pain.
"I don't know how much longer I can go on with this AI thing..."
"What? Why?"
"He just..." Wash sighed. "He, he sends images York."
"What do you mean?"
"Memories, he sends memories." Wash sighed,"I-I don't know how to explain it any more than that..."
"It's alright, Wash. They're just images... they can't hurt you."
"No... You're right. They can't, but Epsilon can...
"What? He hurts you?" A sudden burst of fear spread through York's system.
"Every time he has those memories, he taps into my brain..." Wash said, "When he's hurt in those memories, he makes me feel the pain..."
"What? Wash, we've got to get that thing out of you!"
"York... No..." Wash mumbled under sudden groans. The man collapsed to the floor, holding his head in his hands, his entire body trembling uncontrollably. York gasped and shouted the freelancer's name, but it couldn't be heard over his own screams of pain. He curled into a ball, arms clutching at himself, tearing at his flesh and making himself bleed.. Wash gave a sudden gasp and reached out for York. The bigger man closed his eyes tight and clenched his teeth so hard York was sure they would break. He breathed deeply through the pain that the AI was causing, trying to will his body to calm down.
Then, just as quickly as it had come, it stopped. The Recovery Agent sat up and was breathing heavily, he blinked a few times and turned to York.
"See...?" Wash managed to gasp through subsiding pain. "That's what keeps happening... but this one... was much weaker..."
"Weaker? There are ones that hurt more than that?" York squeaked through his surprise, "Wash, we need to get that thing out of you!"
"I can't they'll tap his memories... we can't let them get to his memories, York..." Wash grumbled as he put a hand on his knees and got up.
"That's classified." York said, harsher than he meant to, "I can't say. Sorry."
She nodded silently and went back to work on the Recovery Agent.
The blood on Wash's skull had thoroughly dried and Eliza started to clean the small cuts that were scattered on his torso. The miniscule cuts on his chest were not even noticable compared to the crack in his skull. The medic gently prodded at each wound with a damp rag.
York shuddered at the sight of Wash's bloody body. He offered to go and get another cloth for the medic. Eliza understood and let him go. York took a last look at Wash before leaving, the image of the dying body sent a cold chill up his spine.
The freelancer slowly walked to the base's kitchen and searched through the cabinets for a rag. He saw one in a small drawer near the stove and slowly walked back to the room. York softly pushed the door open and closed it behind him as he walked in. York walked to the bathroom door, opening it without knocking.
Eliza was on her knees, with the blood soaked rag on the floor beside her. She was lightly tracing her fingers on Wash's slow rising chest, and muscular arms. She ran her hands over his chest, watching as his breathing hitched a little. But she didn't notice the door creak open and York walk into the room.
"What're you doing?" York yelped, snaping her out of a trance.
"I'm checking to see if he responds to touch." She stated, "If he responds, then he has enough blood for his body to function."
"So... lem'me get this straight," York sighed. "You're trying to turn him on to see if he's alive?"
"Yes and no." She replied turning to face York. "If he has enough blood to get an erection, or even a blush, then I'm sure he can survive."
"Okay..." York said a blush growing on his own face. "I only understood part of that... But you might wanna get a guy in here if that doesn't work."
"What? Why?"
"Well... Wash is gay." He shrugged.
"Oh, I see... But if that's true, why can't you help?"
"Uhhh..."
"Were you two...?" She looked at him with wide eyes.
"Yes... yes, okay. But, you can't tell anyone. The only reason I'm in this stupid war is to stay with Wash. Being a freelancer means everything to him."
"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me."
"York, don't worry. I can keep your secret." Agent Michigan had told him. She was the first person that had found out about York and Wash.
York had just nodded his head, and gave a small smile.
He and Wash had been in the dorms, spending a little time together before they had to go on separate missions, and Mich walked in as Wash had claimed York's lips with his. She had stared at them, wide-eyed and mouth agape.
Wash had been so embarrassed... he ran out of the room with a bright red blush growing on his face and collarbone. York had stayed, trying to convince Mich not to say anything.
After York had gone to his dorm to get his few personal things together before he was off to a mission, Mich ran to the mess hall, not checking to see if anyone followed.
"Guys! Guess who I caught kissin' in the dorms!"
All eyes in the room turned to her.
"Washington and York!" She shouted, the mess hall erupted into laughter.
Wash had been peering around the corner into the mess hall, tears were building their way into his eyes. One of his closest friends... She just gave away his deepest secret without a second thought!
"I don't care what they think..." He spoke aloud to himself kicking the wall, then shoving his hands into his pockets. He ran down the hallway, to find York. He still spoke aloud. "I love him... They can say all they want... I don't care..."
"Fine, I trust you," York said with a grimace from his short-lived memory. He assumed it would end the same way this time, too.
"But you know what you get when you assume..." Delta's image appeared to the right of York.
"Yeah, when I assume, I make an ass out of you and me." He whispered. "I remember..."