Happy New Year's Eve everyone (Or almost, i'm off by one day). The next time you see this story updated, it will be 2014.

I had originally intended to write Tenenbaum with an accent, but after several failed attempts I felt that it was taking more away from the story than it added (which is fancy talk for; I got frustrated and took the lazy way out).

Disclaimer: I don't own Bioshock or any of the characters associated with it

Epsilon was having a very hard time keeping herself under control. She was surrounded. She hated being surrounded. To make things worse, she couldn't lash out at her opponents.

They weren't splicers, but right now that hardly mattered. They carried guns. They threatened to use them. They were the enemy.

After the group of men had ambushed them, She, Davian, and Stanley had all been forced to follow them back into the heart of their lair. The procession had all the cheer of a mass funeral. Both sides eyed each other warily, expecting to be betrayed at any moment.

For Epsilon, this went against everything she had been taught. Her instincts raged inside her head, desperate to tear into them. They were a threat, both to her and her charge, but she couldn't strike them down.

All because of him.

For what felt like the thousandth time, she began debating if it was worth keeping Davian alive or not. This time however, she didn't have to spend much time thinking. During their forced march he had positioned himself at her back, sending a glare at anyone that tried to get a closer look at Wren.

He was protecting her little sister. Here, surrounded by strangers and armed men, that was enough reason for him to be around.

Epsilon felt herself being watched. With a growl, she turned to face whoever dared try her patience. The boy who had been watching her was hardly more than a child. A pistol was held in his unsteady hands, and unlike the rest of their captors he looked truly terrified.

Seeing her turn to face him, the boy blanched. He quickly looked away and darted to the front of their group, putting as much distance between himself and Epsilon as possible. She smirked slightly behind her helmet. It was always nice to get a reaction like that.

It wasn't long before they ran into more people. The spectacle of their armed escort had drawn a small crowd of people out to watch. The onlookers only added to Epsilon's discomfort, her harvester arm twitching in the hopes of battle.

Still, very few of them seemed to pay much attention to her. Other than a couple fear filled glances, they seemed far more interested in the girl on her back. Wren had slunk back into her cage in an attempt to hide from the mass of humanity.

Epsilon focused on her breathing. The steady rhythm of drawing in air and pushing it back out again provided a distraction from the tension that filled her body. She couldn't afford to snap at a time like this.

"That's far enough."

Her attention was brought back to their current situation as the head soldier, Tomas, made the announcement. The group had stopped just outside a large bulkhead door that had a security camera installed in the corner. As she watched, the man lifted a radio to his ear.

"We're here doc. Yea, the sister's here too and you're not going to believe what it's got with it. You sure about that? It seems a bit risky. Fine. Whatever you say, but I'm keeping my gun ready. Shout if you need anything."

As he put the radio away, the door in front of them opened up.

"All right." Tomas said, gesturing to Epsilon and Davian. "You two, head inside. Keep your weapons down, your eyes forward, and your hands to yourself. It only takes a second for the security bots to activate if they detect trouble, so it will be better for everyone involved if you behave."

"What about me?" Stanly asked, shifting from foot to foot nervously.

"We've got someone else who wants to talk to you." Tomas replied with a knowing smile. "One Grace Holloway hailed me on the way over here. She was rather… insistent that she get to talk to you before the doctor. Something to do with a child that went missing years ago."

The look of total dread that took shape on his face made Epsilon somewhat sad that she wouldn't get to see the meeting. She and Davian entered as Stanley was 'escorted' away by two armed guards.

The door closed behind them, but she hardly noticed. As soon as Epsilon had stepped inside, all of her attention was focused on the room. To put it mildly, it looked as though an enraged big daddy had decided to tear the place up.

Folders and papers were scattered over every available surface, as well as much of the floor. The walls were adorned with maps that had sections crossed off with red markings. Notes had been scrawled all over the place, some on papers and others on the walls themselves. And yet, despite all the chaos, the woman in the middle of it all looked as calm and collected as mother once had.

"So, you are the ones who come venturing into our home." She said, with a small smile. "I must ask for your forgiveness. I have not had guests in a long time, and my office is quite a mess."

"I noticed…" Davian commented, seemingly perturbed by the woman's mannerism.

She just shook her head, the corners of her mouth turning up a bit more. "Allow me to introduce myself, I am Doctor Brigid Tenenbaum. I work as an advisor and guide to the people of this colony. May I ask who I have the pleasure of addressing?"

Davian hesitated. He spared a questioning glance at Epsilon, silently asking her opinion on how to proceed. After a short pause, she just nodded. It hardly mattered if this Tenenbaum knew who they were. Worst case scenario, she would just kill her.

"My name is Davian." He said. "My friend here is Amelia. That's probably not her real name, but it's what I call her. And this…" He reached into the cage on her back, drawing out the little sister inside, and setting her on the ground. "Is Wren." The moment she touched the ground, the little girl proceeded to hide behind Davian's leg, out of sight of Tenenbaum.

The doctor froze. The expression on her face was far from what Epsilon had expected. It was a strange mixture of shock, sorrow, and pity. The display put her on edge. Hunger and want were something she was prepared for but this… she didn't know what to expect from this.

Tenenbaum's hand began to rise as if she wanted to reach out and touch the girl, but a warning growl from Epsilon stopped her in her tracks.

After several more moments, she seemed to get a hold of herself.

"I see." She said at last, her voice shaking just a bit. "I must admit, I didn't know there were any gatherers left in this city. Might I ask how she came to travel with you?"

"I found her." Davian replied, defensively. She waited for him to continue, but he remained silent.

"I see…" She said again. The doctor took a seat at her desk, before gesturing to two chairs that were free from stacks of paper.

"Please, make yourselves comfortable. There are several things I wish to discuss with you."

They accepted, each sitting in their respective chairs. Wren elected to sit in Davian's lap, pulling one of his arms around her as a barrier against the new woman. She still hadn't said a word since they had been ambushed, and Epsilon was starting to grow concerned.

"Now then." Tenenbaum began. "Tomas has informed me that you are looking for a place to stay, yes? Is that why you came to Pauper's Drop in the first place?"

Davian nodded. "Our old home was running out of supplies. The only choice we had was to leave."

She pursed her lips, considering his answer for a moment. Epsilon was no expert on reading the intentions of others, but she was struck by the feeling that the doctor was asking far more then she let on.

"Was the Drop your first choice?" She asked. "Was there any specific reason why you chose to come here instead of somewhere else?"

"It was the only option as far as I could see." Davian explained. "It had housing, several possible supply areas, and didn't seem to be crawling with splicers. I only had a few maps back home, so I wasn't all that keen on going somewhere I didn't recognize."

"Hmmm. How were you so sure that there wouldn't be any splicers here?" She asked, regarding him with a fixed gaze.

"Because of Delta." He replied. Epsilon cringed at the sound of the name. "He stormed through here a few years ago. From what I hear, he killed off most of the population."

Tenenbaum seemed to accept the answer, at least for right now.

"I must say, this is a most unusual situation." She said. "It is not often that we meet splicers who are interested in anything other than Adam, and you are the first I have seen that travels with a gatherer and a protector."

She leaned back in her seat. "Perhaps we can come to an agreement. This colony is in place to protect those who still retain their minds. If you come with honest intentions, and earn your keep, then we may be able to find room for you."

"What do you mean 'earn our keep' exactly?" Davian asked, his voice betraying a note of hesitance.

"Not all those in the surrounding area respect our goals." She said. "Though we would prefer to get along peacefully, there are some who would see us dead. If the company you keep is any example, then I am guessing you know how to fight yes?"

Davian nodded.

"If you wish to stay then I would ask that you help to defend your new home."

He looked at Epsilon, silently asking her what she thought about the arrangement. She gave a hum of acceptance. At this point, surrounded by so many people, she would relish the chance to hurt something. Be it a splicer or a human.

"I guess we have a deal." Davian said with a sigh. "Did you have any particular target in mind, or are we just supposed to go out and start killing things?"

Tenenbaum gave him a weary smile. "There's a small group of splicers who have set up nearby." She said. "Tomas, Joseph, and Archer will be accompanying you, and they'll explain the situation in more detail after your examination."

"Examination? What examination?" He demanded, suddenly on the defensive.

"Just a simple physical evaluation." The doctor said. "It's nothing too serious, but we need to see just how much you have been affected by your experiences with Adam. We need to know the risk of you having a breakdown inside the colony."

The expression on his face showed that he wanted to protest the exam, but he clenched his jaw instead. Epsilon wondered for a moment just why he looked so uneasy; it wasn't as if he had any major physical deformities. Then again, maybe he did and was just hiding them somewhere.

Rising from his chair, he gently set Wren back down on the floor.

"Let's get this over with."

Tomas stepped into Tenenbaum's office. Their guests had left a short time ago, being escorted to the medical station by Archer and Joseph. He would follow soon, but he needed a few questions answered first.

"Hey doc." He greeted, nodding to the woman. "How did it go?"

She didn't look at him at first; instead gazing out the way they had come with an expression of mourning.

"I don't believe they are working for Hawthorn." She said at last. "The boy seems genuine in his desire to find a new home, and the protector…" She paused, considering how to phrase her next sentence. "I wouldn't say she is loyal to him, but she seems to accept some of his judgment."

"And what about the girl?" He asked. "Will he hand her over? Or will we need to take her by force?"

He knew how much the doctor cared for the gatherers, and her expression showed just how much she disliked the situation. Still, there was no avoiding the question and he would be damned if he let the poor thing stay in the hands of a splicer for any amount of time longer than necessary.

"I would prefer if he could be convinced to fix this issue himself." She said. "I don't want more violence to stain these walls."

"Oh come on, don't act like he's taken her in out of the goodness of his heart!" Tomas said, annoyed at her lack of conviction. "He's a splicer. We both know the only reason he would keep her around."

Tenenbaum fixed him with a hard gaze. Try as he might, he could never win a battle of wills with the seemingly-frail woman.

"I will say again…" She said. "I do not want more violence. There has been far too much of that as is. If we can convince him to do the right thing, things will be better for everyone. If not…" She turned back to watch the way they had gone.

"We will just have to see."

The person giving Davian his physical was perhaps the single oldest man he had ever met in his life. Doctor Gregory looked as though a pat on the back would be enough to knock him to the ground, and for the past twenty minutes he had subjected Davian to all manner of indignities.

From prodding him with cold metal rods, to testing his reflexes, to seeing just how far he could bend in a given direction, the man was undoubtedly a practiced sadist. At the very least Amelia and Wren had been told to wait outside, so Davian was spared the shame of having them watch.

"Are we almost done here?' He asked, desperate to escape the clinical prison.

Gregory chuckled at his reaction. "Almost." He said. "There's just a bit more I need to see. Please have a seat on the table. I have to check your eyes next."

Davian grudgingly did as he was told. He was tense, but it wasn't the demeaning tests that were working on his nerves. He wanted to get out of the doctor's office as quickly as possible. The longer he stayed the more chance the old man had of finding something he didn't want to explain.

Calm down. He thought. Just act normal and everything will work out.

The next test consisted of Gregory shining a small light in his eyes. It was just bright enough to be annoying, but not enough to cause pain. After watching his reactions, the doctor wrote down some notes on a piece of paper. He muttered something about 'minimal-pupil-dilation' as well as a few other words Davian didn't know.

There's no way this is an actual test. He's just messing with me at this point isn't he?

"Almost finished." He said. "I'll just have to ask you to remove your shirt so that I can listen to your lungs."

Davian froze. He felt his pulse spike while he struggled to give no outward signs of his discomfort.

"No."

"Now Davian, be reasonable. I'm not asking you to-"

"I said I'm not taking my shirt off!" He insisted, cutting the doctor off mid-sentence.

Gregory gave a heavy sigh. "There is no reason to be difficult." He assured. "I know that the effects of Adam can be grotesque, but there is nothing to be ashamed of. We can either do this the easy way, or I can have the guards take your shirt off for you."

Adam mutation. If only it were that simple. He had no other choice did he? Very slowly, Davian began to remove his shirt.

"You see, not so hard was it?" Gregory asked with a reassuring smile. "I don't see any issues with you."

Not with the front. Davian thought bitterly, knowing it was only a matter of time. He was half tempted to just run, but that would just end with getting caught by a guard and him finding out anyway.

The doctor listened through a stethoscope as he took several deep breaths, changing the position of the device after each one. The cold metal only served to heighten his discomfort.

"All right." Gregory said, walking around him. "Now I just need to check-"

His voice stopped dead as he saw Davian's back. For several drawn-out seconds, silence held the room in an iron fist. The sound that broke the shell was that of the stethoscope being dropped to the floor.

"Dear God…" Came the shocked voice of the doctor. "What… what is…?"

"Shrapnel scars." Davian answered, turning to face the man.

"Shrapnel?" He asked, aghast. "That is not shrapnel! I have seen-"

"I said Shrapnel. Scars." Davian insisted, interrupting him again. His eyes glared at the old man, daring him to dispute the nature of his markings. Gregory stood with his mouth half open, a hint of fear entering his expression.

Not waiting for a response, Davian quickly put his shirt back on and got up off the table. He exited the room leaving behind one very disturbed doctor.

You must have known someone would see it sooner or later.

Piss off.

"Tell. Me. Again!" Benjamin Hawthorn demanded, his features twisting as he shouted. His one good eye practically shook in his head.

Cain sighed silently. This was the third time he had explained his findings, and he was not one who enjoyed repeating himself.

"My agent spotted the group moving towards Pauper's Drop." He repeated. "It was an odd assortment. One man who looked to be getting on in the years, a younger fellow who bore the marks of Adam addiction, a little sister, and a mark 2 protector."

"His name, damn it! What was the boy's name!?"

Years of self-control were the only thing keeping Cain's expression carefully neutral.

"The gatherer referred to him as 'mister M' but my agent followed him, and he later introduced himself to Tenenbaum's group as Davian. If I could beg your attention for a moment, I think the big sister and her younger counterpart are a far bigger issue than a lone splicer."

Hawthorn wasn't listening anymore. Much to Cain's frustration, he had begun pacing while drawing in a rapid lung-full of his cigar.

"He's back…" He spoke, his voice thick with disbelief. His hand unconsciously went to the hole that had once held his lost eye.

"That son of a bitch… he's still alive…"