The Danse Dilemma

13. If Memories Could Kill

*-*-*-*-*Danse's POV*-*-*-*-*

"Y/N? Y/N, I need you to respond." The Doctor spoke as she leaned towards Y/N, who looked dazed and slumped in the chair. Panic rose in my chest as all the horrible scenarios played out in my head, what if she's stuck in some hellish dream? Or what if she isn't even conscious anymore? I could hear my heart pounding in my ears as the doctor stopped speaking and stood up.

"Hm. Paladin. Come here, try talking to her and see what's going on. See if she can respond to you." The Doctor motioned me forward and I sprang to my feet. I walk towards Y/N's chair and kneel down in front of her.

Her pupils were so dilated and she wasn't focused on anything, but she was still breathing. "Y/N? Y/N, can you hear me?" I held my breath, waiting to hear the faintest noise. The Doctor was at her desk, writing down numbers from the screen that was displayed on Y/N's machine.

"Mm..." The Doctor stopped, her eyes wide and she strode behind me. "Ask her again! Ask what she sees, Paladin!"

My mouth felt so dry. "Y/N, what do you see?"

Y/N's brow twitched faintly, she blinked. "...His mom... shitty... dad... gun..." The doctor gasped, running back to her notebook and hurriedly scribbling down what I assume is what Y/N was saying.

"How odd! She couldn't respond to me but she can hear you perfectly! Do you perhaps have a strong connection with her?" She looked up at me, her writing stalling momentarily.

I gulped and looked away. "We are- uh... she's in my squadron, so we've spent some time together, yes..."

The Doctor nodded. "Go on! Keep asking her questions!" She ran to the machine the synth was sitting down at and messed with the terminal connected to it. "I just downloaded the next section of data, get her to go towards it and describe what she sees."

I ask Y/N to follow the Doctor's instructions and after a few moments she responds. "He's... in a gang... has a family..." The Doctor is furiously writing down her story, whenever she's done she looks up at me to continue asking questions.

"Where are you now? What's Kellogg doing?"

"Mm... running... revenge..."

"Revenge? Did someone hurt him?"

"Gang... family's dead... he's... famous now."

Kellogg? Famous? Did he succeed in getting revenge for... his family? "What about after that? What is Kellogg doing?"

"Underground... robots. He's with... Institute..."

"Amazing." The Doctor whispered as she stood behind the synths monitor, writing and checking the screens.

"What is he doing with the Institute? Y/N, how do we get in there?" About thirty minutes into this procedure, I noticed her brows furrowing and tears? Yes, there were tears running down her cheeks now. "What's wrong with her? Shes crying." I stated as I glanced at the Doctor.

"NOOO!" Y/N begins kicking in the seat, screaming. The Doctor frantically ran to her and tried pushing her back down but she was struggling. "Shaun!... Give him back...!" I was to frozen to even act. Her scream, her blood curdling scream. I could never forget that.

"Paladin! I need your help! Restrain her! Tearing her mind from electric currents like this could damage her brain!" I could feel my entire body shaking. I got out of my power armor and I grabbed her. I could feel her warmth in my fingers this time, her brow was furrowed and sweat covered her face as she still struggled, her eyes started fluttering, her breath became raspy.

"Get her to trigger a different memory! If she stays in that memory too long, this could become difficult for us Paladin!" The Doctor ordered, her grip on Y/N's wrists tightened. I could feel my throat burning.