Resolve

Chapter 8: Most Unfortunate Timing

     An: Again, I'm really sorry. I've had some mental health issues lately and wasn't able to do much of anything let alone write. I am back now. I'm really, really sorry. If I still have readers, please forgive me.

     As they usually did nowadays, your eyes opened to Jack, standing in your lab. "I've got a surprise for you." You didn't like that grin on his face one bit. You let him lead you, rubbing your eyes quietly in an act of fatigue. The area around you changed. The  sight of the holding cells brought back some of your dread.

     "Jack-"

    "Shh. You'll wake him up." He gestured into a cell. You peeked, half afraid to see the contents. Mordecai lay unconscious on the bed. Your stomach shot up into your throat and you gaped like a fish. The dread tripped and morphed into fear. "Just in case you get any ideas about acting up. Remember I've got your idiot boyfriend on a tight, tight leash." It was whispered in your ear like a poisoned, intimate secret.

     "Yes, Jack." You replied dutifully. He nodded with a smile.

     "Good girl."

X

     You made your move that night after Jack fell asleep at his desk. You had put so many sedatives in his drink he shouldn't wake until tomorrow. You then stole his watch from his wrist. It would get you clearance to the eridium processing station, which thanks to you was under lock down by Jack's orders.

You practically sprinted the entire way, afraid of the consequences should you get caught. You slammed the watch on the scanner, more than a little jumpy by this point in your escapade. The scanner took a moment to run the watch through the system before sliding open with a click. You slid in and engaged the emergency over ride locking mechanism. Now if he woke, he'd have a hell of to time getting to you quickly enough to prevent you catalyzing another loop. You were running low on faith that it would work at all, but damn if you weren't going to try your hardest anyhow.

An alarm went off somewhere promoting you to start running again. They were simple sedatives, easily countered by a slap to the face should he get one. You slipped and the watch went flying out of your grasp. You let it go and rolled onto your back, holding your sides in pain. The ribs may have mostly healed, but hell, it hurt like nothing else. You had to hurry. You were unwilling to allow Mordecai to suffer torture he was likely to remember.

It was slow going. Perhaps you had rebroken a rib or two. You limped towards the middle of the department, urging yourself on through every agonizing step. It was amazing no one had seen you yet. Too good to be true, in fact. You slid close to a wall and pressed your back flat to it. You listened closely and when up you didn't hear anything, you stepped away. Smack into Jack. You let out a cry of alarm and scrambled backwards on the floor. His arms were crossed firmly in anger.

      The vat of eridium bubbled behind you. You locked your eyes on it and burst up from your position, diving over the railing. There was the crack of a pistol going off and pain bloomed in your guts. Shot again. You had just enough time to muse before you were submerged.

X

     Your eyes opened. You were small like a child, but still very much shot. You coughed and blood bubbled past your lips. You struggled to your feet and began to walk aimlessly. It was snowing. Cold. It numbed your pain at first before beginning to steal away your feeling entirely. You shivered, not prepared for this. There were lights ahead and poured stumbled for them blindly. You needed help. Any help. Surely even the worst, most icy hearted hardass wouldn't turn away a child with a gun shot wound. In the snow.

     Left foot right foot. Left foot again. You fell and did not get back up. There wasn't much to be done about it. You lay and quietly accepted that your death would find you at last. You'd had a good run of it. You tried to make a difference and you supposed that was all you could really ask for in the end. You were a better than person than Jack, better than the vault hunters who killed just as much. Better. You did better. You tried. It's ok... I'm just going to-

     "Mom! Dad! Y/n is back! She's hurt!" That voice...it was familiar. So much. It made you delirious. You looked up into the green and blue eyes of a young Jack.

     He was hugging you. Holding you off the ground. "I'm sorry I said those things to you about being a siren. I'm still your brother. I will love you forever." Your eyes rolled back, unable to make sense of it all.