Shards

Techie Time

Numbness takes away all feeling inside and outside her. She doesn't feel the couch, the handcuffs, or emotions. The only thing she can slightly feel is a throbbing in her leg that she focuses on to distract herself from dumb, dangerous thoughts. She keeps her head turned away from the girl in the wheelchair, choosing to stare at the cracks in the orange on the back of the couch. She imagines the pain in her leg feels something like what this cushion looks like. If the couch could feel pain from that peeling, it would probably feel similar to her leg.

Shard doesn't speak. From what Octavia can tell, he stays quietly near Angel Bird. The only sounds come from Angel Bird occasionally sniffling.

A fast knock on the door disrupts the stagnant atmosphere. Shard rushes to the door. He's quick in opening and relocking it. Before closing the door, several people shuffle in.

Shard speaks when the last bolt is locked. "That mask has always been so boring, Techie. I wish you would jazz it up a bit. It's good to finally see you again, though."

A patting, slapping sound like a hug come from the area of the door.

"Always gotta be critical of my fashion choices, don't you?" Techie says with a chuckle. "Well it does it's job well. That's what I care about. Good to see you, too."

Octavia perks at the sound of Techie's voice. She knows this voice. She knows it well. It can't be...

Sitting up instantly gains the attention of everyone in the room. The edge on everyone is visible. Octavia pays no mind as she turns to the masked Techie. Nothing is visible on Techie. His hands are gloved and face completely covered. No mouth is visible on the mask and the eyes on it remind Octavia of bug eyes. Not seeing Techie's face or slightest bit of skin puts the tiniest hope in her that when he takes off his mask, she won't see the face she thinks is under it. But she's wrong. Her mouth falls wide open. She shakes.

Slipping his mask off, Techie doesn't hide his concern. "Octavia?" Xander says. "What are you doing here?" He glances at her handcuffed wrists and dirtied face. Xander turns to Shard. His eyes narrow. "What happened?"

"Yeah," Shard draws the word out. "Things didn't go quite as planned." He motions to Angel.

Xander goes to Angel's side and puts a hand on her head. "Did you guys seriously bring Octavia to see her first without seeing me? I told you guys!"

"It's my fault Xander," Angel says, her voiced drained. "I pushed to see her first. It's just been so long and after Tay was almost killed, I couldn't wait any longer."

Xander snaps his head back to Shard. "Almost killed?" he almost yells.

"Yeah," Shard draws the word out again. "We kinda left a lot of details out before getting you."

"You don't say?" Xander's tone carries his anger.

Shard goes on to explain what happened from the lockdown to Octavia attacking Angel with a cane. All the while, Octavia tries to process what's going on. Xander is here without restraints. Angel is saying she's Aurora. Octavia is not dead. Maybe she's dreaming.

At some point, Shard finishes his explanation and Xander tries getting Octavia's attention. She leaves her haze enough to focus on Xander who she still questions is really there. He sits next to her and unlocks her handcuffs. They're put to the side.

"This is a lot to take in, isn't it?" Xander says. His patience and kindness seeps into his words. It was always annoying, but now it is sickening.

Octavia sits in silence.

Xander puts a hand on Octavia's shoulder. "I got my explanation. How about you get yours?"

Octavia looks into Xander's eyes. "You're not really a Chromy, are you, Xander?"

"Let me explain," Xander says.

Octavia can feel her heart stopping. Xander had been a rebellious-type as a teen and into his adult years but not this kind of rebellious. He would go against what his parents said, be the kid to hang around under bridges and dark alleyways, make friends with strange characters, and not care for popular trends and interests, but he was never much of a fighter, despite appearing like one. He'd always been so kind to Aurora and Octavia, though Octavia had found him irritating with his doting personality. That's not a personality matching the Chromies. Chromies are blood-thirsty fighters out to destroy the peace, out to destroy the government, her family. Xander doesn't act like a Chromy. He even stood up to one when they were being taken. How could he be one? But he doesn't deny being one.

Octavia's lips quiver. "So you are a Chromy?"

Xander takes both of Octavia's shoulders. "Let me explain."

"No!" She pulls out of Xander's hold but doesn't run. Where would she run to, anyway, if she could? There's no one here she can trust. Xander's betrayal stings Octavia's heart more than she ever thought it would. Tears rise in her eyes and choke her. She hugs herself. "How could you be a part of the people who killed Aurora. I thought you cared about her! How could you allow yourself to get roped into their lies?"

"The only one roped up in lies is you, Octavia!" Xander never sounded so firm before. "The Chromies didn't kill Aurora." He points to Angel. "She's right there! It's because of the Chromies she's alive. Your parents have been lying to you Octavia! They were the ones who tried to kill, Ari!"

Octavia smacks Xander before she thinks. Angel gasps. The other Chromies tense up.

Once the sting catches up to her hand, Octavia realizes what she did. She doesn't regret it. "My parents would never do that!" she exclaims. "My parents may not be the most up front about their care, but they do love us. They've poured so much of themselves and time into our success. To see us go far. It may be a struggle to live up to their expectations, but they're set so high because they want to get the best out of us."

Xander rubs his face but doesn't do anything to Octavia. He only shakes his head.

"You get too slap-happy and I'm putting you back in those cuffs," Shard says. "But it's true. Xander is the one who convinced me to take Angel - Aurora - back to the camp to save her. It wasn't as easy convincing my father to let her stay, but Xander put up a good offer. And in the end, we learned what an angel and a little bird she is." Shard ruffles Angel's hair.

She swats his hand away. "Quit it," she says with a giggle. "I'm gonna have to fix that, and I'm not a little kid, anymore."

Shard pinches her cheeks. "But you're so doggone cute!"

Angel shoves Shard off her. "Weirdo," she says in a laugh.

Something familiar strikes Octavia - a flash of dejavu. It's not Shard, it's Octavia teasing Aurora. Aurora calls her a weirdo. Octavia shakes her head. No. That's not right.

Xander nudges Octavia. "You almost looked jealous there for a minute," he says with a small, playful smile.

"No, I wasn't," Octavia says seriously. "That's not Aurora."

Xander takes Octavia's arms and burrows into her eyes. "Yes she is. That is Aurora." He sighs. "Even if you don't believe me and think this is some sort of trick, will you hear me out? I know I'm not your favorite person in the world and after this, I know you're probably going to like me even less, but you can't deny I've cared about you and Aurora and had your backs for all these years."

Octavia couldn't. Xander has cared for them all those years ago and when she didn't want Xander around, he was there for her when she needed him. Multiple times Xander has called her and Aurora his real family since his parents always found him a disappointment and made him an outcast. He may be out of his mind, but Xander wouldn't do anything to hurt her and definitely couldn't imagine him hurting Aurora.

"What choice do I have?" Octavia says. She can't meet Xander's eyes any longer. Betrayal and confusion make it too hard to look at him.

"Not much really," Shard says. He smiles under his mask.

Xander rolls his eyes. "Okay," he says to Octavia. He lets her go. "How about I start with when I first started getting mixed up in all this."