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Who: Washington and South
What: Returning something and a talk
When: Now
Where: South's room
Rating: PG-13

Wash knew he needed to return the journal he got off that one guy to South. He probably shouldn't have read it... But some of it was a much needed chance at enlightening himself to what's happening with her.

And after the one page, he wanted to strangle Carolina, to be honest.

But now, Wash is knocking at South's door. This is going to be rough, but Wash is up to it.

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A lot of things had helped to dull the edge of South's mood since awakening; the children, talking to York and Zelos, even keeping her thoughts down in the diary helped keep them out of her head. She'd been more anxious about losing it than she felt she should be.

However, she was still very much haunted by the events. She wasn't quite to a state where she wanted to go out and actively see people. Hearing someone knock on her door got a groan, and instead of cracking it open she erred on the side of caution and called through the door.

"Yeah? Who is it?"

Washington was a bit worried. But he needed to talk to her. And now was as good a time as any. "South? It's me. I need to talk to you."

Wash. Well, not exactly someone she was overly excited to see. She leans against he door and sighs.

"Yeah, about what?"

Wash frowns. "I have something of yours... and I need to talk to you about it. Preferably where we won't have an audience. Let me in."

Oh. Fuck. South doesn't like the sound of that. She finally opens the door and steps back, motioning him in.

"Fine, but make it quick."

Wash lets out a sigh as he enters. "I don't think this can or should be quick, South."

He pulls out what is likely a very familiar journal. "I'm sorry for reading it, but at the same time? At least I can help deal with the... Selective perceptions of reality that Carolina told you about."

There's mixed relief and horror seeing him holding it, and she immediately grabs it back.

"You read it?" She's flipping through it to see if it's all intact.

Washington sighs. "Yes. I read a bit, South. But I think after what Carolina was telling you? You deserve more information, if you'll trust my word on it. The full truth."

He pauses for a bit before adding, "And you don't have to be alone. I'm here for you."

She closes the door, then folds her arms across her chest, the book nesteled in her grip, and watches him darkly.

"You're here for me? You know what bullshit that sounds like coming from you?"

Wash frowns. "I've made mistakes. I've done stupid things. And the castle has made me even worse at times... But you can consider me an ally, if nothing else. But South? Carolina didn't tell you everything. Because she'd look even worse than you if she had."

South continues to glare at him, then walks over to seat herself in her bay window, curling up around the diary protectively.

"What makes you think I want to hear anything else about her?"

Washington nods. "Fine then. I won't say anything else about her, until you want to know more. The offer is open though, when you're ready." And with that reaction, he knows she isn't. "But you know... I could answer other questions about the future if you'd like."

He sighs. "There's no point in hiding things. It just comes back to bite us in the ass."

"You know, I have had it with Freelancer bullshit. You're at fault just like everyone else. You can't just waltz in here and pretend to be all buddy-buddy with me."

She fingers the curtain aside and looks out at the grounds a moment. "I don't want to talk about the fucking project right now."

Washington shakes his head at that. "Did I ever say I wasn't at fault on some level? And South? I'm not pretending. I don't really expect to be friends. But if you ever need someone who would understand how badly the project warped us? I know it as well as any here, and I'll admit to it."

He watches carefully. "Is there anything you would like to talk about regarding the future?"

She's tense, pulling tighter on herself and the diary. She glares at him, tone harsh.

"What does it matter? We can't change a goddamn thing about it. Tell me all you want, North still ends up dead and it's still my fault but that's okay because no one gave a fuck about me anyway." She's off on a roll now, feeling spilling out with a slightly shaking voice, "-- and you shot me. Remember? You threatened to torture me. Castle or no, that's fucking terrifying and I haven't forgotten it. We're not allies. I'm just tolerating you in my room for a few minutes."

"It obviously matters to you on some level, considering you're screaming at me instead of beating the shit out of me and throwing me out the door. And if you choose to do that? I will not fight you."

Washington shakes his head. "And as little as it is in the grand scheme of things, South? I am sorry."

"Take your sorries and shove it. You all told me it was my fault but everyone failed to mention how they helped."

Wash is actually frowning at that. He'd never really considered how South might see it differently than they did. "You know, not everyone views things the same way, South. Why don't you tell me what you mean by how we helped?"

"What are you, my shrink? Nobody cared about anything that wasn't an AI. Except for CT, but she fucking jumped ship. So you tell me."

To be ignored, talked over, and continually denied recognition had lead South to believe she was being ostracized, that she didn't matter, and that nothing she did would ever amount to anything.

Wash remembers that time all too well. The time when he was a young fool and thought an AI was everything. "We were blind idiots. And it was our downfall. You know what it got me in the end? Declared Article 12."

"Yeah. Congratulations. You want a 'most fucked up' award or something?"

Washington shakes his head. "I didn't win that award. Someone else earned that distinction."

"Yeah? Who? Because sometimes it's hard to tell."

Wash sighs. "Maine. Trust me on this one. No one else compares to his level of fucked up behavior. Sigma was ambitious... Extremely ambitious."

"Maine." She snorts, pulling in on herself and sulking for a moment, but then something occurs to her. Someone had said something else about Maine being responsible for some of the Freelancer deaths. "So ... wait. Does he have anything to do with Meta?"

There's a long pause before Wash decides it's good to tell her.

"South, Maine is the human that became the Meta's host. Not that there was much Maine in there after the AIs Sigma convinced him to steal." Washington sighs. "In the end, he had most of the AIs, including Theta."

Edited 2013-06-21 21:44 (UTC)

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