[ York blinks at that last, then huffs softly and shakes his head too. ]
I'm not surprised. He's... so different, Carolina. From the Wash you know too, I think. He doesn't think anyone could care about him, it's been pulling teeth to get him to trust me at all.
When I met up with Wash again, after everything... it wasn't a good scene for either of us. There was a point where shots were almost fired, and I can't honestly say who would've walked away from it.
[ What she doesn't say is that she doesn't think it would have been her. ]
If he's back there, I don't know what anything I say is going to mean to him. Or what he'll even decide to tell me.
[ She nods. Carolina is better about rushing into things than she once was, and has already been in a situation she hated where she kept something from Wash while just trying to be present for him. She can do this, but it's going to suck. ]
Sounds like a plan.
[ Big breath in, big breath out. That's going to be a hell of a conversation with Wash, but later. ]
...If that situation's at least stable for now, I'd still like to get your read on the rest of the place.
It's more or less stable, but if he ever has an episode around you where he remembers something that doesn't make sense with his history... you'll tell me, right? I'm just trying to put the pieces together. They seem to happen when he's hurt or extremely stressed. Which I hope doesn't happen again anytime soon, but. You know.
[ It's kind of a staple of their lives, it seems like. As for his read on the rest of the place? ]
I've only been on one 'mission' and it was pretty ridiculous. My read is that our corporate overlords are way too controlling, but you should talk to Wash or North or somebody who's been here longer than me about the kind of work they make us do. I've only been here a few weeks.
Honestly, it's probably way worse if we're right and they're experimenting on us. Like they say the Stuff gives us our powers but... who the hell knows?
....From what I know, they haven't done anything to me. But I don't have superpowers, so maybe I'm just not interesting.
[ She looks at him, very serious. ]
I'll tell you if I hear anything.
Wash was... something had happened to him. Before all this.
A lot of things happened to both of us.
He's... more vulnerable now.
[ She seems to be struggling with how much she should or should not say. ]
They seem opportunistic and, if this isn't a time problem, Wash was coming in already wounded. There would have been more of a chance to do something to him than most of us.
I do. They're kind of cool, but also... it's a little disturbing.
[ He'd explain further but Carolina keeps talking, and York goes quiet and attentive. His brow furrows a little. ]
What happened?
[ It's obvious enough that she's struggling with what to share, and York doesn't know how to convince her that it's okay, she can tell him anything. Because it's not just her business, it's Wash's. ]
He told me about the gunshot wound, the brain damage, and I thought that's what they were taking advantage of here if we're right. But if there's something else... even he doesn't know. We're just going off what Tucker told him.
...I didn't realize it was that bad. He's not like that here.
[ York finds himself feeling a burst of grief for his friend, but shakes it off to continue the conversation. ]
You're right, we're not sure that's what happened. I'm going to check his head to see if Stacia's vision was accurate, then we can discuss it some more. If it's safe to tell him what we think or not. I'm most worried that Jorgmund is using him somehow.
it's okay!!
[ York blinks at that last, then huffs softly and shakes his head too. ]
I'm not surprised. He's... so different, Carolina. From the Wash you know too, I think. He doesn't think anyone could care about him, it's been pulling teeth to get him to trust me at all.
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[ What she doesn't say is that she doesn't think it would have been her. ]
If he's back there, I don't know what anything I say is going to mean to him. Or what he'll even decide to tell me.
But I can still find out.
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I think... it'll probably be rough at first, like it was for us. But he's not completely shut down, just different. You can get through, too.
We just need to be there for him, and consistent about it.
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Sounds like a plan.
[ Big breath in, big breath out. That's going to be a hell of a conversation with Wash, but later. ]
...If that situation's at least stable for now, I'd still like to get your read on the rest of the place.
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It's more or less stable, but if he ever has an episode around you where he remembers something that doesn't make sense with his history... you'll tell me, right? I'm just trying to put the pieces together. They seem to happen when he's hurt or extremely stressed. Which I hope doesn't happen again anytime soon, but. You know.
[ It's kind of a staple of their lives, it seems like. As for his read on the rest of the place? ]
I've only been on one 'mission' and it was pretty ridiculous. My read is that our corporate overlords are way too controlling, but you should talk to Wash or North or somebody who's been here longer than me about the kind of work they make us do. I've only been here a few weeks.
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[ That is a promise. Project What Is Wrong With Washington just got another very seriously invested member. ]
So, I'll take that as a confirmation that it's as bad as it looks so far.
[ It's kind of a joke, but it's not very funny. That's okay. She wasn't going for funny anyway. ]
North's on my list too.
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[ She looks at him, very serious. ]
I'll tell you if I hear anything.
Wash was... something had happened to him. Before all this.
A lot of things happened to both of us.
He's... more vulnerable now.
[ She seems to be struggling with how much she should or should not say. ]
They seem opportunistic and, if this isn't a time problem, Wash was coming in already wounded. There would have been more of a chance to do something to him than most of us.
no subject
[ He'd explain further but Carolina keeps talking, and York goes quiet and attentive. His brow furrows a little. ]
What happened?
[ It's obvious enough that she's struggling with what to share, and York doesn't know how to convince her that it's okay, she can tell him anything. Because it's not just her business, it's Wash's. ]
He told me about the gunshot wound, the brain damage, and I thought that's what they were taking advantage of here if we're right. But if there's something else... even he doesn't know. We're just going off what Tucker told him.
Carolina, it could be important.
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It's the brain damage.
[ She decides she's just going to talk about it. If it's the wrong decision, she'll own it later. She trusts York. ]
You said you know about that, but how much do you know?
Wash... forgets things. He repeats conversations. He'll forget what he agreed to, or if something was his own idea or not.
So if the Stuff fixed him, okay.
But are we sure that's what happened?
Wash was hurt enough that if something happened to him, he might not even be able to remember.
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[ York finds himself feeling a burst of grief for his friend, but shakes it off to continue the conversation. ]
You're right, we're not sure that's what happened. I'm going to check his head to see if Stacia's vision was accurate, then we can discuss it some more. If it's safe to tell him what we think or not. I'm most worried that Jorgmund is using him somehow.