Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

 Through the rubble of the crash site there layed South. She was barely conscious, but South let out a low groan. Her body either is numb or aches and she feels heavy. It took most of her energy to keep her eyes open. 

 “T..thet..” Her throat burns, and she lets out a cough.

 South tries again to speak, this time significantly louder “Theta, are-”

 Then she felt a spike through her body making her wheeze,  “y-you there?”

 “Yeah, I'm…..” after South hears his voice that's all she needed to know. She doesn't bother listening to the rest of what he says. She lets her eyes rest.

 “Please don't do that, what if you don’t wake-”

 I'm only resting my eyes for a few seconds… she thinks to herself. All she could do was think. This moment felt almost familiar to South. The situation, even the pain. She tried to pinpoint it, then it clicked. As her breath goes shallow, she remembers. The first time she broke her arm.

 “South... South !"

 There she layed in the same position on a grassy field, covered in scratches and dirt. Except she was younger, when she was a kid. There was a wagon, crashed to the side and her helmet was cracked. She could see north running up to her.

 North and I thought it would be a great idea to launch me full speed in a wagon on a poorly made rail. My arm went numb just like now. 

 “Don’t worry I’ll find help!”

 She sits up with north by her side. When he goes to grab her arm it stings, and North looks horrified. He started saying something but no sound was coming out. The white noise grew more and more intense, and everything got blurry. 

 “Ah, um… where’s help? C’mon Theta, what would North say?”

 North? 

 South’s mind clears up again, it's north, well she’s pretty sure it's north. This time he looks back to his normal self, except his face is still kind of blurry. But he has his armor on that's for sure, once again he’s saying something but no words. Just static, she can't make anything out 

 North what the hell are you saying? 

 His smile… It looked more like a grimace than anything. He squeezes her shoulder. She can feel it. It hurts, he squeezes to tight and South winces 

 He says something else that South couldn’t make out again. Static mix with ringing is shot out.  It stops when he walks away, his back now facing South. She yelled out his name, upset, confused and a bit concerned .

 North! 

 No response, soon she felt a hint of anger

 Hey dumbass!

 As it grew, South's heartbeat quickened, masking the fact she was scared. She tries to run to him, but her legs don’t move no matter how hard she tries. Her feet were stuck in place. 

 Where the hell do you think you're going?!

 It wasn’t because she didn't know what was happening, it was because she knew all too well. She just didn't want to believe it. Just avoid it, just get mad

 Don’t ignore me asshole! Get back here!

 Hide every emotion, and yell, shout, claw her way out until everything is fine. This was no different. Right? But the farther away he got the more helpless South felt. She bit her tongue holding in tears as her eyes got glossy. And she denies what she was seeing one last time. 

 DON’T FUCKING- don’t fucking leave me.

 South's voice cracks, as she lets out a small cry. The leader bored, meta, freelancer, Theta, the director, conneticent, wash, AIs, North. It all comes crashing down, reality hits and all the feelings South had repressed all this time was bursting out. And North’s death was the last straw. 

 Theta found help like he said he would, sending out a distress signal to the nearest radio he could find. He was hesitant at first. The people he found didn't seem the friendliest. But what other choice did he have? It wasn’t long before help arrived, there were four men, three in black armor and one in gray and green. 

 “This is where the distress signal was located?” the one with the x mark on his helmet asked.

 One of the guys in black nods, “Yes sir.”

 “Ok, scout the area. Report back when you find anything.” he orders before they all split up.

 Theta was conflicted, should he stay in hiding or yell for help. On one hand the faster they find South the faster she gets help. But on the other South would want him to stay put for sure. It was North's word against hers. 

 He kind of wished delta was here, he would know the best course of action.  Luckily for him, Theta didn't need to do anything, one of the soldiers found her.  

 "I've found it, there's an unconscious person in armor, but it's not one of ours or the republic's. What should we do?" The man reports 

 They regroup near South, the guy on the right of the one who spoke turns to the one with the green x marks

 "Can we just kill them and get it over with?" He suggests causally.

 "No! we can't just do that." The one who found South angrily said

 "I'm just saying even if we don't, it's gonna happen eventually." The other guy says, making a few hand movements.

 The one with the x marked helmet spoke up, "We'll bring them back to determine whether or not they're useful."

 If Theta had a spine it would shiver. The voice was intimidating and cold. Like the director 

 "And if they're not?" The nicer guy asked, rubbing their hand on the back of their neck. 

 "We kill them." The scary guy said without any hesitation. 

 Theta silently panics. They couldn't kill South. North trusted him to keep her safe. At the very least alive. What was he going to do?

 "Right.." the nice guy replied, clearly uncomfortable with what the scary man said. 

The rude guy snickered, "Told ya!"

 They head off before the green guy comes back. Who stands in front of South once again. He kneels down and mutters to South's unconscious body, "be useful. For your sake." 

 His tone was cold and matter of factly. It sounded like a threat more so than a well meaning warning. Theta wants to protest the guy's decision to carry a very injured South like a sack of potatoes, but if it will get her to a nearest hospital then Theta will keep quiet. They set out to an unfamiliar base.

Chapter Text

 She's still not up. Is she brain dead?! Oh no. South is going to die. I'm just sitting here while she's dying! North trusted me to keep her alive. I got her help, so why isn't she up?

 Theta hears the door open. 

 "What do you think about Jane?" A feminine voice comes from the white and purple armor said, hand gesturing to South. 

 Theta instantly recognized a woman named Yu-wen Bai. Which he found out after a few days of seeing her run around the halls and in and out of the room. He only recently figured out that whenever they said Jane, they were referring to South. It bothered him greatly. 

 "She's unconscious." Bai deadpanned. 

 "Yes, that is true." The lady said, before sighing, "let me rephrase, why do you think she's not awake?"

 The purple armored woman, Theta assumed was also a medic or doctor, had still kept her cheery tone but with a sharp edge to it. Bai folding her arms. 

 "Maybe a concussion? Or possibly a coma. She was recovered from a crash site and her armor was pretty banged up…" the Bai started reviewing

 Theta internally wincing thinking about how the impact made his shield break in impact. In the end it did save South from death, but left her really messed up. If only Theta's protection was stronger, South would be awake by now. 

 The purple armor woman, hummed tapping her helmet where her chin would be, "Anything else?"

 "Other than that I'm not sure. The guys who found her were no help. We don't even know how long she's been there!"  The other doctor started to rant, getting a bit fed up. 

 Theta knows they've been here for 4 days. 2 of those days he's been logged off. He wanted some alone time with no noise, no lights and no more strangers. He never did like the medic bay. Even on the project freelancer, it always made him feel…. icky . 

."She could have other problems that could be the reason she's not up yet. I mean any normal person would've died." She ends her rant with a huff

 "Very good. You bring up several points. It's amazing what the human body could withstand with armor." The purple armor girl praises, patting bai on the shoulder. 

 They did bring up a good point. Despite South's current condition, South was alive. Thanks to the armor and Theta's shield, it did save her in the end, despite the damage her body took. Theta needed to remind himself to think positively 

 "Do you think it's alien tech?" She murmurs to her. 

 Theta wanted to laugh at that. Alien tech? Hilarious joke. 

 The medic shook her head and giggled, "No, they were absolutely positive about Jane right here not being from the republic or from here in that matter!"

 "Why are we even wasting our medical supplies on her? We don't know how much longer these will last or when we'll get more." 

 "Again you bring a great point. See this is why you're my favorite assistant, Bai." 

 "Soooo unplug her?" Bai asked.

 Theta definitely  did not start to panic

 "Unplug her!" The doctor confirmed. 

 Theta was now definitely panicking . Theta could stay quiet anymore. They can't let South die. If South died he'd be- he'd fail- Theta does not want to even think about the rest of those thoughts. 

 Theta wants north here with him. He wants to be with Delta and York. Hell he even wants to talk to Wash. Theta wants a lot of things, but right now he needs South and needs her alive. 

" WAIT! " he yells, projecting a hologram of himself 

 Bai jumped, "what the hell?!"

 The doctor perked up at Theta's appearance "Ooooh, How exciting! An AI. Does this mean Jane is now conscious?"

 He's caught off guard 

 " Yes! No wait, no? I-I don't know! " Theta stumbled on his own words, blinking in and out of view. He shook his head and said, " Don't unplug her. Just a few more days. I can't let her die. She's important . "

 "How nice." She coos, before telling Theta, " Unfortunately we are in the middle of a civil war. Medical attention is pretty limited."

 " Please ." He begs, trying to make a convincing argument,  " she… she- She can help with the war, uh South is strong and could win the war? "

 Bai snorts and the doctor laughs while she talks, "Win the war? HA!"

 Theta cringes, that's definitely going to upset South for sure. Hopefully she won't be too angry at him, although he wouldn't mind being yelled at if it means she was recovering from her injuries. Otherwise North would be so disappointed in him

 “That would be something. Very tempting, yes. Very. What do you think?" The doctor turns to bai.

 She stays silent for a while, before sighing, "... Fine ."

 "Ok we'll have Jane stay for a few more days." 

 " why are you calling her that, her name isn't jane! " Theta finally said out loud. 

 Theta was scared, upset and in unfamiliar territory and finally could talk to someone again. Of course he snapped, sue him for not being super nice. he knew it was stupid but if they could just stop it that would be great. He didn't trust JANE. he trusted South.

"Theta, you wanna hear a secret?" North whispered 

Theta nodded esthetically,  "Yes!"

He lets out a small laugh, "I'll tell you my real name, since you're always asking."

"Short for Jane Doe, a feminine version of John doe. Since she's, you know , physically unable to give us her name. It's just a stand in for the time being." The purple armor women happily explained. 

 In the midst of Theta's beginning stages of a mental breakdown, he had forgotten that other people were there right in front of him and hadn't noticed him freaking out too badly. Also their reasoning made perfect sense and his didn't. 

 "Oh... ." He said, dumbfounded 

 "But I would be happy to know both of your names, if you don't mind! " she quickly added. 

 He hesitated to, but he, in the end he compiles,  "Um. I'm Theta a-and that's South ." 

 "South?" She repeats, typing it in her tablet, before looking back up, "What's her full name"

 It sounded more of a demand than a question despite her friendly demeanor 

 " South Dakota."  

 "That's not even a real name!" Bai squawked 

 She paid no mind to bai, "Alright I changed it to South. What about you? Do you have a last name too?"

 "Uh. No. I don't." Theta says. 

 "I'm doctor grey and this is my assistant doctor Bai. Nice to meet you!" The women- Doctor Grey, introduced 

 He flickers again, but waves at them, nervously replies, " Hi ."

 “I should check in with my other patients and see how my less capable assistants are doing!”

 "Bai, you stay with Theta." Dr. Grey instructed not looking up from her tablet

 From where Theta was floating, he could see she was looking at a split screen of a planner and catalog and a small memo of the base map. Something Theta copied 

 Bai whips her head at dr. Grey's direction, "What?! Why do I have to stay with the hologram! "

 "I'm assigning you to be South's doctor. Theta could help you identify any other problems you should know about." Dr. Grey reasoned, while already halfway through the door. 

 Theta hesitated, but he'll trust them. He has no other choice but to. He's in too deep to back down now. Theta took nanoseconds to go over his options again making him flicker again.

 " Don't tell anyone. About me. I'm not supposed to let people know I exist. " He pleas 

 Dr. Grey nodes, "My lips are sealed. Too doo loo!"

 South wakes up to Theta shouting? Except his voice came from every direction, it was so loud. South couldn't even hear her own thoughts. 

 “ South? South! Are you awake?! ”

 She opened her eyes, but was met with, blindingly white ceiling that she had to close her eyes again. South hiss at the pain, moving her sore arm to cover her eyes. 

 Trying to move hurts like a bitch, but South pushed through it and sat up. 

 "Ah, fuck that hurts." She said through grit teeth. 

 Oh sorry! Theta apologizes. 

 A pange of guilt seeps through and South could feel it. She isn't entirely sure why it's there or if it was even her own emotion. She feels jet lagged 

 South was able to adjust to the harsh lights and realized she was out of armor, only wearing her black undersuit. 

 "Shit," She muttered, voice scratchy and dry 

 Double shit. They took her armor, her only physical protection and she doesn't know where it is.

 Theta disappears when they hear the door slide open.

 A person walks in, Doctor Grey , Theta points out, walks in head looking at her tablet typing something. She stiffens, not trusting a stranger, South is weary. Her reaction time won't be as sharp, she would be slow. 

 Doctor Grey looked up and saw South awake and well, "Well good morning to you!"

 She walks up to South and gives South a water bottle and protein bar. South, despite buzzing with suspicion, takes the unopened water bottle and juggs down the whole thing. Coughing at the end when she drank too fast and water went down the wrong pipe. 

 Eyeing the protein bar, Theta was looking for anything that suggested tampering with the food or wrapper. With his approval, South eats it

 Doctor Grey gestures to South's arm, and asks, "May I?" 

 South made a small nod

 After her nod, doctor grey grabbed her arm and started on, what South assumes, a physical assessment. 

 "Good to know you're still alive- mind following my finger," she started to say

 South followed her finger pretty easily. She picks up a stethoscope, taking off her helmet to properly use it.

 She's older, with tan skin, salt and pepper hair, and vibrant green eyes. She looks asian, somewhere that was Mandarin speaking. 

Theta knew from hearing Bai talking to her in mandarin and doctor grey practicing her pronunciation, a few words she knew. Doctor Grey told Bai about the few words her mother still knew. 

 "If you were a day or two late- nice, healthy sounding heart- we would've pulled the plug on you!"

 "Great." South says, sarcastically 

 She doesn't look up when she talks to south, "You should really thank your little friend, " 

 Doctor Grey gets a small hammer and gently hits south's knee with it,  "good reaction-"

 Now heading to another drawer, she gets a jar of popsicle sticks and walks back to south, "If it wasn't for him you would've been- 

 Stopping mid sentence after she takes a stick out, "say ah!"

 South compiles, "Ahh?"

 “Lovely voice-" doctor grey start putting her medical supplies away and threw away the stick, "you would've been cremated by now. Or don't, whichever is fine!"

 "CREMATED?!" Theta shouts

 When Theta appeared, South immediately lifted up her arms trying to cover Theta. Her hands closing, same movements she would do when catching fireflies. It was useless, of course, it made the hologram of Theta glitch for a bit,  before returning back to normal with South's hand phasing through Theta. 

 South scowled, she made herself look like a dumbass 

 "It's what we do with all the dead bodies. Happens every Wednesday." Doctor Grey finishes with a shrug. 

."Today is Wednesday! " Theta exclaimed 

 She looked at him like he had said something stupid again. That pissed off South. 

 "I know, " Doctor Grey smiles. 

 Hearing the door open again, Theta disappears once more. 

 Another person in white armor, dark blue trm came by, "Doctor grey! You called?!"

 His voice was loud and mid tone, sounded like an egear kid with his tone. 

 Looks around 5'6 Theta comments inside her head. 

 The doctor greets him, "Ah Jarwar! Where’s Doyle?" 

 “A bit busy, he couldn’t make it he says sorry” he laughs. 

 "How unfortunate for him." Doctor grey says, her smile is tight, her eyes wander back to South, "Anywho, this is South she’s our newest addition to the army"

 All tiredness is gone from South as she looks at doctor grey, and spits out, "Fucking exscuse me?! army ?"

 "Civil war and you're joining", she chuckles to herself like its fucking funny, "Well already joined"

 "I never agreed to shit." South snarls. 

 Doctor Grey keeps an uncomfortable hold of eye contact, before committing "A little birdie told me you were a skilled fighter. It was the only reason we even kept you! "

 She hated the way she said it. South knew it was a reminder, a god damn threat. South wanted nothing more than to punch that smile right out of that woman's face. The urge for murder intensifies 

 Sorry

 Muder intensifies more, but now some of it is towards Theta. 

 South groans in irritation, "Fucking hell."

 Blue armor guy steps forward, he introduces  himself,  "Paul Jarwar at your service" 

 South doesn't pay attention and instead asks, "Where are we anyways"

 Jawar happily answers, like it's a goddamn tourist spot, "Oh right,well South, welcome to the Federal Army of Chorus!"