Message 09: Picking Up the Pieces

[unrecovered]

[It's a few days after FILSS' opening the training room, and Wash is still tired. He's in full armor and helmet to hide that fact. He holds up an AI chip in front of the camera. It's hollow in the middle and isn't lighting up.]

Melody had this. I'm pretty sure she found it on the Mother of Invention. Those of you who know what this is, there isn't anything in it. It's not active. That...doesn't stop it from talking.

The ID card from the post office and the blank photo from the mansion. Who has them?

[In the background, Melody protests, albeit not nearly as loud as she had when he'd mentioned getting another cat. Hey! She was holding onto that for Lela! Give it back!]

Comments

[unrecovered]

[It'll happen whenever he gets up the confidence to do it. Given that Ziva hasn't rejected him yet, he gets that confidence more and more often.] You took a pretty bad fall, that's what. The concussion probably messed with your memory.

Sora, I think. [There's a split second of hesitation from him before he snatches the AI chip out of her reach. For once, it's not a trust issue - she's one of the few people he would trust with it. He just can't get past the very specific brand of agony that seems to come along with the AI from the Mother of Invention, and he doesn't want to expose her to that. Not yet.]

[Of course, now he needs an explanation as to why his paranoia is rearing its ugly head in what should be a safe space. Um.]

Don't- not yet. We don't know what's going to happen - right here isn't a good place to test it.

[4letters4ninja]

Probably. I am hoping it comes back sooner, rather than later. [She would really like to know what happened...and why her spirits are being so crazy protective.]

[Ziva looks at him and raises an eyebrow when he gets the AI chip out of her reach. But, his explanation satisfies her for now...he has to have a good reason, right? So, she tucks the card back into her pocket.] Good point.

[A pause, and she reaches over to cup his cheek, running her thumb along his cheek.] And you... Are you doing all right?

[unrecovered]

Let me know if it does. [He'd be in the overprotective club along with them if he hadn't been so thoroughly laid out himself.]

[He meets her gaze, waiting for the challenge, but it never comes. She trusts him enough to take him at his word, and he still hasn't given her a reason to do so. He needs to fix that. Later.]

[Wash closes his eyes for a few moments as Ziva cups his cheek.] I'm fine. Sore, but fine.

[4letters4ninja]

You will probably be the first to know. [Because with her luck, it will come back at exactly the wrong time like fighting another group of nightmares.]

[A small smile, and she drops her hand, using it to prop herself up as she sits. She wants to make it clear she's not going for the chip again.] Sounds like we are in the same ship.

[unrecovered]

[She'd have to reach all the way around him to get at that particular storage compartment, so he's not worried. He gently wraps his arm around her waist, careful not to squish her since she's sore and he's still in armor.] Same boat.

[4letters4ninja]

[A small look of confusion as she leans against him again, careful not to let his armor dig into her side.] They are the same thing, are they not?

[unrecovered]

[He shrugs the shoulder she's not leaning against.] Sort of, but the saying is "same boat." Close enough.

[4letters4ninja]

I see. [She's used to people correcting her English, so nothing but confirmation in that statement.]

Any thoughts on what could happen with these?

[unrecovered]

[He's fallen into the habit, but at least he's trying to do it gently.]

I don't know. Worst case scenario, they call down a bunch of Nightmares on top of us. [Which actually isn't the worst thing he can think of when it comes to voices in his head, but he doesn't want to go there right now.]

[4letters4ninja]

[She raises an eyebrow, yeah, let's not mess with that right now. She'd rather not get smacked in the head again.]

Skipping that sounds like a good idea to me.

[unrecovered]

No kidding. Probably a good idea to wait until we're more prepared for that situation.