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confusedunit · 2 years

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Universe of Unreality - Chapter 19

Chapter 19 - "Dad!! You can't just- just do that!"

Dr. Freeman explores. Tommy snaps. Bubby feels protective.

Dr. Freeman shook, as he traveled through the vents. While he'd known his way around, unfortunately he hadn't taken into account the fact that the military seemed to have infested the entire building. Bubby's old lab was taken, the breakroom with the easiest vent to open was full of bootboys, every place he knew to check was swarming with military men.

God he was tired.

And that had been before the shooting had started up again, and he'd scrambled away down a random vent just to get away from it as the bullets pierced the system.

Which led to now, where he was lost, but he took comfort in the fact that if even he was lost than no one was gonna be searching for him. Not up there, at any rate. Which meant he was safe, for now.

He quietly followed the vent, wincing as he had to put pressure on his arm, quickly turning his head as he felt a warm breeze. He turned his path immediately to follow the warmth feeling his shaking speed up. He was so cold.

He finally settled near a vent grate, curling up with his back and side against the metal, the warmth soothing his nerves. Whatever machinery was in the room was generating enough heat to warm the metal of the vent system, and regardless of whatever OSHA violation that probably meant the room was, Dr. Freeman wasn't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

A warm, safe, hidden away place, where he can just...exist, for a bit? With only the sound of machinery and his own breathing as company? He felt like he was about to cry. And as the tears hit his hand, he realized that he in fact was. He hadn't been able to isolate in so long. He was running on empty, nerves strained to the breaking point. But this? This moment to heal, even if it wasn't physically? He'd gladly take it. He needed this.

He curled up a bit more, resting his head on his arm as he closed his eyes.

He didn't know how long he was asleep, when he was woken by the soft sound of voices, echoing from down the vent system. He was dry now, but still cold, but quietly crawled along to follow the voices. He felt like he knew them.

"We'll be okay." One spoke, soothingly, followed by the sound of moving fabric.

A sigh. "...I know." That voice was a bit sharper, but not harsh. "...I'm just. ...Worried."

"For the others?"

"Of course."

Oh. Dr. Freeman smiled a bit, as he moved along the vent. He knew those voices. Those voices meant safe. He unlatched the vent below him, before he could think about it, and tumbled out.

Okay, sure, maybe Tommy could have handled the situation himself. Maybe he could have taken a moment to think, and realized that everything wasn't as dire as it felt like in the moment. But with everything he's had to deal with in the past several years?

He'd like to be cut some slack, please and thank you.

So yeah, maybe he could have handled the large alien grunt that had somehow gotten out of cryostasis, even though he was out of bullets. Maybe he could have remembered that he doesn't need a gun to kill things. And maybe when he realized that Benrey was inside of the cryotube instead, he could have remembered that Benrey can clip into and out of things at will, and was trying to make him laugh at a 'skeleton on ice'. And okay, while the mines that had been set up in the room that he was rapidly trying to avoid either himself or the grunt from setting off was in fact an issue that could use assistance, he could have just stopped time himself and removed them.

Maybe, if he was honest, he'd just called for his dad because he couldn't find him, and he was so scared that his dad had been pulled away for work after finally being able to see him again, and he didn't know when he'd ever get to see him again. But good luck getting him to admit that. That was between him and no one else, thank you very much.

...Though the way Benrey stayed nearby told him that the other alien had figured out that at the very least, something was up. Damn. Always too perceptive for his own good.

"Tommy...are you, alright?" His dad asked, gently resting his hands on his shoulders.

He nodded slowly, before leaning forward to rest his head against his dad's shoulder. "...Yeah."

They stood there for a few moments, before the two of them pulled away.

"What- what were you up to, so far away?"

"Oh." His dad seemed to think for a moment. "I had, found, an...interesting room, and was, examining, some kind, of, hidden...experiment."

"Another one?" The concern in Tommy's voice was obvious. "Can- can you show me?"

"Of course, Tommy." His dad started off down the hall.

He followed, Benrey clipping along behind him.

The door unlocked as soon as the trio got near, and locked once they were all inside.

"...Oh." His dad moved quickly across the room. "...This hadn't, been...open, when I...left it."

Tommy rushed over after him, looking over the pod. "What- what is this? Some kind of stasis pod?" He reached out to the screen, scrolling through the data. "Ex-experimental Stasis Containment Unit, to- to be used in con-conjunction with-"

"yo," Benrey spoke up from next to the wooden chest. "why've they got this box with freeman's suit in it?"

"They. What." His dad moved over to examine the box.

"...To be used in conjunction with des-designated HEV suit users." Tommy kept reading, the words falling out of his mouth. "Originally intended for use for those who traveled across to Xen and sustained injuries, since the section of Xen now accessed is much less dangerous this program will be changed accordingly. To be used to study the long term effects of stasis, in conjunction with HEV suit tracking of health status, to determine possible use for long term travel."

"...What?" His father sounded like he was in disbelief.

"...Current subject: G. Freeman. Warning: Error detected over extended use. Injury determined. Discontinue use immediately."

Benrey moved over, resting a hand on his shoulder. "guess that explains his damage."

"They- they hid him, here, where- we couldn't find-" He felt like he was about to cry, before he realized something. "Wait- it's open! He's out, somewhere!"

"We will, find, him, Tommy." His dad nodded once.

"Right, we-" He blinked quickly, realizing something he'd been ignoring. "...Dad?"

"Yes, Tommy?"

"You- you said you had a contact. On Earth?" He felt his panic rise, as he became more and more afraid that the dots he'd connected were right. "And you had made it? That's why you can be here?"

"I...yes?"

"You were- in the void. Talking to someone?" His voice strained, as he looked up at dad. "Who?"

"...I was, speaking, with the Gordon, you had...interacted with, recently."

His voice cracked. "Did you send him home?"

"...No?"

He made a frustrated and stressed noise. "Dad! You can't- can't just leave mortals in the void! They don't- don't understand it like- like we do!"

He held up his hands in a placating manner. "It hasn't, been, that...long, Tommy-"

His hands flapped in frustration. "When did you- pick him up?"

"I believe, he had...spoken, to...the others. Just, prior."

"uh. that, was like...two days ago, man?"

He felt stress bubbling under his skin. "You've accidently let Dr. Freeman out into this- this hellscape, alone, and- and left Gordon alone in- in the void, of all places, for- for two days??"

That was a look of anxiety on his father's face. He knew he'd made a big mistake. "I-"

"Dad!" He gestured with his arms in annoyance. "What the fuck!"

Bubby looked up at the ceiling as he heard movement, narrowing his eyes. What the hell could be crawling around-

The vent abruptly opened, and a figure tumbled unceremoniously towards the ground.

Harold was up in a flash, catching Dr. Freeman before he could hit the ground. He turned to Bubby with fear in his eyes, and brought him over quickly. "Bubby, he's freezing-"

He pulled off his coat, holding out his arms. "Give him to me." He adjusted to have his back against the wall, holding Dr. Freeman close against him. He nodded as Harold draped the coat over the two of them.

Harold scampered across the room, to search for supplies.

"Dr. Freeman, can you hear me?" He took a chance with speaking, as he felt his skin warming. He was glad he'd taken the time to dry off, so he could do this now.

Slowly, the younger man moved his head to look up at him. He nodded.

"Is- can you not talk? Did they hurt you?"

He shook his head slowly, before he closed his eyes again.

"Is it non verbal hours, Dr. Freeman?" Harold asked from across the room.

He nodded against Bubby's chest.

"Okay. Okay...you don't have to talk. You don't have to say anything. You...you just rest, okay?" He hadn't felt this scared in a while, not since the first time he'd learned what sickness was. Back when he thought even a cold was the worst kind of experience he'd ever heard of. But now, he didn't know what was wrong with Dr. Freeman at all.

Harold returned quickly. "Gordon?"

Dr. Freeman raised his head to look at him.

"Could you eat something? I found a turkey sandwich in the fridge."

He nodded slowly, holding out a shaky hand.

"Here you go. Eat slowly, but try to eat it all." He went back across the room, before returning to sit at Bubby's side, holding out a warm cup of coffee.

Bubby took it, sipping slowly to calm himself.

"Is he getting any warmer?"

"Yes, but I'm having to go slow. He's so cold, I don't...I don't want to burn him."

Harold rested a hand on his shoulder. "We have him now. He'll be okay. We've got him."

Bubby nodded slowly, running a hand up and down Dr. Freeman's back as he felt the man relax. "We've got him."

#*confused fanfiction noises*#UoU AU #Universe of Unreality

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