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[ He and Delta have been on the run for a few years now- long enough for him to get used to it, long enough for him to grow resigned that maybe it's just them, maybe things didn't turn out exactly like he'd wanted. They're still alive, though, and he tells himself that's something. That's something to look forward to. For the longest time, it is. It's just the two of them, just he and Delta and every so often they stop on a planet for a longer period of time, just to get around, meet some people.

Delta insists on it, anymore, after watching York fall into a depressive slump, and he insists on them stopping every so often, on York getting real, human contact, going out to dinner, doing something to take care of himself.

It's how they hear rumors of people passing through the outskirts of town-- purple armor. York takes note of it, has Delta check the radios and the comms once they're holed up in a hotel for the week, and after getting an idea of where they might be, he goes looking, hopeful. ]

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[ He shakes his head, chuckling just slightly. Because really, it's not at all funny. ]

This whole thing started out with the two of us having a literal battle. It sort of set the tone, I guess you could say.

[ York scrubs a hand through his hair, shrugging a shoulder. ]

You feel up to talking about what happened after Tex and I-- [ ...wow, that's a sensitive subject, actually. ] --left.

[ He thinks for just a moment, looking for the right way to word things. There's no easy way to tell him, really, and North lets out a breath before answering. ]

Damage control. It was obvious if you knew what to look for. I guess my mistake was in thinking everything would shake out all right. Wash--

[ He cuts himself off and eyes his friend for a moment. He's not sure how much detail is necessary to share, really, how much is just water under the bridge, how much of it will end up being too painful to hear. Especially when it came to the topic of Carolina. And bringing up specific agents was bound to lead to discussing her reaction. He has to take a slow breath, because this might end up being a difficult conversation. ]

Wash couldn't handle Epsilon. Every time he woke up, it was like that first time, like he was going crazy. They finally had to pull his AI. By that time, they were telling people Tex was going after people's AIs.

Wash--?

[ York swallows hard, clenching his teeth a moment because he knows, he knows what's coming. Wash wasn't good when he left them last time, he wasn't safe, and it'd killed him to know that he had to leave him behind, that he couldn't fix this, couldn't take him. ]

Jesus. You-- you know it's not her, right?

[ He's trying to remain as soothing as he can, because he can tell from York's expressions and posture that he's not taking this easily. ] Oh, yeah, I knew. I knew her better than that. You, too. You wouldn't have helped her with something like that.

[ North helps- of course he does, it's what he always does. He helps and he's soothing and good and York really, really is grateful for it, but the tension doesn't seep out of his shoulders. ]

I didn't think he'd throw her under the bus like that.

That's the kind of thing people do when they get desperate. In his mind, it was probably her own fault for opposing him. She was the top agent. If the top agent goes rogue, you have to find something to tell people.

I know it-- well, made sense is being a little too generous, but you get what I mean. I just wish he didn't have to. Wish we didn't have to do what we did.

[ York shakes his head, frowning further. ]

What about the others?

[ He knows York really does care, really does want to know about everyone, but he also knows there's one person in particular he'll have to speak of. It's something both of them will dread if it drags out any further. North looks to the side for a moment to consider before looking back at York. He's focused and calm. There's no point to beating around the bush here. ]

She was upset when she woke up and you were gone. I tried to talk to her about it, but there was a lot going on...I don't think she heard me. In here, I mean... [--he gestures at his head--] she didn't listen. She was fixated on holding things together, in a way that... I don't think she could see that it had already fallen apart.

[ Wash and Carolina are the two biggest things he doesn't want to talk about, and yet he knows that he has to. He prepares for the worst, hopes for the best and isn't sure what he expects. ]

She always-- Christ.

[ He pretends like his voice doesn't crack, like he's not a little upset, and drags a hand through his hair again. ]

She always tried really goddamn hard for the team.

Yeah, she did.

[ He averts his gaze again, this time to give York a little privacy to pull himself back together. ]

They were pulling AIs that day, when you two came back. I wish I'd had the chance to say something to her at the end there, but she got called in to talk to the Director, and--and Wash woke up. I never saw her again after that.

[ He can't ever get mad at her for it, no matter how badly he wants to, goddamnit. He wants to be angry, wants to think that if he'd been stronger, done something about it, then she wouldn't have gone as far as she did. ]

I never thought- I never thought things would go like that. I thought we could get Wash. Convince Carolina, you, the others, and just--

I thought--

[ He chokes out a laugh, shaking his head. ]

I dunno, man. I wish things were different.

[ He looks back at York and shakes his head slightly. He managed to convince South to come with him, yes, and that was without a doubt his biggest priority out of the whole deal, but it was so little compared to how things should have been. ]

Yeah. I do, too.

[ He gives North a crooked smile for his trouble, forcing a laugh. ]

At least it turned out for some of us, I guess.

Hey, I know it's got to be hard on you, man, you don't have to hide that. I got lucky, that's all.

[ What was her brother thinking having her come to a place like this? It seemed pointless to her and she hoped he had some sort of point to it all. She knocked loudly on the door and kept shifting her gaze down the hall on either side of her. ]

[ York stands first, glad for the interruption, and opens the door, giving her a wider, crooked smile. ]

Hey, kiddo.

[ It's a good transition, and he shifts on the couch to leave room for one of them to settle beside them if they wished, greeting his sister with a smile. ]

Can you believe this guy?

No, I can't. [ She spoke flatly and was eying York, unsure of how to receive this new development. She slips inside and opts to sit beside her brother. ] Is this the only reason we're here?

Wow, ouch. I missed you too, South.

[ He's clearly not injured, though, barely flinching at the sharp comment as he rolls his eyes and lets her in, locking the door behind her. ]

[ He smiles, willing his sister to relax and somehow feel good about this situation. ]

Yeah, seems like he's in a generous mood. He invited us to stay, going to cover dinner too, if we want it. Sound good?

[ Theta had winked off his hologram some time ago, with the seriousness of the conversation earlier, but had continued sending small pulses of information to Delta. North registered that Theta was communicating something, but it was moving faster than he could track. Something to the effect that he didn't know how to make South like him, it seemed. North glanced at York with a touch of concern at that, but wasn't going to say anything about it. He'd have to take the time to talk to Theta about it later. He thought Theta was pretty used to his sister's abrasive personality and realized that her reactions had little to do with him. ]

I guess. [ She still didn't trust any of this and was keeping her eyes trained on York. ] He was with her. So how can we trust him?

[ He bristles, almost, just by the way South's abrasive tone mentions Tex. Sure, she hadn't exactly been the shining star of softness and comfort, but she'd done a helluva lot and been pretty damn brave considering everything that happened. ]

Tex wasn't trying to do anything she shouldn't have been. Something we all shoulda been. You can trust me, South.

[ Which was similar to the message he had given his sister in the time since they'd left, but he hadn't known details. He only knew that York and Tex wouldn't have been doing what they were doing without a good reason. All they had known was that things had fallen apart fast when the frigate crashed and at that point it was better to get out while they could. ]

Why don't we go ahead and order dinner and then York can tell us more about it.

I don't want to talk about it anymore than we already have. [ She removed her helmet so her brother could see the pointed look she was aiming at him right now. ]

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when does the south wanna tag?

she just got home :D

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