Chapter Text
“However..."
Everyone stops with their celebrations, looking at The G-man
His eyes bore right into them as he seemed to stare right into the eyes of every single member of the science team at once
There is nothing good about a 'however' and the way he says it makes it even worse.
Tommy can feel a growing sense of dread overcome him
This is their father, yes, but he can tell something has definitely changed him
There is no look of familiarity in their father's eyes, just a coldness.
He remembers, yes, that his father said something about 'The Original Story'. How he would tell Tommy how special they are, not only for his power, but also for his existence changing the entire course of the known future
But those eyes.
Those were not the same kind eyes that look at them when he told Tommy those words
These were the ones they saw in old photos of his father, a time before he came into existence.
Tommy didn’t realize it, but he was shaking
Gordon realized, however, placing a concerned hand on their shoulder
Tommy’s eyes glowed brightly in distress, contrasting the calm glow from their father’s.
This was not their father, he knew it, something had changed him.
Gordon: “What do you mean by however??? What, do we have to fight some more aliens or some shit for you to let us go?!”
Bubby: “Fuck no! I want to go home!”
The G-man held up a hand for silence, as the entire science team started to voice their objections.
Tommy took a step back, noticeable enough that the rest of the science team turned to look back at him.
Gordon: “Hey Tommy, you good?”
Tommy: “Mister Freeman I think-”
As G-man spoke again, the room seemed to grow colder and the air felt like it was being sucked out
Tommy became silent immediately, terrified beyond words seemingly or simply unable to speak
They all felt compelled to look, to listen to what The G-man had to say and so
They stared, unable to take their eyes off him.
“Due to the entity’s… In-ter-ference with. Certain wishes of my employers, not to mention causing major dis-ruption with the natural order of things… As well as com-pletely. Changing events far beyond their intended path-”
The G-man tilted his head slightly, as if to see if the science team was catching onto what he was going to say.
Tommy had an idea but was terrified of responding
If they did, and if The G-man said it was true
That would make it real
And that terrified him.
The rest of the science team was just paralyzed with fear, Gordon was sure he’d throw up
But
There was also confusion
Why were they so scared?
Was this The G-man’s doing?
If so
Why?
Why did he want them to fear him, to want them to run away
Why?
“-Certain actions must be taken in order to. Cor-rect things-”
The G-man smirked, the dread in the room almost crushed them like an anvil.
“-And so… In order to a-ssure the future will go as in-tended, for the sake of the future. Of humanity, I have de-cided that the best course of action would be to re-write his-tory as it is meant to be, as it is intended to be, so to speak.”
Silence.
The statement was still sinking into their minds
Then, when it did, it’s sickening, thorny vines wrapped around their hearts and stomachs
Their hearts filled with dread, their stomachs churned like poison had found its way in.
Tommy: “D-dad, there’s other solutions.”
The G-man’s tone turned soft for a second, his eyes glowed with familiarity
G-man: “I am…A-pologetic Tommy, this is not the most pleasant. Birth-day, but if all goes according to plan, you will not re-member this.”
Tommy: “What about Benrey?”
The G-man’s expression turned cold.
G-man: “That… Nu-isance has used up his last. Chance, you are lucky my employers are allow-ing me to keep him in a stasis opposed to out-right… Removing him, a case I had to fight hard for.”
Tommy took a step further, a desperate look on his face
They couldn’t allow this to happen
Tommy: “D-dad, please, don’t do this, there are- there are other ways.”
They were on the verge of tears, their hands clasped together, shaking. His voice shook too, clearly pleading
Gordon upon seeing his friend, someone he cared deeply about, someone who saved his life, on the verge tears and terribly upset, finally spoke
Gordon: “You’re fucking just gonna let your son cry? Some fucking father you are, if there are other solutions then go with those ones!”
G-man: “I believe you hate the… En-tity, why do you want to see them live, to be remem-bered?”
Gordon stuttered, unable to speak for a second
Then The G-man smirked and he found his voice
Gordon: “Because They don’t deserve that! He might be an asshole but nobody deserves to be forgotten!”
Finally, the other spoke up, their paralysis gone.
Dr Coomer: “I would say that’s a fate worse than death! I surely wouldn't like being forgotten!”
Gordon: “Don’t worry Doctor Coomer, I would never-”
Bubby: “Jesus Christ, Coolatta, we get you aren’t human but you don’t have to act so fucking inhumanily!”
Bubby got a not so subtle high five from Gordon and a subtle smirk from Dr Coomer.
Tommy, however, brushed off the remarks, too focused on what G-man would say next
The G-man gave a annoyed huff
G=man: “No amount of… un-factual remarks will change the future.”
Bubby: “Shut the fuck up.”
Dr Coomer: “You say that you know the future, Mr Coolatta!”
The G-man smirked at that, Dr Coomer’s cheerful nature sounded like he was almost setting that up
Just so G-man could make a little remark about his powers
G-man: “Time… Is some-thing I am quite... Acquainted with. Future, past and pre-sent.”
Bubby: “Acquanited Who the fuck uses that word any more?”
Tommy broke out of their worried stupor to give Bubby a quick glare
Gordon, feeling like this was the last time he would ever see Bubby, let alone share quips with him, couldn’t help but reply
Gordon: “Well old people use it all the time.”
Bubby: “Hey! I’m fucking old and I don’t use it, don’t fucking stereotype me!”
Dr Coomer: “It may not look like it Gordon, but unfortunately I am old as shit! And I don’t use it either.”
The G-man allowed them to continue their fussing, Tommy even joining in on it as they saw The G-man pause, watching
Strangely enough, he looked upon the scene with emotion
A strange feeling in his heart.
He was
Unable to determine it
Until
Fondness.
He was going to miss this, it was… Amusing, comforting, it almost made him hesitate
Should he really go along with this?
No.
No time for second thoughts
Regrets would have to be something of the past.
The G-man took a deep breath
He needed to remove them from this room, the work would take a while and he feared he would be talked out of it
And so, his voice cut through the bickering
“If you are all going to… Ar-gue, then why don’t you take it out-side…”
That was the last thing the science team heard, before a blinding flash of light took over their visions
When they could see clearly again, they realize where they were
On a Tram.
Back at the beginning.