(Untitled)

[halfahead]

Glitch was already up and about when sunrise came along, and had found himself a good spot to watch the sun peek out from behind the ocean and start climbing. When the sun was moving overhead, so was Glitch, already heading towards the compound for another book as the light stretched his shadow against the path.

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[thedoctordances]

Beverly was in dire need of a cup of coffee. It was too damn early, for some reason, even when she got up regularly at this hour. Sometimes, some mornings, one just couldn't be bothered to stir. She yawned and padded through the kitchen, getting the coffee, and then going to the rec room to put back the book she'd been reading.

doctor my eyes have seen the years, and the slow parade of tears, without hiding, you must help me understand...

"Damn it, it's too early," she muttered at the jukebox, then glanced around. "Oh, sorry, Glitch."

[halfahead]

Ambrose stared at the woman for a moment as he tried to figure glitch out, but finally spoke after a deep breath.

"Would simply asking you for an explanation get me absolutely anywhere in figuring this out?" Ambrose kept himself from glaring at the woman, keeping his face completely neutral as he watched her.

[thedoctordances]

Well, shit. Beverly's brain kicked into adrenaline overdrive, for a moment, bringing her into wakefulness. "Ambrose?" she asked, face worried as she took a long sip of coffee.

[halfahead]

His mind screamed 'trap' at him, but Ambrose was tired and sick of the iron control he'd had over himself. He sighed, head tilting back to look at the ceiling. "I'm not going to tell you anything," Ambrose said a bit numbly, trying to ignore the feeling of the zipper against his scalp.

[thedoctordances]

"What the hell is going on?" Beverly whispered to herself. Cain had never said Ambrose was this temperamental, and she'd never seen him this way. "It's Beverly. Do you not remember me?"

[halfahead]

He turned to look at her, raising an eyebrow. "Beverly. Alright then. What don't I remember about you? I know I've never been here before, so you're probably someone she plucked out of old memories." Ambrose paused, actually considering the social aspects of that. "In which case maybe I really should apologize for not knowing you."

[thedoctordances]

This was bad. This was very, very bad, and Beverly wasn't certain how to stop it or fix it. In fact, she had absolutely no idea, which made the whole thing terrifying. "I'm your friend, helping you with your memories. Wait," she said, "who's she? What do you think is happening?"

[halfahead]

Ambrose was starting to get very, very confused. Azkadellia was smarter than this if she were to make a trap. There wouldn't be any questions about his theories, only forced proof of whatever she wanted him to believe.

He cleared his throat. "Azkadellia. And I was fairly certain this is a trap of some kind, but now I'm probably dead or hallucinating."

[thedoctordances]

Beverly heaved a long sigh. "If I told you neither, you probably wouldn't believe me, would you." She pinched the bridge of her nose in thought. "Mostly because the truth doesn't make a whole lot of logical sense."

[halfahead]

"Logic hasn't worked in my life for a very long time," Ambrose said simply, looking out at nothing but memories before finally looking at Beverly again. "What's the fourth option, then?"

[thedoctordances]

"You've been here on this isolated island with a diverse group of three hundred for several months. You've had a brain trauma which I've been trying to help you heal from. You live in a house with your boyfriend, a bunch of soldiers, and some kids you look after."

[halfahead]

Ambrose stared at her for a very, very long time. He tried to imagine that sort of situation and couldn't even begin to fathom what a life like that would really be like. Despite that, her face was completely, utterly honest, as far as he could tell.

"...you're actually serious, aren't you."

[thedoctordances]

"Entirely." Beverly sighed again and looked him in the eye. "You usually go by the name Glitch. You're a good man. You might not believe me, but that's what's going on, and this is real, as far as I know."

[halfahead]

Ambrose stretched out in the chair, absorbing the information as best he could. "I'd think 'good man' would be arguable," he said simply, and finally stood up, barely restraining himself from pacing. "Why the pseudonym? What goes on here that would make me keep my name secret?"

[thedoctordances]

This time the sigh was longer, and Beverly eased herself into the opposite chair. She could feel a headache coming on, slowly but surely, and while she figured she should go find Cain, she also didn't want Glitch...Ambrose...whomever out of her sight. "Actually, it's more that you don't remember it, and that Ambrose is a different person than Glitch," she supplied.

Damn, damn, damn, her whole care plan was ruined.

[halfahead]

Ambrose shifted again, looking at Beverly and almost waiting for her to say something else that shouldn't make sense but he'd believe anyway.

"I have split personalities?" His mouth opened slightly. "And I'm not even the dominant one? What is this, some form of coping with the interrogation? How long was I even in there? Or-"

Ambrose's eyes widened as things started to click into place. "Oh gods, they headcased me and I'm residual memory or something, aren't I."