Chapter Text
It was a normal day in the archives. It had been a normal week. Normal. Calm, even. Right up until the moment that Jon started screaming.
It happened very suddenly. There had been quiet save to the faint sounds of Jon recording a statement behind his closed door and the clicking of hands on keys as the assistants worked.
Then screaming. Guttural, pained, screaming.
Tim and Sasha shot up and ran to Jon’s door. Martin dropped a mug in his haste coming from the breakroom. What they saw when they got in the room was not pretty. It was absolutely horrifying. Jon was rolling on the floor, clutching at his head and clawing at his neck and arms. He was covered in blood to the point where Tim couldn’t even see where it was coming from.
They all rushed to his side. Martin pulled out his phone to dial 999 when suddenly, he doubled over and started screaming as well, dropping the phone. Blood started pouring from a cut on his neck as he dropped to the floor pressing his hands to his skull. Tears were streaming down his face. On top of that, his form seemed to … fade. It was as though someone was sporadically changing the opacity and volume on Martin and his screams .
Tim was hunched over both of them trying so hard to help, but he had no idea what to do or what was happening. He felt so damn helpless.
Sasha dialed 999 and the ambulance came shortly after. They sedated the two men and the screams finally faded, leaving Tim’s ears ringing as they went to the hospital. They let him and Sasha ride with them on the way and they watched as the paramedics tried to stop the bleeding. Martin just had the one wound, but Jon was covered in them. There were round pockmarks all over his body and a cut across his throat, and that was just what Tim could see.
The paramedics asked them what happened, and they told them what they’d seen.
Martin was the first to wake up. Before he was even fully awake, he was asking for Jon. Tim had been camped out in the chair next to him and went over.
“Hey, Martin. It’s ok. Jon’s stable. You’re in the hospital.”
Martin just stared at him for a minute, shock and confusion written all over his face. “Tim? What are you…? Are you alive? Or am I…?” He glanced down at himself before sharply looking up again. “Unless you’re not Tim and I am stuck in another fucking domain. What? Can I expect to see Dr. David now? Or one of the other fucking Stranger types? I don’t think you want to get on the Archivist’s bad side these days. Especially with that - face on.” Martin sounded like he was ready to rip someone limb from limb.
Tim took a step back. What the hell was that? “Martin. It’s me. It’s Tim. You’re… You’re safe. I’m not lying to you.” He tried to ignore the mental image of things that steal faces.
Martin glared at him. “You think I’m just going to - what? Believe you? This clearly isn’t the Lonely because my memory is fully intact. And I remember arranging a burial for what,” He spit out each word, “For what little there was left to bury, ok? I’m not sure what your game is, but I am not willing to play along with it. I am so done with being manipulated.”
Tim put his hands up and backed away more. “Ok. I — I’m not going to manipulate you. I’m going to get a doctor. They can explain to you what’s—”
“Where. Is. Jon.”
“He’s right over there, Martin.” He gestured to the second half of the room blocked off by a curtain. Martin made as if to get up immediately, but Tim stopped him. “Martin, you shouldn’t… You should talk to the doctor. I—” He swallowed. “Do you want me to get Sasha to talk to you, since I don’t want to ... “ His voice was small. “... distress you.”
Martin stared at him. “Sasha James is dead. The thing I remember as Sasha James is also dead. Jon killed it. I was there. Frankly, this is just insulting.”
Tim felt horrible. He didn’t know what he could do or say. Did Martin have a brain tumor or something? What was he talking about? He didn’t want to leave him alone in the room, but he had to get a doctor in there who actually knew what they were doing. And he really did not want to be in this room any more. Not with Martin looking at him like he was the worst scum in the world.
Luckily, Sasha came back then, and he scooted over to her. She looked alarmed at his expression, and he leaned over to whisper in her ear, “He thinks we are both dead. I don’t know what to do, but I’m gonna grab a doctor. Just… be careful in here, ok?” She nodded, and he ducked out.
He was really glad to be out of there.