bravejemma | Penance Inbox

After the Framework, some of us were taken into a future where Earth had been destroyed, and when we came back we were working to prevent that outcome. Rifts in space-time were opening to another dimension. We figured out that we could use Gravitonium to close them and prevent more from opening, but we couldn't figure out how to compress it in order to use it. No one had been resting, we were under attack from the creatures coming through the rift, of course it was incredibly stressful... and he surfaced. Fitz had a break.

While we were in the future, our friend Daisy had a power suppressing chip installed, but because of where it was and how it was placed -- implanted on the nerve, back here -- [She indicates in the level in the neck, just behind the ear] we were hesitant to remove it. We could have paralyzed her, or killed her. But the Doctor resurfaced to make the cut, because with Daisy's vibration manipulation powers restored, we could compress the Gravitonium into its device and close the rift.

[She'd let it happen, it's right there on her list of sins. And while she wouldn't call it helpful -- not that the Doctor ever wanted to hear from her -- it had worked.]

It was a decision we didn't want to make. So he took control and made it, and Fitz had to finish the removal.

So the other personality comes out to do things that Fitz can't handle himself. Like say, for example, an extended captivity and torture. Fitz couldn't handle it and couldn't get out, so the Doctor strikes a deal.

[And gets magic in the mix, which makes things even more complicated.]

We can't exactly guarantee a low stress environment if we let him out of that cell down there, though.

More or less, yes.

[Though the way she says it makes it sound like a benevolent helper who takes the burden when it is too much, instead of a cruel opportunist. But anyone who has dealings with the Doctor knows there's no mistaking him for the former.]

No, Hell cannot on its best days be described as low stress. I don't know how present the Doctor might try to be, at least in the near future, but it's not as though we don't have a theoretical eternity for him to prepare again.

[Oh, Natasha doesn't think of him as benevolent at all. It seems more like a variation of DID, which isn't great.

She shakes her head.]

Do you think he's that active while he's not in control? If he's dormant and only wakes up from time to time, that would be a hell of a lot easier to deal with.

[Plotting in the back of Fitz's head for the rest of time is much less optimistic.]

In my experience of him? No. Or if he is, he's not-- if Fitz knew he was active without being in control, he could have told us what was happening. That's happened -- he knew his psychic split was coming, in that reemergence, and told me.

[Unlike this time, when he thought he had it under control. Bloody Fitz.]

You're going to have to forgive me if I'm not overcome with faith in Fitz's ability and willingness to self-report at this point.

[Natasha can't entirely hide her frustration on that.]

It sort of seems like he was intentionally blurring the line.

No, he was.

[One day, Jemma might find time to be properly angry over the fact that he chose to not tell her, not ask her to help him find another solution, not come to her at any point since the casino went up -- but for now it goes into its own box and gets shoved aside. But her own frustration is just as apparent.]

For what he believed were good reasons, but it was in the grey for sure.

[For someone who dislikes the grey area so much he's more comfortable operating there than he'd probably like to admit.]

So what's your professional opinion on what we do from here. Prison isn't sustainable, but he's not trustworthy to be free. And he's demonstrated poor choices on his own already.

[How do they rehabilitate him?]

[Is "???????" a response? It's about the best Jemma's got, but since one can't actually pronounce a question mark without words to go with it, she'll try.]

Unsustainable but good enough for the meantime. He said part of the Doctor and Barbas's agreement was to prevent him from undoing their work, and it would take blood given freely. I don't know if it's connected to what happened to Emmanuel.

[It's probably too much to ask that it had cut all the strings binding the three of them together; Barbas, Doctor, and Fitz. Why else would they still be here?]

If stress and captivity draw the Doctor out, then keeping Fitz locked up in there could actually manifest him again sooner.

[It's worth considering.]

Beyond that, keeping him in captivity when he isn't responsible for what happened raises some questions.

That would be the rock and the hard place we find ourselves between.

I don't know what the answer is.

[And boy she hates saying that.]

Me either.

[And she didn't expect Jemma to already have an idea.]

But it's what I'm trying to figure out. Hopefully before we run out our time on our current stop gap solution.

[She exhales, and nods. It's good to at least know they were starting on the same square.]

I suppose I don't need to overstate how committed I am to doing the same.

[Hey, they could each do worse than having the other on their team.]

That's half of why I'm here.

[Natasha hugs herself, shrugging.]

The other half being the fact you have all the information I seem to be missing.

Some of it, anyway.

["All" feels like a lot, but it is something she can offer that no one else can.]

Well. I'd like to think at this point I know a fair amount.

[But missing some key information.]

Honestly? Seems like you knew more than me -- of the two of us, you're the one who didn't get shoved into a stasis pod.

[Something, something objectivity compromised. She knows it. Fitz knows it. They all know it.]

Different pieces of the same picture. The question is how much of it we're still missing.

What else are you wondering about?

I wish I knew. Mostly I think... what comes next. Barbas isn't going to stay in that house forever. Not like this.

And Fitz is still a loose end.

[She grimaces, but Natasha's right: Barbas won't be kept forever, and when he's out, it's won't be pretty.]

I'm going to look into magical solutions -- at least see if there's something about the name taboo, and see who I can talk to. I'll let you know what I find out.

I appreciate it. If I find out anything else, I'll keep you in the loop too.

I appreciate it. [And she does.] If there's anything else you think I can clear up, just ask.

I will. And I'll keep you in the loop.

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