Broken

Chapter 5

See the bottom for notes.

A familiar warmth surrounded Ada once again. It made her smile, in an almost sentimental way. The look in her eye seemed distant from Ford's perspective, who still intended to protect her from the wrath of his former Muse. The determination had still not left his mind ever since he had bore witness to the death of the woman standing before him. The sight of her head falling victim to the bloody blade that his own head almost fell victim to had been horrifying. Out of everything Ford had seen in the multiverse, this had to be the absolute worst. 

He was quickly getting attached to Ada. 

Ada decided it would be best to settle back upstairs, and Ford followed her by some sort of impulse. Once they had reached the upstairs, Ada sat down on Dipper's former bed, now facing Ford. 

"Any reason you followed me?" The statement wasn't meant to be as aggressive as it had sounded. 

"You're still in danger," Ford replies, a well of confidence springing up within him. "We need to get you hooked up to that machine." 

Ada's shoulders tighten for a moment, remembering the previous tension she has yet to let go of. She simultaneously sucks in a harsh breath. "I don't want to. But I will."

Ford forced a smile before extending his hand so that she could take his. Ada knew he was trying to be at least a little bit more hospitable and let him continue on with the charade. She glanced down at his hand- six fingers? He had six fingers and he didn't tell her? She didn't stare for too long, but rather fit her fingers between his as they made their way down to Ford's seclusive basement.

When they boarded the elevator, Ada began to get apprehensive. She still had lingering distrust about what Ford had told her was down here, but Ford kept gripping her hand. It was a comfort of sorts. The disquiet inside her didn't exactly fade, but rather was pushed aside when the elevator thudded on the second floor.

"Welcome to my private study," Ford said, in a quiet voice. "I used to keep all my most classified knowledge here, including the encrypting machine."

Ada glanced around, taking the scenery in. There were maps, rolled up and sitting behind the door, untouched by Ford. She saw a spiral staircase in the corner, and crystals sat on every other flat surface. As she began approaching the back of the room, she saw a carpet with a strange pattern woven onto it. The shape was strangely specific- a triangle with one eye. Maybe some sort of weird symbol? Decoration trend? She was at a loss.

"Ada," Ford said, almost stern and breaking her train of thought, "come along."

"I'm not a child, Ford," Ada doesn't say.

With a swift flick of his wrist, Ford activated the machine. The large monitor showed what appeared to be some sort of computer code in green light. A stool sat below her- a stool so small Ada didn't want to sit on for fear that she would break it with her weight-, forgotten by its owner.

"Hm," Ada hummed, wondering if she would actually have to seat herself in that stool.

When Ada glanced up, she saw a contraption she couldn't make sense of in Ford's hands. It appeared to be some kind of headgear, or maybe like one of those things those women always sit under at salons. She wasn't sure, but the metallic clang it made when he flipped the ribbed portion of it open couldn't have been good.

"Are you sure about this?"

The grave seriousness on Ford's face equaled a reply; it was evident she didn't need one.

"Here goes nothing," Ada doesn't say again as she sat down.

The headgear was placed firmly on her head. It didn't hurt, but was uncomfortable to wear no less. Ada turned to face the monitor.

"As I've explained, uh, previously, the designed purpose of this machine is to bio electrically encrypt your thoughts."

With the press of a button the machine came to life. "Say hello to your thoughts," Ford said, almost in a rehearsed manner.

Ada was frightened by it. She felt completely exposed, but at the same time it was fascinating. To have the ability to see another's thoughts was to have a power no one else would gain. Just imagine the possibilities!

"There is power in these sorts of inventions," Ford agrees, reading the thought across her mind. She almost forgot. He could see these things now. Any secret Ada had could easily slip out the crevice of her mind.

"So, who is this guy you're trying to protect me from?" Ada changed the subject, not wanting to concentrate on it too hard. A self fulfilling prophecy was the last thing she needed.

"It's not a guy," Ford chides, again in that rehearsed voice. "He's called Bill. Bill Cipher."

Ford produced a file with some papers in it. Ada opened the file and found news clippings, articles, drawings all about this Bill character. Glancing up at Ford, her internal thought had quite obviously slipped out.

'Ford isn't kidding around with this, is he?'

"No. I'm not." His tone was too solemn for her to ignore. "Bill is a serious matter, Ada. I hope you know the gravity of the situation." 

'What situation?!' 

Ford didn't reply to the outburst, but rather kept a closer eye on Ada's thoughts, waiting for the scanning process to complete. He saw flickers of a woman who had been through a lot; much like himself. But one name in particular caught his eye. 

'God, if Harriet were here...'

"Who's Harriet?" Ford couldn't contain the curiosity. Ada was a complete mystery to him, and maybe this Harriet character would help him put some pieces of the puzzle together. 

Ada winced. Her thoughts on the screen gave it away, but she still wanted to pretend like she was hiding from Ford. She had to hide Harriet from Ford. 

'Harriet Freeman. Nice girl. Amazing, actually. Wish I'd gotten to tell her...'

Ford watched as the thought trailed off into nothing. Harriet Freeman? While he hadn't a clue who Harriet was- though he had a few guesses-, the longing in the thought was familiar. That yearning had a distinctness around it that Ford couldn't deny. 

It's a sister. Harriet Freeman is her sister. Once close but now torn apart. 

Ford couldn't let the guilt take chunks out of his soul now. This girl and her sister wouldn't remind him of Stanley. Ford was this way on his own volition; he wanted Stanley gone. He was sure Ada had made a similar decision; she was probably far from home. Maybe. 

The machine dinged, Ada's thoughts completely encrypted. He felt a weight lift off his shoulders. Ada was safe, for now. While there were still precautions to be taken, at least Ford didn't have to live with the fear that Bill might ensnare Ada. He couldn't bear to live to see that. 

Ford removed the helmet from Ada's head and she stood up. A certain vulnerability rested in her eyes. A new part of Ada had been revealed to him, the part he wasn't supposed to see- and he hadn't even seen half of it. 

But little did she know that they both learned something that day. 

Okay, so if any details about Ford's study were off, please forgive me. I've tried to write Ford's study three times now and no attempt so far has succeed. I can't ever remember what it looks like. It's also been a while since my last update.