Joy hugged her pillow as she sat up in her bed. She frowned at her wall, her heartbeat racing as she realized that her nightlight had switched off. She scrambled to her feet, ignoring the black dots that clouded her vision.

She stumbled toward the general direction of the nightlight stand, tripping over stuff in her room. She didn't care that she had knocked her books off of her dresser and basically body slammed into her bookshelf. When she reached the lamp, she fumbled around to find the switch and turned to the light on. She blinked a few times to get used to the bright flash. Suddenly, her bookshelf fell over and she screamed obnoxiously loud.

She angrily grabbed one of the books and threw it at her closet. Her bedroom door swung open to Molly in her robe.

"Good heavens, are you alright, Joy?!" She gasped, scanning her room which looked like a tornado had run through it. Joy picked up another book and chucked it at her wall, making Molly gasp again.

"Joy! Stop that, come here." She walked into the room and embraced Joy in a hug. Her anxiety betraying her, Joy broke into a fit of crying. Molly stroked her hair and uttered a few soothing words to her, but it wasn't until a good fifteen to twenty minutes before Joy calmed down.

They had moved to sit on her bed and Joy explained she just was spooked by the dark. It was embarrassing. She was seventeen and she was terrified of the dark. She used to be able to practically live in the dark. It was kind of ironic actually, she literally and figuratively lived in the dark. She didn't know anything, even though she had seen, heard, and done things that most seventeen year olds had only seen on TV. 

Just then, Fred had come in, putting on his glasses and tying his own blue robe. He sat down and tried talking to Joy to make her feel better. Joy tried her best to show them that she had calmed down and just needed to go back to sleep. Molly was by the doorway, but Fred was persistent, making sure she was okay.

"Fred, I'm alright. Really. I appreciate you coming and I do want to talk, just later when I've had more sleep. Please." Joy insisted, forcing herself to smile genuinely. Fred looked hesitant, but smiled and nodded back.

"Alright. We'll whip up some waffles for when you wake up. Sound good?" Fred got up and Joy nodded. Molly and Fred left, shutting her door. As soon as Joy couldn't hear their footsteps anymore, she let more tears fall down her face. She tried to stop herself, it was hard to breathe from her heart racing so much even without crying as well. She ran a hand through her hair, wondering if she should have been more honest with her foster parents.

No way. If you had been more honest with them, you would've just been dumping your problems on them. Isn't it bad enough that they have to take care of you? Feed you? And deal with your tantrums?

Zeta appeared in front of her, a glowing, vermillion man in agent armor. He spoke to her in her head, she was the only one who could hear him. If anyone else heard him, then she wouldn't be alone. She turned away from him. She was out of the Operation. She wasn't an agent anymore, so why did she still have to put up with him?!

You still need me, Joy.

Shut up. She didn't need him.

Nobody else understands you. I alone can help you.

Joy swatted him with the back of her hand as if he was tangible. She swiped her fingers under her eyes, turning away from him. Don't listen to him. He couldn't help her.

I'm in your head, Joy. I know you. Trust me, they can't help you. You can't just force your problems on them. You're better off alone.

"Yeah, you would like that, wouldn't you?" Joy snapped, then drew in a shaky breath. Her lungs ached from not getting a lot of air and she was shaking from head to toe.

Deep breaths, child. Focus on your heart rate, your breathing.

Zeta floated toward her, placing a digital hand on her shoulder. Joy looked at him in surprise. He was rarely ever sympathetic. He was an AI fragment, after all. She took deep breaths, as he said, and felt her anxiety weaken a little. It wasn't anything drastic, she was still shaking uncontrollably. However, Zeta took full advantage of his helpful advice.

Joy, I know you're used to being around the other agents, but even then were you ever really friends? You had good times, but above all: you were soldiers. You had to put up a front. They didn't know you. That's why they didn't trust you in the end.

Joy hugged her knees closer to her chest, shaking her head as if to rid her mind of the memories that came to her.

"You left us!"

"You killed him!"

"It's your fault!"

"You shouldn't have come here."

"You are already lost."

Ella's enraged face as she confronted Joy about Evan's death. Evan's suddenly 'revival' from the dead. Ella and Leo's treachery. His stone cold face as he drove a knife into her. All of those memories were fresh in her mind, haunting her.

See what I mean? You're better off alone.

Joy glanced back at Zeta as he removed his helmet. His face was distorted, she couldn't see a lot of details, but she could make out a genuine expression. She gave him a slight nod and he disappeared. She suddenly felt the urge to do something. Anything but lay there and reflect on her past.

She got up, trembling, and grabbed her phone. She looked through social media and wondered if she could ever have a normal life like the people she saw on her screen. Family, friends, no traumatic past, and no stupid AI living in your head 24/7. His words echoed in her mind.

You're better off alone.

She didn't want to admit it, but maybe... he was right.