This couldn't happen. Not now.

But it was. Poppy's schizophrenia had reared its ugly head, and it was all she could do not to scream, or grab the nearest dangerous thing and attack herself with it.

That's when Commander Morrison walked in. He was tall and broad and blond, and the perfect leader in her eyes.

That's what made them unable to connect; he was perfect. She was a science experiment gone horribly, horribly wrong.

Behind him was a woman, one she knew wasn't there. It was THE Woman, the one that had made her this way. Poppy was terrified, felt tears prick at her eyes. She was shaking.

The Woman just smiled. It was cruel, and calculating, the smile of someone watching their plan unfold.

The Commander looked at her with sad eyes. He pitied her; the last thing she wanted from him. Poppy didn't want to ve treated like some sick pet.

"Poppy? Would you like to talk?" He spoke, his voice soft and not at all the way it usually was. He seemed umcomfortable in her presence, and it was further shown by the gun he hadn't even bothered to hide, the one strapped to his side.

She was trying to hide her fear, but when he sat next to her, so did The Woman. Poppy's hands shook, and she just wanted to scream. To run. But she couldn't. So she just smiled as wide as she could at him.

"Leave." Poppy spoke softly.

Jack sat up, almost like he hurt her feelings.

But she knew it wasn't the case; it was more like she'd just been rude.

Her thoughts soured as he stood, as The Woman's eyes pierced through her soul. Poppy's blood ran cold.

The Woman picked her up by her collar. Her mother pulled her forward,  forcing Poppy to shuffle over to Jack before he could leave. It was just like her to force her to do things she didn't.

"I'm sorry." Poppy whispered, and he gave a half-hearted smile, one that showed his confusion and his lack of understanding her situation. It was meant to make her feel better, but it just hurt her. She was alone. She'd never be anything but alone.

Poppy sat up with a shock. The sunlight was warm on her body. She sighed.

Jesse must've left the blinds open again.

She turned over to face the cowboy, but he was out of the bed.

The young Irishwoman stood and closed the blinds, and found herself alone. Yet again. Nothing but her and the darkness. Like it had always been.

Poppy sat down on the floor.

There, she found herself.

A young her, one that had died long before she'd joined Blackwatch. The little girl was sprawled on the floor, spread eagle and somber faced.

She looked at Poppy, and smiled. She was missing two front teeth.

"Did we ever do good, Poppy? Did we go straight? Save the world, protect the innocent, find someone who understood us? People who loved us?"

The older, wiser, sadder Poppy simply shook her head.

"No, honey. And we never will."

The younger her immediately started to cry, dissolving off into whatever section of her older selves' brain she had come from.

The woman simply laid out on the floor, staring at the ceiling.

This would never be where she belonged.

She didn't care what people said.

Poppy would always be alone.