Assurance (Westworld, Theresa)

[Likesn]

This story is part of a trade with DeVil_no5. I'll be writing this story in a little different style than my usual one, but I guess it's good to try it every now and then.

Disclaimer: I don't own the show or the characters.

Also: Language warning

Assurance:

"Unbelievable" Theresa thought. "Absolutely unbelievable". Then again- was it really?

The meeting she was in went on and on, and one thing quickly became abundantly clear- Charlotte Hale was sick. Of course, it wasn't the first time Hale had come to a meeting sick, and with time Theresa learned that the meetings Hale attended while being sick always had the same outcome- someone else got sick. Theresa realized it must have something to do with Hale's crappy character- if she was sick, she needed someone else to suffer as well. Hale sniffled every now and then throughout the meeting, but didn't sneeze even once, although she looked like she really needed to. Theresa thought it was strange, almost as if Hale was waiting for the opportune moment to sneeze. Whatever Hale's reasons were, Theresa was glad that she had kept her germs to herself during the meeting. Still, she couldn't wait for the meeting to be over, so that she could get away from Hale, and not just because she was sick. After what felt like forever to Theresa, the meeting was finally over. However, when Theresa gathered her stuff and was about to leave the meeting room, Hale called her.

"I'm going out for a smoke" said Hale in a congested sounding voice. "Come join me".

Theresa knew better than to refuse. Charlotte Hale was used to having it her way, and for a good reason- people who didn't do what she wanted quickly lost their jobs. Theresa had no intention of losing her job anytime soon, if ever, so, as much as she wanted to stay away from Hale, she followed her to a balcony, where they both stood and smoked.

"So" Hale said after a little while "tell me about Bernard".

"Bernard?" Theresa asked, quickly trying to hide the alarm in her voice. Could it be that Hale knows that she and Bernard are sleeping together? How could she know? They were both very careful. Then again, Hale had her ways of knowing things.

"Bernard Lowe, head of programming division"?

"What about him?" asked Theresa, managing to sound nonchalant.

"Who's side is he on?" asked Hale.

"We're taking sides now"?

"Don't get smart with me, I'm really not in the mood" Hale said in a dangerous tone. "I've got a bad feeling about him".

"And why is that?" asked Theresa.

"I think he's getting a little too close to Ford" said Hale.

"Well, they do have to work very closely, considering their roles".

"You know what I mean" said Hale, now sounding even more dangerous. Theresa knew she was walking a very thin line. "So, what can you tell me about Bernard that I don't already know? Is he and Ford up to something"?

"How would I know? Bernard and I only ever talk about work, and it's not as if he would tell me if he's up to something with Ford" said Theresa.

"Let's say I trust your judgement of character, is Bernard the type?" asked Hale.

"To be plotting something with Ford? I honestly can't tell. Like I said- we only ever talk about work".

As Hale took the time to think about her reply, Theresa knew she was in a very dangerous position. Had she told Hale that she didn't suspect Bernard at all, Hale would've immediately started suspecting her. Then again, she didn't want to risk Hale firing Bernard. It was the best answer Theresa could give, all things considered.

"Well then" said Hale "I guess there's only one thing for me to do now".

"And what would that be?" asked Theresa, working hard to hide the concern in her voice.

"I need to have a word with Bernard myself, see if he's up to something".

"How would you know?" asked Theresa.

"I have my ways. Tell Bernard I'd like to have a meeting with him, in private".

"Alright" said Theresa. If it was anyone else, Theresa would have been far less polite. After all- she was nobody's secretary. But since it was Hale, Theresa knew better than to argue. The two of them put off their cigarettes, and Theresa turned to leave.

"And Theresa" Hale said and Theresa turned to look at her. Just then, Hale sneezed- "Ha Eshoo, He Tshoo!" right in Theresa's face. Then, as if nothing happened, Hale said- "Don't make me wait". She then sniffled, her red nostrils quivering, and left.

For a few minutes, Theresa just stood there, frozen. She knew Hale had a habit of giving people her colds, but she thought she would be spared. Theresa realized this must've been Hale's way of punishing her for being sassy. Most people would've been immediately fired for speaking to Hale the way Theresa did, which meant Hale probably needed Theresa to keep her job. This thought was reassuring, in a way, but then there were two things Theresa was worried about- Hale's plans for Bernard, and the germs that she had just showered her with. As for Bernard, Theresa knew that if Hale was planning on getting him sick as well, she would have no such luck. Bernard NEVER got sick. It was one of the things Theresa liked about Bernard- not only did she never have to worry about catching anything from him, she also didn't have to worry about him being a big baby when sick, like so many other men. However, Theresa knew Bernard had to be careful and not give Hale any reason to fire him. As for Hale's cold, Theresa knew she would have to be very careful not to catch it.

"Ha Rrrressssshoo! Oh Fuck!" Theresa swore the next day. She really did all she could to not get sick- she went to sleep early the previous night, and made sure to stay hydrated, but it seemed that Hale's cold caught up with her anyway. Fortunately, she didn't present any symptoms at work that day, but as the day went on she started to feel the early signs of sickness- she had developed a nasty soreness in her throat; a light headache, which was worsening; and a runny nose. She was in her room after she was done working for the day, when she let out that first sneeze, harsh and wet. Knowing her colds, more sneezes were bound to come.

"He EhshTshoo, Het Choo!" and they did. It was a very bad time for her to get sick. Well, it was never a good time for her to get sick, but on top of all the work she had to do, Bernard was supposed to come over that night. She thought about telling him not to come, but then decided not to. Although she would never admit it, especially to Bernard, she liked having someone around her when she was sick, and with Bernard she wouldn't have to worry about getting him sick. Also, if she tells him not to come, he might think there's something wrong, and Theresa didn't want to give away the fact that she was getting sick.

"Ha ReshTshoo! Jesus fucking Christ!" Theresa's nose felt like it was on fire. Hale must've put a lot of effort into holding her sneezes throughout that meeting, until she unleashed them on her. That bitch. Well, since Theresa couldn't change the past, she thought it would be best to ease her symptoms before Bernard arrives. She took some cold medicine, blew her nose thoroughly, drank plenty of water, and waited.

"Ha EshTshoo!" Theresa sneezed herself awake the next morning. Amazingly enough, she somehow managed not to give away the fact that she was sick throughout last evening and night, so Bernard had no idea that she had a cold.

"Bless you" said Bernard, turning in bed to look at her.

"Tha AeChoo! *sniff* thank you" said Theresa.

"Are you coming down with something?" asked Bernard.

"HeshTshoo"!

"I see".

"Don't make a big deal out of it, it's just Ha RaShoo! Oh shit!" Theresa turned away from Bernard to sneeze, but he could still see the spray.

"A cold" he said "and it looks like a bad one as well".

"Hu EgshtshShoo! Oh fuck me" Theresa said after another sneeze, this one particularly messy.

"Jesus, bless you. Any idea how you caught this cold?" asked Bernard.

"No" replied Theresa, sniffling and sounding very congested. "I guess it's just my fucking luck". Of course, she couldn't tell Bernard that Charlotte Hale had given her her cold on purpose, fearing he might do something stupid, like confronting her. Crap! She forgot to tell Bernard about Hale wanting to see him.

"Listen" she said, still sniffling "I spoke with Charlotte Hale the other day, and she wants to have a meeting with you".

"So, I'm being called to a board meeting"?

"No, a private meeting with Hale" said Theresa.

"Well....... lucky me" Bernard said in a sarcastic tone. "Did she tell you why she's giving me the honor of a private meeting with her"?

"Like she ever tells me her reasons for doing anything He N'Gtsh!" Theresa pinched her nose, trying to stifle her sneeze.

"Don't do that. You're gonna hurt yourself" said Bernard.

"Thank you doctor Lowe" now it was Theresa's turn to use a sarcastic tone. "I need to get ready for work HiYeshTshoo!" this time, the sneeze was way too big for her to stifle.

"You're not going anywhere with that cold of yours" said Bernard.

"Excuse me? Ugh! this is ridiculous!" said Theresa, hearing her congested voice. She got out of bed, grabbed a tissue and blew her nose into it for well over a minute. It must've been the most disgusting nose blow Bernard has ever heard, and still, even now, he couldn't help but feel attracted to Theresa.

"Get back in bed" he said.

"I'm really not in the mood right now, Bernard" said Theresa from behind the tissue.

"I didn't mean it like that. You need to rest".

"Seriously, stop acting like you're my fucking doctor" said Theresa, finally removing the well used tissue from her face. "What I need to do is to get ready for work".

"You can't be serious about going to work like that" said Bernard.

"Like what Ha Ga EshChoo, HehTshoo, He YishTshoo!" Theresa sneezed helplessly.

"Cone on Theresa, you're really sick. Stop being so damn stubborn".

"It's just a cold. I have too much work to do to let some sneezes stop me" said Theresa.

"Cut the tough act. You're not fooling me. I know you, and I can tell you're suffering" said Bernard.

"If you really know me, then you know that I'll really suffer if I don't get my work done He Reshoo, Hu E Tchoo, Ha EyishTsha! Oh for fucks sake!" Bernard had never seen Theresa lose control like that, but her nose just wouldn't seem to give her a rest.

"Theresa, you're the head of quality assurance" said Bernard.

"I know what my fucking job title is, Bernard. That's exactly why I have to go to work" said Theresa.

"You can't go to work with a cold like that. How will you get any work done if you can't go through two minutes without sneezing"?

"Heish Tshoo! *sniff* Shit".

"See what I mean? If you want to make sure everyone is doing their job well over at quality assurance, you need to assure your capability of doing your job first".

"Was that supposed to be a pun? If so, that must've been the worst one I've ever Ha Rashoo! heard. Seriously Bernard, don't ever try something like that again" Theresa said, but as she turned to blow her nose again, Bernard could've sworn that she was also using the tissue to hide a smile.

"Will you come back to bed already? Before your cold gets worse" he said.

"Bernard, I........" Theresa stopped mid- sentence, her face contorting.

"What's the matter?" Bernard asked.

"He...... he......." Theresa's breath started to hitch.

"Stuck sneeze"?

Theresa nodded, breath still hitching.

"Look up into the light" Bernard suggested.

"Ha..... he...... Oh fuck....... it........ tickles....... he...... so....... he......... much........he..... ha....... Ha YaIsh Tshoo!" the force of Theresa's sneeze tore a hole in the tissue she was holding up to her face in anticipation for it. Thus, she was left with most of the mess in her hands. "Shit! This is so fucking disgusting" she said, taking a handful of tissues to take care of the mess.

"The people of quality assurance will most likely share that sentiment" said Bernard. He knew how important it was for Theresa to maintain a respectable image of herself in front of her workers, but he didn't want to push that particular button. It was Theresa's stubbornness that made him decide to play that card.

"Fine" Theresa sighed "I'll take a sick day, though I'll probably have to use most of it to handle all the paperwork involved in me taking a sick day".

"As long as you do it from bed, that's fine with me" said Bernard. "Here" he said, getting out of the bed "now you have all the room you need".

"And where will you be going?" asked Theresa while blowing her nose vigorously.

"I'll go check out some things about the park and the hosts, and then I better go get ready for my meeting with Hale" said Bernard, getting dressed.

"You better watch out- she's in a bad mood" said Theresa.

"Isn't she always? What is it this time"?

"She's sick" Theresa said. She was so busy thinking of an answer that wouldn't give away Hale's reasons for suspecting Bernard, since Hale would then know she was the one who tipped him off, that she didn't think about anything else until it was too late.

"Huh, I guess now we know how you caught your cold. Someone should tell that woman not to go and spread her germs around like that" said Bernard.

"That someone would be fired before they could blink. I don't know about you, but I can't afford to lose my job, it's pretty much all I have" said Theresa.

"Well....... you do have me" said Bernard, sounding offended.

"Shit....... I'm sorry Bernard, I didn't mean it like that. Anyway, we won't really be able to see each other anymore if Hale fires you, so do me a favor and keep your mouth shut, O.K."?

"How can I refuse a request from someone so sick" Bernard said with half a smile.

"Hu Rush, Hai EshTshoo! You can be such a fucking asshole sometimes Bernard, you know that?" Theresa said before burying her face in another tissue.

"Feel better" Bernard said and left.

While blowing her nose, Theresa thought about that "asshole" who just left. There were a lot of things she thought about Bernard, and almost non of those things was something she was ever willing to admit in front of him.

"Hu Reshoo, Hiya EishTshoo!" then again, she had more pressing concerns at the moment.

The End

[Chanel_no5]

Gaaah… so, I'm both sick and hormonal right now which does make me emotionally wobbly, but I was actually so thrilled to read this that I cried.  

I love it!!! 

I've had Charlotte getting Theresa sick just for the heck of it too, it fits their dynamic devilishly well.   Hale was so subtly condescending towards Theresa, I could totally picture her doing something like that just for her own entertainment. 

 

2 hours ago, Likesn said:

Oh fuck me" Theresa said after another sneeze, this one particularly messy.

 

2 hours ago, Likesn said:

"Thank you doctor Lowe"

Hahahaha! All the dialogue is true to her/their character(s), but I heard this line in my head with exactly the same tone as when she told him she's not sympathetic to the fluctuations of his sleep schedule. Had me laughing out loud, brilliant! 

 

2 hours ago, Likesn said:

"Get back in bed" he said.

"I'm really not in the mood right now, Bernard" said Theresa from behind the tissue.

  I love this regardless if it's an actual misunderstanding or a piece of snark. 

 

2 hours ago, Likesn said:

It must've been the most disgusting nose blow Bernard has ever heard, and still, even now, he couldn't help but feel attracted to Theresa.

You and me both, Bernard. No judgment from me. 

2 hours ago, Likesn said:

"Shit! This is so fucking disgusting" she said, taking a handful of tissues to take care of the mess.

"The people of quality assurance will most likely share that sentiment" said Bernard.

Ouch, poor Theresa.   But, still, that's probably the only tactic that works on her. Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind. 

2 hours ago, Likesn said:

There were a lot of things she thought about Bernard, and almost non of those things was something she was ever willing to admit in front of him.

Yeah, those declarations of love can be tough to put into words when you don't want to be seen as vulnerable... ^^

 

This is lovely, thank you so SO MUCH!!! They're totally in character and I could definitely see this play out. I'm head over heels for a sick Theresa and this was exactly what I needed, I didn't want it to end!!  

 

I'll have your story done as soon as I can, too.  

Edited October 6, 2018 by DeVil_no5

[Likesn]

21 hours ago, DeVil_no5 said:

Gaaah… so, I'm both sick and hormonal right now which does make me emotionally wobbly, but I was actually so thrilled to read this that I cried.  

I love it!!! 

I've had Charlotte getting Theresa sick just for the heck of it too, it fits their dynamic devilishly well.   Hale was so subtly condescending towards Theresa, I could totally picture her doing something like that just for her own entertainment. 

 

 

Hahahaha! All the dialogue is true to her/their character(s), but I heard this line in my head with exactly the same tone as when she told him she's not sympathetic to the fluctuations of his sleep schedule. Had me laughing out loud, brilliant! 

 

  I love this regardless if it's an actual misunderstanding or a piece of snark. 

 

You and me both, Bernard. No judgment from me. 

Ouch, poor Theresa.   But, still, that's probably the only tactic that works on her. Sometimes you have to be cruel to be kind. 

Yeah, those declarations of love can be tough to put into words when you don't want to be seen as vulnerable... ^^

 

This is lovely, thank you so SO MUCH!!! They're totally in character and I could definitely see this play out. I'm head over heels for a sick Theresa and this was exactly what I needed, I didn't want it to end!!  

 

I'll have your story done as soon as I can, too.  

Oh wow!

I'm absolutely thrilled that you liked it so much. It makes me really glad knowing something I wrote made someone feel so happy, and if you're sick now then I hope you felt even a little better after reading this. Take as much time as you need writing my story. Seeing your reaction is rewarding in itself :)

[ZakuConvoy]

...You guys really make me want to check out Westworld.  I kind of wish I had HBO lol.

Great fic, as always.