I was searching through the CRCB directory to see if I could find if anyone else had asked this but didn't see it anywhere I thought it would be (mainly the What If's Masterlist but I also checked the Fun Ideas masterlists), so I figured I'd go ahead and ask it
The newest bonus chapter (18.5: The (Early) Morning After) takes place after the whole thing where the reader finds the cameras inside the room, but out of the fear of facing repercussions for leaving the house without one of them, doesn't say anything to the guys. In a scenario where the reader wasn't dealing with that fear and did tell the guys about the meeting with Shepherd, the cameras, the door handle rattling at night, ect., how would that have gone down?
I know we have what happens when the guys inevitably found out, but I was more curious about how the conversation would've happened with reader telling them about everything when they got back. Also, if maybe there would be a difference in how they treat the situation since this time reader told them immediately instead of slipping up and accidentally mentioning it in front of Simon.
Again, didn't see a post where this was asked already so figured I'd go for it. I'm sorry if it's been asked before, I just remembered thinking that while I was reading and then the recent bonus chapter reminded me of this question.
(also if you aren't accepting asks like this anymore since the series is over I am sorry I was looking through your interaction rules and didn't see anything saying anything like that so came to the conclusion that it was okay, my bad if I missed something)
I don't think I've ever answered this directly before...or really been asked (unless I'm forgetting so sorry)
Things would have gone a lot differently if 'mega had mentioned the cameras and Shepherd as soon as they came back. Honestly just mentioning the meeting with Shepherd would have had hackles raising and some suspicion raising within them far before it does in cannon. I think John would have been weirded out enough he'd go to Shepherd directly and ask why he felt the need to corner his omega while they were gone. Shepherd would lie his way out of it, of course, but I don't think the suspicion would ever truly fade in John, and probably the others. Every mission from then on would be suspicious and they would have gone to greater lengths to ensure 'mega's safety a lot sooner.
If she brought up the cameras, things would have happened a lot sooner. They'd have found the other cameras almost immediately and that would have brought up a lot of questions because John would put two and two together and know it was Shepherd from the start. There's two ways it would have gone. Things would play out as they did in the fic just many, many chapters sooner. Or, Shepherd would have lied his way out of that as well, but at the risk of losing the team. He'd think he could twist John with "duty" and it being part of the experiment but John would call bullshit because spying on his omega takes it way past the proverbial line. It would cause a lot of grief because John would have to make that decision about leaving and calling it quits on the initiative but that might also put them all at risk, including 'mega. They wouldn't legally be able to take her, but there are ways around it, especially when dealing with high profile government involvement.
Honestly I think things would have played out in the same way, just much sooner with more room for them to question things and start side-eyeing their superiors. I think Shepherd would have still involved Graves and the Shadows even if they tried to leave the initiative and dissolve the team as an effort to keep his cover and control them, but the truth would have come out eventually, even if they did leave, and that would have pulled them right back into it because they'd be targets then too.
Yeah. Hope this makes sense.
