- Text Size +
Author's Chapter Notes:
You might need the tissues for this chapter. It's a doozy. Hope you enjoy!
Kevin and Nick walked for what seemed like more than an hour. Through empty streets littered with garbage and abandoned buildings.

“What happened here? Where is everyone?” Nick asked. He knew he didn't need his weapon but he kept a close eye on it in his holster at his waist as they walked.

“A lot of things happened, Nick. Things I cannot explain to you in detail until we get to our destination. We are almost there.” Kevin replied softly. There were no animals here except for the occasional rat scurrying along. It was also eerily quiet. Nick was feeling uncomfortable and for the first time since he woke up, lost. This place didn't feel right…like the ship. He wondered if Brian was out looking for him or had noticed that he was missing by now. Wondered if he did the right thing by leaving. It didn't matter, as long as Brian was safe and he could get home.

As long as we are together, we are in mortal peril. They want us apart. Together we are a threat to them...

Nick shook Brian's words away as fast as they had appeared. He couldn't help feel guilty for leaving. Kevin noticed as Nick kept looking behind him for something, but something that wasn't there.

“Brian won't follow you. He knows what's out here.. He wouldn't tell you because he thinks he's protecting you. I told him to tell you the truth. I warned him about leaving. Leaving was the worst thing he could have done.” Kevin said suddenly. Nick stopped walking and stared.

“He followed me to Sienna’s ship.”

“Yes because it was his fault you ended up with her in the first place.” Kevin replied. Nick stayed quiet and they walked some more until they reached a large gray building with a plain looking door. The door looked old but had a keypad. Kevin punched in a number and it slid open automatically, revealing a black doorway.

“In here.”

Nick hesitated but followed him through. The hallway was dark and quiet, no sound at all. The only noise present was their footsteps echoing on the floor underneath

“Where are we?” Nick whispered. He wanted to reach for his blaster but he wouldn't have been able to see to use it. It was so dark he couldn't see his hands in front of his face. After a few moments a light appeared at the end of the hallway over another door.

“This is where we've been hiding. It isn't much, but…”

The door opened and Nick gasped. It was a whole village….built mostly underground. The doorway led to a large set of metal stairs, but from their viewpoint you could see a vast space of handmade homes.

“-it's home.”

“This is amazing.”

Kevin smiled and they moved toward the stairs. Nick followed him, taking everything in.

He didn't know that he was making a huge mistake.


*******************


Brian cursed to himself. He should have told Nick everything from the beginning but he was selfish. He knew it too and he was pretty sure that he had an idea where Nick had gone. Kevin was not to be trusted. Brian thought back to the day they were captured. The day they tried to run after their home was destroyed. The day that he failed Nick completely, it was still fresh in his memory even though it had happened a long time ago...






“Brian, we can't just keep running from our problems…. We have to go back-”

Nick was interrupted by the ship shaking violently. They were under attack.


“Fucking hell….” Brian thought as he ran to the control panel. Explosions were happening outside, they were under fire. A large ship was behind them. He knew it belonged to Sienna, but how did she find them?

“Brian-” Nick said, but he was ignored by the ship shaking again. He was flung against the wall and Brian to the floor. It was hard to get up or even stand but alarms were going off and it was deafening. They are about to crash.

“Get down. We are making a emergency landing…” Brian instructed. Nick nodded and crouched close to the floor. What happened next was nearly indescribable. Everything turned upside down, their bodies were tossed around like rag dolls. Brian closed his eyes and could only hear Nick's screaming. He felt his fear and it was making him sick again. No matter what he did he could not brush this away.

Everything finally rested and Brian was able to open his eyes. The ship had crashed on Earth after falling out of the atmosphere. It was a desert, sand on all sides. Luckily it was nightfall because otherwise it would have been very hot but it was surprisingly cool.

“Nick?”

Brian willed himself to finally move when he discovered he didn't feel Nick's mind connected with his own.

Nick did not answer, it was silent. The silence was making him uncomfortable.

“Nick… “

His voice became more and more panic stricken each time he called his name. Tears formed in his eyes as he looked for him, but it was dark and hard to see.

Brian finally willed himself to stand but it was hard, his legs felt like jelly. The ship was broken in pieces and smoking, the smell of spilled fuel perfumed the air surrounding the crash site. He didn't feel a connection with Nick at all. It was the first time since they'd met that he didn't and he felt empty. Sick to his stomach. His eyes filled with tears as he called out for Nick until his voice nearly gave out.

Finally after some time passed, he found his body lying among the debris. He still did not feel a connection with his emotions. Cradling his body in his lap, Brian took Nick in his arms and gently kissed his forehead. Nick did not stir. Tears spilled down his ash covered cheeks. This was his fault.

Suddenly everything began to vibrate, the sand retreating away from his feet. The ground shook and a gust of wind surrounded him. A ship appeared overhead, the lights blinding him. Brian blinked up in surprise but held onto Nick, as if he were still trying to protect him. After a while it landed and the wind stopped, but a figure approached them.

“Finally I have you right where I want you..”

Sienna stood there, smiling at them with triumph.

“Are you satisfied, you monster?!” Brian screamed, his eyes shining. He could feel how happy she was and he felt sick to his stomach with guilt. He could feel everything around him and that meant Nick was still alive somehow. Their powers only worked when they were together.

“Oh, don't fret. The battle may be won but…but I have yet to claim my prize.” she said, stepping closer to inspect Nick. Brian clutched onto him, not letting her anywhere near.

“Is he alive?” she demanded. Brian buried his face into Nick's hair and cried softly, taking in his scent and ignoring her. He felt something, something weak. It meant he was hanging on by a thread.

“I…I don't know…” he sobbed. Nick’s skin felt cold in his arms, he could barely feel his breath on his skin. It was faint.

“You're lying! SEIZE HIM!!!” Sienna shouted. Her army surrounded them and pried Nick away from Brian as he protested, kicked and screamed…cried….it took several men to hold him back. He threw punches and tried any way he could to get away but their hold on him was too strong.

“Nick!!!!” he screamed in anguish. He was dragged onto the ship, and thrown into a room by himself. Plain walls. Plain furniture with no windows. Just a room where he was left alone with his guilt, left to wonder if Nick was alive or dead. He couldn't feel their connection anymore, or anything at all. Just silence. The first few days without Nick were the worst ones. Any time someone came to bring food, they were attacked by Brian as he tried to escape. Eventually the men stopped coming. His meals were pushed through a small hole in the door. Brian ate, but each time he demanded information.

“I want to talk to her. Bring her to me, you cowards!!!” he screamed, pounding on the door. Nobody answered him. After some time he stopped fighting. Giving up seemed like a better option. He tried to get his power to work on its own, tried to feel Nick out but with no results.

Without Nick he was lost.






Brian continued his search, and prayed that this wasn't going to end like before. He had to find him. If it even took his last breath.

Giving up wasn't an option this time.