Crash and Burn

by Seanchaidh

An alternative ending to series 5, picking up from the end of ep. 22 of s5 onwards. The site has the synopses if you can't remember what was going on then. NB: this is complete. If you liked this story, you may also like Nice Guys Don't Grow On Trees.

1. Crash and Burn Prologue

Crash and Burn

Prologue

"I don't know what I'm doing any more. The city has been at peace for six months, but still, we've no proper form of democracy back. The other tribes won't listen to me any more; or any of the Mall Rats, for that matter; not even after what happened to Jay! Mega's manipulation put paid to any ability we had left to influence the city tribes.

And look at us: a burnt-out wreck of a tribe barely able to keep our own heads above water. Jay is dead. Trudy has fled to the Eco's with Brady. Mouse left ages ago: she was the smart one! Ebony disappeared with some guy on a motorbike, although Jack assures me he's on our side. Lex seems to have disappeared off the face of the planet! Siva's gone too! May, well, who cares? We've heard nothing of her since we threw her out! Salene and I came face to face on either side of the barrier one day, back when the fence was still electrified, but she couldn't get in and I couldn't get out. We never did get a chance to say much, but she looked as though she'd been drinking. I hope she's okay.

That just leaves me and my son; Jack and Ellie, who spend so much time in their room they may as well not be here at all; Alice, who found her way back to us from the camps not long after the power went down again; Sammy and Gel! Seven people! I'm amazed we've lasted this long!

I remember the old days, when there were so many of us. I miss Dal. I miss Bray. I miss Pride. I miss Tai San. I miss Trudy and Brady. I miss Salene. I miss KC and Patsy and Cloe. Heck, I even miss Lex! I know the first four of them will never come home to us: they're gone and I pray they are at peace, But I wish the rest would. If we could only get ourselves back together, we might stand a chance. Who knows, we may even be able to bring the city back to order again.

But right now, in the middle of the night, while everyone else is asleep, the only kind of dreams I want to keep alive are the kind that come with sleep. Instead, here I am, sitting in the kitchen, hugging a glass of water for comfort, unable to close my eyes."