Author's Note: SPOILERS for "Space Colony". It's an AU of what could have happened. Enjoy! PS: This story is told in Chase's POV.
Disclaimer: I do not own these characters. Disney XD does.
As soon as Adam's vital signs began dropping I couldn't help but feel an overwhelming sense of regret wash over me. Sure, I yelled his name demanding him to answer... but deep inside my chest I felt sick with despair.
The last few hours with Adam had been full of stress and hurtful words sent his way. I had reached my limit of my brother's reckless decisions that ended up either screwing up a mission or sending us into an unnecessary harmful situation. I snapped. I called Adam out on his foolishness and hurt him consciously with my carefully chosen words. I knew how much being a family means to Adam and how he considers Bree and I his closest friends. The look of betrayal and devastation on his face when I told him I didn't see him as a friend, and that I was forced to consider him my brother... Oh, what I would give to be able to take back those words now that this mission had gone so terribly wrong...
Bree's gut-wrenching gasp of our brother's name just as Adam's vitals failed the blips of life tore through my chest like a speeding bullet. All I could manage to whisper was the faint confirmation that Adam was... no, I can't say the "d" word; ...now that Adam was gone. I wanted to reach out to comfort my sister but I was frozen to the spot I stood. I hung my head feeling numb.
Adam was gone. He gave his all in order to spare humanity a chance at survival before that rocket would destroy the earth we all were familiar with. But the mission had failed; the mission turned out to be too overwhelming for even bionic humans. Adam was the strongest one on our team. If he couldn't survive this mission then nobody could. Had I gone in Adam's place I never would have lasted as long as my brother had. Adam was... and now Earth was going to be destroyed. How had a simple family vacation turned into such a tragedy?
I glanced down when I noticed an object made itself known on the radar on the monitor in front of me. It was a meteor. And it was headed straight for the missile. I watched with bated breath as the meteor destroyed the missile mere seconds before it entered Earth's atmosphere. Humanity was saved. But now the question came on how to retrieve my brother's body that was floating around in space...
I glanced around the room until my eyes settled on one of the astronaut suits hanging in the open closet. I quickly made my way over to the suit pulling it on.
"Bree, keep an eye on the monitor. Let me know when I'm getting close to Adam. I'm bringing him home."
Bree looked uncertain. "Chase... It's not safe. The tether..."
I interrupted her gently, "Bree, the tether is more than long enough to go out and retrieve him. I just need to be guided through. I am not leaving him here."
Bree nodded, and through her tears I saw her give a small smile, "Go get our brother."
As I made my way out of the spaceship our father had so brilliantly created, I heard the door close behind me. Now as I became one with space and floated around with no gravity to tie me down to anything, I slowly turned my body in search of Adam in the suit Mr. Davenport had created for an emergency escape. It took a little longer than I had expected to pinpoint Adam, as he had drifted further away in space than I had anticipated, but Bree assured me that he was still within my tethered reach. It took me about two minutes to reach my brother. I couldn't be certain but it was almost a relief that Adam was hidden from the protective armor he wore; it allowed me to focus on the mission of retrieving and getting us both back on the ship. Emotional turmoil could happen once we both were safely back aboard the ship. Bree met me at the entrance door and carefully helped me get Adam back on board. Perry, who I had nearly forgot was around, had cleared off the desk space where had pillows and blankets resting on and turned it into a bed of sorts so we could lay our brother on it. Bree and I gently laid him down.
We both took a step back and just stared at our brother, though he was hidden beneath the armor. Perry dismissed herself; she told us she would deactivate the triton app and bring Tasha, Leo, and Mr. Davenport back up here. Neither Bree or I spoke as reality began settling in. The atmosphere in the room was unsettling; eerie.
"We should probably... remove the armor suit. Mr. Davenport doesn't need to see the evidence that his suit failed Adam."
From the corner of my eye I saw Bree nod slightly in agreement. Mr. Davenport would know what happened, but if we could save him any amount of despair and guilt then I would do anything in a heartbeat to do so. I leaned over the fallen body and gently maneuvered my brother into a sitting position and held him securely. Bree began to remove the armor. I had never seen her work so tenderly before. Her hands removed the heavy armor with precise technique but with a gentleness that only a woman possessed... a "mother's" touch, really. A little over two minutes later, we had Adam free of the armor suit and we laid him back down on the makeshift bed.
Adam had alerted us, during the mission, that he felt as though he was burning. Looking down at his body now, I had to swallow back the need to vomit as the evidence blinded me. Adam's space suit, the one we all were wearing, was charred and torn in shreds. The skin beneath was a nasty shade of red and brown with painful looking blisters within. My brother had been burning alive. Hell, he even told me he was and I forced him on with the mission. Adam's last moments had been ones of fear, pain (both physically and emotionally), and terror.
I heard Bree whimper and fresh tears were falling from her eyes, "What did we do to him? Chase! Look at him... How could we let him go out there? I told you it was too much. Why didn't you listen to me!?"
Bree's voice was full of despair and anger. An anger both directed at myself and this entire situation. I couldn't blame her. Adam told us he was hurting. Bree told me the mission was taking a toll on Adam's heart. Hell, I knew it was too much. But sometimes when you're the mission leader you have to make decisions for the greater good. These decisions are sometimes the most difficult ones you'll ever have to make in your life.
Adam went into this mission knowing the dangers he was facing. He accepted the fact that he might have to sacrifice himself to save humanity. He knew. And I knew that Adam would want me to support his bravery. Did I actually think that pressing Adam forward with the mission would kill him? No. Did I truly want my brother sacrificing himself on this mission? Of course not! But Adam chose to save humanity rather than himself. Adam is a hero, even if he didn't carry out the entire mission. Now, I would honor my brother's sacrifice and take the brunt of my family's anger, hurt, and loss for Adam's sake. His bravery will be honored.
A tear escaped from my eye as I looked at my sister. She was trying to get herself under control for when the rest of our family arrived. "I'm sorry, Bree. I honestly never thought the worst was going to happen. Had I known I never would've agreed to let Adam go out."
"I know," Bree sobbed as she ran into my arms. Standing there, I just held onto her as her body shook. Rubbing a circle on her back, I tried to comfort her while my gaze fell on my brother's prone form. "Bree, we should cover Adam up a bit."
We had just finished covering all of Adam, with the exception of his face, with the sheets when we heard the rest of our family walk in. Leo stood frozen in the doorway with Tasha as his eyes bore at Adam's still form. From the look in his eyes and the way Tasha pulled Leo into her chest, I knew they understood that tragedy had befallen our family. Our father, his eyes wide with shock and fear, slowly made his way over to Bree and me. We stepped aside to allow Mr. Davenport access to his oldest son.
Mr. Davenport glanced at Bree and I as he passed us, a look of relief passed briefly when he saw that we were okay physically. I watched as that look of relief turned to devastation as he approached Adam's side. Slowly and hesitantly, the man placed a hand on his sons's forehead. He frowned when he noted the slight chill that was coming from the forehead. Adam's body was losing heat as blood no longer pumped through his veins. With a shaky hand Mr. Davenport placed two fingers on Adam's neck. He closed his eyes and bowed his head in silence when no pulse was detected. He peeled the sheets back carefully to determine what injuries had occurred to the young man in front of him. I had to turn away when our father peeled back the burned remains of the pants on the mission suit. I couldn't bear seeing the burned, blistered skin that covered my brother's legs again. Once was enough; the memory etched into my brain for eternity. I sighed in relief when Mr. Davenport pulled the sheet back on Adam's body. Bree squeezed my hand when our father began running his fingers through Adam's hair.
After a few minutes Mr. Davenport straightened up, his hand still running through our brother's hair and asked, "How did this happen?" without taking his eyes off of Adam.
I explained that Dr. Gao had released a missile that would destroy humanity as it was and that Adam had volunteered to go out in the special armor suit to stop it. I explained how it had been too much on Adam's system and that he died trying to save Earth.
"Was he in pain?" Mr. Davenport's voice shook.
I glanced at Bree not sure if I should speak the truth. She responded for me as she put her hand on our father's free hand that was resting on Adam's chest. "Dad," she began in a hoarse voice, "It all happened so fast. He only felt a little pain. It was over before he knew what was happening."
He closed his eyes before he turned to face our brother. Cupping Adam's cheek, Mr. Davenport leaned down and pressed a kiss on his son's forehead. "Adam... I'm so very proud of you. There's so much I want to say but can't seem to find the words. You grew up to be the hero I always hoped you would turn into. You're my son...and I love you." With that, I watched as he placed the sheet over Adam's face, turned on his heels, and rushed out of the room. Tasha and Leo followed him out.
Bree and I glanced down at Adam before meeting each other's eyes. We both weren't sure what was to be done next.
Perry came over and sat down at the control panel. "I'll get us back to the island. You two just sit down and rest."
Numbly, Bree and I obeyed. We both took a seat next to where Adam's body lay. The only thing that stood between us and our brother was the white sheet covering him. Sighing, I leaned forward placing my elbows on my knees and put my face in my hands.
"What do we do now, Chase? It's always been the three of us... now it's just the two of us." My sister's eyes were bright with unshed tears.
The look in my sister's eyes made me uneasy. Her eyes were searching mine for some sort of reassurance, advice. Normally, I am the one my siblings would turn to for answers. But this time I don't have an answer... I don't have the advice or reassurance that my sister is looking for. I wearily lifted my head, and as I feel a lone tear trickle from my eye I answered her honestly, "I don't know, Bree. I just don't know."
Author's Note: Thanks for reading! Please let me know what you thought! Do you guys think this should be left as a one-shot or should I add another chapter or two?