Moving On
The last remnants of the locust and the lambent were washing away. The device designed by Adam Fenix had done its job, and even as the parasite hit critical mass it was wiped out from the face of Sera.
Marcus stripped off his heavy armor, throwing it to the ground. Victory had been won, but the cost was almost too high for him to bear. Tai, Dom ... his own father. It was cruel that just after they had been reunited they'd been torn apart once more, forever.
With a great sigh he sat down on the beach, gazing out over the breaking dawn. What was left to live for? Sure, they'd fought and won and survival was theirs ... but what was living without the people that made it so real?
He tried so hard to hold it in, to mask his feelings behind the stony wall of fortitude. He gasped as the sadness washed over him, and fought back tears from the corners of his eyes.
"Marcus ..." said a soft voice behind him.
He felt a hand delicately squeeze his shoulder and he knew it was Anya.
"Marcus, whatever it takes ... I'm here," she said, kneeling next to him.
"What's left Anya? What have we got left now?" he said despondently, clenching a fist.
Anya cupped his cheek with her hand and turned him to face her.
"Tomorrow Marcus," she breathed. "We've finally got a tomorrow."
"I let em all die Anya. Tai, Dom, Ben ... my own damn father. What good is a tomorrow if it's not worth living for?"
She took his hand and squeezed it.
"You've still got me Marcus. You've got me, Damon, Cole, and Sam ... I know it looks dark, and right now our tomorrow looks bleak, but I promise you, we'll make a brighter future. Just don't give up, not now."
He turned to face her, the hope still gone from his eyes.
"Marcus, listen to me," she said. "Dom and Tai, Ben Carmine, your father, and every other Gear that isn't hear for this day. They died for this; they sacrificed their own lives so that we could see this tomorrow. They would want you to keep on going ... they would want you to keep on living."
He was silent for a moment, then he embraced her suddenly. Anya smiled into his shoulder and hugged him back.
"You're right Anya ... I was being a dipshit. I — I love you, and, if you'll let me, I'd like to share my tomorrow with you," he murmured in her ear.
Anya withdrew from the embrace and broke into a broad smile. "There's nothing I want more."
They sat there on the beach, their arms around each other. The ocean lapped at their feet and the sun rose over the horizon, heralding their new tomorrow.