The Watchers

by morninsunshines

Washington reflects on being dead and hangs out with Alex Tate.

I watched Nathaniel drive the Rhino to their hideout. He said something to Riley and went to be alone. My being shot couldn't have affected him that badly.

"Hey, Wash," I turned to a familiar voice.

I went into shock as I faced Alex Tate, "You're dead…..wait….if I can see you…I'm dead also, aren't I?" The realization was sinking in, I was here, but not.

"A little bit, Wash," the merry blue eyes of my old friend twinkled.

I held my hand up for examination, "I don't understand. I can see myself and you?"

"We're in a different plain of existence. We don't eat or drink or get tired, but can greet those who die. Here, we're spirits that have shed our bodies."

"What about the Phoenix Soldiers?"

"Once dead, they join us and understand the futility of wars while in corporeal form. We have no enemies here."

"Do you know who is going to die?" I looked at the makeshift camp Nathaniel ordered setup.

"No, that's how it took me so long to find you. How come you followed the Rhino?"

"I wanted to make sure Nathaniel got to safety."

"And if he didn't, what would you have done?" Alex asked me.

I gave it thought, "I'm not sure."

"I'm going to see where he went. I've never seen him look so miserable," Alex disappeared.

I was left alone, but my attention was taken with Riley telling Private Dunham to relieve Reynolds. Had I been in charge, Dunham would get a much-deserved break and not guard duty after driving all night. I was the lieutenant after all and could override a sergeant. Marching up to Riley, I ordered, "No, let Dunham have his break. Reynolds's doesn't need to cop a feel right now with his girlfriend."

Riley looked around and ignored me.

I reached out a hand to grab her arm and it pierced the body of the other woman. To her credit, Riley scratched the spot.

"Wash, come on," Alex was back and motioning for me to follow.

Instantly we were in the clearing with supplies. Taylor was sitting on a log, staring at nothing.

"Don't suppose he is upset that I got killed?" I whispered to Alex.

"You don't have to lower your voice, he can't hear us," Alex spoke in a normal tone.

I watched and sure enough, the Commander didn't move.

Alex looked closely at him, "I've never seen him like this since I've been dead. It can only mean one thing; it has something to do with you."

"I know I disappointed him by surrendering to the Phoenix. He should be dancing a jig that his greatest problem isn't going to fail him anymore."

"I've been watching him for three years now," Alex spoke like a sage. "He depends on you, Wash. At night when you were in your quarters, he'd stand outside and look at the door."

"Really? if he needed something, all he had to do was knock," I snorted.

"He was scared what he needed, you wouldn't give."

"I'd have given him anything," I spoke confidently.

"He wanted to spend the night in your bed."

"Ohhh," I looked at the grieving Commander with new understanding.

"Don't you feel the same way?" Alex spoke next to my ear.

"He was my commanding officer. It would be inappropriate for us….."

"He's also a man, and you a woman. I watched you two for years, both before death and after. I was helpless after death to intervene. Sometimes being dead sucks."

Night was falling and a soldier built a fire for the unmoving leader.

"You think he really wanted me?" I finally spoke.

"Before I died and was lying on my death bed, I asked him if he were going to marry Debora and take care of Skye."

Surprised, I turned to gaze at him, Nathaniel watching temporally forgotten, "You didn't?"

"I wanted to make sure my girls were taken care of."

"But Debora disappeared and we thought she was dead," I protested, wishing I could feel jealously or anger.

"I asked and he hedged. He finally told me he was in love with you and couldn't in good conscious take another woman, but he would take care of Skye."

"How come he never told me?" I raged and stomped to stand in front of the Commander. "Why didn't you ever tell me, you fool!"

"Wash, why you," Nathaniel wiped his eyes and hiccupped.

I sat beside him on the log, "Nathaniel, snap out of it."

"Wash, this is Captain Yorgae of the ship that came here five hundred years ago," Alex introduced us.

"Ahhh, you're the beauty I set my sights on when you first stepped through the portal," a heavily accented man beamed at me. "I apologize for not greeting you personally when you died, but me ship was being plundered."

A small boy appeared, "Hi, Lieutenant Washington, remember me?"

I looked closely at the child with his dark hair and eyes, "Can't say as I do."

"I'm Brayman," he announced proudly.

I looked at him in shock, "But Brayman was a baby when he died of Syncillic Fever."

"I'm growing up in the afterlife. When I'm an adult, I'll stop and be like that forever."

"I have a lot to learn about being dead, but right now, I'm famished. When do we eat around here?"

There was silence as they looked at me. Alex sounded puzzled, "Wash, we don't get hungry, thirsty or tired. Why are you hungry?"

"I don't know," I held my hand up and all of us could see through it."

"Something's not right, Wash. You should be like us," Alex moved to my side, both ignoring a grieving Commander.

"I'm not. Maybe I'm not really dead."

"Let's go find your body." In an instant, we were standing over my body. It was in the Infirmary on life support and my head was bandaged.

"Why am I here and not in the morgue?" I looked at my corporeal body.

"If given a choice, where do you want to be?" Alex asked me.

"I'm newly dead so want to be living. What about you, Alex, do you want to be dead?"

"Most of the time, yes. There are times I'm with Debora and wish I could talk to her, or Skye. The thing about being dead, is time is no more. Once I sat on a mountain watching the seasons and wildlife and six months passed."

A young man joined us.

Alex and I looked at him, "You were with the Phoenix." Alex stated as he recognized him.

"I was a soldier under General Hooper when my vehicle got ambushed. We were pulled from the transport and executed. I got killed by Commander Taylor himself. I tried to find a way back to the future and came looking for help."

"There's no way back for the dead that I know of," Alex explained. "However, you might try going through when the portal is open, but why would you want to return to a polluted planet when you can stay here?"

"My people are on the other side. Here, I'm an enemy."

"We have Sixers and Phoenix in our midst now. There's nothing for the dead to fight over. We're not your enemy," Alex held his hand out and the soldier took it.

"I can touch you?" He figured his hand would pass through him like when he tried to shake Hooper and tell him he was dead.

"Spirits can touch and the living their kind."

I listened to Alex fill the young soldier in. "I need to get back to the camp." I no sooner stated my request when I was there, walking among my soldiers. I saw a few people I didn't know and figured they came in on the eleventh. Dr. Shannon was tending wounded. I saw Zoe Shannon walk away from the others and followed, curious as to where the child was going this late at night and unattended.

"Commander Taylor Sir," Zoe spoke to him. I listened while they talked about me and saw the girl give him a hug. I tried to remember a time Nathaniel was so distraught and only one memory surfaced, Ayani's funeral. I hadn't attended, but was shown recordings.

After Zoe left, I sat beside him and heard his ragged breathing. "I wish you could hear me, Nathaniel. I guess if it were you dead, I would be in much the same state. There were times I wanted to forget I was your subordinate and grab your shirtfront, throw you against the wall and kiss you. I tried to be your perfect soldier and officer, executing every order to perfection. I failed you and my commission and deserve to be dead." I stopped talking when Jim Shannon entered the area and listened to them talk. "Very good, Shannon, you remembered," I congratulated him.

Nathaniel looked more chipper, using a torch to herd the juvenile Carno into the trap, where it was tranquilized. I floated above the group cheering them on. Alex joined me, as did ten more of my long dead soldier friends, including Foster.

"I was never so scared in my life when I realized I was locked in with a Nyco," Foster told me. "It was over fast and I watched as it started eating my corpse. Corporal Tate showed up and we left the building."

Alex had joined us and we were now on the ground near the transport housing the Carno. "Every time someone dies, I try and greet them, as highest ranking member of the dead, until now. The duty falls to you, Wash, until the Commander dies."

"I was afraid that was going to be tonight. He's way too reckless," I complained.

"His main reason for living is dead. Don't be hard on him," Alex cautioned me.

We watched the sunrise and laughed when Reynolds and Dunham were almost shot, being mistaken for Phoenix. Many of the dead were at the portal, watching the meteoric ore being shipped to the future. I stood in front of a nervous Malcolm, "If they kill you, Malcolm, I'll meet you on the other side."

His eyes shifted and features schooled into a bland look. I looked to see what changed him. The truck with the Carno was backing up and container offloaded. I clapped, "Well done, boys."

"That gangly boy who came through, an orphan on the fifth has sure matured into a fine soldier. I see your training in him, Wash," Alex was beside me again.

"Where were you? You missed the unloading," was my reply to his comment about Reynolds.

"I had to check in with Debora and Skye. Skye is trying to jump start the transport and Lucas is working on his bindings. I need to get back and watch over her, bye," and he was gone as fast as he came.

I moved to where Nathaniel and Elizabeth were watching the Phoenix, soon to be joined by Malcolm. "Hi guys, mind if I join you?" I was getting into being dead. A call from Skye caused Nathaniel to take off at a run and I effortlessly floated beside him. I watched him spot Lucas in the distant, running down an animal trail towards the portal. "This is going to be good," I was getting comfortable in speaking aloud in a normal tone.

Nathaniel's arm knocked Lucas right off his feet and a pounding incurred until Lucas pleaded it wasn't his fault. "Don't trust him, Taylor," I screamed, as the hilt of the knife was all that was seen protruding from Nathaniel's side. A shot rang out and Lucas jumped backwards and looked, as did I, to see who shot him. He saw, what he perceived as no threat, and lunged at his father again. The second shot put him down. "Way to go, Skye," I cheered.

"That's my girl," a proud Alex was watching also. We watched her help the Commander and him lean on her as they made their way to a pickup site.

Darkness was falling and I was torn between wanting to help Nathaniel or follow Lucas. Alex was walking along with them so I opted to find Lucas. He was stumbling in the direction of the portal, calling on his radio for help. I popped over to the portal, now that it was dark, to find Mira learning of the portal's fate. They all headed back to the colony and I popped back to Lucas, who was now lying beside a trail, trying to stanch the blood flow and cursing Skye. "Lucas, your father is so disappointed in you."

Lucas looked directly at me, "I killed you," he snarled.

Surprised, I tried again, "You can see me?"

"You never were much use, Lieutenant. Why don't you help instead of running your mouth." He ripped his shirtsleeve off and tied it around his middle.

"I'm dead, Lucas. If you can see me, you're going to die also and am transitioning to this plain from the living."

He glared at me, "I'm not dying on this miserable planet. I lived here for years after my own father kicked me out of the colony. Nothing beat me and a couple bullets won't either."

"Why can you see me and nobody else can?" I spoke as much to myself as him.

"Would you shut up and disappear," he laid back with a groan.

"Good idea," I popped back to the camp where Nathaniel was being sewn up. Alex was nearby while Skye filled Jim in.

"Alex, why can Lucas see and hear me?"

Alex looked surprised, "That's never happened before. Let's see if he can see me." In a split second, we were back with Lucas.

"Do you see me, Lucas?" Alex squatted by him.

Lucas didn't respond. Alex stood and motioned me to take his place.

I leaned over him, "You will die if you don't get up and move. This is slasher territory."

"You're back, just great," he struggled to his feet and looked for a stick to lean on.

"See I told you," I looked at Alex.

"Told me what," Lucas grumbled and picked up a stick taller than him.

"I was talking to Alex Tate."

"He's dead."

"In case you missed the memo, so am I."

"That's right, I killed you. You were a pain in life and a bigger one in death."

"Maybe I get to haunt you for what you did," I fell in step by him as he shuffled along.

"I don't understand," Alex was floating backwards in front of us. "He shouldn't be able to see you."

"I shouldn't be hungry either."

"I don't think you're quite dead, Wash," Alex could see through me and told me so more than once. "You shouldn't be translucent."

"Can you touch me," I held my hand out. Silently Lucas watched me talking to something he couldn't see.

Alex reached out and his hand passed through mine, "Wash, you're not dead. You're here because your body is on life support. If they take you off, you'll be one of us forever. Right now you're a poltergeist, a ghost that can be seen by the living."

"Then why is Lucas the first?"

Alex looked at the young man trying to see him. "Because before morning he'll be dead. He's one of you, look."

I looked back at Lucas and he was starting to have an iridescent glow, as his body failed and soul started to separate. I reached out and touched Lucas.

He looked at me, "I felt that."

"You're dying, Lucas. Skye did her job well."

"Explain why I can see you and not Tate?" Lucas stopped and sank to the damp earth as dew settled.

"I'm not dead all the way. I'm like you. After you shot me, I was put on life support until Dr. Shannon returns to try and save me. We need to get you to the camp or you will die."

He looked down at his stomach wound, ignoring the graze of the first bullet along his arm. "How far is camp?"

"Too far to walk and we can't contact the living. You still can if you're in radio range," I suggested. "Do it, Lucas, you have nothing to lose."

"Only my life. You think they'll fix me up just to execute me," his sarcasm returned.

"I can't operate your radio," I waited.

Reluctantly he keyed the mic, "Lucas Taylor to anyone."

Nobody answered. He tried many times and gave up. "I'm thirsty."

"So am I."

We stayed with him as his life ebbed. A breaking of a nearby stick caused him to tense and he waited for the nycoraptor that would kill him. A light flashed over the area and Guzman, with four soldiers, rifles ready approached.

"We picked up on your radio signal," Guzman's headlamp looked around the area. It passed through me and Alex.

"As you know by now, Skye, got revenge for me knifing the old man."

"Why do you want help?" Guzman was leery at getting too close, although the knife was left in his father. Motioning for two of his people to cover him, he lowered his rifle and pushed the shirt apart. He looked at the bloody bandage that was soaked through and still seeping. "Field medicine won't fix this. We lost good people with wounds more minor than this one. If it were up to me, I'd leave you for the wildlife, but the Commander deserves better. Can you walk?"

Lucas struggled to stand with Guz's help. Leaning on the other man, who wisely gave his weapons, including knife to another, they walked to the transport.

Guzman noticed Lucas seemed to be looking at something only he could see and was shocked when Lucas stated, "Washington, tell Alex I wouldn't have thrown Debora out of the tree. I wanted to scare Bucket."

"He heard," I replied.

"What are you rambling on about," Guzman assisted him into the rear of the Rhino.

"Washington's here. I see her," Lucas smiled when I floated into the back to sit near his head.

"Why would she care about you after what you did?" Guzman snarled, not believing for a moment the twisted Lucas saw his friend and Lieutenant.

"Good question. You heard him, Wash," Lucas looked at a spot nobody was sitting. In reaction, the other's looked and saw nothing.

The vehicle started moving and Lucas moaned in pain, but kept focused on that spot.

"You hurt someone I care very much about. I wanted to make sure you died and was present when you got shot. If able, I would kill you."

"She said she wished she was able to kill me," Lucas translated.

Still not believing, Guz decided to test her and Lucas, "After Tasha was injured by the slasher, the next day Washington came to the Infirmary and had a talk with Tasha. It was private, but Tasha told me one thing she told Wash. What was it, because Wash mentioned it to me?"

"Well, Wash. They want proof you're not in my head," Lucas prompted.

"Tasha told me she was in love with Max Pope and I told Guz in the Command Center so he could keep an eye on the kids."

Lucas repeated and looked at Guzman, "Do you believe me now?"

Guzman turned pale, as did the guards. Everyone looked at the spot, "Wash, why didn't you come with the Shannon's?"

"Tell him, I had to make sure the Shannon's lived. My sacrifice was for them and it was my job."

He gave the message and asked, "I was informed how the Shannon's got out of the colony. I knew my father was watching so I wanted to make an example out of you. It was pure rage that I couldn't outsmart him. I was sorry for shooting you later." Everyone listened to Lucas apologize to air. "I knew you two were in love and my goal was to deprive him of another love."

"I heard what you said to him when you stabbed him. You didn't mean it, did you?"

Lucas laughed and regretted it as pain doubled him over, "I planned on using that line for years. Good one wasn't it? It worked so well."

Guzman and company looked at what appeared to be a madman talking to himself and having Washington in the transport with them was just too unbelievable. Guzman decided Tasha told Skye, and her Lucas.

They pulled into the camp and Lucas was offloaded. Guzman gave his report to Taylor. He made no mention of the possibility that Lieutenant Washington might be with them in spirit. The Commander was broken enough.

Elizabeth did an exam and went to where Jim and Nathaniel were waiting, "I'm sorry, Commander, I can't do anything. His time is short. I'll let you stay with him." She and Jim went to where their children were gathered around Skye to provide support. When Lucas was pulled from the vehicle, Skye almost passed out.

Guzman told his people not to breathe a word of Lucas' ramblings, but backtracked to where Nathaniel was sitting beside his son, "Sir."

Nathaniel, looking older than ever, looked up, "Guz?"

"I ordered my unit to remain quiet, but Lucas was rambling about seeing Wash, and kept talking to a spot in the Rhino and holding a one-sided conversation. He claimed she could talk to Alex Tate, but he could only see her."

"I told the truth," Lucas spoke up. "Washington's standing by my side right now. Go ahead, ask her something."

Stunned, Nathaniel cleared his throat, "Why did she disobey my direct order that she join me?"

Lucas looked at a spot, "She was depressed that she lost the colony and let you down, and wanted to make reparations for the mess she left the colony in." Lucas laughed. "You really told her if anything happened to the colony, you'd take it out of her salary?"

Guzman and Nathaniel looked at each other and Nathaniel asked, "What were our last words to each other?"

I recited, "I wanted to go with you and you wanted me in the colony to keep me safe. I got mad and slapped his armor into your stomach and walked off."

Lucas repeated.

"That was a private conversation and I knew she wouldn't tell anyone," Nathaniel went silent.

"She said to tell you her body is in the Infirmary on life support. I swear I didn't know that."

"The last time I was with Alex, what did he say to me?"

"Wash, is Alex here?" Lucas asked.

"Alex is not here. Wash said she could go find him."

"No, it's okay."

"Tell her…"

"You can talk to her yourself," Lucas cut in.

"Wash, you did nothing wrong, not one decision. I do have an issue with you getting killed though."

"She says you can take it up with her when you die. She'll be meeting you."

Nathaniel smiled, "I will, she can count on that."

Lucas was fading. "I see Alex now. He's also waiting for me to die. Funny, I didn't see him before."

"Wash says I'm to tell you something." He stopped talking and looked at that same spot. "She says I'm to tell you the truth." He looked at his father, "I made it up about Somalia being my fault. Never once did I believe that. Being alone, I had lots of time to plan revenge on you for kicking me out. That was one of my favorite lies and you gave me the chance to pull it. You ruined the plans of my employers and General Philbrick. I just wanted revenge." He looked at that spot again, "You happy now?"

"Ask Alex what we talked about the last time I saw him," Nathaniel requested.

"Here we go," Alex groused. "Since you can now see me Lucas, you tell him he knows very well I asked him to marry Debora and provide a family for Skye."

Lucas repeated. "He also says he was wrong and you're an idiot for not pursuing Wash while you had time. An exact quote; Taylor, if you get a second chance with Wash, don't screw it up."

"Tell Alex I miss him and will miss Wash more."

"You hear that, Alex. He'll miss me more than you. Maybe I wasn't such a screw-up after all," I teased Alex.

Lucas laughed.

"Tell me what they said," Nathaniel forgot Guzman was still standing at his shoulder.

Lucas repeated and added, "You have a comeback for that, Alex?"

Alex looked at Nathaniel, "I was beginning to worry he wasn't human. I would hope you prefer a woman to me."

Lucas repeated, but his voice was growing weak and Nathaniel had to strain to catch it. "Lucas, I don't know where I went wrong with you, but I'm sorry."

Lucas looked at his father, "I never forgave you for killing my mother and never will."

"And you let your hatred for me eat like a cancer," Nathaniel stated a cold fact.

"You deserved it."

"I did." Nathaniel was silent for a moment and started to say something else. He noticed Lucas's eyes were fixed and his breathing stopped. Closing the eyes, he looked at his son, looking so young in death.

Lucas looked down at his body and father, "Funny, now that I'm dead, I don't feel the hatred anymore."

"I was carried with your physical body," Alex explained. "The petty emotions we so carefully groom and covet are shed like a snakeskin upon death. Welcome to the afterlife."

---

Elizabeth looked at Washington's body after checking the injured. She looked at the head wound and decided it wasn't too bad and she would operate in the morning. After looking at the ship's prow, she filled the Commander in on what she found with Wash's body.

Half the colony was gathered, waiting the results of Dr. Shannon's attempts to repair and revive their Lieutenant. Nathaniel circulated, heard stories and told some of his own. Anything to take his mind off the Infirmary. Still he was in the main area with Jim when she stepped out of the operating theater.

"She's breathing on her own, but still in a coma. Time will tell if she comes back to us. I need volunteers to sit with her."

"I'll take first shift," Jim volunteered.

"I'm assigning two hour shifts so nobody gets too tired." She looked at the Commander, "I'm letting you go in first for a few minutes, but I want you to get rest with your wound. You're not on the list for three days."

"Try and keep me off," he challenged.

"You can make short visits anytime you wish, but no overdoing it," she compromised.

I watched them argue over me, with Alex by my side. Lucas popped in towards the end of the day.

"For what it's worth, I hope you go back," Lucas offered.

"I won't be the same with a head wound."

"I don't think Nathaniel cares….listen," Alex cut the talking off.

Nathaniel sat by her bed and took her hand, "Wash, we've come so far and through too much for you to die now. I need you more than ever. I never told you, but I love you. Give me a chance to prove it. You come back and I'll tell you daily, I promise."

"I'm still hungry and thirsty," I commented and wished I could feel emotion at his words. Somehow, I knew if I were in my body and he said that, I would have butterflies and a baser reaction and kiss him.

"I'm not," Lucas realized he didn't have much feeling at all, not those that affected the corporeal forms or anger or happiness.

Over the next two days, we watched and waited along with the living.

"They say the nicest things to me," I commented.

"You are much loved and respected," Alex would have placed a hand on her shoulder, but he couldn't.

On the third day, I felt a pulling, "I'm going back."

Most of the dead gathered around to wish her well. "Until we meet again and I hope it's not for decades," Alex gave the benediction for them all. They watched as I faded from sight and lingered on, floating near the ceiling.

The first thing I felt was intense pain and thirst. "Water," I croaked."

"Wash, you're awake," Elizabeth wasn't sure the Lieutenant would ever wake up. Jim reached for a water cup with a straw.

Wetting my mouth and throat, I focused my eyes on those at my bedside. First, I saw those from the afterlife. They smiled, waved and were gone. I focused on who was holding my hand, "Sorry, Sir."

"I'm still tallying the damages. Welcome back, Wash," he gave my hand a squeeze.

I waited for the endless greetings to end, noticing Nathaniel never left his spot or let go of my hand. "Nathaniel," my soft tone caught everyone's attention. "You need to go lie down and rest your injury."

"How do you know I was injured, Wash?" Talking stopped as the crowd wanted to know the answer.

"I was there."

"And with Lucas in the transport?" Guz stepped to the edge of the bed.

"Yes."

"And by Lucas' deathbed?" Nathaniel spoke softly.

"Yes."

"You remember being with Alex Tate?"

Debora started at the mention of her dead husband and Skye, standing beside her, asked, "You saw my father?"

Alicia smiled, "I spent days with him. He's here now, watching over us."

"Can I talk to him?" Skye looked around.

"He likes it when he's talked to. I wished someone would have talked to me when I was on the other side."

"I did," Nathaniel protested.

"Asking questions through Lucas was hardly talking to me."

"Can you see the dead now?" Jim asked.

"No, the link to them is severed."

"Lucas saw you before he died, how?" Guzman asked.

"I wasn't totally dead and he was no longer totally alive. Our paths were crossing."

"I'm going to kick everyone out, Wash needs rest," Elizabeth raised her voice. "There will be visiting hours tomorrow."

People filed out with sentiments involving how happy they were that I was alive.

Soon, the only people around my bed were the doctor and Nathaniel. He hadn't budged or released my hand.

"I need to consult with my patient, Commander."

"I'll not divulge patient/doctor confidentiality."

The doctor turned to me, "Can he stay?"

"Sure, will save me the trouble of repeating it and I may not remember."

"That's to be expected. Do you remember being shot?"

"No. My last memories were of your family running to the hole in the fence."

"Normal," the doctor made a notation. "I repaired the damage the bullet made to your brain and you now have a plate in your head. Your equilibrium will be off and you'll have to relearn to walk normally, but your speech function wasn't damaged, nor your memories. Time will tell how much damage is permanent. That's all I have and am putting you under to sleep for another twenty-four hours. We'll do that for a week. Awake to eat and cleanup for one hour and out for twelve."

"Before you do, I would like a moment alone," Nathaniel still hadn't let go of my hand.

"Five minutes," the doctor left us alone.

"What do you remember of me talking to you when I first sat down in this chair."

"Everything. Alex and I were eavesdropping."

"I meant every word I said."

"I'm waiting."

"For what?"

"You said you'd tell me every day that you loved me. I'm waiting."

"Alicia Washington, I love you with all my heart."

"Hear that, Alex, he does love me. You were right."

The End