This is my first fanfic so please don't be mean 'cause I'm trying real hard ok? This story was actually a dream I had; I woke up and just had to write it, so sorry if it's a bit weird (but, it's a dream, so). So enjoy (or not, your choice) and R&R. also, I would like to dedicate this fanfic to Kgirl1, because she helped me a lot (really A LOT) with this. So Kgirl, this is for you!

Disclaimer: I don't own battle force 5 or any of its characters, blah blah, you know the deal


Since he was nine Tezz was certain of three things: one, that he was going to die trapped in the multiverse. Two, that he was going to die alone. And three, that no one would even care. But he never thought that everything he predicted back then, would become a reality in the future…

Two hours earlier…

"Ice, of all the battle zones he could end up on, it had to be an ice battle zone…" Zoom muttered. They were in the zone where Krytus had been locked in two months earlier, and he was freezing. He had no protection against the cold except for a small blanket he had brought with him, since his cold-proof suit was being upgraded.

"If you hate it so much, then why did you come?" Agura hated the cold just as much as Zoom did, but didn't complain as much. It was Vert who answered "because both the Buster and GearSlammer are getting upgrades, and we need the backup"

"Backup for what? We have the only battle key for this zone, and Krytus is inside a block of ice" Zoom shivered at the thought of being inside a block of ice himself, and held the blanket close to his body "I don't think we're in any kind of danger"

"Well something could still happen, the probabilities ar-"

"They are of 1546 to 1, to be precise" They all turned to see Tezz, who was currently running some tests on the zone. They came here once a month to make sure that everything was fine, and that Krytus wouldn't escape his prison –if a 3 ton block of ice could be counted as a prison.

"Which means?..."

Tezz didn't lose focus from his task as he answered "Highly unlikely". Zoom smiled and turned to the rest of the team "See? No back up needed!" Vert just rolled his eyes at the scout and got back in the Saber to protect himself from the bone chilling air. Zoom was right, it was freezing, and he actually felt a bit sorry for the only team mate who didn't have a car that could keep the cold away.

"Could you hurry up Tezz? We've been here for hours, and this weather and my hair gel just don't get along" Standford was inside the Reverb running his fingers through his now almost frozen hair. "Maybe if you didn't use that much…" There was some hearable snickering and chuckling though the comlink. Standford huffed "Peasants..."

Tezz looked up from his work and looked at the five cars in the distance. The ice around Krytus' "cell" was to thin to support the weight of the cars, and in order to do what he was supposed to he had to walk there and leave the Splitwire with the rest of the vehicles. He looked carefully at the Reverb trying to figure out what was wrong with Standford's hair this time. "This is a very complicated process that cannot be taken lightly, Standford" his Russian accent coming out a bit thicker than usual "making the slightest mistake could mean Krytus escaping. So please excuse me if I do not show interest in your "beauty" issues." With that he returned to analyzing one of the five ice pillars that surrounded the captive sentient.

He could hear them laughing, and mocking a very offended Standford, but everyone went silent at the sound of an alarm. It started at the tool that Tezz was using to measure ice density, and was soon followed by a series of alarms coming from the Splitwire and the Reverb. Before anyone could even say a word, there an awful sound, almost like glass breaking and the ground started shaking violently making Tezz fall to the ground. He got on his knees and his hands, only to see with a shocked expression how the ice started cracking underneath him.

"Tezz!" everyone shouted in an almost comical sync, that probably wouldn't happen ever again, but the Russian didn't move. He was too scared. Not about himself, but of what the zone collapsing meant. He turned to see in horrid slow motion how a crack started to make its way through the ice block where Krytus was locked in. No, please don't, don't b-

"TEZZ!" his teammates' voices could be (surprisingly) heard over all the noise. How long had they been calling for him? "Tezz, get out of there!" Another cracking sound, -this one sounding like an explosion- made him turn his head. And what he saw, send chills down his spine. The rock pillars that surrounded him where collapsing one after the other. He couldn't move he was completely paralyzed; all odds were against him. It was almost imposible for him to make it back to the Splitwire in time. Another crack made its way through the floor, making it look like a staircase. He had to try. He got to his feet, and started running towards his team


BF5 just watched in horror as his friend ran away from the caos behind him. It killed Vert just to be able to watch, when he wanted to drive there and bring Tezz back to safety. But he couldn't. Not without compromising the already damaged ice layer, and the life of his comrade.

"He's not going to make it on his own, Vert we have to help him!" before he could even consider a plan to help Tezz, Zoom started driving ahead, only to be stopped by the Tangler's claw.

"The ice can't take the weight of any of our vehicles Zoom, if we go in there everything will collapse!" Agura looked at the disaster ahead, and added "He has to make it on his own". Zoom was ready to argue that the Chopper could fly and rescue Tezz without even touching the ice, but was unable to say anything at the worried expression in Agura's face.


The few seconds that it would normally take Tezz to cross the ice field, now seemed like hours. He was out of breath, and his entire body has begging for him to stop running. He glanced behind, and immediately forced the idea to the back of his mind. There was nothing left of the original ice prison, just an endless void of darkness. The image of Krytus' hand grabbing him by the ankle and pulling him down with him had crossed his mind several times, and had made him look down at his feet momentarily; He knew that was impossible, that if the red had fallen, his energy would be in its way to his re-spawn chamber. Suddenly he realized something: if they both fell Krytus would regenerate. He wouldn't. That thought only made him run faster, his muscles cooperating for once. He was close enough to see their faces; all smiling and with evident relief in their expressions. He felt relief himself, but then noticed something else. Everything was getting dark where there had been light before, the ice went from blinding white to dark gray in a few seconds. What the- He looked up trying to find the source of what he now understood was a shadow. His eyed snapped open in fear and shock. He felt an awful and sharp pain going all the way down his back, and then darkness took over completely.


No one moved, blinked or breathed as what used to be a solid rock and ice pillar collapsed, and fell right where Tezz used to be a couple of seconds ago. It made a horrible sound as it entered in contact with the ground, but ended as soon as it started. Vert could hear his heart in his ears as the dust cloud dissipated. Everyone looked around searching for a sign of the Russian, almost hoping that his head would snap up any moment, and he would come out unharmed making a remark about how much he hated that place. When that didn't happened, Vert started talking into the comlink very slowly at first, but panic quickly taking over him "… Tezz? Tezz are you ok? Tezz where are you, we have no visual on you. Tezz! T-"

He was cut off by the sound of static, and then (to everyone's relief) a voice.

"Ugh… I'm here captain" Vert sighed in relief along with everyone else. He had never been happier to hearing that voice.

"Tezz are you ok?"

"I-I think I don't have any serious wounds bu-" Tezz started coughing violently, but stopped almost immediately. After a small silence he said "Captain?" the fear in his voice made Vert anxious; Tezz was always calmed if not neutral at least; it was completely unnatural in him to show fear like this. "What is it Tezz?" he feared for the answer. "I would like to take that last statement back".


"Stay where you are Tezz, we're gonna get you ok?" He wanted to answer, to tell them that they shouldn't worry about him moving, but all he could get out was a small –and rather pathetic- "mhmn". He lay in his stomach, and tried to think of something, anything that could distract him until they came for him but the pounding in his head made it impossible. He looked around. There was nothing left of the original zone; the floor was cracked, all of the five pillars were gone, the crystal trees converted into small pieces of sharp glass all over the place, and the most shocking thing was the huge hole where Krytus used to be. He tried to roll on his stomach, but stopped at the stabbing pain in his chest. He decided to drag his attention to his wounds. He had a broken wrist, a few broken ribs, a probable contusion and a bleeding nose. When talking with Vert, he started coughing blood which meant his lung was punctured, his vision was blurry and he was having trouble focusing correctly.

But the worst of all was his leg. When the pillar collapsed on top of him, it captured his leg. All he could see was about two inches under his knee, and the rest was under the ruins of the pillar. There was also a lot of blood. He checked his injuries, but besides the coughing, he wasn't bleeding from anywhere. Oh no… he looked down, finally finding the source of the crimson liquid. His trapped leg. There was a small gap in which his hand could fit, but stopped hesitantly. What if the gap closed and his hand got trapped to? He thought of it for a moment, before an abrupt shot of pain went through his leg. He got his hand in the gap without thinking twice about it and desperately looked for the open wound. His fingers brushed something hard, but it wasn't ice or stone. He touched it, and screamed in pain. It was bone.


"Tezz?" Zoom called for the missing team member for the eleventh time, but still no answer. They had been looking for the last 20 minutes, and Vert was starting to worry (even if he didn't the others to notice). The wind changed directions and hit him right on the face. He shivered and hugged himself. He had lost the blanket somewhere along the mess and confusion. Not that it mattered too much though. He looked up to the sky, which was getting darker and darker by the minute. It was only a matter of an hour or so before it was completely dark and they had to retreat because of the holes in the ground; they couldn't risk anyone falling through one of them. He also noticed that it was colder, and for once it wasn't his hate to ice talking. It was actually colder now, maybe because it was getting darker.

What if they didn't find Tezz before it got dark? What if he was hurt –which he obviously was, he said it himself-? What if he froze to death? What if-

No! stop it Zoom, he's fine, he's fne… "Guys!" it was Agura. She was standing next to a big pile of debris. "I found him!" At first he wasn't sure if he had heard right, but when he saw everyone hurrying to the spot, he let a smile get to his face. He's fine! He got there, and the smile dropped immediately. Everyone was looking down at the limp figure of the Russian, who was lying in a pool of blood. He has to be…


He heard voices, but couldn't make out a single word. He wanted to talk, to tell them to stay silent so that he could rest and think in peace, but no words came out when he opened his mouth. So he decided to ignore them. That was until someone grabbed him by the shoulders, and suddenly pulled him up. His eyes snapped open a small scream left his lips, making his lungs twist in pain and whoever has pulling him to let go. He looked around expecting to find the red fugitive smirking at him. Instead he founded himself facing his four teammates. Tezz blinked a few times, just to make sure he wasn't hallucinating, and when the faces stayed the same, he sighed in relief.

"Tezz?" he tried to get some support in his hands trying to get into a kneeling position, but fell back to the ground miserably. He managed to do it in his second try with Agura's help. It was an uncomfortable position, but it was the only way he could look at them in the face. They all looked worried, cold and tired.

"Yes captain?" Vert frowned a bit. How could Tezz still call him captain after being in the team for so long? How could he call him captian when he was diyng? No, he's not diyng.

"How are you feeling?" Vert almost face palmed himself at his own question. Of course he had to be feeling like crap, he could know that by just looking at him. Tezz looked at himself up and down, and simply shrugged "I think I'm ok for now. Except for my leg and my lung, there is no severe damage. I should be able to go on without medical attention for another hour or so".

Agura eyed his leg but he beat her with the answer. "It stoped bleeding ten minutes ago. The pressure must have cut off the circulation to my leg. It doesn't even hurt anymore". She looked at him in disbelief, but he wasn't lying. It really didn't hurt anymore. But he also couldn't feel it anymore; maybe it was better to stay quiet in that matter, at least for now. There was no point on doing it.

There was a dramatic drop in the temperature, remind everyone that it was getting dark. Tezz shivered and the ground trembled a bit, and that was enough to send Vert into his leader mentality.

"Zoom, Standford go back to the Hub and bring A.J. and the Cortez brothers, we'll need both the Buster and the GearSlammer to move this pillar. Agura, you start look-"

"No" Vert froze. They all turned to see Tezz glaring at Vert, the same way he would do it whenever a "stupid" comment was made, almost like if Vert was an idiot. "You can't move the pillar Vert, or anything in the zone, without risking everyone's life"

"What on earth are you talking about?" Standford was yelling "if we don't move that pillar you will die!"

"And if you do, we will all die, along with everyone in Earth!" Tezz snapped back. They were all confused. Realizing that none of his friends had noticed the obvious, he pointed it out "haven't you noticed what this pillar is supporting?" No one answered, so he kept talking "This pillar is supporting the pillar that didn't collapse completely. If we move it, the other pillar will have nothing to support on, and will destroy the entire ice field. If that happens the entire zone will collapse, and create a chain reaction that will destroy hundreds, if not thousands of other battle zones and planets. The Earth being first on list if I'm right" he added the last part as an afterthought.

"Then what do we do?" the question wasn't addressed to anyone, Vert was just thinking out loud. Tezz was starting to loose his patience, where they really that naïve?

"Well isn't it obvious?" they all looked him "You must go, and leave me here". They all just stared at him in shock and pure horror. He couldn't be serious about it. It had to be a mistake; maybe he was going to add something smart of how to move the pillar without making everything collapse. But Tezz remained quiet and dead serious.

The floor shakes again, harder this time. All of them snap out of there thoughts and start talking –more like screaming- at the same time.

"You can't be serious Tezz!"

"We can't just leave him, can we?"

"No! Vert, don't listen to him!"

"Vert what do we do? Vert!"

"QUIET!" every voice died in a few seconds, leaving the place in a dismal silence. All eyes where in Vert, but he only looked down at Tezz. They glared at each other for a while.

"Leave you?" Vert's voice came out harder of what he intended.

"It's the only logical thing to do. Even if you managed to get mi out without the whole battle zone collapsing, I would bleed out before we made it back to the Hub. Besides, you can't risk your team or the multiverse" his voice was so neutral, almost like if he was making a comment about the weather. "The mission before the man, remember?"

"Not if that means the man dying Tezz!" Standford is screaming at his teammate. How can he even consider that they will leave him? It's true that he doesn't have the best relationship with him, but he was the one that brought the Russian back to Earth. He saw how his expression changed from cold, to (kind of) warm; he saw his eyes filling with new hope as he looked around, and the idea of leaving him alone in the multiverse again kills him.

"Don't argue Standford! It's the only thing you can do to save yourselves and you know it!" his voice cracks, and the redhead is unable to say anything else. Tezz just looks down hiding his face from his team "Please Vert, just get them out… p-please" it sounds like begging. It is.

Vert is desperately trying to remember how to talk, and then forgets how to breath when he pays close attention to his friend. A short quick breath, shaking shoulders and what sounds like sobbing… was Tezz actually crying? It was so complicated for him to show his emotions, that it was unnatural for him to do something like this. It just felt wrong, and broke Vert's heart. What could be possibly going throw his friend's mind to make him cry like this? He knew that the only one that could get him to do this was Tromp. He almost cried at the memory of Tezz defending the kharamanos, showing compassion for the first time since he joined the team, filled his mind. Vert had been the first one to see this side of the Russian, but to see him like this surprised even him.

Finally his voice came back, but was unable to say anything besides "Are you sure you want to do this Tezz?"

Tezz felt like if all the weight of the pillar was being lifted from his body. They were going to be ok, he would get them out and they would be safe. He sighed in relief.

"Y-yes" he's not crying anymore, but it's so cold, he just can't keep his voice from cracking. Vert nods, but his eyes snap open as he is pushed to the ground by a furious Agura.

"WHAT THE HELL VERT! Do you really think that we're going to leave him here to die, like an aminal by the side of the road? We're a TEAM Vert, and not only that but we're a FAMILY!" she's blinded by rage. How could Vert even consider abandoning Tezz? Because that's what this was: abandoning him, to die all by himself. How could he be so cruel?

Vert just stayed on the ground, looking at Agura. She was talking so fast, he could barely understand her. He then looked at the two other team members. Zoom looked like a dear in headlights, terror perfeclty sown in his tear-stained face as he looked at Agura, unable to look away. Standford was also crying, but he kept his head as low as possible, trying to desconct himself from the living nightmare that was infront of him. He looked back at Agura when her screams got louder.

"Wasn't it you who always said that we leave no one behind! Then what the hell is this! We c-can't just leave him! H-how can y-you be so cruel! I-I" she's sobbing so hard, that talking and making sense at the same time became impossible. She had so much she wanted to tell Vert, but stopped trying as she was pulled into her knees, and then to a tight embrasse.

"Shhh Agura, It's ok, just calm down" His voice is so calming and familiar. God, she was going to miss his voice so much. She would miss everything about Tezz. His bright ideas, his thick accent, the way his bangs always covered his eyes, his light snoring that could be heard through the Hub when he fell asleep working at some project, she would even miss the way he rolled his eyes at them whenever they made a statement that he founded "incorrect". She sobbed harder and hid her face in his shoulder.

"He can't leave y-you" her voice comes out muffled, but he can understand every word.

"You need to understand that he is doing this to protect you. I'm a lost cause Agura. Besides, this can't be as bad as staying nine years in that sentient moon" he chuckles a bit, but stops when she sobs harder, and holds her closer instead.

"B-but why you Tezz? You've been trough so m-much already… It should have been m-me…"

He grabs her shoulders and pushes her away gently so they're face to face.

"Don't say that Agura. You don't… look at me" he pulls her chin up with one hand so that she looks at him right in the eyes "you don't have an idea… y-you…" he doesn't know how to tell this. He closes his eyes and rests his forehead in hers.

"I would die if something happened to any of you… specially you Agura. You're the one that keeps us together, and focused. This team wouldn't work without you. Me on the other side…" She pulls back and stares at him. He looks away, avoiding her questioning gaze. Tezz looks at the stars instead and realizes something. This was a very beautiful place; even now that it was completely destroyed it still kept part of its beauty. The small pieces of ice scattered on the floor reflected the light of the moon, and gave the image of stars in the ground. He smiled, and met her gaze.

"This team worked before I joined, and it will stay like that as long as you're there to hold them together" Tears started making their way down her face again. He kissed her cheeks sweetly and smiled once more.

"Go" she wants to argue, but he adds before she can "they need you" she turns to see the rest of the team. They're all crying and shaking because of the cold, lost expressions in all of their faces. Vert moves forward and grabs Agura by the shoulder, fearing that she will snap away. He pulls her up gently when she doesn't pull away.

"It's been an honor Tezz. I'm glad you joined the team, and I-I just want to tell you that you will always be part of the family" Tezz blinks once, before smiling back at his leader. Vert's heart almost stopped; the Russian looked paler than before, his skin almost the same color that the snow that has all over his hair. He had bags under his eyes, and his body -which was now positioned in an odd angle with one leg behind him and the other in front- was covered in blood. But somehow, when he smiled he looked so… peaceful and relaxed.

"The honor was all mine captain" they both smile at each other. The ground shakes again, a brief but powerful reminder that they can't stay there "you must leave now"

Time almost seems to stop for a couple of seconds. None of them move, because no one wants to leave him. They're not ready to go yet, but they know they have to. Noticing that no one is moving away, Vert takes in a shaky breath.

"Goodbye Tezz" with that he turns and starts walking towards the Saber, his hand never leaving Agura's shoulder. They all get in their vehicles and Vert opens the portal back home, but no one drives into it. They just stare at it, waiting for someone to drive in first. Vert is about to go in when a voice echoes inside his car.

"Vert?" it's Tezz. He looks at his teammates, but no one seems surprised. Only he can hear him.

"Vert?" there's a small silence before he can find the strength to answer.

"Yes?" he is trying not to cry thinking that this will be last time Tezz tells him anything.

"Can I ask you something Vert? well, actually two things"

"Sure Tezz, anything" he hears a long sigh in the other end of the comlink.

"First, I need you to promise that you will do anything inside of your capabilities to stop this war. That you will fight till the end, and won't stop until the multiverse is completely safe" Vert frowned before answering.

"You have my word" that was an odd last question to make. He was proud of his friend for worrying about the multiverse, but of all the things he could have asked (last words to the team, or to contact his family) he just didn't expect him to ask about that. He was confused. Or at least until he heard his friend's voice again and remembered that he had a second request.

"Vert… p-promise me you'll take care of them. I know you'll always protect them, but… I don't know… I-I just need to hear it. Promise me Vert, p-please" Vert's breath got caught in his throat and refused to come out. He wanted to get mad at Tezz for doubting him as a leader, and his ability to protect his team. But the truth, was that he had every right to doubt him. He had failed him as a leader and as a friend, and now because of his mistake Tezz was going to die.

"Vert?" he swallowed the lump in his throat and finally managed to breath again.

"Nothing will happen to them as long as I can avoid it from happening. You have my word"

"Thanks Vert" then Tezz turned off his comlink and Vert was left alone with the sound of static. He whipped his own tears and drove to the portal, the rest of the team following him closely.


He watched them cross the portal one by one, his heart becoming smaller as each of the vehicles disappeared. Than the portal closed, and he knew it wasn't going to open again. He finally let himself cry freely, cursing and screaming knowing that no one would hear. Ha was alone again.

He did this until his lungs felt like if they were on fire, and he started coughing up blood. He got support on the ruins of the pillar behind him. He felt dizzy, light headed and very tired. All the rage inside him quickly dissipated and turned into a feeling of loneliness. He tried looking up to the night sky, only to see millions of small dancing lights. His vision has getting blurry. He closed his eyes, and let his mind wander off. He remembered his family, his parents and his old home and the anger started to come back.

His family had always been dysfunctional, and it had been his attempt to escape them what got him trapped in the red sentient moon. For nine years he tried to get back. For nine years he waited for someone to come get him. For nine miserable years he had convinced himself that he would die alone in that place. Until battle force 5 rescued him. They brought him back, and wave him a new home. A new family. People that cared about him, and that managed to bring the best of him out to the light, thing he didn't know were a part of him.

He smiled at the memory of his friends as darkness started to surround him.

Because since Tezz was nine he predicted he would die trapped in the multiverse, alone and that no one would care. But now, ten years later he could admit that for the first time ever, he was happy he had been wrong all along. Maybe he was trapped, but he wasn't alone and they did care.

He sighed in relief and smiled as darkness swallowed him fully.


*wipes away tear* there it is, my first fanfic. I hate that it was so sad but, it just came out that way. I really hoped you liked it and I would appreciate I you left a review (that's what keeps me going). If you liked tell me, and I'll keep writing. But I'm telling you, that this is staying as a one-shot. It was intended as that, and I believe it must stay that way. I can't even see how to continue this without Tezz, but if you have any other ideas, they are more than welcome. And again this was dedicated to Kgirl1 (you're the BEST)!