Chapter Six:
In Your Final Moments
Doyle limped behind a pillar, and slid down against it. He thought he could do it on his own. He just wanted to be a hero, to show them he was brave. And now look what he had done, he hadn't even reached the console before they saw him and shot. And now he was bleeding from his leg without the reactor even timed to go off. He had failed, and he was going to make all his soldiers and himself die in vain.
"Doyle what's going on!?" Kimball's angered yet worried voice blasted through the radio and he winced.
He shakily responded, "I-I've been shot… I'm in the room b-but I can't reach the console…"
"Shit!"
He heard the Charon soldiers behind him stop fire, waiting to see if he was still alive. He leaned his head against the surface behind him and sighed. He really was going to die here and fail everyone. Die a failure and a coward. He looked around him to see what he could use and saw the sticky bomb gun.
He could…
"I'm going to blow up the core a bit more… Dangerously. You need to evacuate now."
After Armonia took it's fall, taking the life of General Donald Doyle, General Kimball was left in charge of the entire population of Chorus. There was of course opposition and discomfort at first, but as we know the story goes she was able to rally the troops and lead them to victory at the Communication Tower. A world where she never knew the truth, where he never got to tell her how he truly felt.
After the war, the Reds and Blues were even more revered than before and Agents Washington and Carolina were forgiven for their past war crimes and marked as alive. They finally all returned home for those who had ones, and some stayed on Chorus to help with reconstruction. Vanessa Kimball reconstructed Chorus from the ruin it was left in almost single handedly as a leader. She brought Chorus to glory and power within a few years and was going to labeled as one of the most brilliant leaders in the galaxy, an impressive feat. Doyle became a martyr and symbol of Chorus, revered as a hero for centuries to come.
But we take our story a six or so months after the war ended and peace was brought to the colony of Chorus, now settling its independance. Vanessa Kimball was sitting in her office frustrated with the heavy amount of paperwork that had been appearing on her desk. Shouldn't she have secretaries that dealt with that? Why hadn't she dealt with paperwork when she was just running the Republic?
Right, rebels didn't really have paperwork, and Doyle dealt with the paperwork after that.
Doyle.
He was often in her thoughts, haunting her with this silly accent and flustered smiles. A picture of him was hung in the office, not something she had asked for but she supposed she didn't mind. A little company never hurt. She would never admit, but she sometimes talked to him about things that happened.
She told him how she was rebuilding Armonia and dedicating it to him. She would talk to the picture as if he had advice. Now that she was the sole leader of Chorus people didn't act as… She wouldn't say people were particularly unfriendly rather they just didn't treat her with the same familiarity they used to. She supposed she didn't mind to much, but she did miss have people to talk to just relax and confide in.
"It would of been nice to have you around coward. But you just had to go and blow yourself up."
She playfully glares at the picture and sighs before getting back to her paperwork.
She really needed a fucking secretary. One of the Feds (it was habit she couldn't break sadly, they were very different from the News) would probably be more apt at this paperwork stuff. Kimball resisted an evil cackle at the thought of throwing all of this paperwork their way. The horrified look she was imagining was almost worth all the shit she would get from them.
Her thoughts were broken by a quiet knock on the door, and she gathered herself to have a more formal look, but decided to ditch the helmet to be more friendly.
"Come in."
Dr. Grey came in without the usual chipper skip in her step, she took off her helmet and had a solemn look on her face. Kimball didn't know the doctor well but what she did know of her told her that this was far from usual and that she should be extremely worried.
Grey saluted her and then gently laid down a data pad and sketchbook in front of Kimball.
"I'm sorry I kept these for so long, but I didn't know till recently he wanted to give them to you. While we were evacuating Chorus, Donald… Well he very impolitely shoved these in my arms for safe keeping since I was getting out earlier than him. I recently got curious as to what they were and… I'm very sure he wanted these to go to you. I wrote the passwords in the front of the sketchbook, along with the audio file I think you… Need to hear."
Kimball gave her a small nod and Grey left without another word.
She typed in the two passwords into the data pad, slightly confused her own name was one of the passwords and found the audio file needed. She played the audio and began to the flip through the sketchbook, memories of those tender moments rushing back like a storm.
"Alright this is… I think I might die here today which is honestly terrifying, but I'll try to keep on the brighter side of things! I might not die as well! Ehehe… Who am I kidding, Felix is going to find me and there is no way I'll be able to fight him of all people…"
She smiled a bit as the audio went on, it was just how she remembered him. The sketchbook all had drawings of her, hearts drawn by some of them. She grimaced when he talked a bit about Felix, boy was she glad that fucker was dead. Another person to add to list of pretending like she didn't miss or didn't want to miss. But he would of been nice to talk to right now. Or at least the him that she wanted to remember.
The audio caught her attention again as she heard her name.
"Vanessa Kimball, you are the most bravest and outrageous person I have ever met in my life and I'm happy to leave my share of our army to you. I know you are more than capable of taking care of things in my… permanent absence. But this is not what I wanted to tell you before I… potentially pass."
She stopped flipping through the pages and began to listen intently to what he was going to say next, she hadn't noticed that her heart had begun to beat faster than before.
"I have… Told you before that I find you… attractive to say the least, and you are the most beautiful person I have ever met. The bravest and most courageous. Most stubborn and hard to work with. "
She felt her cheeks just grow a bit warmer and her smile just get a bit wider as she listened. Remembering back to when she had first discovered his sketches, it was surprising to find him doing that and saying those things.
"And every little happy moment we shared together are some the best memories I have."
She remembered their silly tea party, and forcing him to sleep properly.
"I'm sorry that I am such a coward and never told you this in person but I…"
She bit her lip and looked at the data pad with furrowed brows, "Don't…"
"I love you."
"And I am so happy that I got to fall in love with you Vanessa, I am so happy I got to meet you as well."
"Goodbye."
She hadn't realized she had gotten so emotional till the tears were rolling down her cheek and she felt this stabbing pain in her chest. "You fucking coward." She sobbed and locked her office door. She locked the sketchbook and datapad away, and it was only years later that she was able to look at them again.
In a world where she never learned the truth, he met his end, but that's not our story.
Armonia was home.
Doyle wished there was another way, but there wasn't.
"Doyle, you evacuate with the Reds and Blues and don't get killed. Wash, Kimball, and I will go to activate the reactor." Carolina ordered.
If anyone was going to blow up his home, it might as well be him.
"W-wait, it might be better if I go with you!" he inwardly cursed as his voice cracked a little. He didn't want one of Carolina's scary looks even if was through her helmet- oooh there it was.
"What."
He quickly reasoned with her, "I know Armonia like the back of my hand. I can get us in and out quicker than if you went by yourselves! And with you all there, I surely wouldn't die."
Kimball growled, "It's a little too late to be a hero Doyle."
"I'm not trying to be a hero!" Doyle quickly defended himself, although if he admitted it to himself he wanted to show off to Kimball at least a little bit of what he could do. "Armonia is my home, and the home to many of our people. Not only will it be safer because it's faster, but it's only appropriate I get to…" he sighed. "Say goodbye."
Carolina sighed, "Fine."
And that was how the four of them found themselves silently, and awkwardly making their way through the twists and turns of Armonia.
Kimball looked like she was going through some of the biggest inner turmoil of her life, which came out as silent-angry-seething. And Doyle looked like he could wet his pants, or that he already might have and was desperately trying to hide it. Wash cocked his head to see if he really had and Carolina rolled her eyes.
Wash leaned close to Carolina, "Donut tried to convince me once that they were in love. But I don't know."
Carolina, despite the heavy situation, chuckled to herself, "You'd be surprised Wash."
"Wait- what does that mean?"
Unfortunately the light hearted conversation was ended when they turned a corner and were met face-to-face with the former insurrectionist who Carolina really did not want to see right now. Doyle shrieked and Kimball immediately pushed him behind her, taking a protective stance.
Carolina immediately stood in front of all of them, "Wash, take Doyle and Kimball and get to the reactor, I'll meet you at the evac point."
Wash didn't waste anytime getting the three of them out of there, the last thing he wanted to do was mess this guy again. Like really, who comes back all the way from a mission ages ago to a far away abandoned colony to exact revenge? What is with this guy?
It wasn't long after that Kimball and Wash were asked to meet Carolina there to clear the evac point, but then there was the problem of leaving Doyle on his own. Doyle gave the two a shaky reassurance that he would be fine on his own, which was worrying if anything. But the core wasn't too far away anymore so he could handle himself at the very least. And soon Doyle was traveling the halls of Armonia all by himself with no one to stop him from overthinking.
"It's alright Donald, it's not like anyone else would be down here. You're all alone to your thoughts! Just like the temple… Let's not compare a bad situation to this new one that is fruitful with success!" he said with false cheer.
He had pumped an arm into the air trying to motivate himself. Hint: it didn't work. He sighed and let his arm fall to his side, "Hah… Success."
Doyle stopped in one of the door ways to the reactor and almost shrieked when he saw the area already occupied by some Charon soldiers. They were poking around at buttons and exploring the cavernous room, a little unsure of what to make of it. "Damn… They must of been searching the area and stumbled upon this place. If the got lost here maybe Carolina and the others would of found this place just fine on their own... Just my luck."
He radioed in to Kimball and Wash in a whisper and said, "I've reached the reactor but…"
Kimball immediately sounded alarmed, "But?!"
"Some Charon soldiers seemed to have gotten here before me. I think they're lost."
Kimball looked like she was going to shoot someone, to which Wash then backed away from her.
Doyle spoke again, "I'm going to try to sneak around!"
Doyle limped behind a pillar, and slid down against it. He thought he could do it on his own. He just wanted to be a hero, to show them he was brave. And now look what he had done, he hadn't even reached the console before they saw him and shot. And now he was bleeding from his leg without the reactor even timed to go off. He had failed, and he was going to make all his soldiers and himself die in vain.
"Doyle what's going on!?" Kimball's angered yet worried voice blasted through the radio and he winced.
He shakily responded, "I-I've been shot… I'm in the room b-but I can't reach the console…"
"Shit!"
He heard the Charon soldiers behind him stop fire, waiting to see if he was still alive. He leaned his head against the surface behind him and sighed. He really was going to die here and fail everyone. Die a failure and a coward. He looked around him to see what he could use and saw the sticky bomb gun.
He could…
He took in a long breath, "I'm going to blow up the core a bit more… Dangerously. You need to evacuate now."
"Don't you fucking dare Donald!"
"Vanessa it's the only way-"
"Bullshit! Your useless to me and our people dead! Now pick up your goddamn gun for once and use it to survive till I get down there, or I will raise you from the dead again and kill you myself! Is that understood?"
He gasped and couldn't help but smile wide. She did care, at least somewhat. "Y-yes M'am!"
"Now send me your coordinates!" Kimball rushed off without a word to Wash not even waiting for Doyle to send her what she needed.
Wash tilted his head back and groaned, "I hate it when Carolina's right. She's always right."
Kimball rushed in and immediately saw Doyle pinned down and about to bite it. She immediately took out the closest soldier and ran over to Doyle who was bleeding all too much.
"Ah! Good to see you Miss Kimball-"
"No time for chit chat, can you make your way over to the console and activate the reactor if I cover you?" She shot at the enemy while she talked.
"Y-yes, will crawling do?"
Kimball rolled her eyes, and though they were wearing helmets Doyle could tell. "Yes, now go!"
Doyle crawled his way to the console and quickly began to work his way around the safety locks and to the self-destruct. Kimball cursed as she ran out of bullets in one gun and quickly switched it out for another, "Doyle, would you hurry up I'm running low over here!"
"Patience is a virtue Miss Kimball!"
"Not when we're about to fucking die!" She muttered under her breath, "Who the hell was in charge of ammo anyway?"
Moments later Doyle activated the self destruct, "I-I did it!"
"Alright time to get out of here!" Kimball quickly ran over to Doyle and threw him over her shoulder, to which Doyle made a small high-pitched noise of surprise. She hightailed it out of the reactor room to the evac point and radioed Wash, "The countdown started, are we ready for evac?"
"Ready for you, Kimball, are you two alright?"
"Doyle got hit, but it's nothing serious. We'll be there soon!"
As they rushed through the halls Doyle could feel the weariness of blood loss coming to affect him. "V-vanessa?"
"Not the time Doyle."
He persisted, "If… If I die of blood loss-"
"You're not gonna die-"
"Will you please just listen to this? Its an audio file on my helmet, labeled in case of my death-"
He could hear her smile, "Already heard it Donald."
"Oh."
There was a silence and they arrived at the pelican, and both of them were strapped in. They made a hasty getaway and congratulations went round. Doyle began to feel more light headed and turned towards Kimball.
He started again, "V-vanessa if I live-"
"Donald. You're not going to die."
He snapped a little, "Stop interrupting me!"All heads turned to him in shock like he had just made the gravest mistake in his life. Grif and Tucker started making bets on how exactly she was going to tear him apart this time. Instead she gave and tired sigh and said fine. All heads then turned towards her, even more shocked then they were before. The Reds and Blues were then on the edge of their seats waiting to see what happened next, while Carolina just leaned back and waiting with a knowing smile.
"If I live, "he paused to make sure she didn't interrupt and she rolled her eyes, "will you, Vanessa Kimball, allow me to court you?"
She snorted at him, "Sure."
And with a more chipper tune he said, "Well then I'll have to live."
Then from the front of the pelican they heard Grif scoff, "Jesus Christ you two, get a room."
Kimball and Doyle rallied the troupes into unification to take down Charon and went on to be names that represented peace, unity, and love across the galaxy. They brought Chorus to glory together, ruling it together, and making a name for themselves in the universe- together. They went far beyond just a simple colony, beyond two bickering Generals.
All because of one decision that twisted fate to give them, at least in one universe, a happy ending.
D
Author's Note: Thank you all so so so much for following this story. I had a lot of fun talking and interacting with all of you and I hope to continue it in the sequels to come! So since you've noticed that there are technically two endings to this (Canon and UR!Canon) they will be both responded to! What tricks do I have up my sleeve? The answer is all of them. And, if there is enough interest I want to continue fleshing out the Unfortunate Roommates world with other pairings and friendships and fun times. As you know all of Armonia experienced the roommate assignment. Mwahahahahahahaha.
Anyway, once again thank you so so so much and I hope to see you in the future! If you want to make sure you hear about new RvB stories follow me as an author here, or follow me on AO3, OR follow me on Tumblr.
Till next time! - the dorky astra