Author's Note: Actually, I am not going to kill them off, and SPN made me add in all that hurt, thanks to their cliffy, which was so much worse than mine. Oddly enough, I though up a sequel idea with a friend, and it actually is pretty freaky, and my least favorite character is the main antagonist. THATS NOT IMPORTANT HOWEVER! What is important, is a few chapters back, is Guest, gave a really nice review, talking about the chaper and my "skills" that brightened my day so much. APPLAUD THAT GUEST! ONE IMPORTANT THING: NO RELIGIOUS DEBATES IN THE REVIEWS PLEASE! CHAPTER TITLES GOOD!
'Just one more moment,
That's all that's needed,
Like wounded soldiers,
In need of healing,
Time to be honest,
This time I'm pleading,
Please don't dwell on it,
'Cause I didn't mean it.' -I'd Come For You, Nickelback.
Douglas wouldn't be surprised if Adam and Bree wound up in a hospital. Donald and Chase were already hospitalized, and Krane seemed determined to wipe them out. So, in the facility he remained, hoping for his brother and son to win this battle, which was one of many they had fought. So many battles, I'm weary. I want it over for all of us. But...I have some affairs to take care of. They all involve my family. The main thing is 'how'.
How would I tell them how I feel about our past skirmishes? 'I'm sorry' doesn't seem to cut it. How would I say how much I missed them. How they are a part of me now. How would I say they brought me back? How could I say that without them, I have nothing left to fight for? Nothing left to live for? I'm definitely feeling the whole 'reap what you sow' thing. It is truly awful.
Douglas paced. It had been four hours since Chase had arrived. Two since Donald had been recovered. All he knew is that they were alive. You can be alive, but be in a coma! He felt anxious. Anxious at their survival. Anxious at how they would live after this. All these battles, all we get are wounds that scar us for life. For whatever life we live afterwards. Then more battles come. We're soldiers in an endless war. I think we're the last soldiers too. The last defense. When we die, humanity is screwed. Why delay the inevitable? For more injuries to ourselves? Suddenly, Douglas remembered a conversation with his son.
...FLASHBACK...
"Sometime I think everything we fight against is inevitable. Death is inevitable, the only variables being when and how. Why bother slogging through this?" Douglas sighed, as rain poured outside the window of Facility X. He heard Chase sigh. Sighs were in the air after their latest mission, which Chase had been unable to save 500 people from drowning.
"Douglas, I agree everything is inevitable. The triumph of good over evil is. Death is inevitable too, and there is another variable: why. We live our lives trying to find what we want to die for, and doing. We find ways to make ourselves and others happy, for the most part. Life is purgatory, the cleansing before afterlife. It decides where you go afterwards. I don't care what happens, I will always find something to fight for, even if it's someone else's chance at life." Douglas listened to his son carefully.
"How do you know there is an afterlife? And I doubt I'll go to Heaven."
"Keep in mind, matter cannot be destroyed or created. Besides, I have faith. Not in any particular religion, but faith. I think you'll go somewhere better than Hell, because you're atoning now by doing nice things. See, purgatory."
...FLASHBACK END...
Atonement. I think you two and I are doing my atoning, all this suffering. Chase how I wish I had your faith. I wish I could. I wish...I will. Douglas closed his eyes, and sent up prayers for rain. For safety and comfort and hope and life for his family to rain down upon them. Suddenly a worker of the facility approached him.
"Sir, the younger one can receive visitors." Douglas stood and followed the worker, basking in the knowledge that his prayers had been answered. And in the hope of a future. A life.
...
His hope was dashed when his eyes rested on his son. He was too pale, too still, too corpse-like. Too late. Douglas forced that thought away. Inevitable. Douglas sat down in a chair. He cleared his throat.
"Hey, Chasey-boy. I know you probably can't hear me, but you have the strongest mind and will I know, so maybe so. Lately I've been thinking...and I realized I do have faith. I have faith that you and the rest of our family will have some sort of future. But that faith is being smashed. I have very small clues about what you have faith in...but I know I want you to have faith. As weird as this sounds...I don't know what to do. Chase, I need you. I need you to tell me what to do. I'm placing my faith in you, and I am begging you to not break that faith. Chase, you never let any of us down before, and please don't start now." Crying and clutching his son's hand like a lifeline, Douglas bowed his head once more and sent up prayers for rain.