Author's notes: Not really too many author's notes for this one! Go check out Dating if you'd like, there's hopefully going to be an update tomorrow! Thank you SO much to all of you reading/reviewing this, it is literally amazing what this little story has become! And onto the story!
Disclaimer: I'm too nervous right now. Not mine, go read!
Lucas stared intently at his calculations, trying to delay as long as possible. He knew they were perfect, and that they were ready to activate the portal. But they didn't know that, and he didn't think they would. The problem was that he was a perfectionist, and he had to fight to keep playing around with them, knowing they were right. The more work they thought it would take, the better for him and everyone else. It was a small price to pay to ensure that what had happened to him wouldn't happen to innocents, as much as he still hated his Father, and everything he stood for.
He had realized over the past few days that he didn't want to kill his Father anymore. He still hated him, but Skye loved him, and he wouldn't do anything to hurt her. And if that meant allowing the bastard to live, it would have to be done.
He continued tinkering with some of the machinery, trying to look busy and as frustrated as possible, which wasn't too hard. He felt movement around, and he looked up briefly to see a Phoenix Soldier approaching him.
"Doctor Taylor, how long will this take?" He snapped.
Lucas resisted the urge to punch him in the face at his arrogance, speaking through gritted teeth. "As long as it takes. I'm sure you won't want to end up somewhere you shouldn't, would you?" He spat sarcastically. The soldier frowned at him, but quickly retreated. Lucas looked up to see that the rest of the Phoenix Soldiers were drawing closer to him, forming a loose circle around him, and he began to feel slightly nervous, hoping it was due to what he thought it was.
"We're almost there," Skye said confidently. "Only a few more klicks."
Taylor nodded, pulling the rover to the side of the road, as Mark radioed the other rovers, letting them know to do likewise. "Ok, on foot from here. Remember Skye, stay by Mark. He'll make sure you're ok, but make sure you do what he tells you too. Ok?" He said, frowning at her. She nodded quickly, not caring what he was saying just as long as they were moving. She grabbed the gun from where she had tucked it into her shorts, flipping the safety off, and making sure it was set correctly. Taylor looked at her, eyes steely grey. "Let's go."
They all climbed out the rover, joining with the other troops, and with a few directions, the soldiers split, ensuring that they would surround the Phoenix Soldiers when they merged. Skye followed Taylor, Mark, and a few other soldiers slowly, tension rising higher and higher.
Lucas froze as he felt a gun set at the back of his neck, and dropping his papers, he raised his hands slowly in the air.
"Stand up." Came the voice of the soldier who had interrupted him earlier, Hooper slowly approaching them. Lucas stood up slowly, calm, knowing what this meant. "We have unknown rovers coming in, and you're our insurance. Hands behind your back Doctor Taylor."
Lucas lowered his hands, movements slow and steady, bringing them behind him at the base of his back, allowing the soldier to tie them together, knowing he had no other option. He saw a flicker in the trees closest to him, and spoke loudly, trying to attract the soldiers' attention. "So, I guess this means I'm not finishing the portal anytime soon, huh?" He smirked sarcastically at them.
The soldier behind him slammed the butt of his gun into the base of his back, causing Lucas to stumble forward, chest wheezing in agony, falling to his knees, and the soldier had his gun pressed against Lucas' temple. Lucas breathed slowly through the pain, trying to clear his mind, focusing on the situation ahead, seeing Terra Nova soldiers emerge from the trees, knowing that the Phoenix soldiers hadn't seen them yet. They were surrounding them in loose circle, guns trained on them, as the Phoenix Group had their weapons out, not knowing where to focus. He smiled, breathing in relief, knowing that she had made it. He closed his eyes briefly, allowing himself that quick enjoyment, knowing this was almost over.
Then the first shot rang out, and he was pushed roughly to the floor as the soldier holding him started firing in return, Phoenix soldiers dropping left and right.
He opened his eyes, trying to see what was going on. He heard screaming from close to him, knowing that the Phoenix Soldiers might have superior weapons, but the Terra Novan soldiers were larger in force, and had far superior training. He pressed himself closer to the ground, hoping that he wouldn't get hit by a stray bullet just yet. The shooting continued for what seemed like an eternity as he lay there helpless, trying desperately to tear through his bindings, rubbing his bound wrists against a sharp rock on the ground.
All of a sudden, Hooper grabbed him by the shirt, pulling him up. He slammed his gun to Lucas' temple again, leaving Lucas dazed, spinning the gun around, pushing the barrel even further into Lucas' head. He bellowed, trying to be heard above the din. "Stop, or we'll shoot him, and you'll never get back to 2149!"
The gunfire ceased momentarily, as both Hooper and Taylor held up their right hands, signaling a ceasefire. The soldiers eyeing each other, weapons trained on the other, ready to resume fighting at a moment's notice.
Commander Taylor shrugged. "We never wanted to get back to 2149, but you're outnumbered and outgunned. Surrender now, or this will be over quickly." He shouted.
Hooper lost his composure. "Do you want to see your son die?" He screamed shrilly. "We will kill him and you'll lose all chance of ever going back to the future!"
Commander Taylor held his hands up slightly, trying to sooth him, and compromise. "This has to stop." He shouted, trying to make himself heard. "People have died today, and will die if you keep going through with this, is that what you want?"
Hooper swallowed nervously, as Lucas suddenly saw movement out the corner of his eye. Seeing Skye moving to stand next to that soldier, Reynolds? His heart leaped in his chest, seeing her here, knowing she would see his last moments. His mind went into overdrive, desperately trying to think of way out of this, trying to get her to safety.
He saw her hands move up, holding a gun out in front of her, trained on him. He knew it was trained on him, not Hooper stood next to him. He barely had enough time to ponder that, when his mind started spinning through the possibilities of how to get her out of here. She was far enough away that he couldn't see her expression clearly, but he knew she wasn't smiling. Obviously not, why would she be smiling in a situation like this? His mind screamed at her to stop as she started moving closer to him, the soldier at her side moving with her.
He squinted, seeing her mouthing something at him. He shook his head slightly, trying to decipher the words and her expression. I'm, he made out. He frowned, feeling the intense tension in the air, knowing that at any second this could all go to shit, and focused, trying to understand what would likely be the last words he ever had from her.
I'm sorry, he made out. He smiled at her slightly, he was sorry too. Sorry that he wouldn't be there to be with her. Not be there to hold her when she was sad, share in her laughter, grow old with her. But he didn't regret any of it, any of them. He had lived more in the past few days than he had in his whole life. He was just so sorry about everything, everything that he had done to cause her pain, and the ultimate apology, knowing she would see his final moments. His heart clenched in agony, mind still processing quickly, thinking there had to be some way out of this.
He frowned, seeing her hand twitch slightly, and noticed her still mouthing the words.
"I'm going to shoot him!" Hooper screamed hysterically, knowing that they were desperately outnumbered.
Commander Taylor held his gun in the air in a placating gesture. "No one else has to die here today, son. You just let him go, and we'll fix this." He said gently, eyes flicking to Lucas.
Lucas stared at him in shock, wondering what the hell the old man was doing. Surely, he wasn't bargaining for his life? He flashbacked to Somalia to this exact same situation.
"Your son or your wife?" The leader shouted harshly.
Commander Taylor stared at him. "Both." He spat coldly.
The leader laughed. "Not so, Commander Taylor," he said sneeringly. "One."
Taylor looked at his wife's pleading eyes, then back to Lucas, staring at him in pure terror. "No, pick her!" He begged, head jerking to his Mother. "Pick her!" He screamed desperately.
"Nathaniel!" She shouted over him. "You know. I love you both. So much" She said sadly, eyes filling with tears, trying to smile through her pain.
Lucas saw his Father turn to stone before his eyes. "Son." He spat through gritted teeth.
"No!" Lucas screamed, and they instantly began the slaughter, forcing Lucas to watch. Watched as they killed his Mother in front of his eyes, restraining him, laughing at his pleading, his yells of desperation. Forced to watch as she died in front of him, helpless to do anything but watch, screaming for anyone, anyone, to help her.
Only this time he wouldn't be begging. It was for the colonists, for innocents, for her. He wouldn't let her see him beg during his last few moments. He just prayed that she would look away, and that she wouldn't see this, and yet couldn't bring himself to want her to turn away, running his eyes over her features one last time, drinking her in for all the time that he had left on this godforsaken planet.
"Don't be a fool," Commander Taylor was saying calmly, still trying to soothe the man, avoid further bloodshed.
A soldier to the left of him suddenly jerked, and Hooper gripped him tighter. "I will kill him!" He yelled hysterically.
Lucas flicked his gaze back to Skye's, trying to absorb her every feature, characteristic in in his last few moments on this earth, smiling at her wistfully, trying to let her know how much he loved her. She began mouthing the words again, and he shook his head as much as he dared, not wanting to distract Hooper, desperately trying to get her to look away, not wanting her to see him like this.
Skye's chest clenched in agony. She knew what she had to do, it was the only way that the fight could keep going, and the only way to ensure Terra Nova's survival. She knew Taylor wouldn't chance Lucas being shot, no matter what he had done, and the Phoenix Soldiers would surely cave first. It was the only chance she had of saving them, and it was now or never. She wouldn't be able to summon the courage again. She mouthed the words again, eyes pleading with him, blinking stinging tears away from her eyes. Before she could change her mind, she flung her hand up with the gun from where she had let it fall to her hip, pointing it directly at Lucas, pulling the trigger, staggering back slightly with the recoil.
She saw Lucas' smile at her, knowing what she had just done, and she felt rather than saw the effects of the blast.
He knew what was running through her mind. It was the only way, the only way that Terra Nova would continue. He had lived ten extra years than he should, and only in the last months had he begun to live, and now, it appeared to be too late. Those last few milliseconds flashed by in Lucas' mind, images of her, his Mother, his Father, the last few days rolling through his mind, the overwhelming love he felt for her flow through him as the blast hit him.
Skye watched, tears in her eyes as Lucas' expression changed to one of soft surprise, still looking at her lovingly, and she watched as the blast hit him, causing him to be flung backward, facedown, out of Hooper's clasp. She closed her eyes, tears welling, chest feeling like she had a lead anchor holding her down. Taylor bellowed in agony in front of her, yelling in agonizing pain at the final loss of his son, and blasts and bullets began to fly, as she was pushed down to the ground by Mark, trying to prevent her getting hit. She furiously tried to jump back up, but was pinned down by Mark trying to stop her getting hit, as she began to shout and fight frantically, desperately trying to get over to Lucas.
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