Please Read: Sorry it took me forever to update, it's been crazy. Thank you to those that reviewed and to those that have read this story. Don't worry, I'm far from done. I'll do my very best to update very soon for you!
Disclaimer: I own nothing associated with Doom.
Chapter 9: Almost Home
Samantha looked at Ella as another pound sounded on the door. "Give me those," Samantha said and she took the gun and the grenade.
"Why?" Ella asked quietly.
"Stay here, Ella, and hide." Ella frowned.
"Are you insane? How in the hell can you tell me to do that?" Ella asked and Samantha sighed. Ella took the grenade from her. "If you're going to face them, then I'm going to too. John would kill me if I let anything happen to you."
"And you won't think he won't do the same to me?" Samantha asked. Ella frowned but jumped as another pound sounded. "Don't tell me you think you're confession was one sided? John's loved you for so long, Ella; I knew it was just a matter of time before one of you confessed. Now, stay here and wait for him to wake up." Another pound sounded and the two looked at the door before Samantha looked back at Ella. "Hide, Ella, now!" Samantha shouted and pushed Ella away. Ella met her friend's eyes and sighed before she did as her friend said and hid away.
Ella closed her eyes tightly and held onto the grenade as she heard the door push open and then the gun firing followed by roaring. When it became quiet she looked out. Samantha was gone and John still laid where he had been. Ella sighed and kneeled next to him. She ran trembling fingers through his short hair and sighed.
"Oh, John, what mess have I gotten all of us into?" she asked quietly. "I should have never agreed to work on it. I should have left when I had the chance. I should have," she paused and sighed, "I should have done many things." A roar echoed somewhere and she jumped and closed her eyes briefly before she looked down at him once more. "John, if I don't make it, take care of Sam, she needs you no matter how stubborn she is." She leaned down and kissed his unmoving lips. She pulled back and sighed. "Always remember that I love you," she finished before she stood and moved to the door and out into the darkened corridors.
John woke feeling slightly groggy. He blinked and looked around the room with a frown. "Ella?" he asked and when she didn't respond his heart fell. "Sam?" he called and no one answered. He stood and looked about the room. It was empty. He walked over to a mirror and frowned as he wiped away at the blood on his face. There was no cut where there once had been and he snarled as he turned. He hoisted his gun and loaded it. He had two women he had to find and get them out of there and fast.
Every corner Ella turned her heart raced. Luckily, she had managed to stay hidden, but not unharmed. She had a large gash in her shoulder and few scrapes on her face thanks to one of the demons, one she had blown up with the grenade. Also, her glasses were a loss, but she could see well enough to know when something unfriendly was coming her way. She was nearing the elevator and as she rounded a corner she stumbled. She was dizzy and her arm burned. "Ella!" she heard a familiar voice shout and she looked up and saw Samantha stumbling down the corridor only to fall to the floor.
"Sam," she whispered before she moved over to her friend as quickly as her dizzying mind would let her. She kneeled next to her and automatically looked at her neck, thankful to find no wound on her neck, even though she knew there would have been one. Ella sighed and moved so she was sitting next to her friend and she laid against the wall. She closed her eyes and finally gave into her dizziness.
John sighed quietly as he left the room that now held the dead body of a transformed Pinky. "Sam, Ella," he said quietly, but loud enough for them to hear if they were near. He lowered his gun slightly and looked up at the elevator clock. They were still on lockdown, but for less than two minutes and he hadn't the slightest clue how many, if any, of those things were still alive or if Sam and Ella were even alive. His test tightened slightly at the thought, but he had to remain focused.
He looked around and the floor was littered with dead bodies and a warped blue mass that only signaled to John that Sarge had been there. He moved from where he stood, gun at the ready, and looked around the area. He rounded the corner and something caught his eye and he looked down, surprised to see Samantha laying there as well as Ella, who was propped up against the wall. He swallowed hard when he saw the gash on Ella's arm and the few scrapes that were on her face, but was relieved to see not much else was wrong. He looked down at Samantha and saw she had a bad injury to her leg, but she looked all right despite the wound.
"Sam," he said as he touched her head and she opened her eyes and glanced at him.
"You're alive," she whispered and John shook his head.
"John?" a tired voice asked softly and his eyes shot up and met a pair of tired blue ones that were no longer hidden behind dark framed glasses.
"Shh, don't talk," he said quickly and both women went silent.
"Last man standing, Reaper," a voice said from behind him. John looked over his shoulder and glared at Sarge. Ella and Sam both looked up with wide eyes to see a man that was supposed to be dead. "I think they need medical attention," he said as he looked them over carefully. John's eyes only narrowed more when he saw the wound on Sarge's neck. It was obvious to Sam and Ella that the man was changing and he wasn't about to do what Goat had done.
"Can you get to the elevator?" John asked quietly.
"I'm not sure," Samantha said quietly as she moved to prop herself up. Ella shifted and winced.
"Try," John said as he stood.
"I can help you," Ella whispered to her friend, but found herself falling back. Sam shook her head but Ella persisted and stood slightly. "I'm going to help you, we've got to get out of here," Ella said and helped Samantha move across the floor. She could feel Sarge's eyes on them as they moved around the corner and Ella looked back to see John moving slowly and looking at Sarge intently, but soon she turned her eyes ahead and the task at helping her friend.
"Where are the survivors that Kid found?" John asked and Sarge looked from the women that disappeared around the corner to John. He shook his head.
"I took care of that problem," Sarge said. "Quarantine's almost over. Power should be back on any minute." Samantha groaned slightly and Ella frowned.
"Come on, Sam," Ella whispered as she helped Samantha stand. Samantha whimpered and Ella winced as she put Samantha's weight on her injured arm. "It's alright, I'm strong," she said to encourage Samantha to rest her weight on her, which the woman did and with a little bit of a struggle, Ella got them close to the elevator.
"You killed the Kid," John said as he looked back at Sarge from Ella and Sam.
"We're all killers, Reaper," Sarge said like it was the simplest thing in the world. "It's what they pay us for."
"Quarantine complete. Elevators back on line," a computer voice said over the speaker and Ella opened the elevator door. She got Samantha inside and sat her down. She looked at Samantha's leg and frowned.
"I'll be alright," Samantha said tiredly. "Thank you," she said and Ella smiled and nodded her head, although the dizziness was returning.
"What are friends for?" she asked and Samantha sighed.
"Where's John?" Samantha asked and Ella shook her head.
"He's still out there," she said and she looked through the open door to see John standing where she had last seen him. Only he raised his gun slightly and Ella swallowed hard.
"What's going on?" Samantha asked in a whisper and Ella shook her head and blinked her eyes a few times, hoping her slightly disadvantaged sight was playing tricks on her. Suddenly a blue mass appeared and Ella gasped as she saw John jump away just in time and he started to fire his gun. "What the hell?" Samantha asked with as much strength as she could muster and Ella just shook her head.
"It's fine, John will be fine," she said trying to convince not only Samantha who looked at her with pain, worried, and confusion filled eyes, but herself when she found her entire body was shaking.
The two of them sat in the elevator waiting for John to come back so could get the hell out of there. Samantha had fallen asleep from fatigue, but Ella was determined to stay awake. She had been listening carefully the gun firing stopped a while ago, but she could still hear the sounds of something going on and she wasn't about to give up hope on John. He was strong, well superhuman, but she knew that even he wasn't superhuman, he'd do everything he could to survive and protect the innocent. However, what she heard echo over the speaker made her blood freeze.
"Ark portal activation in progress," the computer voice said and she sat up from the wall and swallowed hard. "Four, three, two, one," the voice echoed and Ella swallowed hard and waited with berated breath for something to happen.
Footsteps sounded and she started to shake.
"Ella? Sam?" John's voice called and he walked through the elevator door. Ella was so relieved she stood quickly and made to go for him, only to start to collapse. John moved quickly and caught her. She recovered as he held her and she sighed before she threw her uninjured arm around him.
"Oh, John," she whispered into his neck and he held her gently as she started to cry. He pulled his head back and felt him press his lips to her temple.
"It's alright, Ella, we're getting out of here," he said and she nodded and looked up at him. She sniffed and sighed. His face was slightly blurry but being as close as she was she could see that the bad cut that was there earlier was gone.
"You're alright?" she asked and he nodded.
"I am but you and Sam aren't. So, let's go," he said softly and she nodded. She steadied her footing and pulled away from John. John moved and picked up Samantha. She sighed as he held her close and Ella hit the button. Soon, the elevator was moving up and Ella leaned against the wall and closed her eyes as she slid down the wall. John looked at Ella slightly alarmed but saw that she was okay when she opened her eyes and met his gaze. "Almost home," he whispered and she smiled.
"Almost home," she repeated and looked up to see the sunlight filter in through the glass top and she sighed. She was almost home, but what home did she have to go to?
