Drea held her hand over the open wound on her stomach, watching as her fingers pooled with her own blood. She looked down at them, the weight of her injuries just now beginning to hit. She felt herself getting weaker, her body moments from hitting the floor. She looked up at Michaela and Ben, calling out before she hit the ground.

"Mick."

Michaela ran to her in without a moment of hesitation, catching her as she collapsed into her arms. Her face was completely pale, her eyes scanning Michaela's for comfort. "No, no, no, no, no!" Mick yelled. She turned over to Daly, her face already tear stained, and her lip quivering in rage. "What did you do?!"

She was inconsolable, unremorseful in her anger. She felt nothing but numb, and a loud buzzing in her ear. It was like she was trapped in The Twilight Zone. This was a nightmare, she thought. An awful, horrible nightmare. "She wasn't even a passenger!"

Ben then came around to the other side of her, Jared quickly following behind.

"No!" Zeke screamed, trying to wiggle himself free. "Mick!" But Daly gripped his neck, whispering in his ear temptingly, spit flying out of his mouth. "Don't do anything you'll regret Ezekiel."

But he didn't.

He knew Mick had a plan... she had to.

He buried the feeling down, the anger making his heart race as he watched his wife search for a way to keep her friend alive.

Mick was frantic, and her heart felt like it was beating a million miles an hour. She placed her gun at her side, pressing her hand into Drea's stomach to stay the bleeding. "Make a tourniquet!" She cried out.

But Ben was already one step ahead.

He swiftly ripped off his shirt, and moving Mick's hand out of the way, he pressed it against the wound. Mick undid her belt, wrapping it around and giving even more pressure.

But despite their efforts, Drea still wouldn't stop bleeding.

"Mick." She grunted. Her voice was rough, gravely. She couldn't speak without arching her back in pain. "No. No, save your strength." Mick tried to assure her, but Drea wanted to go on. "No, Mick listen." She pleaded. She squirmed with each breath, the pain becoming increasingly worse.

As Mick stared at her friend, tears welled up in her tired eyes. But Drea was somehow calm, her body beginning to settle... along with her heart. "I want you to know that I love you." Mick shook her head, leaning forward with the weight of her reply. These felt like last words… and she wasn't going to let that happen. She wasn't dying. She couldn't die.

"No. Drea you're gonna be fine ok?" She cried.

She felt like her heart was being ripped open, the crushing weight in her chest pulling her down into the depths. How was she in this position again? She couldn't bear to see another friend of hers leave her like this.

"Mick."

Jared switched places with Ben, holding pressure as Ben held Drea's hand. Meanwhile Mick had slipped Drea's head into her lap, practically gripping onto her body for dear life. She placed her hand on her chest, finding comfort in still being able to feel the soft thump of her heartbeat.

They couldn't lose hope.

She couldn't die.

Holding her mouth with her free hand, Mick attempted to hold back a sob... But she couldn't.

"I am so proud of you." Drea coughed. And as she did, blood splattered out of her mouth and onto her hand. She looked in her hands, but when they expected to see her panic, she did the opposite. She closed her eyes for a moment, leaning back into Mick's lap. They were losing her, and fast. "I am honored to have been able to work with you… and call you my best friend." Her breathing was becoming shallow and labored, and Mick didn't know what to do... so she begged her to say.

"No, no, Drea, we're gonna get help!"

Drea grabbed Mick's hand, squeezing it with all the strength she had left. "Help isn't coming. It's ok Mick."

"No, no, no. Drea, it is not ok!" She had her face in her hands, trying to wipe the tears away. But she couldn't stop crying.

Zeke wanted to run to her so desperately. To hold her in his arms and never let go. Drea was his friend too, she was good to him. Kind, and gentle. She would never hurt a soul unless she had to. And when she did... it was always to protect his wife. He couldn't help but let a cry escape, Daly kicking him in the back as soon as he heard the sound.

Ben reached his hand out to his sister to offer support, but she just pulled away. She looked into the beautiful brown eyes of her best friend, who was dying in her arms, and all she was able to feel was pain.

No.

Absolute agony.

Drea held her hand out to Mick's face, letting it rest on her cheek. "I'll be ok."

Mick let out another sob. "I love you so much." She whispered.

Drea squeezed her hand tightly one more time, a soft breath escaping her lungs. She looked up at the ceiling, each breath getting less and less deep.

They stayed like that for a minute.

Mick was softly praying, holding her close. She didn't even know who she was praying to. God? Maybe. The Callings? Also maybe. But regardless, she kept on praying to whoever would listen.

Ben hung his head down in sorrow and remorse. He couldn't help but think about how it could've been avoided. Everything inside of him was riddled with guilt. Jared stayed silent next to them, not knowing how to help.

The world stood still.

Daly was waiting for something as he held Eagan and Zeke. He was waiting to kill Michaela the right way... and somehow they all knew it.

Eventually, Drea's breathing stopped.

Mick felt her exhale one last time, the last bit of life escaping from her body. She jolted at the feeling, half expecting her to inhale again.

But she was gone.

Mick pressed her head against her friend's chest, the once lively heartbeat she felt comfort in no longer there. She had no words left to say, all she could do was cry.

Ben wrapped her in his arms, pulling her close. And as Zeke watched his wife's entire world shatter, he wanted to do that too. He wanted to hold her and tell her that everything was going to be ok, despite her stubbornness in her belief of the worst. He wanted to simply not let her go until she was able to live again.

He cried for her harder than he had ever cried.

He cried for Drea.

He needed to escape, because Michaela couldn't handle losing him too. The only problem was how.

Jared stood there speechless, his face empty. His heart was broken.

She was really gone.

And it was his fault.

Mick stood up slowly, vengeance riddling her face. "Why Daly?" She spat at the violent assailant.

He smiled. He wasn't even sorry.

"Leverage."

Mick felt nothing but hysteria at his answer. Grief filled her body and threatened to cripple her.

But Drea deserved a conclusion to this. She owed it to her to keep fighting.

Daly held his gun to Mick, breathing sharply. "I can't wait for this."

He shot Drea.

If anyone thought he was bluffing about killing Michaela and Ben, their doubts were clearly gone now.

"Why?" Ben asked, his voice soft and assertive. he wiped his tears, walking in front of his sister in the process.

There was no way that she was gonna go first.

"I have to get rid of us! We're not human!" The gun was unwavered, still pointing over in Michaela's direction.

"But why kill Drea?!" Ben yelled. "Why not me instead? Or yet... " He hesitated, Mick becoming scared of what he was going to say next. He had a habit of saying the right thing at the wrong time. "Why not me first?" His plea was sincere and kind.

But Mick didn't want that.

She wanted them both to come out of there... and alive.

"Ben, no."

But he brushed her off, finishing his sentence. "At least let Michaela go."

Mick shot him a look, fear settling inside of her. Daly was deranged, and could do a number of things at any moment, solely depending on what he felt like. So his answer was the wrong thing to say, regardless of if he was trying to help save her or not. "No! I can't lose you too!"

The sound of Daly mumbling under his breath suddenly caught their attention. It was like he had no idea what was he was doing anymore. The back and forth between everyone was only making him more upset and confused. All he knew was, he had to carry out his mission... and he had to do it now.

"I don't know!" He replied. "All I know is, I have to sink the lifeboat!"

Panic filled them. He was about to do something he was gonna regret. "If I have to go." He cocked his gun sharply, ready to fire another bullet. And this time, his target really was Michaela. "You have to go too!"

"Don't shoot." Michaela pleaded, a desperation in her voice so intense, that Zeke felt it too.

"It's a little late for that." Daly stood firm, stepping his feet outwards in an attempt to ready himself for the ricochet.

"Don't. Shoot." She took a pause between her words as she tried to talk him down. But Daly just held his gun, his finger slyly coursing the trigger. He exhaled, ready to take the shot and put and end to this madness. "Goodbye Michalea."

"Don't shoot, I'm pregnant!"

Daly stook his finger away from the trigger, dropping the gun to his side in shock. She was bluffing, he thought. Mick held her hands out in surrender, her gun no longer in them. She placed it on the floor when she ran to Drea, and It was covered in her blood now. She knew she'd never pick it up again, but also that it wasn't smart to not be armed.

"I'm pregnant."

Her hands fell down slowly as she looked at her husband. He shot his head up at her words, his body practically shaking in shock. Was she being truthful, or was this some game to play Daly? Regardless of if it was true or not, she needed him to play along.

"You're- what?" He asked.

Mick stared at the ground for a moment, and then brought her gaze back up to him. They locked eyes. An unsaid tell that told Zeke everything he needed to know. Tears continued to stream down her face, guilt filling her body.

"I found out this morning." She tried to catch her breath, tried to compose herself, but instead she let out a sob. "Right before I realized you were missing."

Zeke knew then that she wasn't lying. This was real. And he had to save them.

"Drea was there she-" Mick paused, thinking of her best friend. Her best friend who's lifeless body was laying behind them in a pool of blood. "-She was the only one that knew."

Zeke's head hung, he wanted to hug her and say sorry. He never wanted to let her go.

"She was so excited you know." Mick said with a laugh.

She thought back to that morning as she held the positive test in front of Drea. She remembered her teasing. "Well that explains your fatigue and all of those intense feelings."

"She tried to get me to not come, she tried to protect me... and I failed her."

"Mick." Ben whispered sympathetically.

He wished he had known.

He wished he would've known so he could've done better.

He would've told her not to come, or to fight. But he knew her and her stubbornness at the same time. She would've come anyways.

"This isn't-" She paused, another sob cracking through her voice as she kept her eyes locked with Zeke's. "This isn't how I wanted to tell you."

The whole room was quiet for a moment, Mick's revelation making everyone silent... until Daly spoke up. "Great. An 828 baby that I will also have the pleasure of killing." He steadied himself, ready for the bullet to fly. Mick shut her eyes, but again opened them when she didn't even hear the gun fire. But instead, she heard fighting.

Zeke had turned on Daly, smacking the gun out of his hands and onto the floor. Jared was at his side in an instant to retrieve it. Zeke yelled out as he slammed Daly to the ground, bending his arms up, and squeezing them tight behind his back. "Touch them, and you'll be the one who dies!"

Jared slid the gun across the floor to Ben, and ran over to them. He pushed Zeke off of Daly's back and out of the way, grabbing Daly's hands and putting them in cuffs. He stood above the bastard, resisting the urge to kick him in the head. "I'd read you your right, but in this situation, I'm afraid you don't have any."

Eagan was still groggy, barely able to process what had just happened. Zeke helped him stand firm and steady himself, and as soon as he was able to stand, he ran for Michaela.

They fell into each other's arms, the weight of relief flushing over them. They stayed there for a moment as they both continued to cry. She was so happy to have him again. He was so happy to have her back.

"Are you ok?"

She nodded softly, gaining back steadiness. She looked at him longingly, waiting for him to address the elephant in the room.

"So you're? Zeke stammered, not sure what to make of what just happened. He wasn't sure if Mick was being truthful at first, but now, even without her confirmation he knew.

She smiled softly. "Yeah, I am."

Zeke stood there stunned. "You're pregnant." He whispered. "You're pregnant!" He hugged her tightly, then swiftly picked her up off the ground in amazement. Her spun her as she laughed, bittersweet tears filling her face.

Drea was the only other person that knew, and she was so excited for them. All she wanted was to share in that adventure.

in their bliss, they felt the things surrounding them melt away.

And that's when they were transported.

They were standing together in the field, their hands interlocked. The field was alive again, lush and green. The sunflowers and daisies bloomed so bright, like flecks of gold in the sunlight. "I don't understand." Said Michaela.

"I do."

They turned their heads, spotting someone they didn't recognize... but they had seen them before many times. The girl's soft voice broke through the sound of the chirping birds. Her long blonde hair blew in the breeze, her blue eyes taking their breath away. They stared on, following her as she stood right in front of them.

That's when they felt the heartbeat calling.

But this time, it wasn't deafening. It was subtle, calming. This was meant to be... Zeke could feel it.

"You saved me."

Zeke heard the voice of the calling in his head again. "You'll know." He recalled. "That was you?" The girl nodded in response, her smile so bright and full of life.

And in that moment, he knew exactly who she was.

Her bright blue eyes were a dead giveaway.

"Are you-?"

"Your daughter?"

There was no ounce of pride in her reply. Just simple love. Zeke could feel the calm of her spirit just by looking at her. She was full of light, and life. "Yes."

She seemed like she was so happy. A big difference from the callings. And that happiness was something she definitely inherited from him. He felt a wave crash over him, his abilities filling in the blanks. She was empathetic, good. Yet so fierce and so confident. Now that was all Michaela.

As they stared at the girl, they were completely dumbfounded. They never would've expected the calling to show them this. To show them their future. But god, by the looks of it, just how magical it must be.

Mick stepped closer to her extending her hand out to her face. "Well, you're beautiful."

The girl blushed as she pushed her hair back behind her ear. Her mannerisms were all Mick too. They even did the same smirk when they were complimented. "You only tell me that 50 times a day."

Suddenly, they heard another voice. "Hey! Can't forget about me!" The boy yelled as he emerged from behind. He took his stand next to the girl, giving them a smile. This was the boy from Mick's calling. His voice was instantly recognizable.

"Can't forget about your favorite son." He teased. His hair was brunette like Zeke's, his eyes a hazel mix of the both of theirs.

Again, Zeke's abilities filled him in. He was funny, and kind. Loyal and protective. That was him. But he could tell he was also gentle and loving. Willing to do anything for the people he loved. That was Michaela.

"You're their only son, dummy." The girl replied playfully as she smacked him on the arm. "Oww." He replied with a smile, showing that it clearly didn't hurt.

Suddenly, Michaela and Zeke realized something special as they stared at them. They were unable to believe their eyes as the obvious hit them.

"Are you guys-" Mick began to ask.

"Twins?"

The girl couldn't help but finish their sentences for them. It was like she had answered them a million times before.

"Ironic huh?"

Mick put her hand over her stomach, fear and excitement filling her mind.

There was no way this was real. It was too good to be true.

She stepped over to the boy, placing her hands on his face also, and cracking a huge smile. Her eyes welling up with tears as she lovingly gazed at the both of them. "You're both just so-"

"Amazing, grown up?" The boy interjected.

Mick laughed at his interjection. He reminded her so much of Zeke. Especially in his interjections and sarcastic remarks. But she saw herself in him too. She knew he inherited her sense of humor in particular. "Yeah, both of those things."

Zeke took his place next to Michaela, the words unable to come. He pulled the girl and boy in, embracing them sharply. He felt his heart swell as he held them in his arms, his eyes dripping with tears. And as he did, the petrograph flashed into his mind.

It was like he was there again, staring at the image in the cave next to the love of his life.

"It was you." He spoke as he let go and looked in their eyes. "The petrograph was not only about our relationship..." He said as he looked at Mick. "It was about you guys too."

Mick raised her brow, the image flashing before her eyes as clear as day.

"See?" The girl teased as she smacked her brother again. He held his arm this time, letting out a soft yelp as he glared at her. "I told you dad would figure it out." Zeke chuckled, feeling his heart stir with love in the process. She called him dad.

"So? What now?" Mick asked.

She didn't want to leave this vision.

It was serene, peaceful. But I suppose you're only supposed to live by each moment, rather than taking all of your happiness at once.

She knew this was now something to look forward to, and she had a new reason… Well, new reasons to beat the Death Date.

"Keep us safe." The girl replied. "Take care of us. We'll see you again soon."

And with that, she gave them a nod, letting herself continue on in the other direction down the plains. She took her brother's hand in the process, beginning to fade into the openness of lush green land before them.

As they watched them walk in silence, another brunette girl caught their attention. She looked to be about eight years old, her demeanor small and dainty. But at the same time, she looked tough and wise.

The twins walked to her as she sat in the grass. She was at the edge of a hill, her hair wisping in the breeze. Her contagious laugh turned into a screech as her brother flipped her upside down. He quickly turned her over as she giggled, swinging her across his body and onto his shoulders. She sat on top laughing and bouncing as they ran together.

So full of bliss.

So full of joy.

The little girl turned as she sat securely on her brothers shoulders, waving back at Michaela and Zeke. As soon as Mick saw her, her heart caved in. It cracked in half from the amount of love she felt. The girl was a clear carbon copy of Zeke.

They looked at each other with a smile as they watched their children run off... Only to be seen again in the future.

Mick yelled out to them one last time, remembering something she never got to ask. "I don't suppose you'll tell us what your names are?"

The twins looked back, the girl continuing to walk, but the boy slowing his pace. The little brunette girl turned over as well, giving them a smile. The brown waves of her hair blew in the breeze softly, her bright eyes a piercing blue, like the reflection of the moon on a clear sea.

Like an unsaid confirmation from her siblings, she answered.

"That's for you to decide mom."


Sooooo, what'd you think? I am so sorry about killing Drea off, it literally hurt me to write it. but I promise her death will have a part to play in the story! And Michaela is pregnant! Were you expecting the reveal of the two strangers to be their kids? So many twists in the last few chapters ya'll probably need a break lol.

Well anyways, let me know what you thought here or via my twitter!

828 ride or die baby!

-The Color Gray