A/N: Originally Written for the Bulletproof 20/21 exchange on AO3 for Jen425


Infinite Possibilities, Infinite Consequences

Blue shuddered as the airlock snapped shut once more. She looked at the scattered few crewmates left of their original crew, of her friends and colleagues of multiple months. There were just four of them left. If she turned and looked out the window of Storage Blue would be able to see the bright color of Lime's jumpsuit pass by.

Black clutched Purple's shoulder. They had both been the ones to do the deed while Blue held herself around the middle. "It had to be done," Black said firmly. Purple had been the hardest to convince when they had all sat around the cafeteria.

"And if we're still wrong?" Purple questioned quietly. Blue's breath hitched and she had to force herself to exhale calmly. That was very much her own fear. When White had found Orange's body in Medbay, the crew had nearly decided it was them. It was only when Blue had been able to vouch for White that they had been able to piece together that Lime was the one without an alibi during the attack.

The last attack. It had to be.

Blue slowly let her arms uncoil from around herself. She padded over to White. She waited the long minute for Black and Purple to disperse from before she took White's hand in hers. "Tell me honestly," she whispered hoarsely. "Was he one of them? Like you?"

White tipped their head in that curious motion that Blue found oh so endearing. "Does it matter?" they replied. The ship was deathly quiet while the engines were offline. Black would need to restart the system before they returned to their journey.

"It matters to me," Blue insisted. "I vouched for you. I- we both voted for him to-"

Actually putting it into words was still so difficult. She hadn't needed to talk much in the meeting. Once she told everyone that White had been with her watching the feeds in security for hours before the attack, that was all they had needed from her until the voting began.

"It's on us. His blood," Blue whispered. "And the others. The ones that you… your feeds."

White was silent for a smattering of heartbeats. Blue squeezed their hands again. Her chest felt painfully tight.

"If you want absolution, I do not have that for you, Blue. I did what I had to in order to survive. I will again," they said slowly. Like it was straightforward and simple.

Blue shook her head. "I know it wasn't right. But we had to do it, right? Tell me that at least. We needed to do it. Otherwise…" she trailed off.

"Otherwise they would have suspected me. They still may. I cannot live on meal packs alone."

Blue felt her heart spasm when they said that. She immediately shook her head, insistently denying that that was ever an option. "No."

White gathered both of her hands into theirs. Blue hiccuped as a strangled sob escaped her throat. "Even if you regret your choices, you will need to learn to live with them," White insisted. Another sob rose and fell in Blue's chest. "Can you do that?"

"White, I can't do this again. Please don't make me do this again," she cried. Even still with the blood on their hands she fell into White's arms and pressed her head to their chest. White pulled her close and rested their helmet atop hers.

"I understand if you can't, you know," White said while Blue let the tears fall. Always so understanding, so calm. How did they do it?

"That's the thing, White," Blue warbled. She clutched at White's back as she fought to remain as close as possible. "I have to, don't I? I have to be okay with it. The- the feeding. The suspicions. The blood on our hands."

She felt White falter, just a little. Their hands froze on her back. Blue let another sob shake her body. "I do," she insisted. "What's the other option? Letting you go? Letting them blame you for Orange and Pink and Red? Toss you out the airlock? I can't do that."

White gingerly moved to peel Blue off. Once again they held her hands in theirs. White gently tapped their helmet to hers. "It's too much. I understand. Just… just let me get to Polus. I can make it to Polus. Then I can slip away. You won't need to cover for me anymore. You can even tell MIRA, tell them that I made you do it. It'll be okay."

Blue shook her head fervently. "No, White!" she cried. "I love you!" She clapped a hand over her helmet and froze. That wasn't- she wasn't-

"You what?" White whispered hoarsely.

What was there to say? To do? Blue whimpered and shook her head. She couldn't say it again. She wasn't supposed to think it, never mind say it to them. "I- nothing. We'll find another way. Some other plan," Blue replied hotly. "There has to be another way. You aren't leaving on Polus and that's final."

White reached for her shoulder, and Blue sidestepped to look out the window instead. Closing their hand, White moved to join her. An inch-wide barrier of air separated them, as impenetrable as any alloy. "Any path forward means more lies," White said slowly. They looked thoughtfully on the slowly disappearing green suit ahead of them. "More blood."

Blue shook her head sadly, but she knew that White was just being honest with her. "I don't see any other option," she replied. Deep in her heart she knew she'd made her decision twenty minutes ago. This was just solidifying that moment, writing her into history as the one who lied to save the person she'd foolishly fallen for.

She stole a tentative glance at White. Just what was she getting herself into?


A/N: Blanket statement for my oneshots - Please do not ask if I am continuing these. They are single "chapter" fics which I am considering complete. Thank you. - DragonMaster65