A/N: The cliché Spova and Sprx angst. I've lost count of how many I've done of these... This one is third season finale-based, so I suppose it's a little outdated, eh? Quotes taken from A Ghost in the Machinder, Wormhole and Belly of the Beast. For those that do not know of T-ball, softball or baseball, this will get confusing.
And You're Out
Three strikes, that's all you get. Three chances to hit the ball right. Some freeze up. But swing, and you might hit a home run.
Usually I say things that are pretty meaningless. But one day I swung, just once.
"And Nova? Nova?"
The world changed that moment I swung. I changed. I now knew that I wanted something. I wanted to get this run.
"Yeah, Sprx?"
My hands were sweating; I was sweating all over. My head felt tingly, like I was about to faint. I couldn't grip the bat right.
"I, I just have to say... I-"
But I swung anyway. I fumbled.
"Sprx!!!"
That was my first strike.
I rested and waited. I swung again. It was haltingly done, difficult to get it out.
"Hey, are you still all sensitive over what I said?"
"Oh, what? You mean when you called me a...coward?"
I nearly dropped the bat. The pressure was strong, very strong.
"Wait, wait, wait wait. I never called you a coward. But seriously... There's something I wanna say."
"Just save it. Like Chiro said, we don't have time for this."
Another strike. This stuff was tough. Tricky business, this sort of thing. I'll tell anyone. It's hard.
And then the big moment came. The third swing. Swing and miss, it's all over. Swing the bat and hit the ball, you get to run.
"It's a miracle I made it."
I swung.
"Nova, I just wanted to say... I'm glad I have you."
It was close. The ball grazed the bat.
"As my friend."
But I missed.
"...we don't have time for this..."
Three strikes. Three strikes...
"Sprx!!!"
... And you're out.