Hunger. Pain. Fear. Weakness. This was all Dexter had known for days. Was it days? Weeks? He had lost track of time a while ago. He could remember waking up the first day in this cell, and hearing, seeing friends he had thought were dead, and also ones he thought were safe back home, in cells of their own. He had felt such a fury fill him at that moment that, had he been able, he would have broken out and freed everyone there, but he couldn't. The fusions were using a device that drained a person's energy, leaving them weak and barely able to move.

After that day, Dexter's waking moments were filled with visits from his fusion double, and the troubled thoughts brought by him. His double loved to torment Dexter, he loved to try and pry information about the earth's remaining defenses from him, but most of all the fusion loved placing doubts into Dexter's mind. Doubts that the earth would win, that there was anyone truly left to battle Planet Fusion, but Dexter never let these doubts break him. The only thing that kept him strong was the knowledge that his friends were rebuilding the time capsule, and that his friend from the past would soon go back. He just wished he could know if and when they succeed.

Suddenly, Dexter realized that he could feel some of his strength returning to him. He knew that this meant one of two things: meal time or another round of questions and silence with his double. With this knowledge in mind, it didn't surprise Dexter when his fusion double entered his cell. What did surprise Dexter was the three fusion mechs flanking his double.

"Lord Fuse wishes to see you Dexter. Get up!" commanded Fusion Dexter, as the mechs moved into the room. Seeing no advantage to fighting them at this time, Dexter slowly got to his feet and shakily followed them out of the cell. As they walked, Dexter made an effort to try and see exactly who were in the cells next to his. He only froze once, a look of horror crossing his face, as in one cell he saw Ben laying on his back, the Omnitrix dark on his wrist. A shove from the mech behind him was the only thing that got Dexter to walk away from the sight of his defeated friend.

After a long walk, they came to a big open room where Dexter could just make out a figure sitting in the shadows. Moving to the center of the room, Dexter was forced to kneel facing just to the left of the figure.

"Dexter," said a voice that was filled with such hate, such hunger, such evil, that it sent shivers down Dexter back. "Who is this person?"

Suddenly images started to play out in the air in front of him. It took a few scenes before Dexter realized that he was watching his friend from the past. He watched them battle the different forms that the fusions took. He watched as they added three more nanos to their com. His stomach dropped as he watched them get hit in the eyes with fusion matter, but then rose as he saw them still fighting even blindfolded, but what truly began to kindle hope in him, were the items that they were slowly collecting. Each item was one of many needed to rebuild his time capsule. The last scene Dexter was shown turned that flame into a raging bonfire. He saw that they were in the junk yard, and saw them pick up the head to that stupid Larry 3000 robot. Then, as if they knew they were being watched, they suddenly turned until it seemed that they were looking right at him through the blindfold. Making several signs with their hand, they grinned widely, and then ran for the nearby warp pad. Dexter could read the signs, he knew what they meant, 'I'm out of here, Dex.' That one message made all Dexter's fears and doubts leave him, and he turned to Fuse with a wide smile on his face.

"That, Fuse, is your doom, and you're powerless to stop them now." Dexter could hear the smugness in his own voice, and wasn't surprised when Fuse let out a furious yell and pain exploded along his skull.

Dexter awoke later, in his cell, to a voice weakly calling his name. Fighting the ringing in his ears and the pounding of his head, Dexter forced himself to the front of his cell and grabbed the hand he could just see trying to reach around the edge.

"Dee Dee," Dexter said, gripping the hand in his with as much strength as he could.

"Dexter, what's going on? It's like everything keeps fading in and out.' He could hear the fear in her voice and wished there was more that he could do for her.

"This timeline is ceasing to exist, Dee Dee," realizing she may not understand him, he went on before she could interrupt. "Our friend from the past, has gone back, and is changing our future for the better, so this future is fading away."

"Will it really be better, Dexter?" asked Dee Dee, hope filling her voice for the first time, in a long time.

"Yes sister, it will be much better."

"Good! You're always right, Dexter. You'll be right this time too," her voice sounded so far away, and then Dexter realized he could no longer feel her hand in his. Pulling his now empty hand back into his cell, Dexter turned over to lie on his back. Closing his eyes, he could feel himself slowly fading, a strange sensation to be sure, but as he heard the furious yell of Fuse echo down the hall, Dexter couldn't help the bitter smile that crossed his face.

"I hope you and I are both right."