Prompt: Jack Harkness -"I take it all back! Don't take him, just, not him. Anyone but him." - 'Torchwood'
He was exhausted. He wanted to stop, but looking down at the wet, and still form on the ground in front of him he knew that he couldn't. Knew that he was the only thing standing against death and so he kept going - compressions, breaths, compressions. It was an seemingly endless cycle that didn't seem to be any good. If only the Val Jean wasn't out of com range but they'd had to duck out of orbit to hide from a Cardassian ship. Chakotay would be back for them, they all knew that, but that may be too late for one of them.
"Don't do this to me, kid," Dalby muttered as he continued his efforts.
"He's gone. Let's find a place to hide out before the Cardassians find us."
Looking down at the inert form in front of him he almost believed Jonas' words. There was no life in the body despite his efforts.
Kenneth Dalby sat up in his bed with a gasp. It had been awhile since that particular memory turned nightmare had haunted him. Though given recent events, he guessed he shouldn't be surprised it had returned. Every time he had closed his eyes during the last couple of days he had seen Gerron's limp body hanging over the railing in that cargo bay.
Seeing that sight, he hadn't known whether Gerron was alive or dead but he knew he couldn't just leave him. If there was any chance he was alive, then Dalby knew he had to make an effort, just like during that scouting mission gone wrong. None of them had known Gerron couldn't swim. If they had, they would have been more careful while crossing the log across the stream. Someone should have been helping him. He never should have been left to cross alone.
Or maybe knowing wouldn't have made a difference back then. He was a different person then. He didn't care about anyone, not after the brutal death of his wife, not even himself. He had one mission - kill as many Cardassians as possible.
And then Jonas had pulled Gerron's lifeless form from the river after he had fallen in. He had been too young and though no more innocent than the rest of them, the innocence that should have still been his in a perfect world was there on his face.
For the first time in a long time, Kenneth Dalby had cared whether someone lived or died. He wasn't about to turn his back and let life snatch away someone else who didn't deserve to die. He still didn't care much about himself, his life no longer had meaning without Cassandra in it, but Gerron was still young. His life still had meaning. He could still make a difference.
Even now, Dalby still felt that way. Making sure that Gerron got that chance, that life didn't take him too young, was his reason for living anymore.
A reason he had almost lost today.