OutMan The Beginning (1)

One Last Thing Before An Ending

As the hours fly by and Donnie returns to consciousness, he slowly becomes aware of muffled voices in the background. The words are difficult to discern at first, but gradually they start to make sense as his senses sharpen.
The voices are distant and indistinct, like echoes coming from a distant tunnel, but they gradually grow louder and clearer until he recognizes the sound of Lily's voice. Donnie slowly opens his eyes, only to be blinded by the bright white light shining above him. He blinks several times, trying to adjust his eyes to the blinding glare, but it's no use. His pupils contract painfully, and he quickly closes his eyes again, rubbing them vigorously with the backs of his hands. Donnie gradually realizes that he's in a hospital, and as he slowly sits up, he sees Lily, Ralph, Andrew, and Jessica standing beside his gurney. He blinks, trying to make sense of everything, before finally asking, "Did we win?" to alert them. Lily rushes to Donnie's side and hugs him tightly, Andrew stands nearby with his hands in his pockets, while Jessica and Ralph smile with happiness at seeing him alive. Ralph says to Donnie, "You had us there, man." Lily says to Donnie, "You saved the whole world last night" Donnie lets out a sigh of relief and throws his head back into the pillow before bursting out laughing. Donnie's mind races as he recalls the red edge, feeling a sense of urgency growing within him. He looks at the group with a focused intensity as he says, "Wait, what about the red edge?" Jessica locks eyes with Andrew before turning to Donnie. "Whitmore, when we found you, the red edge was nowhere to be found," she says, her voice laced with concern. Donnie looks at her, realizing that the red edge has escaped and that their job isn't over yet. His shoulders slump as he sighs and lays back. Andrew places his hand on Donnie's shoulder, reassuring him. "Don't worry about the red edge, Donnie. For now, just rest, okay? You deserve it after saving the world last night," he says with a comforting smile."Speaking of last night, it's gonna take me a while to fix up your suit. Last night's event did a real good number on it" he says with a grimace, already mentally listing the repairs he'll need to make. Jessica looks at Donnie with concern.
"And I can probably say, from what happened last night, I can guarantee you that the Red edge was also in bad shape," she says, shaking her head and sighing. "I hope you're okay." Donnie nods gratefully at Jessica. "I'm fine," he assures her, the happiness of having his friends and sister around him shining through his smile. His friends and sister return his smile with equal warmth, their own relief and happiness clear on their faces. Ralph looks at Donnie, his expression expectant. "So what's the plan now?" he asks eagerly. Donnie hesitates for a moment, looking determined but also a little nervous.
"There's something I have to do before I can say what I want to do," he admits, his voice firm with conviction. He takes a deep breath and steels himself.
Donnie emerges from the dimly lit alleyway, his green bomber jacket standing out against the dull gray of the surrounding concrete. His hands are shoved deep in his pockets, and his black jeans and converse shoes give him a laidback, cool vibe. As he steps up onto the sidewalk and straightens his white shirt. Donnie watches as two people exit a store, a sense of dread creeping up on him as he realizes they are his parents.
He freezes in shock and heartbreak, vividly reliving the day they perished in a fatal car crash. His younger self, oblivious and innocent, would be at home watching TV, completely unaware of the tragedy that would soon upend his life. Donnie tightens his grip on reality, stopping time in its tracks. He takes a deep breath as he walks up to his parents, frozen in time along with everyone else. The world stands still as he stares at them, a hundred emotions racing through his mind at once. He reaches out and tentatively touches his mom's cheek, her skin cold and unmoving. Donnie is lost in thought, his heart heavy with regret and longing as he mourns for what could have been. Donnie looks at his parents, frozen in time, with a deep and abiding love. "I love you both," he says softly, his voice full of emotion. "And I always will." He knows they may never hear his words, but he feels a sense of peace knowing that he has expressed the depth of his feelings for them. Donnie looks down for a moment, then suddenly leaves in a gush of red and white energy as time resumes. Running through the streets with a renewed sense of purpose, With a lightness in his step that he hasn't felt in ages, Donnie runs through the bustling streets, dodging pedestrians and smiling to himself. He knows that with his newfound ability to time travel, he can see his parents again. But, at the same time, he is cautious. Donnie never wants to change the timeline or mess anything up. He just wants to be able to see them and talk to them, even if it's only for a short moment in time. His heart is racing with excitement, but he maintains his composure, knowing that his parents are waiting for him just beyond the veil of time.