Another Life (Oc x reader)

Chapter 39 - I'm Sorry

Everyone meet back in the med lab.

"Sasha didn't initiate the FTL to take us on a Sunday stroll. We're heading deeper into the dark matter." Ethan tells everyone.

"Is that their language?" Oliver asks, looking at the screen.

"It sure isn't ours." Jason says.

"Those files didn't originate from anywhere in our ship's systems." August says.

"Then why are we seeing it?" Ethan asks her.

"Sasha must've hardwired himself directly into the Salvare."

"Is that even possible?" Bernie asks.

"If the implant is symbiotic enough to take control of his cerebral cortex, then, yes." Zayn tells them.

You frown at the screen showing, then start to zoom. Beauchamp looks at what you zoomed toward.

"Geez.. It's a black hole." Beauchamp says, knowing what it is. "He's steering us directly toward a black hole.."

"Grab everything you can. The mission comes first." Ethan says. "Grab the essentials, food, water, supplies. Head to the shuttle."

"We're abandoning the ship?" Jason asks him.

"Where are we supposed to go?"

Ethan points to the screen. "Right there. Pi Canis Majoris. Sasha did one thing right. He got us closer to our destination a lot faster. But we gotta move, come on."

...

Everyone helps load the shuttle up to abandon the Salvare. Jason is about to get in when he notices Ethan doesn't.

"No." He walks over to him. "No way are we leaving without you."

"It's my fault."

"No, this is Sasha's fault. He's the one who let that alien into his head."

"I'm talking about William. He shut down because of me.. I've been treating him like shit recently. I just.. I've been so angry.. and upset and.. I bottled up my emotions and took it out on him, treated him like he was nothing."

"Ethan.. you're human. Just like the rest of us. William is gone, but we cannot go on without you."

"I have to fix this. Save the ship. Save the rest of the crew. Or I'm gonna die trying."

Jason takes a deep breath. "Can I help?"

...

"William?" Ethan calls out for him. Suddenly he finds himself on a beach and see William in the distance.

...

Jason gets into the shuttle and close the door after himself.

You frown at him. "What's going on? Where's Ethan?"

Before you know what's happening he cuffs your hand to the seat somehow, then heads for the pilot seat.

"What the.." You pull on the restraints. Your eyes widen as you realise what's happening. "No, no, no. Let me go." You unbuckle yourself and try to get out but the cuffs stop you from even reaching the door.

"Nope."

"I'm staying, Jason, let me out. Just uncuff me, open the door and I'll get out right now."

"No can do. Commander's orders." Jason turns the engine on.

"Help me. Hurry." You tell Zayn beside you, but he doesn't. "Jason, wait. Just let me go! Ethan!"

You yell for Ethan, and pull hard on the restraints, hurting your wrists. The ones closest to you, try stopping you from hurting yourself. You trash in your restraints, but Jason flies the shuttle away off the Salvare. You stop trashing with a sob, leaning back in your seat. Zayn tries to comfort you.

...

Ethan is in soma trying to talk to William. Ethan walks up to William standing on the beach. "It's nice."

He just stand there, looking at the view.

"The way I treated you.. it wasn't fair."

William turns to him with a smile. "It's alright. Don't be upset.. Nothing hurts here. It's okay."

Ethan sighs. "It's not okay.. I know that you buried all of it deep inside, but you have to remember."

His smile fades. "Shut up. You're ruining it."

"You're right. I ruined it. I ruined our friendship, and I hope you can give me another chance. A chance to be the friend I can be, the friend I should be, the friend I used to be.. Because we need you."

"You need me.. What about what I need?"

Ethan nods. "It matters. It-"

"Just stop. Stop manipulating me!"

"I'm not! Look, William, I need you to remember the hurt and pain. It is the only way you'll remember what came before, which is the hope and the joy-"

"Ethan!" He hears Sasha's voice in the distance.

"What you are avoiding feeling.. we all feel. It's what makes you human. You are more than a data stream. You are real. You are alive."

Williams eyes are watery, and a tear sheds. He turns away from him.

"You shouldn't have come here."

"Emotions hurt.. but they are also beautiful.. Come back. Don't let some asshole like me take away your meaning." Ethan tells him, feeling his own eyes stinging from the guilt, feeling awful about the way he has treated his friend.

"Ethan!" He hears Sasha again, his voice closer.

Ethan pulls himself out of soma just before Sasha gets there and strike the axe at him. He gets Sasha to the ground and run, Sasha gets up and chase him.

"William!" He calls out.

Looking outside he sees the Salvare is getting closer to the black hole. Sasha reaches him and they fight, but then Sasha chokes him.

"William, I'm sorry." He chokes out.

"He can't hear you. William is dead." Sasha tells him and Ethan's vision gets blurry.

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