The Man Out of Time

Chapter 16

I begin to climb towards the entry to the warp core, but then I hear a door open behind me. I stop and turn around, to see Jim right behind me.

"I'm coming with you."

"You're stubborn." I comment, and together we climb towards the warp core, to find that it is, in fact, out of place.

Jim and I both climb up towards it, weaving through wires and tubes of metal. We finally get to the warp core.

Jim looks at me. "Together." He says.

We grab onto a metal bar that's conveniently right above us with a small enough diameter for us to hold onto to it with our hands. Jim and I pick up our feet at the same time and kick the warp core towards the center as hard as possible. It barely moves, and we try again. We try over and over until finally the warp core aligns into place.

"Get back!" Jim yells, throwing himself in front of me as a beam of light shoots out and we're thrown to the ground far beneath us. I black out on impact with the hard metal and wake up not long after.

"Jim...?" I call out weakly. "Jim!"

"Natasha?"

"I'm over here."

Jim stumbles over to me and helps me slide out from underneath the big piping I had fallen under. We lean against each other for support as we slowly make our way back to the door.

Right when we sit on the ground and lean against the wall right by the door, Spock walks towards us, Scotty, now awake, has tears in his eyes.

"How's the ship?" I ask Spock weakly.

"Out of danger."

"Good."

"You saved the crew." Spock says to both of us.

"You used what he wanted against him." Jim says.

"That's a nice move." I comment.

"It is what you two would have done."

"And this...this is what you would have done." I say.

"It was only logical." Jim adds.

There's a moment's pause, and the three of us stare at each other.

"I'm scared....Spock. Help me not be." Jim pauses for a long time. "How do you choose not to feel?"

"I do not know. Right now, I am failing."

"I want you to know why we couldn't let you die...why we went back for you." I say.

"Because you are my friends." A tear streaks down Spock's cheek. I place my hand on the glass and Jim does the same. Spock places his hand to the glass, and the three of us share the Vulcan salute.

Then I see the life drain out of Jim's eyes, and his hand slides down the glass. I know the end is near for me...maybe in a few seconds. A tear streaks down my cheek.

"Good-bye, Spock." I breathe my last breath, and then...

Black.

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Hey guys!

Just wanted to let you know-this is NOT the end of my FanFic, in fact, it's far from over! There are definitely more chapters to come and there will be a sequel to this.