Final Space Oneshots

"For the Best"

A request
Gary, after the recent death of Nightfall, avoids Ash, knowing that they were close

The sky was pitch black, swallowing him in its depths as he stared out into the stars.

Gary let his head fall into his hands as he perched on the windowsill, closing his eyes.

Nightfall, smiling as her skin burnt away, giving him her last goodbye –

Taking a deep breath, he looked back as the stars.

They weren't as comforting as he thought they'd be.

(They never worked, no matter how long he stared at them)

The clock ticked but time was meaningless in his state of mind. He was getting swallowed by the outer space, because he let it happen again when he promised himself –

Quinn, her voice cracking over the radio as she said those words, those words that made his blood run cold, that made him scream for the impossible; her name tearing from his lips after she was gone. She was gone, gone, gone, g –

He has promised himself that he would never –

Avocato, his chest torn open and gaping, floating aimlessly through space like an abandoned rag doll. He, holding Little Cato back when he wanted to jump after him because was it really worth living when his best friend was –

That he would never –

"Gary?"

Gary jumped, automatically pulling out his gun at the intruder. At the sight of Ash in the doorway, he lowered the weapon with a muttered apology.

"It's fine, I do that sometimes, and by that I mean all the time – but I'm getting off point here." Ash moved closer to him, her eyes wide and tearful with grief.

Ash's cry of anguish was louder than his, her voice bringing silence to his own. Because Nightfall, the closest thing she'd had to a mother, was dying in front of her –

"We're worried about you –" Ash began but Gary couldn't take it. The guilt tore his entire being.

(It was his fault she had died)

"I'm fine, no need to worry!" Gary put on his best voice, waving a hand for emphasis. "Captains don't need to be worried about." He tried to look at her face but the vivid image of her grieving features flashed over her present ones, and he settled on staring at the floor.

He slipped past her, ignoring the hurt radiating off her as he brushed past.

It was for the best that this should happen.

(Maybe)

"Gary –" she began but he cut her off with one of his dazzling smiles that never reached his eyes these days.

"You relax and stop worrying about Gary." He told her.

Gary couldn't take it any longer, and ran down the hall, holding his chest as if it was going to fall apart. It certainly felt like that.

His room was less inviting than the main area, but he moved inside anyway. Sighing, he shut the door with a loud bang.

"AVA, could you lock this door?" He asked the AI.

"If you insist." AVA replied cooly. "But it's not a very good idea in your current mental state." Despite her words, the door clicked. Gary let his head rest against the metal, closing his eyes.

The glow was blinding, but he knew Nightfall was in there. Gary screamed her name again, but she refused to back down.

And Ash was screaming her name louder, but they were both powerless as the glow grew brighter to the point where his eyes stung.