The Space Between

Chapter Twenty-Three: "Silent Screams"

Sean's heart leapt at the sound of Mark's voice. Tears brimmed his eyes as he leaned closer to the com to answer clearly. "What can I do?" Mark's voice was a bit anxious as he asked him. "Can you dock by the Ceres? If you can get into the docking bay, then I can walk you through opening the door from the other side." Sean glanced at Logan who was just as tense as he was. After a minute, Mark called his name and Sean told him reluctantly. "Mark, we're in trouble... I don't know if we'll be able to dock. We are running on fumes and the power refuses to come on..." There was silence on Mark's end, before Mark told him coolly. "There is still a chance. You could use the thrusters on your suit. Use them sparingly to get to either the Ceres or the docking hatch. There should be a manual way to open the door." Sean sat back feeling lightheaded. He couldn't do that. Logan put a hand on his shoulder, asking him with concern. "What's wrong?" Sean couldn't look at Logan, his eyes were locked on the void of space.

Swallowing, he told him grimly. "I can't... I'm scared of heights... and to see nothing... To fall endlessly in a void... I... I can't." Logan touched the coms, asking Mark curiously. "Do you have the door codes?" Mark's answer came with a bit of static as he said. "Yes." Sean's hands started to shake in his gloves. His heart was racing so fast that he couldn't breathe. Mark couldn't ask him to do this. Logan grabbed a pen and notebook from the chair, telling Mark seriously. "Give me the codes. In case we lose communication out there." Mark stated off the codes as clearly as he could and for what door they belonged too. Then told them both with worry in his voice. "Please hurry. It's not safe out there. And if something happens to you... I'll be stuck in this room..." Logan finished writing the codes, telling Mark calmly. "Just hang on. We're coming." Logan patted Sean's shoulder, trying to coax him to his feet. Sean shook his head, stuttering out. "I can't... I can't..." Logan unbuckled his seat belt, tugging on his arm as he told him. "We don't have a choice. You can't stay here. The ship will be out of air soon and that suit only has a single tank of air."

Sean yanked his arm out of Logan's light grip, yelling out in a panic as he floated up to the ceiling. "NO! I CAN'T!" Logan turned into a reptilian as the air level dropped down to single digits in the shuttle. Grabbing Sean's arm, he pulled him close by force, staring into the glass of the helmet as he told him calmly. "Sean, look at me!" Sean panted heavily to keep up with his racing heart, but he felt like he was going to pass out. Forcing himself to look Logan in the eyes, Logan warmly told him. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Now calm yourself before you use up the air in the tank. Down forget Whitney is using the air too. Your fear will make her breathe harder. Calm down." Logan took two deep breathes, coaxing Sean into doing the same. It worked. Logan made him feel calm. Everything about Logan from his eyes to his slow hand movements. It all made the room feel like everything slowed down. When Sean was much calmer, he asked Logan curiously just to change the subject. "Where did you learn to do that?"

Logan's eyes saddened a bit when he answered. "My little sister has a... unique case of Asthma. When she gets scared, her lungs fight each other. One tries to breath air, while the other tries to adapt to breathing without air. The more they struggle, the more she suffocates. It's the curse of being a hybrid... Sometimes the genes you get from the Reptilian side... Just don't mess well. I try to help her. Her Mickey plushies calm her the fastest. Helps her think of something else." Sean raised an eyebrow, saying softly. "A hybrid? So, you mean that she's-" Logan collected their bags, interjecting a bit distracted. "Part human? Ya." Sean pointed to him, causing Logan to huff out. "No. I'm not a hybrid. My mother died in a hiking accident. Minnie's mom... I've honestly never met her. I wasn't... happy that my dad moved on. My father and I... We haven't spoken in years." Logan walked to the hatch, his taloned feet gripping the carpet of the shuttle. Sean followed him, saying softly. "You must love him a lot to do this."