The Boy from the Bunker - Season 8

Episode Six, Part 6:

Episode Six, Part 6:
Love is Just a Way to Die

I could die tomorrow, you'd be close behind.

Athena was quiet as she approached the medical room where Elara was kept. She didn't even have to peer inside the small window on the door to know that Kodiak was inside and she had no doubt that he had spent every passing second by her side.

As she closed the door behind her, she gazed over Kodiak, feeling an agonising guilt consume her. She really hadn't meant to hurt someone so important to him. She had only tried to protect him from what looked to be the prisoners taking advantage of him. She just wished there was a way to get it through to him, but she knew that no matter how many times she tried to tell him, he'd never believe her.

She inhaled a deep breath and made her way over to his side, delicately resting her hand on his shoulder as she gave him a small shake, luring him back into consciousness.

Kodiak mumbled something incoherent - perhaps believing that everything his heart was telling him was the remains of a bad dream, but as he pulled his heavy eyes open, Elara was still lying right in front of him, still dead.

As he looked up to see who had woken him, he flinched away from Athena's hand, glaring at her with as much rage as his exhausted self could muster.

"What are you doing here?" He spat, somewhat nervous as he pondered how long she had been hovering over him and Elara.

"We're going to try the combination on her in a few minutes," she said. "They're just getting it prepared at the moment, but the procedure should begin soon, if you're ready."

"Right now? You really think you've figured out the combination, huh? Because if it doesn't work-"

"I really believe in this, Ammon," Athena said, trying not to take his hatred towards her too personally, even though she knew she deserved it. "Whether we get it right today or not, I know it'll work someday. But I want that moment to be now."

Kodiak clenched his jaw, not knowing what to say to her. He had never felt such a wave of tremendous anger for someone before - not even for Rhea and Kane - but he knew that he still had to cooperate with Athena for any possibility of bringing Elara back.

"She has family on the ship," Kodiak announced, avoiding Athena's eyes for fear of rejection. "They should be here for this."

"Ammon-"

"In case it doesn't work," his voice was dominant and as he spoke, his grip on Elara's hand tightened, possibly even to the extent that it would have hurt her if she was alive. "Come on, Athena," he growled. "You've done the hard part already. You've killed her. At least let her family be here for when she wakes up, or... Or if they need to say goodbye. You've taken her life already, don't take her goodbyes, as well."

Athena nodded, glad that Kodiak wasn't looking at her because she could barely lift her gaze from the floor. "Okay. Do you know who, or how many? The only condition I have is that the room isn't too crowded for the doctors."

"I-I think she has brothers," Kodiak said, hating that he still had to keep up his act of not knowing anyone too well. "Two of them are on the ship."

"That's right, I think I remember," Athena said. "The trials don't work on one of them..."

"Sounds about right," Kodiak mumbled, wondering if his decision was once again putting Wynn's life in jeopardy. "You can send Xander or someone to get them. I'm not leaving her side."