August 20 - Handle ID Slayer, 17/?
Title: Handle ID Slayer, 17/?
Author: Jedi Buttercup
Rating: FR15
Challenge: twistedshorts: August 20; tth100 #44
Crossover: DOOM
Disclaimer: The words are mine; the worlds are not. I claim nothing but the plot.
Summary: She'd saved the scientists, but she could hardly call this winning. 400 words.
Spoilers: Movieverse. Previous chapters tagged at my journal.
The electric glow of the experimental round lit up the corridor as it impacted with the Hell-beast. For Buffy, still suffering the after effects of a blow to the skull, the effect was nauseating; the scents of charred flesh and dissolving metal blown down the hall made it worse, and she staggered into a wall, sliding down to the floor. She could still hear the others-- their panicked scrabbling to get away from the after-effects of the glowing discharge, Sam's urgent pleading with Reaper not to leave her, the chattering of John's teeth, Sarge's harsh breathing-- but she couldn't bring herself to watch.
God, the Kid had been so young-- and Reaper-- John-- Buffy closed her eyes and leaned back against the wall. If she'd been quicker through the Ark, if she hadn't taken Mac to safety, if she hadn't focused all her attention on Sarge like an idiot when they knew the monster could be on them at any time…. She'd saved the scientists, but she could hardly call this winning.
"You're sure that was the last one?" an intense, authoritative voice asked, and Buffy opened her eyes again, the guilt clouding her thoughts washed away by panic. Surely, he wouldn't still insist on killing everything that breathed?
"We're sure," Duke replied. "It got Pinky, but it never got near the scientists. Slayer got the other one, and nothing else got through. We take care of Pinky, and this thing is over. We're clean."
"I say who's clean and-- what the fuck are you doing?" Sarge blurted. He'd sounded furious at first, but that last bit had an extra helping of outrage: as Buffy staggered back to her feet she saw him looming over Sam, staring at something in her hand.
"It's C24 from Carmack's lab," Sam replied tersely. "It could save him."
"No, Sam, no--" John said weakly. "If it turns me into one of those things--"
"You won't," Sam said thickly. "We know it doesn't affect everyone like that, and none of them ever tried to bite you, that has to mean something. You're bleeding to death."
"You are not going to stick him with that thing," Sarge barked at her.
"He's my brother," was Sam's only answer, and she moved, jabbing something against John's thigh. Sarge moved to stop her, but he was too late.
For better or worse, Reaper had just been infected.
---
(x-posted to jedibuttercup & tth100)
Author: Jedi Buttercup
Rating: FR15
Challenge: twistedshorts: August 20; tth100 #44
Crossover: DOOM
Disclaimer: The words are mine; the worlds are not. I claim nothing but the plot.
Summary: She'd saved the scientists, but she could hardly call this winning. 400 words.
Spoilers: Movieverse. Previous chapters tagged at my journal.
The electric glow of the experimental round lit up the corridor as it impacted with the Hell-beast. For Buffy, still suffering the after effects of a blow to the skull, the effect was nauseating; the scents of charred flesh and dissolving metal blown down the hall made it worse, and she staggered into a wall, sliding down to the floor. She could still hear the others-- their panicked scrabbling to get away from the after-effects of the glowing discharge, Sam's urgent pleading with Reaper not to leave her, the chattering of John's teeth, Sarge's harsh breathing-- but she couldn't bring herself to watch.
God, the Kid had been so young-- and Reaper-- John-- Buffy closed her eyes and leaned back against the wall. If she'd been quicker through the Ark, if she hadn't taken Mac to safety, if she hadn't focused all her attention on Sarge like an idiot when they knew the monster could be on them at any time…. She'd saved the scientists, but she could hardly call this winning.
"You're sure that was the last one?" an intense, authoritative voice asked, and Buffy opened her eyes again, the guilt clouding her thoughts washed away by panic. Surely, he wouldn't still insist on killing everything that breathed?
"We're sure," Duke replied. "It got Pinky, but it never got near the scientists. Slayer got the other one, and nothing else got through. We take care of Pinky, and this thing is over. We're clean."
"I say who's clean and-- what the fuck are you doing?" Sarge blurted. He'd sounded furious at first, but that last bit had an extra helping of outrage: as Buffy staggered back to her feet she saw him looming over Sam, staring at something in her hand.
"It's C24 from Carmack's lab," Sam replied tersely. "It could save him."
"No, Sam, no--" John said weakly. "If it turns me into one of those things--"
"You won't," Sam said thickly. "We know it doesn't affect everyone like that, and none of them ever tried to bite you, that has to mean something. You're bleeding to death."
"You are not going to stick him with that thing," Sarge barked at her.
"He's my brother," was Sam's only answer, and she moved, jabbing something against John's thigh. Sarge moved to stop her, but he was too late.
For better or worse, Reaper had just been infected.
---
(x-posted to jedibuttercup & tth100)