August 30 - Story's End
Title: Story's End
Author: koohii_cafe
Rating: FR7
Crossover: BtVS/Star Trek: The Original Series
Disclaimer: Since I am a poor chickadee with no wealth to speak of, I think it's safe to say that neither BtVS nor Star Trek: The Original Series are mine. ^^;
Written for: TtH August Fic A Day Challenge
Summary: Lives were at stake; a ship full of refugees, civilians, and Starfleet personnel. He was what stood between those lives and death, and he alone. He'd always known he would die alone.
Author's notes: Part of my 'Bound in Story' series.
~*~*~*~*~
Years ago, as he'd sat around a campfire with his first officer and chief medical officer- his friends of so many years- he'd made a statement to them that he had never doubted. A statement that had had believed with every fiber of his being. A statement that, even to this day, remained true.
"I knew I wouldn't die... I knew I wouldn't die because you were with me... I've always known that I'll die alone."
It was a phrase that was in the forefront of his mind now as he ran full tilt down the long corridor, adrenaline and fire surging through his veins, through his very being, returning to him a strength that had been missing since his final moments as a captain, his final moments aboard the Enterprise-A, before he had left Starfleet for what he'd thought forever. And yet, despite all his misgivings about this day, despite the nightmares that had plagued his bed the night before, here he was again.
Lives were at stake; a ship full of rescued refugees, of civilians come to see the new ship's christening, of hardworking Starfleet personnel who were performing admirably despite the unexpected emergency. There was little that stood between them and destruction. He was what stood between those lives and death, if he could make the necessary adjustment to the deflector relays, and he alone.
Alone. As he reached section twenty-one alpha, as he forced the panel open to expose the relays, as his former chief engineer's thick brogue filled his ears, it was that single word that resonated within him. He'd always known that he would die alone. The first time he'd admitted that to himself, to anyone, had been at that campfire. But it hadn't been the only time.
There was a flash of memory, of beautiful hazel-green eyes meeting his, of small hands, lithe fingers laced with his. A time of confession, as he admitted the truth to the beautiful woman who had taken his life by storm years ago.
"That's how I'll die, Buffy. Alone."
He remembered the fire that shot through her eyes at the words. He remembered the way her nostrils had flared with a sudden, sharp anger, and the way her grip on his hands had tightened, her grip strong, more than strong enough to prevent him from pulling away. She'd snapped back at him, her voice steel;
"You will never be alone." He remembered the intensity of her stare, the way it had pinned him in place just as surely as her grip on his hands had, as she'd added, "As long as I'm alive, you'll never be alone, because I won't let you be. And when I'm gone, you still won't be alone, because I'll always be with you. I promise you."
She'd said it, and he'd believed her. It had been a fool's belief, but he had. Now, as he completed the adjustments in record time, as he shouted to Scotty that he was done, he believed her still. He could feel her with him, could feel on his cheek where she'd kissed him before shoving him on his way that morning, reminding him that he'd made a promise to see the newest Enterprise off. He could feel also, not just her kiss, but their daughter's kiss as well where it graced his other cheek opposite her mother's. As the ship shuddered around him, as he turned to head back to the bridge where Scotty was even now surely working his magic, the memory of the two most beautiful women in his life, the feeling of their presence with him, brought a warm smile to his face.
Then the world exploded around him. As the air was forced from his lungs, as he was thrown helplessly from his feet, torn back into a world that was dissolving into the brilliant energies of the ribbon, he was torn also from that feeling. He was alone, as he'd always known he would be, without his wife or his daughter or his oldest friends, and then... he was gone.
Author: koohii_cafe
Rating: FR7
Crossover: BtVS/Star Trek: The Original Series
Disclaimer: Since I am a poor chickadee with no wealth to speak of, I think it's safe to say that neither BtVS nor Star Trek: The Original Series are mine. ^^;
Written for: TtH August Fic A Day Challenge
Summary: Lives were at stake; a ship full of refugees, civilians, and Starfleet personnel. He was what stood between those lives and death, and he alone. He'd always known he would die alone.
Author's notes: Part of my 'Bound in Story' series.
~*~*~*~*~
Years ago, as he'd sat around a campfire with his first officer and chief medical officer- his friends of so many years- he'd made a statement to them that he had never doubted. A statement that had had believed with every fiber of his being. A statement that, even to this day, remained true.
"I knew I wouldn't die... I knew I wouldn't die because you were with me... I've always known that I'll die alone."
It was a phrase that was in the forefront of his mind now as he ran full tilt down the long corridor, adrenaline and fire surging through his veins, through his very being, returning to him a strength that had been missing since his final moments as a captain, his final moments aboard the Enterprise-A, before he had left Starfleet for what he'd thought forever. And yet, despite all his misgivings about this day, despite the nightmares that had plagued his bed the night before, here he was again.
Lives were at stake; a ship full of rescued refugees, of civilians come to see the new ship's christening, of hardworking Starfleet personnel who were performing admirably despite the unexpected emergency. There was little that stood between them and destruction. He was what stood between those lives and death, if he could make the necessary adjustment to the deflector relays, and he alone.
Alone. As he reached section twenty-one alpha, as he forced the panel open to expose the relays, as his former chief engineer's thick brogue filled his ears, it was that single word that resonated within him. He'd always known that he would die alone. The first time he'd admitted that to himself, to anyone, had been at that campfire. But it hadn't been the only time.
There was a flash of memory, of beautiful hazel-green eyes meeting his, of small hands, lithe fingers laced with his. A time of confession, as he admitted the truth to the beautiful woman who had taken his life by storm years ago.
"That's how I'll die, Buffy. Alone."
He remembered the fire that shot through her eyes at the words. He remembered the way her nostrils had flared with a sudden, sharp anger, and the way her grip on his hands had tightened, her grip strong, more than strong enough to prevent him from pulling away. She'd snapped back at him, her voice steel;
"You will never be alone." He remembered the intensity of her stare, the way it had pinned him in place just as surely as her grip on his hands had, as she'd added, "As long as I'm alive, you'll never be alone, because I won't let you be. And when I'm gone, you still won't be alone, because I'll always be with you. I promise you."
She'd said it, and he'd believed her. It had been a fool's belief, but he had. Now, as he completed the adjustments in record time, as he shouted to Scotty that he was done, he believed her still. He could feel her with him, could feel on his cheek where she'd kissed him before shoving him on his way that morning, reminding him that he'd made a promise to see the newest Enterprise off. He could feel also, not just her kiss, but their daughter's kiss as well where it graced his other cheek opposite her mother's. As the ship shuddered around him, as he turned to head back to the bridge where Scotty was even now surely working his magic, the memory of the two most beautiful women in his life, the feeling of their presence with him, brought a warm smile to his face.
Then the world exploded around him. As the air was forced from his lungs, as he was thrown helplessly from his feet, torn back into a world that was dissolving into the brilliant energies of the ribbon, he was torn also from that feeling. He was alone, as he'd always known he would be, without his wife or his daughter or his oldest friends, and then... he was gone.