Cosmic (18+)

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─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Charlie thought he was dead by the time their shuttle docked on the main ship. She nearly broke down when Archie choked up as he hefted his limp brother in his arms with watery eyes, rushing him to the med bay as his gruff voice mumbled soothingly to him.

Luckily, the two medical staff in the clinical unit, Michael and Laura, were able to stabilize him using Archie's donated blood. Charlie had entered to check on him, but the sight of the usually strong man with an equally strong personality laying comatose and pale on a colorless bed was too much for her guilt-ridden mind to handle.

She blamed herself for everything. She should have run countless more scans and studies over the course of a month at least to make sure they wouldn't be putting themselves in a life or death situation. But she was too hasty—too impatient for freedom from the metal prison she'd called home for years.

Images of their ordeal flashed repeatedly through her mind, over and over as if there was something she could have done differently to make sure everyone had come out unscathed and no one left behind.

Eli.

If she hadn't influenced him to come, he wouldn't be in danger at that very moment. Or possibly dead. Her blood chilled at the thought.

Mariah had been silent ever since they arrived. She sat on the other cot, her gaze vacant as Laura stitched up the gash in her arm. Charlie's stare was fixed on the wound, the gnawing in her gut curdling her stomach. She tore her eyes away with a gulp and was out of the room the next second.

Her feet carried her to the bridge. Luca and the Captain were there, staring grimly at one of the monitors. Charlie hesitantly approached.

Noticing her, Luca gave a small smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. As if sensing her guilt, he said, "Hey. You did good. Thanks to your quick thinking, Frederick is still alive."

She nodded, unable to reply to his gentle words. She glanced at Captain Flores who wore a glum expression on her face that made her look years older than she was. That tortured look made Charlie realize she must be feeling responsible for all of it. Her heart ached at the thought of the Captain putting any blame on herself.

She came closer and peered at the screen they'd been looking at. There was a steady heartbeat at the top and a picture of Eli's face at the side of it. Her eyes widened and hope filled her chest, "He's alive?"

Luca nodded, "Yes. Unconscious, but alive."

The fact they still had a connection to his suit meant he wasn't underground and wasn't eaten.

"We have to go back for him as soon as possible," Charlie said.

The Captain's eyes snapped up at that. "No one will be going back there. We'll send a shuttle by itself so he has a way to get back. When he's conscious we can tell him the coordinates."

Before Charlie could express her strong opinion on the matter, Luca got their attention.

"He's already waking up."

They all hovered close to the screen, watching as his once calm heartbeat started racing. After a few seconds, his nervous voice came soft and quiet through the com.

"I-is anyone there?"

Luca held down a button and replied, "The rest of your team made it back on the ship. Frederick is stabilized and Mariah is fine, too, thanks to your heroic actions."