Half Life

Step back

"Dude... what was that?" Tucker whispered. 

They had made it onto one of the last departing shuttles, and now huddled together near the back. The run here had been in silence, but now Sam and Tucker were staring at him. In wonder? Fear? 

He leaned back, trying to steady his breathing.

"I have no idea," he said truthfully.

"You took him down with one punch!" Sam hissed. "And... I don't want to sound crazy here, but it looked like your hand went inside his chest. As far as I know, that's not something humans, or any species actually, can do!"

A sick sensation was swelling in Danny's stomach. It had been so long. So long since anyone had suspected him of being more than human. He'd always been able to talk his way out of it, make explanations. But this was Sam and Tucker. His best friends since they were 8. If he couldn't trust them to keep a secret, who else was there?

"I can't talk about it here," Danny whispered, glancing toward the shuttle driver. 

"My parents are out for the weekend," Tucker volunteered. 

Danny hesitated. 

"I... I know it's probably nothing, but my parents make sure to sweep our house for surveillance. I really don't want to be overheard. Come over to my house when we land."

"Then you'll explain what the heck is going on?" Tucker demanded. 

Danny looked at his hands. The hands that had went straight through the bully like he was butter. 

"Everything I can," he said quietly.

.......................................................................................

It was more painful than Danny had expected. He'd watched the satellite images before, listened to the confused panic signals, replayed the search party's recordings many times. But with Sam and Tucker sitting next to him, every second felt like a new wound being opened.

"Danny... we've already seen these videos," Tucker said. But Sam elbowed him, eyes growing wide as  the recording of Maddie's ship cameras began to play. Rubble and shrapnel drifted around her.

The cameras rotated, locating the small and helpless alien clinging to life. 

Danny stared fixedly at the screen. He would not look at Sam and Tucker until this was over. It was time they knew. Maddie went out after him, and puled him into the ship. The recording ended. The screen went black. 

"Oh... oh Danny," Sam whispered. "All this time?"

He nodded. 

"How did you? I mean, you look..." Tucker stammered.

Danny reached up to his eyes and removed the tinted contacts. With a deep breath, he turned to look at Sam and Tucker. Sam's hands were over her mouth, her eyes sparkling with tears. Tucker looked stunned.

"Contacts. Spray tanning. A lot of lies," he explained. 

"Why though?" Tucker asked. "I heard there were no survivors. Why didn't you get reported?"

Danny put his head in his hands. 

"I don't know Tuck. I barely remember anything. But I just know that I can't tell people. You can't tell anyone. Something... something bad would happen."

Silence.

"I'm so sorry," he continued. "I've wanted to tell you for years. But how? When? I just didn't know what to do. I'm sorry. I'm so-"

An arm slid around his shoulders. He raised his head, unwilling tears pricking his eyes. Sam hugged him tightly. 

"Dude... I had no idea," Tucker said, shaking his head. "I- was that why you couldn't do the video game?"

Danny nodded. 

Tucker groaned. 

"I'm such an idiot! Sorry man. I've been a pretty sucky friend."

Danny gave a hysterical little laugh. Alternating waves of relief and fear crashed over him. 

"If anyone's been a sucky friend, it's me."

They weren't drawing away. They weren't afraid. They were sitting next to him, comforting, talking, hugging. 

His contacts slipped out of his hand, landing on the floor.