Half Life

Borrowed Time

"You have five minutes."

Danny raised his head to look at his new visitor. A rush of movement and color was all he saw before being surrounded in a tight embrace. It was his mother. Danny leaned into the hug, burying his face in her shoulder. 

The sat like that for a long moment, each doing their best to comfort the other. Danny finally pulled away, wiping his wet eyes quickly. 

"Mom, I'm so sorry. I had to tell them everything," he confessed. "They were hurting Tucker and I didn't know what to do."

Maddie shook her head, tears sparkling in her eyes. 

"It wasn't your fault. None of us blame you for anything. It wasn't fair of Space Corps to put you in this situation."

"At least you'll all be safe now. They gave you guys those secrecy contracts, right?"

"They did. But they are not going to take you from us," she growled, eyes flashing. "I don't care what they offer. I'm not going to let this drop. What they did to you and your planet is inexcusable. I'm not going to take this lying down!"

"No! Mom you have to," Danny responded, panicked. "I did all of this so you could walk away. You saved me all those years ago when you could have let me die or turned me in. None of you owe me anything."

Maddie grabbed his shoulders desperately. 

"I won't let this happen! You deserve to live, to have a life, to have a future! You're... you're my son. You're my family."

Danny took her hands from his shoulders, holding them tightly. Maddie bit her lip, tears sliding down her cheeks. 

"Mom... it's okay. You gave me a family and a home when I had nothing. You raised me. And I know you would do the same thing for me again, even if you knew how this would end."

Maddie looked at him. He saw his reflection mirrored in her pain filled eyes. His true reflection. Green skin, black eyes. Polar opposites of species sitting hand in hand in this tiny room.

"Isn't there something I can do?" she whispered. 

"Sign the contract. Be there for dad and Jazz and my friends. Do what you can to make the world around you better. I know you can do it." 

He stopped, giving her a sad little smile.

"You've done it before."

They sat in silence for a moment, holding hands and trying to accept what was happening. 

The door slid open again. Danny turned to face it, worried that they would take his mother away. But it wasn't security.  Sam, Tucker, Jazz and his father all stood in the door, eyes full of pain. They rushed in and huddled around Danny. 

"This isn't happening. There's no way this is happening," Jazz muttered.

"How can they do this?" Sam burst out, her hair petals standing up in fury. 

"I'm not going to let anything happen to you," Jack promised, placing himself between Danny and the door."

Danny looked around at them all. His friends. His family. The people who would switch places with him in an instant if they could. 

He spoke up through the chatter of comforts and promises. 

"Guys... it's okay. I've been living on borrowed time all my life. But if dying now means that I can protect you all... well. It'll be worth it. Don't try to change this. It's been decided and we just have to accept it."

They fell silent, eyes full of anger and sadness searching for comfort. Danny leaned in and embraced Tucker first. 

"Thanks for being my first friend Tuck. I know you're going to do amazing things with your life. I love you man. Take care of yourself."

Tucker hugged him tightly, shaking with silent sobs.  

Sam was next. Danny held her closer than he ever had before. Her hair petals smelled sweet and comforting.

"Goodbye Sam. I don't know who I'd be without you. Thanks for everything. I know you're going to change the world."

They broke apart. Sam was clearly trying to keep it together for his sake, but couldn't stop a few tears from slipping out. 

Jazz didn't wait for him to speak. She folded him in her arms like she hadn't done in years.  She held him like she used to when he had nightmares. Years of memories and emotions passed between them without words. They were confidants, rivals, friends. Siblings. After a long moment she let him go, face tight with sadness. 

"I love you Danny. Nothing will ever change that."

"I love you too," he said, voice finally cracking under emotion. 

Jack embraced Danny in a crushing bear hug next. Danny let out a small hysterical laugh as he squeezed him back. His father. His strong, funny, dependable father. Always there whenever he needed him, even now. At the end. 

One by one everyone gathered into the hug. Arms wrapped around and around Danny, encircling him, protecting him. He couldn't distinguish who was who in the tangle. But it didn't matter. All that mattered was that they were here now. And they would be safe. 

And that was all he needed to know.