Fanfic: Isolated [Tomorrow People]
Dec. 10th, 2012 11:39 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
argentum_lsTitle: Isolated
Word Count: 800
Characters: Adam Newman, General Damon, Megabyte Damon
Rating: PG
Notes: For![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-community.gif)
angst_bingo prompt: quarantine.
Summary: The choice between the life of your child and the fate of the world is never an easy one.
Adam could see the struggle on General Damon’s face over the choice he had to make. Damon’s hands were clasped behind his back as he paced from one side of his office to the other, his expression flittering between anguish and resignation. The room was small and feeling smaller by the second, its sparseness of decoration identifying its occupant as a person well-used to picking up and moving on—though Adam knew that that training was the last thing Damon wanted to draw on now.
“He needs to be in hospital,” Adam repeated, fighting his own battle to keep his voice low and his tone even. Yelling would accomplish nothing, as he’d already learned. Adam grasped the edge of Damon’s desk and held on, his body taut and shaking from the stress of the past days that was only bound to get worse.
Damon ran a frustrated hand over the back of his head and down his face, his military bearing cracking. With only Adam in the office, it was a slip he could afford to make. Besides, they both knew that Adam was well aware of Damon’s emotions. “Take him to the island,” Damon decided. “Keep him there.”
“He needs medical attention. Doctors! Drugs!” Adam returned. His hands were white with the force of his grip, tendons standing out in stark relief through his skin.
“The risk is too great,” Damon countered with a slow shake of his head. “Earth doctors won’t know what they’re dealing with.”
“They might. They could figure it out.”
“What if they don’t? What if he’s contagious? You guys were off-planet. Who knows what he’s sick with? No.” Damon drew a breath and let it out hard, the decision that last one he wanted to make and the only one he could. “Take him to the island.”
Adam wasn’t the teenager he’d been when he’d first met General Damon, which only made it more difficult to defy him. For the sake of his friend, he gave it one last effort: “He’s going to die if he doesn’t get help.”
And everyone could die if he does, Adam heard Damon think. Contain the threat. Stop it from spreading. “I know,” Damon said out loud. “I know.” He came to a stop, his gaze focusing on some middle-distance that Adam couldn’t see into. “I’ll contact Lisa, explain the situation to her. Maybe she can help.”
“Lisa?” The name hit him in the gut. Adam hadn’t allowed himself to think of Lisa in years, and hearing her name now was a stark reminder of how he had failed before, and how easy it would be to fail again.
“She’s a doctor,” Damon explained.
“And she’s one of us,” Adam added. It was a slim hope, but maybe the only one he had right now. He allowed himself to look at Megabyte for the first time since entering the office. The slender young man was slumped into the chair across from the desk. He was conscious, barely, staring with glassy eyes at nothing. His face burned so red with fever that his ginger hair looked blonde by contrast. He’d still been mobile when they arrived, though complaining of a headache. The downward slide was the fastest Adam had ever seen.
“Get him to the island,” Damon repeated, the order coming through clearly in his tone. “I’ll send help as soon as I can.” He was reaching for the phone as he spoke, though he even wasn’t sure whom his first call would be to. “You know I won’t just let him die,” Damon added, now sounding more like a parent than a commander.
Adam sighed, for once relieved that it wasn’t his choice to make: between the care of the world and the care of his son. It was a choice he wouldn’t wish on anyone. He squatted down and lifted one of Megabyte’s arms over his shoulder, the easier to teleport with. The limb was heavy and hot as it flopped into place, a reminder of how bad the situation had become.
“And, Adam?” Damon paused, hand on the receiver. He worked his jaw, steeling himself. The age lines around his mouth and eyes seemed to multiply with the stress, and then they suddenly smoothed out. When Damon spoke next, it was only as a general in the top military in the world. “Don’t come back. Stay put.”
Adam swallowed, the protest he wanted to make stuck behind an understanding of the logic. If Megabyte was sick, Adam could be, too. They’d both gone to the alien world, and they’d hardly been apart since returning. Understanding passed between the two men and Adam nodded in acceptance. “Call Lisa,” he replied. “We don’t have much time left.” Closing his eyes, he summoned the energy to teleport—and vanished.
Word Count: 800
Characters: Adam Newman, General Damon, Megabyte Damon
Rating: PG
Notes: For
angst_bingo prompt: quarantine.Summary: The choice between the life of your child and the fate of the world is never an easy one.
Adam could see the struggle on General Damon’s face over the choice he had to make. Damon’s hands were clasped behind his back as he paced from one side of his office to the other, his expression flittering between anguish and resignation. The room was small and feeling smaller by the second, its sparseness of decoration identifying its occupant as a person well-used to picking up and moving on—though Adam knew that that training was the last thing Damon wanted to draw on now.
“He needs to be in hospital,” Adam repeated, fighting his own battle to keep his voice low and his tone even. Yelling would accomplish nothing, as he’d already learned. Adam grasped the edge of Damon’s desk and held on, his body taut and shaking from the stress of the past days that was only bound to get worse.
Damon ran a frustrated hand over the back of his head and down his face, his military bearing cracking. With only Adam in the office, it was a slip he could afford to make. Besides, they both knew that Adam was well aware of Damon’s emotions. “Take him to the island,” Damon decided. “Keep him there.”
“He needs medical attention. Doctors! Drugs!” Adam returned. His hands were white with the force of his grip, tendons standing out in stark relief through his skin.
“The risk is too great,” Damon countered with a slow shake of his head. “Earth doctors won’t know what they’re dealing with.”
“They might. They could figure it out.”
“What if they don’t? What if he’s contagious? You guys were off-planet. Who knows what he’s sick with? No.” Damon drew a breath and let it out hard, the decision that last one he wanted to make and the only one he could. “Take him to the island.”
Adam wasn’t the teenager he’d been when he’d first met General Damon, which only made it more difficult to defy him. For the sake of his friend, he gave it one last effort: “He’s going to die if he doesn’t get help.”
And everyone could die if he does, Adam heard Damon think. Contain the threat. Stop it from spreading. “I know,” Damon said out loud. “I know.” He came to a stop, his gaze focusing on some middle-distance that Adam couldn’t see into. “I’ll contact Lisa, explain the situation to her. Maybe she can help.”
“Lisa?” The name hit him in the gut. Adam hadn’t allowed himself to think of Lisa in years, and hearing her name now was a stark reminder of how he had failed before, and how easy it would be to fail again.
“She’s a doctor,” Damon explained.
“And she’s one of us,” Adam added. It was a slim hope, but maybe the only one he had right now. He allowed himself to look at Megabyte for the first time since entering the office. The slender young man was slumped into the chair across from the desk. He was conscious, barely, staring with glassy eyes at nothing. His face burned so red with fever that his ginger hair looked blonde by contrast. He’d still been mobile when they arrived, though complaining of a headache. The downward slide was the fastest Adam had ever seen.
“Get him to the island,” Damon repeated, the order coming through clearly in his tone. “I’ll send help as soon as I can.” He was reaching for the phone as he spoke, though he even wasn’t sure whom his first call would be to. “You know I won’t just let him die,” Damon added, now sounding more like a parent than a commander.
Adam sighed, for once relieved that it wasn’t his choice to make: between the care of the world and the care of his son. It was a choice he wouldn’t wish on anyone. He squatted down and lifted one of Megabyte’s arms over his shoulder, the easier to teleport with. The limb was heavy and hot as it flopped into place, a reminder of how bad the situation had become.
“And, Adam?” Damon paused, hand on the receiver. He worked his jaw, steeling himself. The age lines around his mouth and eyes seemed to multiply with the stress, and then they suddenly smoothed out. When Damon spoke next, it was only as a general in the top military in the world. “Don’t come back. Stay put.”
Adam swallowed, the protest he wanted to make stuck behind an understanding of the logic. If Megabyte was sick, Adam could be, too. They’d both gone to the alien world, and they’d hardly been apart since returning. Understanding passed between the two men and Adam nodded in acceptance. “Call Lisa,” he replied. “We don’t have much time left.” Closing his eyes, he summoned the energy to teleport—and vanished.
