Done For

Chapter Thirty-Six | What Matters

"Who is it?" Cory asked as he kneeled beside the closest generator along with Uni and Dawn.

"No idea," Dawn responded. "I'd rather not find out. And if it's only one, they're probably way more powerful than we're used to. And that's beyond these new upgrades."

Uni only cursed. "It's such bullshit!" He exclaimed, earning a quick hit from Cory.

"I know that," Cory told him. "But we need to shut up."

"Yeah, well-" Uni was cut off at the sound of a heartbeat. All three were quick to move from the generator.

"Shit!" They looked up as they heard Nick, running past the three with the Doctor close on his tail.

Uni went to stand and go after the two, but was pulled down by Dawn.

"Not happening," The latter whispered. "We've got to let him go or else we're all going to get hit."

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Nick's breathing was uneven as he ran into the next room over. It was dark. He was tired. He was seeing things.

He waited a moment, making sure he was in the clear, before sliding down a wall and pressing his back against it.

He started snapping himself out of it, muttering small words of reassurance to himself. He was okay. Addie was okay. Ashlie was okay. They were all going to be okay.

And that's when he heard a gasp of pain.

He was quick to lift his head, his expression becoming near mortified.

"Adeline," Nick quietly said before pushing off the wall. He stopped as his vision flashed white for a moment. No. It was Ashlie. He rushed forward and stopped. As he reached out, his hand phased right through the figure.

He froze and gripped his head. "It's not real," He muttered to himself.

It took a few minutes for him to believe his words.

His eyes moved up from the floor as he heard the sound of a generator starting.

He added that up with the two generators he heard earlier. That was three.

Nick stood before rushing off to find another generator to work on.

He was able to find a generator and start on it. He was about halfway through before he heard a long string of 'no's not far from him. He recognized the voice. Sal.

He pulled away from the generator before rushing off. He was going against his better judgement. As soon as he saw the two within his sight, he grabbed the flashlight he found at the beginning the night.

"Hey!"

The Doctor turned, his eyes on Nick. The latter took the chance to point the light in his eyes.

"Yes," Nick breathed as Sal managed to wiggle free in the Doctor's moment of distraction.

Unlucky for him, the Doctor immediately came after him.

"Shit," Nick whispered before rushing off. As soon as he ran past a pallete, he pulled it down, but not before being cut in the side by the Doctor. He fell to the floor. "Fuck!"

He was grabbed by the Doctor almost immediately after.

Nick didn't put his energy into screaming or cursing, as much as he wanted. Instead, he moved around as much as possible. He had to get free.

The sound of another generator echoed through the building. They had one more. That pushed Nick on.

He gave a grunt as he pushed on the Doctor's back. The sudden movement through him off and caused Nick to fall. He held in his groan of pain before rushing off as quickly as he could. He came across the gate. "Hurry up guys!" He shouted, ignoring the fact the Doctor could here.

His wish was granted as the gate lit up. He let out a laugh of relief before starting to open it, his free hand gripping the gash in his side.

The others started to arrive to the gate in groups of three and a group of two.

Addie, Sal, and Ate.

Ashlie and Tommy.

Cory, Uni, and Dawn.

He grinned at them as the gate opened.

That grin fell as soon as he heard the all two familiar sound. A heart beat.

"Let's go!" He shouted before waving everyone through. He waited until he was sure everyone was past the barrier until running after them.

That was a bad choice.

Addie was the first one to notice that.

She watched, eyes wide, as the Doctor hit Nick once again.

"Nick!" She screamed before attempting to run back in. She hissed as she hit the spikes that shot up. "No!"

Her eyes welled with tears as her view slowly became blocked with a thick, black wall of smoke. The last thing any of them saw before passing out was Nick on a hook within sight.

She expected a pained expression. She expected to see him crying.

But he was smiling. A pained smile as blood dripped from the corner of his mouth.

His family was out. They were okay. That was what mattered.