Vessels || Dustin Bates

Love You To Death

"I did this. This is all my fault..." Shaylee Diaz sat, clutching the body of the now deceased Dustin Bates. The blood that had been gushing out of his wound had stopped with his heart and the adrenaline that had kept him alive until the end of the battle.

"Shay, Shaylee! We need to go! We've lost too many people. The reinforcements for the FEC are coming. We need to get you all home." Ben placed a gentle hand on the young woman's shoulder. "Shay-"

"No!" She shrugged his hand off, refusing to let go of her loved one. "No, I refuse to believe any of this is real. It's just another Fail Safe exercise. He can't be gone. No, not for good. This cannot be the end." Her tears fell onto the dark haired man's blood streaked face.

"She's right... " Thomas had been standing in the back of the group quietly. He hadn't said a word since Bates had joined them.

"Please, Thomas, you cannot be acting like this. I hold you higher than letting your emotions get the better of you," Brock said, turning to the nineteen-year-old.

"I'm not letting my emotions run the show. I can save him, but it will come at a cost." Thomas moved forward to the front of the group, kneeling next to Dustin's body across from Shaylee. "About a year ago, I cracked time travel. I got it to work, too."

Everyone stared, silent in disbelief.

"Thomas, this is serious." Ron glared at the curly haired man.

"As am I."

"I know you looked up to Dustin, but this is ridiculous."

"Ron," Shay looked up at him, "shut up and let him speak." The older man shut his mouth.

"I can take a few people, and we can bring him back. But, we'd need to go back to a time where we all don't exist, and then after he is okay, we can all come back." Thomas brought out the panel he had shown Dustin months ago.

"Will it really work?" Ron asked, getting closer. Thomas nodded.

"Yes, but six is the limit of passengers on this ride," Thomas said, starting to set it.

"Do it," Shaylee commanded, nodding at Thomas. He nodded back.

"We should be gone a few months, tops." He finalized the route they would take, leaving the button that would send them back untouched.

"Fine, we'll wait for you," Ben said, pulling Siobhan back with him. That left the original team, Dustin, and Thomas alone.

Brock nodded back to his girlfriend before placing a hand on Thomas' shoulder. Adam put his hand on Thomas' other shoulder. Ron put his hand on Shay's shoulder, gripping it tightly. Thomas gently took Dustin's cold hand, looking up at Shay's tear-stained face before nodding one last time.

"Here we go."

Everything went white.