I woke up on my desk, I still felt drowsy. It was dark out as well, I guess I slept through the entire day. I looked up, the others were gone, only Lee and Matt remained. From the sound of their conversation, I assumed it was nothing serious, only about certain things for the train. A part of me does hate this train, having to rely on something to live, and all that has to happen for us to die, is it running out of fuel, but, I knew this was the only option we had. I got up from my desk and headed out of the train car, either they knew and didn't bother saying anything, or they hadn't noticed I left.

Outside the main car for driving was our sleeping quarters, it was just for Bravo team, every team had their own, and since the driving car had a ton of stuff we needed to monitor, we took the closest one. When I walked into the sleeping quarters I began to hear humming, the tune did sound familiar, but it came from someone else's voice. From the voice itself, I knew it was Crystal, she was the youngest out of all of us, and Sam was still in her infected coma, so it only left her. I knocked on her door and after a few seconds it opened

"What do you want L- Oh, Nicholai, what is it?"I didn't get why Crystal hated Lee so much, but I guess it wasn't my place to interfere with it.

"The song you were humming, where'd you learn it" While I talked Crystal leaned against her doorframe

"Sam hums a lot, even in her sleep" I don't see Crystal go into the infirmary that often, but I guess it was often enough to learn the song, but there was another issue

"Hmm, alright, but you're singing Lee's version of it, the one that lyrics was made for." Crystal looked confused, I guess she didn't learn it from Lee

"It's still the same song either way, so was that all?" Before that was going to be my only question for her, but now the whole Crystal hating Lee thing got my curiosity

"No, I do have one more question"

"Well, ask away" Crystal stood up from her leaning, I guess she's the type to fidget a lot

"What's your deal with Lee?" The second I said that her face looked as though she was ready to rant "Just the main reason please"

"Then I can't say, I may hate him but I can keep a promise" A promise huh? I wanted to know, I couldn't help anyone if I didn't

"Ah huh, sure, we'll go with that" I heard the door to the driving car open, Matt came out, I expected Lee to follow but he didn't.

"Hey Nicholai, you ready to continue, I radioed the others, they're ready to play" Matt tried to get me to join his game, but I just wanted to ask 'Why are they all awake at like, 1 AM?' It probably wasn't that late, but it felt like it that was for sure.

"Sure, I just wanna talk with Lee real quick" I waved goodbye to Matt and headed back into the front car, we hadn't told anyone yet about Lee's power to go into the past, hell, he just found out recently.

When I entered the car I saw Lee outside, as in, on the train's front, where the railings and what not are, I mean, there was a platform to relax out there, but when I first saw him on it, I won't lie, it scared me. I walked to the door that leaded outside, Lee just looked at the city, the buildings were either destroyed or covered by nature, it looked amazing, but the history and people were all gone now, it caused me to feel a sense of nostalgia

"What do you want Nicholai" Lee asked in a blunt tone, he most likely knew what it would be about. When Crystal mentioned Sam, I wanted to know how she was doing, so I check my hud, Sam...Sam was almost dead, and if she died then we could only imagine how much chaos would happen, why would Lee know this? Ever since he was basically banned from visiting the infirmary he would check Sam's condition the same way I would.

"You know what this is about Lee" There wasn't a point in sugar-coating anything at this point

"I don'-

"You know Lee, you know" I cut him off, I'd force him to understand if I needed to, this was just the way this world turned out, we already went through an apocalypse as humans. "Just because you were able to cure Sam back during that zombie outbreak doesn't mean you can do it against these mythical beings, I know for a fact you know what needs to be done" Lee just smiled, he got off the railing and walked towards me

"It worked with Kenneth, didn't it? So what's the issue now? Just let me do it" I told him already that it would almost definitely kill her, there was no point in repeating it

"You know what's the issue, I'll force you to face reality if I have to" Lee stopped walking, he only looked at the floor, his smile was gone

"If she's already going to die, then why not just let me try?" I truly wanted him to try, but if it failed, then it would only cause unbearable pain as she dies, I couldn't risk someone's suffering, I knew what Lee would say if I said that though 'She'll understand why we did it' or 'Can't you use your magic to nullify the pain' Lee was in full denial, I couldn't blame him, seeing his best friend die again and again and not being able to do anything must be painful, but even if it meant that I had to be the bad guy, I would get him to accept reality

"Sam's dying, that's that, either you put her down or I do, she's dying either way" Lee summoned his sword, so we're fighting then, I don't want to, but If I have to for you to accept it, then I would gladly take you down

"How about this, I win, we try my way, if...and IF, you win, I'll put her down, no arguments, no retaliation, no anything, agreed?" It was fair, and this was the only way we could come to an agreement, I may not like fighting, but I'd do it if it means Lee can return to reality

"So be it, your move" I summoned my knife and pistol, with Lee's state fighting him should be simple, his mind is clouded, he's only fought long-range recently due to not wanting to kill his own kind up close, normally the fight would be stacked against me, but now, it was stacked against Lee, without himself realizing, he practically said yes to killing Sam.

Lee charged me, he was holding his sword behind him, what a stupid move. Since it was behind him, the time it took to swing at me took too long, I ducked under his slash, before he could recover I jolted up, stabbing at his swinging arm. When my knife cut his arm he closed both arms, trapping my hand, he moved his leg getting a better grip on the ground, and before I could struggle out he tossed me over his shoulder, my breath left me for a moment only to come back soon.

"This'll only end up hurting her Lee, just stand down" I flicked off the safety on my pistol, if he wouldn't stand down, then I wouldn't let his recklessness kill everyone on this train "I understand how you and Kenneth may feel, b-" Before I could finish talking he...shot at me? The shot missed but when I looked at him, his sword had partly unhinged from the hilt, revealing two barrels, one looked like a shotgun while the other looked like a sniper, just what the hell it that?

"Don't spew your lies, you always hated me and Sam, why should you get to decide what happens!?" I knew he wouldn't understand, it's true, I was harsh to them at times, but I really did care about them, we were after all, like a small little family. Thinking on it now, Kenneth and even Crystal are against killing Sam, I must look terrible to them, wanting to put an innocent girl out of her suffering.

"You can't hide in your head Lee, what happens if you can't change the past? What happens if Sam dies and turns, then everyone will die, including the past! That Lee in the past, only got that far because you helped him along the way, even if he doesn't realize it himself, if you die here, if we all die here, then you'd be taking away their chance at life do you want that?" While dodging Lee's strikes and gunfire I was able to speak, taking him down by lethal force was a last resort. His eye, the one that was corrupted years ago began to glow, either by luck or by anger it glowed. I had an easy chance to take him down. I took out a syringe, it was something to suppress corruption, it's painful to the point you'd knock out, this was my chance. As Lee swung at me again I grabbed his arm and sweeped his leg, knocking him to the floor. I gripped the syringe and tried to stab it into his neck

"Wai-" Before he could finish his words I injected him with the syringe, I'm sorry Kenneth, Crystal, and most importantly Lee, but Sam...Sam wouldn't want you all to die in order to save her, I'm...the realist after all right? Doing this type of thing, making people see reality as it is...is my job...who else would keep everyone in line...I laid on my knees, my palm felt like it was burning, it probably got cut somewhere along the line. There was another part I didn't notice, I hadn't for a long time, Lee's hat was missing, he hadn't worn it for years

"You...had that feeling as well didn't you? That you wish you could switch roles with someone" I had made fun of Sam for wanting to own a Café for ages now, but, I felt like I wanted it now as well, a place we could all relax and just be friends again, where roles or magic didn't matter. "I'll...You don't have to force yourself to do it, I'll handle it alone, you probably would hate that, since you think I hate you two...I'll give you her dog tag when I'm done...if you want it that is" I forced myself to stand, I had a job to do, and it was clear that only I could do it now.

I walked through the cars, my mind was set, no turning back anymore, this was reality, we lived in a world where if needed, we would kill ourselves to protect others.

"Hey, you up...for.." Matt was going to recruit me for the card game again, but one look at my face and injuries and he knew what happened "I see...go handle it then" Matt was the only one who understood, maybe it was because he didn't know Sam as long as we have, but it was nice to know that at least one person had my back.

"Yeah...I will" I could only mumble, everything was like a blur and I felt regret fill my body 'Was I really going to kill her? After everything that's happened' It repeated in my mind over and over again, that was until I reached the infirmary. It would happen every now and again, but with how close she was to death, I didn't expect her to be awake

"nicholai?...how is it going?" Her words were quiet and fatigued

"It's time" During one of her awake moments I talked to her about what happens if we can't save her, and she agreed with it one hundred percent

"i see" She looked at my wounds from Lee "i hope he was not too much of an issue, you didn't tell the others did you? They would probably fight you as well if you did"

"I only told Lee, the others are probably asleep or doing something" Talking with her was painful

"lee...did he really agree?" My heart felt like it was burning, if I told her that Lee didn't agree, and that he wasn't ready for her to die, then she would probably want to say goodbye and make sure he's ready, but we didn't have that time, I already had to drive her somewhere and put her down as is "i mean...is seemed distressed when we first told him...it just feels off"......

"....yes...he agreed....it's fine" I know Lee said if I win he'll be fine with it, but I don't think he expected to lose...either way, it had to be done. Sam only looked at me, either she knew I was lying, or she didn't have the energy to reply "You ready?" Sam nodded. I picked her up, unplugging her from everything, the car that held our vehicles wasn't far, and even then, at night those things aren't out that often, so we were able to stop the train.

By luck everyone was asleep or too distracted to notice me, I set her in the passenger seat in a car, I pressed the button so the car would be set on the ground off the train. When it was safely down I jumped off the train and got in the car, the place wasn't far, just enough so my magic suppression wouldn't wake everyone up.

We drove a decent length in silence, it was clear that all her energy was all gone, Sam, who had been our little paradise girl, would soon be gone, even if she was childish at times she had ideas that in the end, saved us. When we arrived at our destination my eyes looked over to where I fought Lee, he stood there, looking at us, from this far I couldn't see the face he was making, but, I could feel what he felt, a pain in our hearts.

"Come on now" I opened the passenger door, taking Sam out, I laid Sam on the ground, at an angle to where she could see both Lee and the stars in my view. No matter how much I pinched myself without Sam noticing, this wasn't a dream, this was actually happening "Hey Sam, do you remember that song we would all hum?" I sat beside her, we had gotten here sooner then I expected, and although most people would go against me talking to the person I'd soon kill, I needed to get things off my chest

"...yeah?" Her voice was weak, just looking at her, just hearing her hurt me, I looked back at Lee, I could only imagine how you must all feel

"I loved that song, even if it had no actual lyrics" I wanted to say so much, even if I had such little time

"...where....where is this coming from" I couldn't answer her question

"and the whole B6STF thing, Bravo 6 sticks together forever? I thought it was weird at first, but now I understand, I get why we dd that now" We had stitched that onto all our uniforms, even Crystal had it.

"nicholai?" Everything in my body burned, why now, why did this have to happen, just when I found the guts to say all this.

"And your obsession with that Café I always thought "It would just distract you" But now I get it, you wanted a place of peace right?"

"...."

"I know you don't understand "Why is Nicholai talking like this, she always hated us right?" That was wrong...I just thought...no I don't even know what I was thinking" Was I really okay with this? Did a part of me believe we could save Sam as well...no... I had to be the realist...I had no choice.

"i-i think...I get it now...."I could feel tears coming, but why? Why not when so many other people around me died? "you've...you've....always distanced yourself right? hehe" Her joking laugh...you could hear the pain "what? did..you think that...just because you did something in the past...that just because you were a realist in the past....you had to be one now...that since... you hated us then... that you couldn't be friends with us now?"

"How...how would you know that!?" I didn't want this, I don't want this!

"i told you! when you're friend...with someone long enough...you can just tell things" Even after all this time, after I berated them so much, even now when I'm about to kill her, she....she's calling me her friend? I got up, I had my pistol, but I couldn't

"Just say no!" Sam's face didn't change, like she knew this would happen "If you just say no, then we can act like none of this happened, I could apologize to Lee for forcing this, you....you...you don't have to d-

"It's fine" Before I could finish, Sam interrupted me with her smile and words "If I don't die here, then I'll just be trouble for all of you, I'll take up medicine, I'll take up food and water, you don't have to do that for someone so useless" She really called herself useless? "Hehe, after all, a DTs whole job is helping others isn't it? So I'll do just that" Her smile was genuine, she had no tears, nothing....she....really accepted her death. She looked over at Lee

GTS Active

Even from a distance, I could see that Lee wanted to say something, he wanted to say his goodbye, he put his head on the railing, looking away

Lee- "Thank you, for everything...I...I'm sorry I couldn't do more...thank you, for being by our side throughout everything, thank you and goodbye...partner

GTS Deactive

I looked back at Sam, it looked like she couldn't hear him...wait...No, I couldn't let Sam die without Lee saying goodbye.

"Sam, just wait a bit longer!" I desummoned my pistol and ran over to Lee raising both of my arms while waving them "Lee! Get over here!" It was still a great distance but Lee heard me, he jumped over the railing and ran over to us

"What?" His voice was mad and questioning

"She, she didn't hear you" When I finished Lee ran past me, I ran after him, trying to catch up. Soon I caught up, I caught my breath and looked up at Lee

"Damn it!" He put his hand onto his face as tears began to flow. Sam, Sam was already gone "Why, why was I so stupid!?" Lee had accepted reality, that Sam was gone, and with how this went, there was no going back, she had to be put down now before she turned into one of those monsters.

"Lee..."I put my hand on his shoulder, normally he's shove it off, but this time he let me

"I'm sorry" It felt like it was directed at me instead of Sam "If I listened to you, then I would get to say goodbye, for years she kept asking me to call her that, partner, it was so stupid at first but...I wanted to say it at one point, but, it had been so long since she asked, that I didn't know if I should" It was everyone, all of us were used to the past so much, that we didn't know how to change, and now Sam...Sam being gone was the biggest change we'd face.

"You did nothing wrong...I'm sorry, for being mean to you and Sam for all these years" Lee heard me, but he picked something up from Sam, her dog tag, and a note, I recall me missing one of her awake moments, maybe she wrote it then. From my angle I couldn't read it, but whatever was on it made Lee cry even more

"Even now, you're so childish" Although he cried, he showed some semblance of happiness

"What is it?"

"A song...she wants....me to sing a song on her birthday" Her birthday was months from now, enough for Lee to come up with a song.

"It's enough for me to remember piano as well" Lee looked at me, surprised

"What?"

"Hey, I owe you something, this is the least I should be doing...now" I didn't want to bring the mood down, but Sam still had to be put down, this would be my last act as a realist.

"Yeah...Yeah I understand" He said, when Is summoned my pistol he grabbed it

"Wha-

"I should do it, if I don't, then I don't ever think I can accept it" I let Lee do it, if he wanted to, then I wouldn't stop him. Lee raised the pistol at Sam "You can bring the car back, I'll handle it" I did as he said, I looked away and headed for the car, I heard a noise symbolizing that noise suppression was used, and then, there it was, not the sound of the bullet, but the sound of something breaking a skull, Sam...had been put down, it had finally been done, and Bravo team had lost its most precious member.

I had put the car back onto the train

"Where did you go?" Crystal's voice was behind me, another wave of guilt came over me

"T-To finish something" My voice was shaking

"To finish what!" Her voice was filled with anger, from the sounds of it, she already knew

"I-I'm sor-

"Like hell you are! You didn't think to tell me! How come you get to say goodbye but we don't!?" I...I couldn't think of anything, I felt sick, the crying, the fighting, it all burned me, what was even a good reason? Why didn't I tell them? Did I not trust them? Did I honestly think they'd fight against me like Lee?

"I..." I couldn't say anything, all I could do was walk past her, every person I passed looked confused, they didn't understand, Sam was the only one who understood the pain we went through, and now she's...

"Nicholai?" Kenneth had stopped me in the hallway, in the middle of our quarters, he was sitting on a couch with a music player on a table beside him "Are you alright?" I sat beside him

"I...Sam is..."Kenneth stopped me from speaking anymore

"I get it, and although I may not agree with it, I understand why, it's okay, I don't hate you for it, you're tired aren't you, the start of the day with that camp was a nightmare enough right?" I couldn't stop crying, my eyes felt like they were burning "If you want you can rest here, if Crystal or Lee look for you, I'll explain" I felt exhausted, I laid on the other side of the couch, the music that was playing was soothing, while listening to songs that Lee and Sam made gave me a sense of nostalgia, I couldn't listen to their music right now, not after what happened, so listening to music from other people was nice. I closed my eyes and began to drift off to sleep, I tried my best to avoid thinking about today, but it felt like I didn't succeed in that regard. I had become so used to Sam's loudness that deprived me of sleep, I could only be reminded of that when everything was soothing and silent.

"But you hated that didn't you? After all, why would you feel remorse for someone you got infected?"

I jolted awake, Kenneth was gone, the music player stopped, the silence, why did I hate this silence? Why couldn't things be different

Why couldn't I just hold on to our little paradise?