Horizon

The Edge of the World: Chapter 20

Perfect Match AU – Damien x MC

Supporting lyrics are from Within Temptation’s song- Supernova.

Rating: M, Word Count: ~ 1706

Warning: Character death

Summary: With every end, there are new beginnings

As long as I dream, it ain’t over, over

She eyed the fizzling power core, her hands were frozen in place where they still hovered over it. She was going to put pressure on it, only to remember that that didn’t apply in this case. There was no bleeding to stop.

“What do I do? There’s no- I don’t know what to do!” Her mind seemed to have screeched to a halt now. Why was she panicking now? This wasn’t the first time she’d seen a Match get tased.

‘Shutdown Imminent’. That was why.

The blue holographic letters pulsated eerily; a dreadful reminder that this wasn’t going to be as simple as a system repair, no matter how much a small part of her tried to insist otherwise. They’d made it this far hadn’t they? Surely there was something they could-

Suddenly several gunshots went off at a distance and everyone jumped.

Another panicked shout and Damien rushed towards the other side of the cargo container, listening closely. He could make out heavy footsteps going in different directions and then sounds of fighting that grew louder by the second. Over the din, he could faintly make out Cecile yelling furiously.

He grimaced. Things were taking a turn, fast – and it was hard to tell whether or not it was in their favor.

Damien returned to Dexter and gingerly reached for some of the frayed wires, flinching with every burst of static. As he eyed the holographic display on Dexter’s core, he felt a familiar sinking feeling that he didn’t want to relive. And judging from Dexter’s resigned expression, both of them were thinking the same thing.

Then he felt Maya nudging him. “Damien, we have to get Sloane.”

“Maya-”

“No, she can fix him! She fixed Hayden at Berlin when we were literally under attack, she might be able to-”

“Yeah, but there were only a handful of guards, Maya. We escaped because of all the chaos and Hayden happened to know how to fly a helicopter.” He spoke gently, but the urgency in his voice was evident. “There’s a whole battalion here.”

“But…”

“He’s right.” Dexter said softly. “You’re on Eros’ territory. Getting out of here is the highest priority right now.”

Deep down, Maya knew they were right. “I . . .” She bit her lip, feeling at a loss. If this had happened yesterday, given the way he and Harley had treated her, she would’ve had no trouble with this decision. But Dexter was no longer that person. He’d risked everything to save her and paid a heavy price for it. He deserved so much more and knowing that she would never be able to make it up to him?

That hurt far worse than seeing the state he was in.

I’m waiting for your last goodbye

‘Cause I’m not over it, not over it

I’m waiting for your last goodbye

The kiss of time…

“This isn’t right. We can’t just leave you like this!” Tears welled in her eyes and she hastily wiped them. “Not after everything you did.”

“I don’t regret any of it.” Dexter said firmly. “I-” His breath caught for a second and he winced, noticing for the first time the uncomfortable position he was in. He shifted in place with support from Damien until he was sitting up against the wall of the cargo container.

Once he was settled, Dexter opened his mouth to finish what he’d said, but then stilled as his gaze shifted to the area behind them. Damien and Maya turned to where he was looking to find Hayden and Dames standing there, taking in the scene before them in a stunned silence.

Dames was the first to approach, Hayden lagging slightly behind as he looked over the damage Dexter had taken. His face was grey, mouth set in a thin line as he tried to control his rising anger.

Ever since witnessing Maya get dragged into that van at the Louvre, Hayden had wanted to put his enhanced strength to test especially on Dexter and Harley – for the way they’d hurt her and the possibility that what they’d done was likely worse than the brief footage Cecile had shown them.

But now that he’d learned what he had, Hayden couldn’t bring himself to act on his anger. Even if the Matches had carried out these awful things, maybe they wouldn’t have if they didn’t have Rowan and Cecile manipulating them with commands that made them act so despicable.

This was the price they paid. It wasn’t fair.

Hayden was silent for several moments before he knelt down next to him, finally speaking for the first time. “How bad is it?”

Dexter spared him a resigned glance. “My power core is fried. When I shut down, there’s nothing salvageable – not even the data they’d get of all of you.”

When. Hayden sighed and closed his eyes.

Maya took Dexter’s hand in hers. “Dexter, there has to be something we can do. We can’t let them win after everything-!”

He shook his head. “A win for them would be to have you under their thumb so they can manipulate you to their own ends.” He smiled wryly. “But they can’t if you escape. And certainly not if I’m in the picture-”

Damien’s eyes widened. “Dexter, that’s not-”

“Yes it is,” he insisted.  “Look, from the beginning, I was only ever meant to be a spy. You already know what Eros, using me and my footage, was planning to do with you two.”

Damien flinched at the memory and nodded, his hand instinctively finding Maya’s.

“If there’s the slightest chance that they catch you while I’m still alive, they’ll use that data. Then I’d be disposed of or recycled.” For the first time today, she could see a flicker of fear in his eyes. “I don’t want to go out like that.”

Damien felt his eyes mist over and he looked away briefly, focusing more on taking deep breaths and less on the memories this was bringing back. He’d heard words like that all too many times years ago while on the force. No one deserved this and to be left behind after . . . but they had no choice now.

“I’m so sorry,” Maya whispered shakily. “I should’ve helped you sooner, I-”

“’Sorry?’” Dexter reached out and gently placed a hand on her cheek, brushing away her tears with his thumb. “Maya, you don’t know how grateful I am to you. Before you, my life had no purpose but to follow orders. You showed me that I could make a difference. I woke up.”

“Yes, you fought them. You proved you were better than them.” Her chest ached as she struggled to compose herself. “But I never wanted you to get hurt, Dexter!”

“Someone was going to get hurt, no matter what I did,” Dexter said. “I just made sure that wasn’t you. Didn’t you once tell me that life is about the choices you make?”

Maya pressed a hand to her mouth, stifling a sob.

“I know what you meant now. My memories might not be real, but I’ve proved that I’m alive.  And I can decide my own destiny.” Dexter glanced at the timer on his power core – less than ten minutes left. “I didn’t have a choice in how I came into the world. But now, I can choose how I leave.” He squeezed her hand, blinking away the heaviness in his eyes. “Please, Maya. This is what I want.”

Like thunder screaming out for a flash of lightning

Stars are falling down for God’s applause

I’m waiting for the light of your supernova

Your last goodbye…

Maya watched him earnestly, silently pleading for him to reconsider. But his own expression showed no trace of doubt, no fear or pain. In fact, unlike every other time she’d encountered him, he looked more at peace. That told her all she needed to know.

So she sighed and nodded. “Okay,” she said. “If you’re sure about this, then I’ll respect that.”

“Thank you.” He then glanced at Damien. “Take care of her.”

“We always do.” Damien placed a hand on his shoulder, a fierce look in his eyes. “I swear I’ll do everything in my power to make them pay for this.”

“Good,” Dexter chuckled. “I’m counting on it.” His gaze turned back to Maya, gazing into her eyes for a second longer, then tugged at her wrist, pulling her into his arms. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “For everything I’ve done.”

Maya felt a dampness on her shirt; whether it was his tears or hers, she couldn’t tell. She just hugged him more tightly, minding his damaged wires carefully. “It’s okay,” she whispered. “Just stay safe, all right?”

He nodded quickly, holding her close for another moment before letting go. “Now go.”

Maya helped set him back gently before she stood back up. She only took a couple steps back, hesitance clear in her stance until Damien took her hand, his gentle tug bringing her back to reality.

Dexter gave her a small smile of encouragement, a silent reassurance to her that this was the right decision and that he would be better for it. She returned the smile, nodding in acknowledgement before she and Damien turned in the other direction and started to run.

He watched them go, feeling a sense of peace finally washing over him for the first time. Hayden and Dames were close behind, but seemed to have stopped to discuss something – not that it mattered much now. Everything happening now was in their favor.

A brief glance at his timer showed about three minutes left.

Perfect timing. With his systems gradually shutting down, any pain he’d been in was completely numbed now. Maya’s face flashed before him, as did more memories of her. A mix of memories that weren’t his and some that were. For the first time, he welcomed them. He remembered happiness in Maya’s eyes as she declared her feelings, the warmth of her arms, her infectious laughter. Once a cruel paradox of his mistakes, they were now his solace.

Though her love wasn’t for him specifically, it was still love nonetheless. Where it’d once clashed with his personality – both coded and real – now it all fit with the decisions he’d made for himself and for her.

He felt truly whole. And nothing would take that from him.

Dexter leaned back comfortably, turning his gaze to the edge of the docks, to the ocean. He first noticed the ship that was to ferry Maya and her friends to safety, floating at a distance. Beyond that was the sky. He couldn’t help but marvel at the color. Where it was once pitch black against the grey clouds blanketing them, a pinkish golden hue had made its way through until it’d overtaken the horizon signaling the dawn of a new day.

And it was beautiful, perfect.

It was everything.