Work Text:
Time
by Dusty Tyree
Boots clanging on the metal deck, pony tail flying behind him like a small banner, Blair literally jumped down the last ladders as he headed for C deck and the obscene object ticking away the last few minutes of not only his life, but the men locked in the container, trapped without any hope of getting free in time...
Time ...
If only he'd had time to go and let them out first, but every second, literally, counted in his race against the clock.
He didn't dare even to think past the present second he was living...
Please let him go on living until he reached that bomb - and afterwards...
What he would do when he got there, he hadn't a clue, but he was sure he'd think of something ...
He didn't want to die like this ... he didn't want to die at all ... not yet, he was too young, he had too much to do ... he wanted to see Jim again... His mother, Simon, Joel, H and Rafe...
Wonder how Jim managed with the deep water? That was one of the bravest things he'd ever seen his friend do ... plunge into that black, cold sea, knowing how much he hated deep water...
Jim ... Jim ... please be okay...
His mind was rambling, running over the past few hours ... not wanting to even think of failing to get there in time...
Jim still crouched against the side of the freighter, his eyes on the second hand sweeping round the dial of his wristwatch...
Time ...
There was never ever time enough.
Blair ... for God's sake, get off that rig...
Why the hell don't you ever do what I tell you, you stupid ... brave ... infuriating, kid.
While his attention was focussed on the seconds ticking past... his whole being was on that rig, willing ... hoping ...
The man he'd felled, lay at his feet, totally ignored by the tense man counting seconds...
Ellison had known the killer of Buchanan had to be ruthless, the diver's dea th had been agonising; but he hadn't believed Ben Crilly would kill all the crew on the rig. Men he'd worked with; fought battles together against the elements, wind, rain and the mighty ocean ... how could even a ruthless bastard like Crilly do such a thing ... and as for Maggie Bryce...?
Damn the woman, given time he thought he could get to like her.
Time...
He should have suspected ...should've realised...
He'd left Blair on that damn rig, believing he would be much safer there than on this ship.
How wrong could he be....
Ten seconds ... nine...eight...
Oh God ... Blair....
Seven ... six. ... five....
He couldn't stand this ... he had to do something...
Four ... three ... two...
BLAIR!
One...
His heart stopped, his eyes on the rig, expecting to see it explode and throw the remains of his friend and guide into space.
The rig remained standing, the lights bright and clear...
Jim blinked.
Several seconds had passed since the deadline...
The rig was still there.
Blair had done it ... he must have found the bomb and defused it.
Jim Ellison found he could breathe again, the icy lump in his chest easing with every second.
Now he had time to talk to Blair again ... listen to the kid as he expounded his theories on sentinels and everything else under the sun.
They both, had time...
END
Dusty Tyree (C)
18 July 2006