When the Rest of the World Stops

[Harper McIntyre]

"I'll be right there," Harper called to her friend who was reminding her that it was time to get in the cryogenic chambers. She was dressed in the same simple clothing that all of them were wearing, in her case a white tank top and black sweatpants. She'd bathed, braided her hair, and by all accounts seemed ready for the ten years of cryo sleep that lie ahead of the inhabitants of this ship. But that casual "be right there" had been harder to say than it had seemed because it had been a lie. She wouldn't see that friend, or any of them, for at least ten years. Ten years, and maybe more.

Harper gave herself one last look in the mirror. She made herself smile. This was the face that almost everyone she loved would expect to see when they woke up: youthful, relieved that the fighting was over, hopeful for the future. In ten years, all of that could be different. Or in twenty years, or thirty... Harper's smile fell and she shook herself a little. She couldn't think about that, about how much time it would be before she saw them all again.

To get to the control deck where she and Monty were set to wait until everyone was asleep, Harper would have to pass the hallway to the cryogenic chambers. She thought she was ready for it, but seeing the last few people talking quietly or setting up their chambers sent a stab of pain through her heart. A part of her wanted to change the plan, tell Monty it would all be okay if they just went to sleep like the rest of them, and wake up in a decade as if no time had passed. She could convince him - maybe. But the other part of her told her how selfish that was and reminded her how important it was that someone was there to watch over everyone. She and Monty would be responsible for all of them, and she couldn't give that up just because she was afraid.

Harper saw Clarke and Bellamy talking, and Bellamy looked her way. The sudden impulse to tell him everything was so strong that she had to physically turn away and keep walking to fight it. Neither of them would question that reaction, because she didn't think that either of them would guess what she and Monty were going to do. If anyone asked, she was helping Monty make the last preparations. But no one asked, and she didn't pass anyone else until she was on the control deck.

Taking a seat near Monty, Harper pulled her knees up on the chair and hugged them to her chest. She looked out the windows in front of them, into the vastness of space that at one point, a million years ago, had been the only real view she got. "We're doing the right thing," she said, but it was as much for Monty's benefit as her own.

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Tag: Monty Green

[Monty Green]

A million thoughts raced through Monty's head, a million 'what ifs?' and it was with a heavy heart that he realised that he was clutching at straws. There was only one way he could ensure nothing went wrong, that his friends were all alright- that they all survived the ten years of cryo sleep. Someone had to stay awake, to watch over them and the only answer that made sense was that that someone had to be him. His background in engineering made him the perfect candidate, he'd be able to make any repairs that needed to be done, make sure all the chambers were functioning properly and that they didn't run into any trouble. He was more than willing to make that sacrifice for his friends, because they had all done so much for him to keep him alive- it was about time he repaid that debt.

Harper would be staying awake too, she'd made it quite clear that she wouldn't leave him to spend the next ten years alone. He was grateful for her unwavering loyalty and if he was honest, he was glad that he wouldn't be left alone, spending the next ten years- or more, without the company of another human was possibly more daunting and unwelcome than the idea of the task of watching over the ships passengers. Still, Monty struggled with the idea of going so long without speaking with a single one of his friends, he told himself that this way, they'd get to live- they'd be safe and they would see each other again. He'd be older when that time came and they'd remain unchanged, time wouldn't touch them while they were sleeping- they'd awake in the ten or so years as young and youthful as the day they climbed into the chambers.

Movement caught his eye and he turned his head just as Harper took her seat beside him. He stared at her for a long moment, at the expression on her face and the way that she hugged her knees to her chest. Falling in love with her had been the best thing that ever happened to him, he never imagined that he'd get so lucky as to have her by his side through everything they'd experienced. He wanted to have her by his side for the next ten years, but perhaps his reasons for that were selfish, he wanted her with him because he loved her and he didn't want to be alone... But were those reasons in her best interest? "...You don't have to do this" he told her, his gaze dropping to look at his hands. "It only needs one of us..." he was offering her an out, telling her that if she didn't want to go through with it then there was still time for her to join the rest of their friends, he wouldn't force her to do anything she didn't truly want, she wasn't obligated to stay with him. He wouldn't blame her if she changed her mind.

Harper McIntyre

[Harper McIntyre]

There was so much space out there, beyond this ship. An infinite amount, enough that she could explore every day of her life and still only touch the smallest portion of it. When she was really little, that had scared her, but as she had gotten older, it has fascinated her. The Ark had felt so tight and small, but with space so infinite, looking out a window could give her some hope. Once on the ground, she had mostly forgotten about the vastness of it in an effort to concentrate on staying alive. Now here she was, on a different ship but still facing the vastness... and it felt different. It felt different because this wasn't the crowded Ark, or even the familiar empty Ark with the hope of coming back to Earth always feeling so close. No, this was a foreign ship and it would be full of her sleeping friends - and time. So much time. She could already feel that some of that vastness was seeping into the ship itself, but it inspired neither hope nor fear, but something different she couldn't quite name.

Monty spoke, and Harper turned her head toward him, resting her cheek on her knees now. She smiled, just a little, because she expected him to say something like that. She figured he might try to give her one more chance to duck out, to try and let her know it would be okay to leave him alone. This was one of the many reasons she loved him. Monty would give everything of himself, no matter the sacrifice, and would never expect the same of anyone else. He cared so much, about everything and everyone, and she could only hope to have as much compassion in her heart as he had in his. He probably hadn't given the idea of staying awake to protect everyone a second thought, while her head had been swimming with doubts and questions. She knew what she needed to do though, and even though she was scared, she had no plans to back down.

"It needs both of us," she corrected, lifting her head from her knees. "Who else is going to tell you how your algae really tastes? Or stop you from working yourself to death keeping the ship going and watching Earth? Or help you wake up the others, or stay with you even if we never..." Harper trailed off and swallowed. It was there, that possibility, of Earth not being ready as soon as they hoped. Nothing ever seemed to go as planned with that unstable hunk of dirt, and she didn't expect it to start now.

"It needs both of us, and I don't want to risk waking up without you... ever. You're stuck with me, Monty Green." She smiled a little at the end but it was hard with the weight of the emotions consuming her. This decision had always really felt like more than ten years, like she was deciding her fate and who she was going to be. She was going to help her friends, and she was going to be with Monty.

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Tag: Monty Green

[Monty Green]

There were so many things that could go wrong with what they had planned, nothing was certain and knowing their luck, nothing would go to plan. All Monty knew was that he had to try and whether he was alone or with Harper, that wouldn't change. His friends would be vulnerable whilst they were sleeping, somebody had to be awake to watch over them- he wasn't sure how nobody had thought of that before. So much could go wrong, someone had to make sure that they all remained asleep and that everyone made it through to the other side alive. Harper had a choice and Monty wouldn't blame her if she changed her mind, if he thought it was is place he'd even tell her to join their friends but only she could make that decision.

"It needs both of us" Monty looked up, meeting Harper's gaze as he allowed for her words to sink in. Part of him wanted to ask her if she was certain that this was what she wanted, but the other part of him- the bigger part of him was just relieved. "You don't-" he began to protest, almost reflexively but stopped himself and instead smiled. "You were always brutally honest with your reviews of my algae" he said instead, a joke... Or a half-hearted attempt at one. Jasper had always been better at making people laugh. "Hey..." he said, watching as the expression on her face changed and she seemed to get choked up at the possibility that things might not work out as they hoped. He reached for her, slipping his hand into hers "we're going to see our friends again" he told her with as much force as he could muster, as if he was trying to convince himself as much as he was her. He wanted to believe that they would see their friends again, because if he didn't believe that that would somehow happen, then he wasn't sure that he could go through with what they had planned.

"Ten years is going to go by so fast" he told her, squeezing her hand gently but even as he said the words he could feel stubborn tears burning at his eyes. They were doing this for their friends, because even if things didn't work out as planned, he hoped that he and Harper could keep them safe. "This isn't how our story ends" they'd been through so much, they deserved a happy ending. "I'm not going anywhere, I promise..." it was a promise that he intended to keep because for as long as she wanted him, then he would be by her side. She wouldn't have to spend a day alone, never again. "I love you, Harper" he said, smiling as he did so because he knew that no matter what happened next, they would have each other and really that's all that mattered.

Harper McIntyre

[Harper McIntyre]

Harper closed her eyes when Monty said they would see their friends again, nodding just a little. She was fighting the tears that lurked there behind her eyes, waiting to flood out, and she needed her own reassurance as much as his. They would see their friends again. They had to. She, Monty, and all the rest had overcome some ridiculously horrible odds. This was just another challenge that they would all get past, somehow. Even if she and Monty would be a lot older, even if more than ten years passed, she had to try to hold onto that hope. If she didn't, it would be almost impossible to keep going.

The hand squeezing hers was reassuring and she made herself nod again. "Just like the last time we were in space," she responded, although it hadn't felt all that short. Monty went on though, doing what he did best: giving her hope and promising happiness. It was hard to believe that, years ago, she had considered leaving him and her whole life behind. If she'd never known Monty, maybe she would have given in like Jasper and the rest. But Monty had pulled her back, just like he always did.

"I'm holding you to that promise," she said, though she trusted that he would keep it. He had yet to break a promise to her, though she felt like she wasn't quite so good to him. Still, she would try. At his next words, she couldn't stay in her own seat any longer. She slipped from her seat into his, sitting on his lap facing him. "I love you too, Monty," she said, and kissed him. She let him and the kiss ground her and fill her.

When she pulled back, Harper glanced back at the ship's controls behind her. It might as well have been in Greek to her, but it was all easy for Monty. Monty's presence and his reassurances had helped assuage her doubts, but now she was a bit antsy. What she would do with that, she wasn't sure."Are they all asleep yet?"

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Tag: Monty Green