Chapter Text
The rooftop trembled like it was trying to shake them off.
Concrete cracked beneath their boots, long jagged lines racing toward the edges. Fire crawled up the side of WICKED's headquarters in violent waves, smoke thick enough to burn the back of Thomas' throat raw.
Teresa's grip tightened around Thomas.
"Just a little more," she urged.
She wasn't sure who she was trying to convince.
Thomas' arm hung heavy across her shoulders, his weight dragging her sideways. His other hand was pressed against his side, blood slick and dark between his fingers. Every step seemed impossible and yet he kept taking them.
The building beside them groaned a deep, metallic scream before collapsing inward causing the rooftop to lurch violently, sending them both stumbling to the ground.
Thomas hit first with a broken groan. Teresa scrambled to him, dust choking her lungs, ears ringing. The world around them was collapsing, folding in on itself as it had finally decided enough was enough.
Thomas yelped and groaned straining himself. His vision was blurry and the smoke was suffocating.
Teresa gathered herself the best she could and pulled Thomas back into her arms holding him there. This was the end for them.
She cried like she'd never cried before, every thought and feeling flooding her system as she buried her face deep into Thomas' hair.
She never felt so scared and helpless, she had so much pain and inner turmoil coursing through her body that death would be kinder than this pain.
Thomas pulled his face to look at hers more clearly. His eyes were glassy, his face battered in blood and debris, his hair matted.
He didn't look at her with the same hate and anger in his eyes as before, the look was one of acceptance.
He rested his forehead against her.
They didn't need their telepathy to understand each other. Every unspoken word was said.
"I'm sorry-" Teresa cried out, her voice trembling in complete defeat.
Thomas looked up from her arms at her the best he could through his blurred vision, his voice laced with complete certainty.
"I know.
Their lips connected as if to say one last word between.
One last apology,
one last forgiveness,
One last goodbye.
The only thing pulling them apart was the sound of blades and wind whipping through the air over the blazing fire and collapsing debris.
Teresa's head shot up, new adrenaline pumping through her as hope for survival came back at the sight of the berg appearing in their line of sight.
Thomas' eyes followed hers, and a weak glimmer of hope lit his heart as they both stumbled to their feet.
The ramp of the berg opened with Minho, Brenda, and Vince yelling and hanging out of it ready to pull them to safety.
With fleeting strength, Teresa pulled her and Thomas back upright and hurried to the edge.
Shifts in the foundation of WICKED's headquarters had them both stumble again and the berg dodged away to avoid getting hit.
Again they pushed with the last of their combined efforts, Teresa pulled Thomas in front of her, his fingertips brushing against Minho's a few times before a solid grip. Teresa pushed as Minho pulled and they managed to haul him inside.
The building cracked again underneath her feet and she flew backwards.
The last of whatever was holding the ground underneath her broke through. Thomas screamed reaching out for her not able to handle another heartbreak of losing a friend.
She picked her feet up from beneath the cracking ground and took a leap of faith.
Funny enough the explosion of the building had actually helped boost her through the air and her hands managed to pull her in.
The moment Teresa managed to put her feet on the berg Thomas eyes fell back into his skull, the combination of fleeting adrenaline and lack of blood had Thomas blacking out as if her survival was the only thing keeping him conscious.