Dr. Harris looks at our adjoined hands, but his expression doesn't reveal what he's thinking.

"Your arrival is a mystery. No human knows how the dragons arrived on Earth, and we haven't ever heard from your planet. I'm sorry, but I don't know how to get you back to your home."

The Dragon growls. A deep, rumbling anger and hurt that cracks out of his soul. His hand tightens around mine, but not enough to hurt me.

"We are leaving." He declares. "Now."

"No! You promised I would meet my sister." I stare at him in panic, because I know that if he truly wants me out of here, then he will drag me. Neither the doctor nor I can stop him.

He looks irritated. To my shock, he concedes.

"Fine." He snaps and releases my hand. He leans against the wall and crosses his arms over his chest, which I've noticed has become buffer. It's like all of his strength is near the surface, ready to be unleashed.

This is becoming an ugly situation. I didn't plan this far, and I didn't expect for the jarring revelations of the doctor. It was so easy to hate the dragons for what became of Earth. It was an effortless emotion that never let me get bored, and fueled me to protect my sister.

I'm now struggling with my hate, because it turns out the dragons, who I thought were demons who leaked from the depths of hell, are actually victims. The real villains of this story are my people. Humans are behind their own demise, as always.

I've wished the worst for this dragon. I've spent so much time ripping my skin open for feeling affection toward him, so much effort trying to keep him out. He was supposed to be a stranger. Now? Now, he is the man that admitted he has feelings for me.

"It is because I have become attached to you."

We went on an adventure, fighting with tooth and claw to keep unwanted feelings at bay, but now the walls I had to keep him out have collapsed at my feet, and I don't think I can piece it back together.

I need Daisy, and I need to get away from these disruptive feelings. They're so exhausting. I miss the days when my only worry was finding my next meal. There was never space for romance, or whatever this is.

Think, think, think, Lucky. You're many things, but stupid is not one of them.

"Doctor, I have a few questions about my father." I step forward, and as expected, the dragon follows. I turn to face him. "Can I have some privacy? It's not like I can leave the room. Respect my space, please."

After a moment of hesitation, he returns to his wall.

I walk deeper into the room and take a stool next to the doctor. My hand rests over a pencil and notepad.

"How did you meet my father?"

While I ask that, I secretly slide the pencil and notepad off the table. The doctor sees all of this, but doesn't react.

"At work. Our first project was..."

He rambles on, but I'm not listening. Fuck my father. I don't care that he gave me this immunity to dragons, because he's responsible for the downfall of humanity. It's easy to dismiss a man I don't have many memories of.

As the doctor talks, I write on the notepad— I'm captured. Help my sister and I escape the dragon, please. I will forgive what you did to Earth.

He reads the note, but doesn't take the pencil when I offer it.

"What were his hobbies?" I ask to buy myself more time. While my voice is neutral, I look at him pleadingly. I don't know if I can trust him, but he's my last hope. He knows the headquarters better than anyone.

The doctor answers, and my heart skips a beat when he takes the pencil and notepad.

Alright, I will help you. When your sister arrives, I will drug him.

Reading that unnerves me. I don't want to see the dragon hurt, especially now that I know the alleged truth. He saved me.

I ask another question, and write— Don't hurt him.

The doctor nods. We continue with our bullshit exchange until we hear footsteps approach.

I rush to my feet and run just as Daisy enters the room. She looks... clean, healthy, happy. Her hair is in two nice braids, her clothes free of filth, and lipstick brightens her lips.

Compared to her, I look like death.

A skinny man stands beside her. He's tall, and his dark eyes stare at the dragon with alarm. They're holding hands.

"Lucky?" Daisy gapes. "You... how..."

I run to her and embrace her. "I knew I would find you. Fuck, Daisy. I'm so happy to see you." I pull back to hold her shoulders and glare at the man beside her. "Did he force you to stay?"

"Um..." Daisy looks uncomfortable. "No. This is my boyfriend. His name is..."

"Boyfriend?" I blurt. Something about this isn't right.

Daisy looks uncomfortable. As if a strange, deranged woman is holding her.

"Mhm. We've been spending time together. I like this place better than the colony. The doctor gives me anything I ask for."

Of course she enjoys having things handed to her. I've always been her provider. She has had a comfortable life, even in the apocalypse.

"Daisy... did you willingly stay here, without sending as much as a message to our camp that you're okay? You couldn't go see me and come back here after telling me all of this? I nearly went crazy when you went missing." My eyes flood with tears. I think of everything I've gone through to get here. All the running, cold, and fear. I wanted to find my big sister no matter what, but all along, she didn't want to be found.

Daisy looks at her boyfriend with concern, and then at me. "I— I got... um, distracted. I forgot to reach out to you. I didn't think it was a big deal."

"Distracted with what?" I roll my eyes, and a tear falls. "With painting your lips to make kissy face at your boytoy? Do you have any FUCKING idea how selfish you are for this? It's the end of the world. You knew I would come after you. Didn't you think about all the danger I would have to cross to find you?"

Daisy shifts her weight from one leg to another. "Well... I didn't ask you to do all this for me. I didn't ask you to come. You should have just stayed in the colony. "

Who is this stranger? What is she saying? It's like my sweet, curious sister became another person.

Maybe, after all these years, she wasn't so sweet after all.

"You didn't ask when I gave you my plate after you finished your own because you were still hungry, or when I passed you my blankets, or when I worked while you had fun. You didn't have to do it because you're my sister, and I wanted to take care of you. Why, Daisy, tell me why when it was finally your turn to take care of me, you chose to play house with a strange man?"

She has no answer. She only looks at her boyfriend, as if worried that I'm making her look bad.

"Are you staying?" I whisper. "With this guy?"

"Yes. Sorry, Lucky. You should go home."

I raised hell to find this woman, and she can't even give me a genuine apology. She moved on and left me in the dust. Everyone is staring at me. I feel so fucking stupid and humiliated that I want to crawl back into the Underground and never come out. I want to shelter my shame in the shadows and stench of the tunnels.

And I will. Finally, it's time to look after myself. To live my life without putting another person first. I need to leave my sister and the dragon behind.

"Now, Doctor." I turn around, my sight blurred by tears. "Do it now."

Through my ruined sight, I can see the dragon dash toward me. He wants me in his embrace, where he's convinced I belong.

The Doctor presses a key on a computer, and gas fills the room. It smells faintly like bleach. Daisy gasps, and there's a single thud. When the room clears, the dragon is crumpled on the ground.

I look at the Doctor in shock.

He sighs. "It is a dragon defence mechanism. The scent only affects them. I had it installed in case any showed up here."

I look at the dragon crumpled on the ground.

"D—ragon?" Daisy stutters.

"He will be up in an hour," The Doctor warns. "Now is your chance. I have completed one last service to you, girl. All I ask for now is forgiveness."

"You have it," I tell him and turn to face my sister.

"You don't. Rot in hell, Daisy."