With a pop, the glass began to raise from in front of you, knocking you into reality once more, allowing you access to the real world rather than just ice and cold- actually you were in Antarctica, that was all there was there anyway. You expected there to be warmth swarming you as your cryogenic sleep chamber opened, but the Ecopoint Research Facility somehow managed to maintain the freezing temperatures of the pod. The chilling air was almost normal to you, from living in Antarctica for over a year, and then being in cyrostasis, it wasn't much of a shock. However, shock did come from the gentle sobs you heard.

Looking around you saw Mei, your colleague and close friend, sat in front of one of your fellow colleague's pods, crying, head in hands.

"Mei," you croaked, having not spoken for a fair time.

A loud sniff came, as she wiped the tears under her thick framed glasses. "Y/N."

"What's up buttercup?" You asked instantly moving to crouch down next to her, hating to see her in tears.

It hurt you to see her in pain. She was such a pure and innocent soul, if someone or something had caused her pain, it must be the truest of evil. Her smile brought you great joy, and it was a horrible thing to see it missing.

"I thought... you... they are... they are all..." she rambled pulling you into a bone crushing hug, hiding her face in your shoulder, blocking all words from reaching your ears.

"Hey... hey..." you whispered, rubbing her back. "Calm down. It'll be okay."

Her head shook, nuzzling it closer to you, burying her face in the crook of your neck. Quickly she pulled away, her glasses askew, her eyes bright red and bloodshot from all of the escaping tears.

"It's not okay," she cried. "They're all gone. I thought you were too. The pods broke, I don't know how, they all broke."

You were vaguely confused as you looked around to see all the other pods closed with red flashing lights on them signifying that they weren't working. Only two, one which had been yours, were open, showing full functionality.

"How... how could that happen?" You asked, rather slack jawed and confused, your heart having not fully broken as you adjusted to what reality had thrown at you.

"I don't know. The storm must have been worse than we first anticipated or a technical malfunction... I am so glad you're okay though," she whispered pained by every word to escape her lips, leaning in to hold you tight once more.

"I'm so glad you're okay too."

~*~

Written by Charlotte.