The last chapter in this story. It all went by se quickly. Enjoy.

Disclaimer: I don not own Doom.

Chapter 9

It only took another fifteen minutes for the them to break through. When they did, I used the ST grenade to clear a path then I used the gun John gave me on them. Sam and I made a run for it down the corridors. Whenever one of them got in our way, I used the gun to shoot them.

"Come on, Sam!" I shout, pulling her along the corridor, the gun in my other hand.

"Penny, watch out!" She shouts back as a monster appears in front of us. I point the gun at it and try to shoot, but the tops shoots back and gets stuck. It's empty.

"Shit." I curse. "Run!" I scream and start to back away from the monster.

Sam and I are screaming as we run.

"Penny!" Sam shouts before something slams into me. I go flying and hit a wall, pain spreading from my side. Stars dance in my eyes before my vision goes dark and my mind slips into unconsciousness.

-000-

The first thing I feel as my eyelids flutter open is pain. Lots of pain. It feels like that time I cracked a rib falling out of a tree. I shift, and curse as the pain splits my side. Oh, I take that back. This is worse. Much much worse.

I clutch my side to try and hold in the pain, and lift my head to look around. I'm in a dark corridor, yellow emergency lights lighting the way. There's no one around, it's completely empty. I feel my aching head and there's a two inch gash on the back of my head, but the blood is now sticky, matting my hair.

I shift slowly again and lift myself off the ground, testing how much freedom of movement I have. It's not much. My chest hurts, my head hurts, my whole body hurts. What hit me? Probably one of the monsters. I become panicked as that thought crosses my mind. I was attacked by one of the monsters! Did it try to infect me? I feel my neck for any cuts or gashes, but there seems to be nothing. No wound. I'm not infected.

I breathe a heavy sigh of relief and collapse against the wall. I really don't want to turn into one of those things.

As much as I'd just love to sit here and wait till someone comes to get me, there's isn't anyone. I wonder how long I've been out? Not more than an hour I'm sure. And where's Sam? I hope she's okay.

"Come on, Penny. Time to move." I say quietly to psych myself up.

I take a deep breath and push myself up onto my feet. Yeah, definitely a broken rib or two, but my legs still seem fine.

I move quietly and slowly along the corridor, my hand running along the wall as I walk. My other hand is glued to my side.

So far so good. I haven't run into any monsters, but there are numerous bodies. And lots of blood. I'm still stuck in this nightmare.

"Where are you, Sam?" I whisper the question as I peek around the corner. It's empty. Okay, good sign.

I walk along the corridor when a sound stops me dead in my tracks. I can't pinpoint where it came from, and I can't figure out what is. It sounds almost like...dragging?

A door slides open to reveal a tall man, still in the process of transforming into a monster, standing in the doorway. His eyes are alien and his mouth is slack and open. His clothes are somewhat tattered and bloodied. It's Noah.

I stop breathing completely as he looks at me and growls. I take a step back but it just ends up setting things into motion. He lunges for me, and I make a run for it. I run down the corridor, though not as fast as I could, the pain in my abdomen reaching new heights. I just hope I don't pierce a lung.

Suddenly, something wraps itself around my ankle and I go crashing down into the floor. "Ahg!" I cry out as a jolt of pain shoots through my entire body. The pain is so intense I nearly pass out, but the pressure around my ankle and fear keeps me from slipping into oblivion. I kick at Noah with my other foot to try and get him to leg go. After a well aimed kick in his face, he finally releases me, but as I try to back away from him, he jumps on top of me and yells into my face with anger. Small droplets of spit fly everywhere and his breath is hot on my face.

I scream as hard and as loud as I possibly can as my end draws near at the hands of my stupid ex-boyfriend.

Gunshots ring in my ears and Noah flies away, blood spattering everywhere. Even though the creature is gone, I can't move. My body seems to be frozen in place and all I can do is stare up at the ceiling, my body shaking slightly from shock.

"Penny!"

Hey, that's my name. Hands lift me up off the ground and I'm pulled into someone's chest.

"Penny."

I look up into familiar hazel green eyes and my heart clenches. "John? You're alive." My voice cracks as I begin to cry for the millionth time that day. I think I'm really a crybaby. I lift my hands to his face, feeling the reality of his presence. "You're really here."

"Yeah." He smiles down at me.

"You're okay."

"I'm fine." He says and I wrap my arms around his neck and hug him.

"I thought I lost you." I whisper.

"You didn't lose me." He says in a calming voice. His hold on me tightens, and presses against one of my broken ribs, making me cry out in pain.

"Shit." I groan through grit teeth.

"What's wrong?" John asks, concern etched in his eyes and face.

"M-my ribs, I think they're broken." I answer, huffing as the agony subsides slightly.

He mutters a curse under his breath, too quiet for me to hear. "Okay, I'm getting you out of here." He says, as he starts to lift me to my feet. I immediately feel a problem.

"Ow, ow, ow. My ankle, I think I twisted it when Noah grabbed me." I scowl, shifting all my weight on my other foot. What isn't hurt or broken?

"Put your arm around me." John orders, sliding his arm around me, supporting me while being careful of my broken ribs, his gun in his other hand. I do what he says and use him to keep most of the weight off my injured foot. "What happened to Sam?" He asks, as we walk down the corridor.

"I don't know." I whisper. "I got hit and fell unconscious. When I came too, she was gone. I'm so sorry, John."

He clenches his jaw and mutters yet another curse, but when he glances at me, his eyes just look sad. "No, I'm sorry." He says eventually. "I'm the one who failed to protect you two."

"But you did everything you could-"

"It wasn't enough!" He hisses angrily.

I stop him from walking and force him to face me. "John, you died trying to protect us. You didn't fail us." John stares at me silently, but his face says he's not buying it. "Besides, we're still alive, and Sam is alive. We just need to find her." I say with more confidence than what I really feel.

"We?" He asks, slight amusement in his voice.

"Yes, we. So let's move out, soldier." I say in a commanding voice, pointing onwards.

John chuckles, before we start moving again. "You're something else, Penny." He says quietly

"Yeah, I know. I'm a dork. And a scaredy cat. And a really big crybaby." I admit nonchalant.

"Yes." He admits, and I throw him a dirty look. He's not supposed to agree, even if it is true. "But..." He continues. "...you've always been so sure about doing the right thing, no matter what others thought of you. It's the reason I knew you'd never have authorised the C24 testing on Stahl if you knew. And it's one of the reasons I fell in love with you."

He says it so easily that I can't help but flush bright red. "One of them? There are others?" I ask curiously.

He looks at me with a raised eyebrow. "Maybe someday I'll tell you the rest." He scoffs with mild amusement. We slowly climb up a set of stairs in silence, so far not seeing any monsters alive. "What about you? What are your reasons?"

I think about it for moment and shrug. "I don't have any. I just love everything about you."

We stop walking and John looks at me, his eyes peering into my very soul like he always does. The world seems to dissolve around us and he's the only thing in my world. Our faces drift closer naturally until a noise interrupts the moment.

John instantly shifts his attention in the direction of the noise while I lament the end of a precious moment in the centre of a nightmarish hell. He then pushes me gently against the wall, and gestures with his now free hand for me to stay and be quiet.

I do what he says and stay put, leaning against the wall for support as I watch him move on. He walks forward slowly, his gun up and ready to shoot at whatever might come our way.

He disappears around the corner and after a few agonising seconds, I hear gun shots, and then growling. The gunfire ceases but the grunts and growling continue. Unable to just stand here and wait, I hobble forward, around the corner.

The darkened corridor opens out into a wide dimly lit atrium. When I spot John, he's hit by one of the creatures with the lower half of its body attached to a wheel chair. It's Pinky. John hits the wall, and slumps to the ground unconscious. Pinky goes after him and starts biting him.

"John!" I scream his name in fear, and sigh with relief when he starts fighting back. John grabs a flashlight from beside him and slips it into the creature's mouth. He then slides out from under it and grabs a chainsaw lying on the floor to defend himself. John side steps another lunge and brings down the chainsaw on Pinky's back, severing the spinal column.

The creature is still attached to the wheelchair but it is no longer able to control it. John uses the opportunity to discard the chainsaw and retrieve his gun before shooting Pinky in the head, killing it.

I lean my back against the wall, feeling really tired and a little dizzy. Not to mention my headache is getting worse by the minute. "Penny? You don't look so good." John says from right in front of me.

I smile wryly. "I look better than I feel."

John takes my arm and slips it over his shoulder then pulls me close. "Just hang on, it'll be over soon." He says and pulls me forward.

We hurry across the atrium and go through the door to arrive at the elevator. Above the elevator is a digital clock and its counting down. There's less than 2 minutes until lockdown is over. There are bodies littered everywhere, and to the right, the wall is glowing blue.

"Bio Force energy." I whisper. "He can't be..." I leave the sentence unfinished and glance up at John's face. He frowns in thought, and I can see him visibly tense.

"Stay here." He says quietly, and deposits me beside the elevator door.

I watch him shift his grip on his gun and move forward until he disappears around the corner. But Sam still isn't here, she's still missing, so I can't just wait here.

I push off from the doors and test the weight on my ankle. It still hurts like hell, but I can bear it. I slowly hobble after John in search of my best friend. A few metres down, I find John crouching by a female body in white with blonde hair.

"Sam!" I cry out and drop by her side, cradling her head.

"Penny." Sam whispers quietly. She's still alive!

"I told you to wait." John chastises me unhappily.

I glance at him. "Yeah, right. Not when my best friend is still out here." I retort, hugging Sam close. I feel Sam relax into me.

"I thought...I thought you were dead. Both of you." She breathes.

"Never." I say, kissing the top of her head, tears of relief flooding my eyes.

"Last man standing, Reaper." An all too familiar voice breaks my relief. We look up and see Sarge standing a few feet away from us. "I think she needs medical attention." He says.

I glance at John, and he gives me a look saying it's going to okay, before he focuses all his attention on Sarge. Even from here I can see the wound on his neck.

"Penny, get Sam to the elevator and stay there." John says quietly, before standing, his eyes never leaving Sarge.

"Okay. Good luck." I say back quietly. Sam begins to lift herself but she can't walk and I can't carry her, so I crawl along the floor and pull Sam with me.

"Where are the survivors Kid found?" John asks as we turn the corner, the voices getting quieter.

"I took care of that problem." Sarge responds.

Whatever they say next, they're now out of earshot so I can't tell.

"Quarantine complete. Elevators back online." Says the female computerised voice.

"Come on, Sam. We're almost there." I say, pulling on her arm as I shift back.

Sam's face is a mixture of pain and exhaustion. She's trying as hard as she can to move but I can tell she's struggling big time. By the time we reach the elevator, evidence of John's and Sarge's fight are apparent as a Bio Force energy wave hits the wall where John was standing. Bullets from his gun mean he's still alive and fighting.

I feel as though I'm about to pass out from the exertion. I prop Sam up against the wall inside the elevator and look her over. She may be in worse shape than me. Her eyes search for mine.

"I'm sorry I left you." She says, her eyes tearing up. "I thought you were dead."

"Shh. It's okay. I'm...kind of okay." I respond, pushing the hair out of her face.

Sam runs her hands over my neck. "No wounds." She says with a slight smile.

I shake my head. "I'm fine."

She grips my shoulders and pulls me into a hug. "I'm so glad you're alright." She whispers. "I don't know what I would've done if you...if..."

"I know." I respond, resting my head on her shoulder.

We remain like this for a short while until I start to feel uneasy about John. He's been gone too long, even if he is up against Sarge.

"Something's happened." I say, moving to look at Sam straight in the eyes. She looks drowsy and coherent. "I'm going to go check on him. I'll be right back, okay?"

Sam nods and let's me go. I stand and make my way towards John, albeit a little unsteadily. John and Sarge aren't far. They're in the ark chamber. The light is dark but I can make them out. Even with no light I can see Sarge turning into a monster. He's grunting and growling and is seriously aggro. A metal rod is wrapped around Sarge's hand with one end stabbing John's hand right through. Both are struggling against each other.

Seeing where they are, an idea pops into my head and I make my way to where the controls are for ark travel.

"Standby for Ark travel." The computer says, when I activate the ark.

"John!" I shout his name to get his attention.

"Do it!" He yells back, fending off Sarge.

I hit the button. "Ark travel portal in progress." Silver liquid begins to float at the centre of the chamber and forms a flowing ball. It begins to suck in everything around it.

John swings Sarge around until his feet get caught in the ball. Sarge is being sucked in, the only thing keeping him there is the metal rod wrapped around his hand and John's hand. Sarge hangs there, looking at the portal and struggling against it. John struggles not to be pulled in with him.

"5."

"4."

"3."

"2."

"1." As the computer says one, John flattens his hand and the metal rips through it, freeing Sarge. He disappears into the portal with a flash, growling in anger. John then picks up an ST grenade.

"Like the Kid said." John says, pulling the top and pressing the top. "Go to hell." He then throws the grenade into the ark portal.

In a sudden flash, the Ark portal disappears into itself, error flashing in red on the computer screen. I sigh with obvious relief and let myself slide to the ground. I'm really tired. John looks back at me before making his way over, and crouching in front of me. He runs his hands over my face, pulling my hair out of my eyes.

"Come on, let's get out of here." He says quietly before lifting me up in his arms. I slip my arm around his neck and rest my head in the crook of his neck.

He carries me out of the Ark chamber and to the elevator. Sam his is still there, though she seems to be unconscious now, but still breathing.

John doesn't let me go and carries me into the elevator before pressing the panel to send it up.

"Almost home." John says quietly, pressing a light kiss to my forehead as the elevator travels to the surface. Our nightmare is finally over, but as I feel the pressure of the data disks still in my pocket, I have a feeling it may only be the beginning of a new era for humanity. As John tightens his grip on me, I smile, the safety of his arms around me squashing my ill feeling. As long as John is still with me, things will be okay.

The end.

Or is it?

Well that's it guys. Hope you enjoyed the story, please review and let me know what you think, if I should do a sequel. Thanks.