This is my first finished (and posted) fanfic. I don't really write fanfic, but I have horrible writer's block for the story I'm working on, so I finally decided to cave into the pressure (oh no!) after playing Other M. Obviously, I do not own Metroid because it is owned by the lovely people at Nintendo who steal away my life.

PLEASE feel free to critique and comment because I live for this stuff. I don't like the first paragraph, so suggestions would be helpful. This "story" doesn't have the plot line I usually like to put into something and is fairly short (I'm working on another that will be much longer and more original :P ), but hopefully someone will like this. If they don't, there is always room for my writing to make improvement. :) The first half is based off of a cutscene from Other M, but the second half is new.

Adam thought he had it all planned out. He would let Samus know of his new missions for her, and then complete his own in Sector Zero, keeping all emotion to a minimum. He assumed it would make things easier for the both of them. Although he would never fool himself into thinking that Samus would take the news well, he found the pain unbearable as he walked away from her, holding his gun ready in his hands, while she screamed and pleaded for him to wait for her. He could hear every staggered footstep she made as she reached out for him – trying in vain to reactivate her Power Suit. He had not wanted to shoot her, but the shot would now save her life twice.

When the first door locked behind him and the air-tight seal to the Sector opened, Adam could hear Samus pounding on the glass, desperately calling his name. His last words of good luck did not seem enough. He came to a halt, hesitating before deciding to give her one final message. When he turned half way back to her, he saw her pressed against the glass, tears welling up in her eyes. Just like in the good old days, after every single briefing, he asked her, "No objections, right lady?"

Samus lowered her arms from the glass on the door. She stood still for a moment in shock and dismay, before slowly raising her shaking hand to a thumbs-up, but then quickly turned it upside down. A sob choked through her, and she pressed her hands back onto the glass.

Adam nodded understandingly, and couldn't help but give her a smile. He had never expected to see her again in the first place, so just to be able to speak with her was a gift. He did not exactly know what was occurring on the BOTTLESHIP when he arrived with the rest of the Platoon, but he was prepared to take action in case of the worst. It comforted him some to know that he would also be saving her precious life in the process. He took one last look at Samus before turning back to start his last mission.

In a way, he was going out like his brother had – but unlike Ian, Adam had complete control over his fate, and it didn't make things easy… even though it would save someone he cared deeply for.

For the most part, Sector Zero was eerily quiet. He didn't notice any Metroids, only lights that seemed to cover the walls. He cautiously wandered around parts of the sector, starting to charge his gun to full power. Finally, he reached a central room. A large glass tube containing several larval Metroids was stretched from the floor to the ceiling in the center of the room. Numerous wires and small, thick tubes were connected to it from computers and wall circuits. It seemed this was the main powerhouse of the Sector. It was obviously where the Metroids, and probably Mother Brain herself, were recreated.

He aimed his gun to the large tube and let go of the trigger – firing a powerful blast that shattered the glass with a large wave of electricity. Liquid flooded out, and the larval Metroids inside were too weak to stand a chance. Adrenaline pulsed through him, and his aggravation grew as he recharged his gun and fired another shot into the computers that lined the wall.

It was an odd way of redemption, but it was how Adam viewed it. It made up for all the pain and regrets he had. It was redemption for the horrible fate he let his young brother fall into. It was his redemption for his bioweapons report, which, although intended for good, became the nightmarish situation he had to destroy. And finally, it was redemption for the fact that he always felt like he had let Samus down. He could only hope for her safety and success now.

The mature Metroids from all around the Sector had picked up on the waves the gun gave off with each blast of destruction. They started to propel themselves through the air, heading towards Adam from every direction. He let off another shot. Then another. The Metroids slowly swarmed closer. Adam was determined to set the Sector off to self-destruct before they reached him. He set one shot at a couple who were the closest to him, not expecting to kill them, but hoping to push them away to earn him some more time.

The Metroids easily dodged the attack, letting the shot create a large hole in the ceiling of the room. Wires frayed, sparked, and fell while some smoke cleared away. Then, he heard a large unhinging sound from outside, and he stumbled as he felt the Sector pull away from the rest of the BOTTLESHIP. The speakers came on, giving him his message of completion:

Emergency in Sector Zero. Disengaging unit.

The Metroids were also thrown back, but they soon recovered and were starting once again to get Adam. They were agitated – showing their rows of teeth off and shrieking as they moved closer.

Emergency in Sector Zero. Disengaging unit.

Adam moved to the very middle of the room. He was being closed in, but he managed to maintain his typical serious expression and held his gun at the ready. He thought again of Samus. Only she could go and defeat both Ridley and Mother Brain. He told her this when he had caught her by the arm to prevent her from falling what seemed only moments ago. He only wished she also knew how truly proud of her he was – how proud he had always been.

The Metroids were but a few feet away from him now.

Emergency in Sector Zero. Disengaging unit.

Then Adam knew no more.