by Danny
"Wha... what?" gasped Danny Hearn.
"You're injured," said Hal, his second brain.
"Hal... I got stabbed..."
"WE got stabbed."
"By... Sam?"
"Looks like it."
"Why...?"
"Hard to say, really."
"The world's going all black, Hal..."
"I noticed. I see through your eyes."
"I don't wanna die..."
"I think that decision's been taken out of your hands," said a third voice.
"Who?"
"Wrong question," the voice replied.
"Huh...?"
"Doesn't matter who I am. I'm your conscience. I'm en evil spirit. I'm a hallucination caused by severe trauma. I'm the results of this magic place you're in."
Danny said, "That doesn't make any sense..."
"We crossed that line a long time ago," said Hal.
"What do you think you're doing with these freaks?" asked the third voice.
"The team? They're... they're my friends..."
"You don't have any friends. Your friends are gone."
"All dead..." said Danny.
"Worse than dead. They'll never be born. They never existed," the voice said.
"No... I remember them... I remember the future... I... I have my memories..."
The voice said, "Memories don't mean shit. All that matters is the here and now... and here and now, you're stuck with a bunch of freaks who you really shouldn't trust as far as you can throw them. And with a busted rib and a split open side, you really ain't throwing anything all that far."
Danny said, "My friends..."
"Stop saying that. They're not your friends," insisted the voice.
"They took me in... they helped me... when I came to the past..."
"HELPED you? Helped you what? Be persecuted by corporations? Travel from fight to fight, never accomplishing anything but to put your life on the line day after day?"
Danny said, "I'm... I'm trying. To be a hero..."
"Well, these ain't the right people to be helping you..." the voice said.
"They're my friends!"
"How well do you know them? Okay, maybe a couple of them. But how much do you know about any of them? Especially the new guys!"
"New guys?" asked Danny.
"Some gun-crazy psychopath. A magic Crouching Tiger-looking bastard who won't tell you a thing about where he's from or why he's here. 'Amnesia,' my ass... and that other guy. The man has a skull for a face!"
Danny didn't respond.
"You agree," said the voice.
"No," said Danny.
The voice said, "That pause told me more than your pathetic whining ever could. Of course you agree. I'm just telling you what you KNOW, deep down inside."
"Why are you saying these things? Who are you?" asked Danny.
"Hell, I'm just a figment of your imagination. Your paranoia! This is a dream, you little punk!" said the voice.
"I don't understand..."
The voice said, "Let me make it clear -- you can't trust these people. Especially those new guys. You don't belong here. You don't belong ANYWHERE. Isn't that right, Danny?"
No response.
"Danny? Dann..."
"Danny? ... Danny?"
"Huh?" Danny muttered.
"Okay, you're awake," said a deep, familiar voice.
"Grimm?"
"Stay here," Grimm said. "We'll get you patched up soon enough."