Final Step


That was the first thing that I felt when I woke up. I could feel myself breathing; my chest moving up and down. The pain spread throughout my entire body like poison; and even though it hurt, I couldn't scream. Nothing came out of my mouth. I couldn't open my eyes; I couldn't move. It was like that time before...

Wait, before? What happened...before?

...where am I?

I was still frozen; locked in place as if I was bound. There was something holding me back, but strangely I couldn't feel anything touching me; everything felt numb. Yet there was that familiar movement; I was still breathing slowly...steadily. It was weird; the pain had vanished.

Who am I..?

Darkness surrounded me for who knows how long. It felt like an eternity. Am I dead?

Suddenly pictures started to cloud my already black vision. Everything was fuzzy, but I could make out one color out of it all.

Red. Blood red.

I let out a groan; trying to actually move this time. More pictures came in, this time clearer than the previous ones and played itself like an old video. I was in a house; standing by the doorway to a bright living room with yellow walls and a bright ceiling. There were three people in there...two of which were taller than I was. One of them was standing right beside me and talking to me; yet I couldn't hear what he said. The third person in the room then approached me; he was around my height except for his brown, spiky hair that seemed to defy gravity somehow. The brunette smiled and outstretched his hand towards me.

"Hi, my name's Max Taylor. You can just call me Max. What's your name?"

I hesitated. "...Rex." slowly, I took the hand he offered and then his grin grew bigger. "I'm sure we'll be great friends Rex!"

I couldn't help but smile back. "Yeah. I'm sure we will."


My eyes snapped open; the sudden jolt blurring my vision. All the pain and confusion was gone, and I found myself staring at a blank colored ceiling. "Huh?" I managed to mutter out. I found breathing hard; but I could still do it without wincing or anything. My sense of touch came back after that; my fingers felt the soft cloth that I was lying down on. I couldn't lift my head, but from what I can see by moving my head ever so slightly, I had a good guess as to where I am.

I'm in the hospital. I'm actually...alive.

I sighed in relief; it was only then I noticed that I wasn't alone. I felt something else breathing beside me; it was peaceful, quiet. I smiled; Ace had been sleeping beside me the entire time under the blanket. I wondered for a moment how he had kept himself hidden for so long; the last time I checked pets aren't allowed to sleep in hospital rooms. I think-

Wait, what happened to all the dinosaurs?

I was about to sit up when I realized that the slightest movement made my entire body hurt; most especially my limbs. That meant that I really was hit by that car. That wasn't a dream at all. So does that mean that everything that happened up to when I woke up was also a dream? It can't felt too real to simply be a dream...

My train of thought got interrupted when I heard a small click from the door at the right of my bed. I wanted to know what was going on, but then I decided to try something different. I closed my eyes and steadied my breathing; as if acting that I was still asleep. I waited for a voice; the footsteps in the room indicated that only one person entered. "'s been three days..."

It's Max...

"The doctor said that you would wake up soon. But what if they're wrong..?" I sensed doubt, fear, and sadness in his voice. Has it been that long since I got in to that accident? "Rex...please wake up..." his voice grew shaky; I almost thought that there were tears in his eyes. Then again, maybe I was right. He did sound pretty wrecked...

A few seconds of silence passed; none of us spoke or made a sound...until I heard Max sniffle. He really was crying..."I...I don't want you to die..."

"And leave you alone? Who do you think I am Max?" I replied softly with a smirk. The brunette then yelled in shock and fell on the floor with a thud. "R-rex! You''re awake?"

I turned to him while opening my eyes and smiled. "Yeah. A little sore though-" I didn't get to finish my sentence because my friend then hugged me. Tightly. The sudden movement woke Ace up beside me who led him to scratch unintentionally at Max; causing him to fall back; again. "Ow!"

The Carnotaurus made a small huff and turned to me; his face suddenly shocked. 'Rex?'

I was taken aback. ""

It was the blue dinosaur's turn to smirk. 'You had me lost there...suddenly passing out in the middle of the meteor shower.' I couldn't help but gape. So everything did happen? Wait, I could understand Ace? "So that wasn't a dream?" I muttered; stunned.

'It looks like it. It seems that I also passed out a few moments after you did. When I woke up, something pinched my tail so I scratched it.' he glanced at the floor with the brunette now wincing and holding his arm to check the small wound. 'I guess that thing happened to be Max.'

The next things that happened were a bit of a blur. Everyone suddenly came through the door; shocked and happy to see me alive and well; sitting up on the bed. I was then hugged more than ten times; tears were shed that could maybe fill a bath tub, and I was given the news that I could leave the hospital soon after a couple of check-ups to see if I'm truly alright. Dad told me though that most of my injuries have miraculously healed over the past few days and I can leave the accident behind without a scar or anything of the sort. So in a sense, I could leave that tragic memory behind as if it never happened.

But what none of them knew was that it did leave me with something that I'll never forget. I experienced first-hand about the dinosaurs' extinction. I could talk with my partner. I never did get to tell them all that before I left with my real parents. It's strange I was able to remember everything so clearly even though it was months ago.

There were times when I wasn't studying that I wondered how Max and the others are doing back in their time...and sometimes I would question on how I was able to travel back in time after I got hit by that car. Either way, I was alive; well and breathing even after all that. I don't think anything else matters...especially since I'm back with my real parents in my real timeline.

Yet as I thought to myself before, I could never forget something like that as if it never happened. I could never forget the D-Team, the people that took care of me the first couple years of my life; the people that I stayed with for as long as I can recall. So I also can never forget the dinosaurs that also helped me when I was all alone. Of course, none of them ever knew about the experience I had. No, I didn't tell anyone, not even my parents.

The only one that knows is Ace who was always and will forever be my partner. He knows that too, and that is one secret we both share together.

The End

A/N : I have no idea how to write the final final part for this sorry if the last words were pretty bad. Anyway, wow. Can't believe it. It wasn't my original intention to finish this now...but here I am readying to post this to the world...the last chapter for One Step Forward.

Thank you, all of you who have reviewed and supported this story. ^ ^ I really appreciate that you like this story (since before I swear this was just another one of my random ideas.) Again, thanks. Please review one last time everyone? :) Haha...I suck at final words.