Aesop opened his eyes, blinking.
When did his room lights become so bright...?
"Aesop? Aesop! You're finally awake!"
He looked around, gasping when he felt pain rippling throughout his body. Rosa and Andrej were sitting around the bed, staring at him. It took a while for him to recognize it was a hospital bed that he was lying in.
"Wait what- What's going on?!"
"You've been in a coma Aesop... For months."
"Wait... Coma? Wh-what about Eli? And the others? And..."
"Aesop... You have to let go of them now."
Andrej looked nervous while Rosa had tears rolling from her eyes. Aesop, on the other hand, was confused. There was no mistaking that he had seen everyone alive only a few days ago. Eli had been lying right beside him a few moments ago. It can't be... It can't be real!
"It can't be real... Eli was beside me only a few moments ago where-"
"Aesop... Eli's dead... They're all dead..."
The building had blown up, the bomb Netherwalker planted had been the correct one. The executives had been killed on the spot instead of held captive since the Abyss feared they would plot against them. Eli had still taken the bullet for him. Jack had shielded Aesop from the flying debris following the explosion and was killed from a heavy blow. Naib could no longer take it and hung himself after drinking too much one night. Eli's body was retrieved from the office, burnt. They had kept it away and held him a proper funeral quietly. All while Aesop was unconscious in his hospital bed.
"Nothing's left Aesop. You have to let them go."
Andrej gripped his shoulder firmly. Everything was hazy suddenly. He could hear people speaking, but he didn't recognize any words, just a fuzzy noise. Andrej was quietly talking to Rosa about taking Aesop to Russia so the Abyss couldn't track him down, and he would be safe in another country. Tears fell onto his clothes.
Everything was lost. There was nothing left anymore, and everyone was dead.
Eli was dead.
He glanced at the window next to his bed. Andrej and Rosa were outside his ward, busy talking to the nurse. Reaching up, he pushed it open and glanced down at the empty street. He'd already lost everything right?
He sat up and leaned over the edge of the window.
Suppose he probably didn't have anything else to stay alive for then.
Andrej looked behind to check on Aesop. His eyes widened as he saw Aesop gradually tipping over the edge of the window.
"Aesop Carl!"
He dashed over, hand outstretched. Aesop looked behind his shoulder, tears falling down from his cheeks.
"I'm sorry... But I don't think the Mafia is complete without one person present. Even in death."
He smiled one last time.
Andrej watched in horror as his hand closed on nothing. Rosa let out a scream as her son disappeared from their view. Aesop fell through the air, the wind whistling in his ears.
I'll be with you forever Eli...
Finally... Finally he could be together with Eli as he had swore...
--------------------------
The crowd gathered around a spot on the pavement, horrified. Crimson splashed on the walls and floor in the pattern of an elegant, red rose. A body lay in the puddle, already beyond recognition. Andrej stared from above, tears falling from his eyes as Rosa screamed hysterically in the background. Aesop's smile was imprinted in his memory, how happy he had seemed when he fell.
If the Mafia isn't complete without one person present, neither is a family.
Even in death.
