|| 𝐴𝑙𝑒𝑠𝑠 || [𝙆𝙖𝙧𝙡 𝙃𝙚𝙞𝙨𝙚𝙣𝙗𝙚𝙧𝙜]

FINAL (ENDING)

It was shivering cold outside. The trees were bare, all their leaves covered the ground, curled up and dead.
The sky seemed dull. There was no sunshine rays, nothing. Just a pool of grey clouds.
And yet, there was something about it. Something that etched a feeling of.. nostalgia

If you had thought about it, the time passed by so fast.
The switching of seasons seemed to stretch out for so long, yet it felt almost sudden. Before, it was chilly, the brightly coloured emerald leaves turning all kinds of gold, brown, orange, and red shades, before becoming an empty husk of a leaf and falling to the ground, awaiting to be covered by mounds of white, fluffy snow.

Aless had thought about it as she lay in her bed, her head turned to the window.
She struggled to take a full breath, even though she was on an oxygen machine.
Every part of her body felt painful, but it had been this way for so long that the pain felt dull, almost like normal.
She no longer pushed and fought. No longer denied the illness, as it swallowed her whole.

Heisenberg's heart felt heavy, watching her lay there, saying nothing.
He was afraid to come into her room, afraid that one tiny small movement, one slight touch or kiss on her cheek will shatter her like glass. She certainly seemed like she would.

"Mm.."
Aless turned her head slowly, to make eye contact with the man standing in her doorway.

"Hi." Heisenberg murmured quietly.
Aless smiled slightly.
"Hi." She croaked out.

Heisenberg slowly walked over, the wooden floor creaking underneath his feet.
"How are you feeling?"

Aless didn't respond, as she just turned her head back to look at the window.
He knew the answer.

"Look, Karl." She whispered. Her eyes lit up.
"It's snowing."
Heisenberg looked over at the window.

Tiny snowflakes fell gently from the sky, landing on whatever surface it possibly could and melted away.
"The first snowfall of the year." He whispered back at her, smiling.

She smiled back.

He rested his hand on hers as they watched the snow fall.

"Karl?"

"Yes, love?"

"I'm dying."

Karl looked down at her hand.
"I know, love." He murmured softly.

They said nothing more as they continued to watch the snow fall.

When Aless sighed, a part of him knew.
A part of his heart cracked.

///

"I want to go."
Heisenberg looked up at Aless in slight alarm.
"What?"

"I want to go. I'm so tired, Karl." She croaked.
"I don't want to be here, like this. It's torturing me, and it's torturing you. I know it is."

Distress swirled in his eyes.
"Please." Aless begged.

Heisenberg looked away and stood up.
He refused to allow himself to break down.
"Do, uh, do you want me to call Donna?" He cleared his throat.

Aless nodded.

He left the room. Dragging himself downstairs into the living room, his shaky hands picked up the phone.
She can't die. Not today.

But he knew that he couldn't do anything about it. He didn't want her to suffer anymore.
Stop shaking, damn it.

He dialed Donna's number.

Ring! Ring!
....
"Hello?"

Karl cleared his throat again.
"Donna." He greeted.