Open Case File [COMPLETED]

Lost (Link's POV)

Yes! That's right, Link's POV when we haven't seen him in a long time. Also you technically (in the vague way of saying you wanted more Link) asked for this so you can't really be mad at me for it.

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Link took a sip of his coffee and lowered his mug. He stared at it but all he could see was the plate of eggs and bacon waiting on the counter. Another mug of coffee sat by the plate. Ever since that day, a stone had lived in his chest, and bit by bit it grew. He didn't think it would ever go away.

"Do you need me to take it today?" Maddy asked, behind him.

Link shook his head and finished off his coffee. Collecting the plate and mug, he turned to face his wife. She watched him with eyes tinged with sadness. It had been a month since Carter... Since she died.

He wondered if Maddy held a stone in her own heart.

"You sure?" she asked.

"No."

Nodding, she kissed him lightly on the cheek and cupped his face. She didn't say anything. There was nothing to say, they had said it all. When she let go, Link stepped over to where Harrison sat in his highchair smashing his food, and kissed his son on his head.

Harrison laughed up at him and smacked his hand again on the tray. The sound warmed Link as it always did. It gave him the strength to cross the hallway.

No matter how many times Link had seen Donovan, it always felt jarring. Instead of the neat, clean-shaven, well-built man he'd always known, there was a scruffy, disheveled, shrunken man.

Link could no longer see his confident, dependable friend.

The man he'd known was gone.

Donovan lay on the couch in the clothes he'd worn the day before. He wasn't asleep. Link didn't know if he slept at all. Dark circles lived under his eyes. He didn't have the shocked, lost look he'd had the first few weeks after Carter's death, instead there was a hollow emptiness about him.

Steve and Maggie had taken Kennedy away a week ago, deciding Donovan needed space. But Link didn't know if that helped. Kennedy had forced Donovan to move and act. But Link also saw how much Kennedy looked like Carter and acted as a constant reminder to Donovan of his loss.

"I brought food," Link said.

Donovan nodded but didn't look away from the ceiling. Link nudged Donovan's legs and slowly Donovan sat up. He accepted the plate and mug. When Link brought him a fork, Donovan accepted that too.

He ate but slowly as if he couldn't remember why he needed to eat at all. Link said nothing, only sat beside his friend. He felt like they lived in a strange parallel universe. How many times had Donovan sat next to Link when he was younger, not saying a thing just being there so Link knew he wasn't alone?

Donovan only ate half the food before he got up and left the living room. The door to the bathroom closed and Link heard the shower running. It was a simple act but it gave Link a tiny bit of hope. Donovan hadn't even remembered to shower early on. Now he did.

Link clung to that with all the ferocity of a terrified child.

He'd already lost one best friend, he feared losing another.

When Donovan reemerged he was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt that didn't fit him like they used to. He pulled on his shoes near the door and grabbed his keys. Link didn't question it, he went with him.

"I can drive," Link said, taking the keys from Donovan as they rode the elevator down.

Donovan didn't argue.