"What Am I To You?"

Final Battle

Maverick stepped to Ices side. Ice looked at Maverick weakly. His eyes looked like they were fading, his hands were shaking, he just looked like he was....

Dying.

Maverick stood by him and teared up. He reached over shakingly and took Ices hand into his.

Ice squeezed Mavericks hand.

"I... I guess my fight is soon going to end?" Ice said quietly. Maverick held back his tears. "Y-yes..."

Ice smiled weakly and nodded. "Sad I can't see my grandchildren." He said. Maverick was going to say something when Phoenix was wheeled in. Everyone looked.

"Girl you need to be resting." Coyote said. Phoenix shook her head as Bob moved her over next to Maverick.

"Hey dad...," Phoenix said to him. Tears filled her eyes as she stood up weakly. "I-I gave birth to the twins... do you want to meet them?" She said tiredly.

Ice immediately tried to sit up. He winced until Maverick helped him up. Phoenix placed either one in his weak arms.

"The girls name is Gabriella Frost Trace, and the boy is Tommy Pete Trace." She said as tears started to prick her eyes.

Ice was held up by Maverick and Rooster as he stared at the babies in his arms. "Tommy and Gabriella... such beautiful children." Tears fell off of his face.

He leaned forward and kissed their heads. "Grow big and strong for me, okay?" He said as he stared at them a little bit longer.

"I-I'm so proud of you all..." he said as he carefully handed Bob and Phoenix back their children. Maverick and rooster laid him back down. The rest of the group couldn't look at him without breaking into tears.

"You all gave me a family, children, grandchildren, milestones, and just pure happiness...." Ice teared up as he cringed in pain.

"I thank you all for everything.... For everything..." he said quietly. He started to fade in and out. He was so happy everyone came to say bye, but he didn't want them to watch him die.

"I don't want you all to... to watch me ... If you all can step out..." he said quietly.

Phoenix rushed over to his side. "Thank you so much for being my father, for walking me down the aisle, for taking care of me, and advocating for me." Tears raced down her face.

"We will miss you." She kissed his head. Ice smiled weakly.

"Thank you for being my daughter." Ice said. Rooster held ices other hand.

"You were one of the most critical role models in my life. I don't want to lose you, but it can't... it can't be helped. Love you so much dad." Rooster said as he looked down at him. Ice held his hand as he looked at him.

"I'm proud of you kid.... Y-you gave me and your father the dream we have always wanted. T-thank you..."

Bob walked over and looked at Ice. "T-thank you for being the role model I needed. You took care of me... thank you." Ice nodded slightly as a nurse came in and ushered everyone out.

Everyone started to say goodbyes as the nurse was ushering them all out except Maverick.

Ice coughed harshly and cringed in pain. Maverick simply stood there in a pained silence. Ices eyes started to fade.

He looked at Maverick. "Thank you... thank you for marrying me. You made me so happy all my life, I'm s-sorry I'm leaving you here..." ice started to cry.

Maverick teared up and squeezed his hand. "I-it's okay. You'll finally be out of pain..." he lifted his hand and kissed his hand, he kissed his forehead, his cheek, and then him.

"You were the light in my life.... You made me the happiest man in the world. You gave me a family, a purpose, and a reason to come home." Maverick said as he looked at him.

Ice smiled softly as his eyes closed. "I can say the same to you..." his hand loosened in mavericks. Ice gripped his hand as he struggled to breathe.

"A-at least I got to see my grandkids with you..."Ices heart rate monitor start to slow. Mavericks eyes closed as he felt his heart to break.

"At... at least we got to do that." Maverick said as the heart beat monitor started to go almost silent.

Maverick prayed for something to keep his husband with him longer. Anything, he wanted to keep ice here until the monitor flatlined.

Maverick fell to his knees and cried out in anguish. He gripped the side of the bed and cried as he heard the door open slightly.

"It's not fair...!" He covered his face and felt his heart shatter into thousands of pieces. He never thought he'd have to experience this again.

All the memories of them raced through his mind. The feeling of being lost and alone struck him harder than ever.

The nurse walked over to him, and helped him up as other doctors and nurses rushed past him. He prayed maybe something would make ices eyes open.

But in that grave moment, a nurse covered ice with a white sheet. Maverick felt everything slow down to slow motion.

He was gone.

Maverick stepped out of the room with the nurse and saw the group. Maverick stared blankly at the ground. The group felt a pain fill the hallway.

Rooster walked over to Maverick and pulled him into a tight hug. "I'm sorry dad..." rooster said as he held back tears.

"I-I miss him..." Maverick said.

"I-I know... we all do. I'm so sorry dad." Rooster said as Maverick started to cry.

The hallway was filled with tears and pain. A pain that most of them had never felt before.

The dagger squad was now missing an important dagger. Someone who fought for them, and recognized their efforts.

For some, ice was their hero, and for all of them Ice was their family.

And they were his too.