The Broken Places (Septiplier)

I Lost a Friend (Saying Goodbye)

A/N Yes this is how I'm deciding to go with this. This chapter switched to first tense because, well, idk why. It just did. Please don't yell at me in the comments or hate the story or anything like that because of what is about to happen. This is just how I've planned it to go and I am not sorry. This is my work, I can end it how I like to. This is indeed the end, but there may be a sequel depending on popular demand.

The video is not mine.

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T W O  M O N T H S  L  A T E R

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Jack's condition has gotten worse. After another month he was put on life support, having yet to wake up, his body started failing. The doctors had said there was nothing more they could do and that Jack's body was simply giving up. There was no fight left to fight.

~

"Mark, it's time to let him go." His mother's voice is far away and Mark refuses to look at her.

Jack is still on the bed, his face pale and haggard. It's been three months since the crash and he hasn't woken up. The doctors know he isn't going to, and his family decided to pull the plug a week ago. Mark wasn't involved in that choice, obviously.

"Mark, honey, you have to let him go. He isn't there anymore, sweetheart. He's gone. Jack is gone and it's time to move on." His mother's voice trembles, and her hand tightens on his shoulder.

Mark shrugs her away, gathering Jack's cool, soft hand in both of his own. His eyes fill with tears and his voice shakes as he speaks in a hoarse whisper.

"Give me a minute to say goodbye, please."

Footsteps leave the room and the door closes quietly. Mark takes a deep breath, inhaling slowly through his mouth and exhaling through his mouth. He crawls into bed with Jack, slowly, carefully, so as not to jostle the still, quiet body resting on it. 

He settles himself and gently maneuvers Jack so the taller man is laying against his chest. Mark presses his face against Jack's forehead, tears spilling down his cheeks. The two bodies in the bed tremble with the force of Mark's sobs, but the machine beeping beside the bed doesn't change in pace. 

"Jack, I need you to wake up. Just for a moment, just to let me say goodbye and that I love you and that I am so sorry for this. For everything. This is all my fault. I'd give anything to trade places with you and I am so sorry that I can't. I'm sorry that I've done this to you. It shouldn't be you, it shouldn't."

Jack remains motionless and, after what seems like an eternity, the bed finally stops shaking as Mark's sobs are once again brought under control.

"I love you." He murmurs into Jack's hair quietly, tenderly. He twines their fingers together, listening to the only signs that Jack is still alive: the beep of the machine, and the woosh that is another machine breathing for Jack, who can no longer breathe for himself, the steady drip, drip, drip of the saline IV.  "And I need you to move on for me. After you're gone don't-don't wait for me, alright? You need to move on and go and be somewhere better. Somewhere you can be happy." He pauses, gathering his thoughts. "Your fans made you a video, but we'll play it when-when the time-.... later. We'll play it later."

Mark smoothes his fingers through Jack's fading green hair and sighs through his nose. 

"I'll make sure to upload all of the videos you had ready to go, and the money will go to your family. And so will some of mine, every month, for the rest of my life. They'll be well taken care of Jack, I promise. I'll be sure they are." He sniffles, softly.

"It won't hurt sweetheart, it'll be easy, like sinking into a warm bath after a very long day. You probably won't even feel it. I promise. And when you're gone, we'll be okay. We'll mourn and we'll take time and we'll be alright. So you don't have to w-w-."

Mark dissolves into another fit of sobs. After a moment, he gains control and he resumes speaking.

"I've learned so much about you Jack, while you've been here." He laughs, the sound hollow. "And it only made me love you more."

The next few hours are filled with Mark reading Jack each and every fan letter that had been sent to the hospital, each and every one was saying goodbye, and it made Mark's heart shatter with every word. But he owed it to Jack, to do this for him. To let him know he was loved. And he was so loved.

After a time, the door to the room opens and a small collection of people file in. Mark's mother, Jack's family, Felix, Ken, Bob, and a few other close friends. They gather around the bed, some straight faced, some fighting tears, some openly weeping.

"Mark, it's time."

"... I know." Mark presses a tender kiss to Jack's forehead. "Felix, would you play the video for him, please?"

Felix nods, wiping his eyes, and starts the video on the small TV offered by the hospital.

"For Jack," a child's voice reads, "and everything he has done for us."

The voices come in a rush, some overlapping others.

"We'll miss you Jack."
"We love you Jack."
"Have fun in heaven, Mr. Jack."
"We'll never forget you, Jack."

The rush of love and messages from fans continues for thirty five uninterrupted minutes. 

By the time the video begins to wind to a close, everyone is sobbing. The video changes, suddenly, Jack's friends and family one by one taking the time to speak, to tell their fondest memory and give a special goodbye to Jack.

And at the very end, there is Mark. Sitting on the edge of his bathtub, his hair a mess, face unshaven, eyes rimmed with bags, in dirty sweatpants and a rumpled shirt. He looks into the camera and speaks with a voice that is honest and sincere and entirely heartbroken.

"You will never be forgotten, Sean Mcloughlin. You changed so many lives, including mine and there are no words to describe the impact you will have on the world, for years to come. You were an amazing man, kind and courteous and everything a good man should be." He pauses, his tone changing. "You saved me from myself and you changed my life. You brought light to everything that was dark and you made it seem like I was seeing in color for the first time in a very, very long time. I promise to show that light to as many people as possible, Jack. I love you."

The video comes to an end and, Mark closes his eyes, unable to watch what happens next.

The machines power off, one by one, until all that is left is the beeping. Mark holds onto the sound like a lifeline.

beep... beep......... beep................... beep.............. beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee-

The machine is shut off and Jack is gone.