He was Almost Absorbed by the System

Chapter Thirteen - To Live

Author note; A quick apology - sorry!

Aidan's eyes flickered open and daylight leaked into his blurry vision. He groaned at the thought of vacating his warm bed in order to go to work. That thought soured further as an arm flopped across his broad chest and a cold nose nuzzled into his collarbone. Automatically, he wrapped his arms around Warren in contentment.

It had been just over two years since they had finally become an item and nearly eight months since he had convinced Warren to move in with him. There had been mixed reactions when they had come out to their families. Warren's parents had been shocked, but loved the young men enough to accept it. Aidan's dad had not looked surprised at all as if he was simply waiting for this day. However, Aidan's brother was against the relationship. Although he claimed that he wasn't homophobic, he simply believed that true happiness was only found by a man with a wife and subsequent children and it wasn't as if his brother could marry a man or Warren have his brothers' kids. But it wasn't up to Alex what Aidan did with his life, so the man had to hold back his feelings. It didn't stop him asking Aidan on occasion when he was going to come to his senses and find a bride, however.

Aidan thought about the ring he'd hidden safely in the back of his sock drawer the other day. It was brushed cobalt with three tiny blue diamonds inset within the metal. The law had changed a month ago to legalise same-sex marriages. He smiled to himself. Now all he needed was the right moment to ask.

A raspy cough broke him from his musings. "Are you okay?" He touched Warren's forehead, who leaned into his hand with a sigh.

"I think I got the cold from work," he answered, sniffling somewhat, before peering at his through watery eyes. "People have been dropping like flies."

"Stay home today," Aidan told him. Warren nodded in agreement before burying his face into Aidan's chest. Within ten minutes, he was fast asleep and snoring softly. Aidan slowly unwrapped himself from Warren's embrace, kissing his forehead before he took a shower and got ready for work. "Hey, sweetheart," he murmured into Warren's ear. The other man groaned a little in acknowledgement, barely opening his eyes. "I'm off to work now. There's paracetamol and water beside the bed, take it before you go back to sleep."

"M'kay," Warren said, sleepily. "Love you."

"Love you more," Aidan kissed his warm cheek then left for work.

****

After the busy lunch period, Aidan sat in the break room eating a thrown together sandwich as he tried to come up with a new recipe for the restaurant's dinner menu.  Every month the owner would challenge the top chefs of his five restaurants to come up with tasty new dishes.  The winning dish would feature on a single days menu and depending on its popularity, either the lunch or dinner menus for all five restaurants. 

Just as he was working out which spices would enhance his dish, his mobile phone rang.  He frowned.  Normally he wouldn't get personal calls at work, but then normally he would put his phone on silent.  He'd forgotten, concerned with his boyfriend's health.  It was Warren's mother. 

"Hello," he answered, he was on his break after all so one personal call wouldn't hurt.

"Aidan, hun," her voice sounded strained and upset.  "You need to come to St. Angela's hospital.  It's Warren..." her last whispered words tapered off.  Aidan raced out of the restaurant, nearly knocking a waiter into a customer as he did.  He did not stop to apologise.  He flagged down the nearest taxi and tossed him the money with an accidentally generous tip when they arrived, before storming into the hospital to be met by Warren's mother.  Her face was wet with tears and her husband was seated, deep in shock and suddenly aged.

"W-what's going on?"  Aidan asked, his heart faltering.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Mrs Taylor whispered over and over. "Warren.. he.."

Aidan shook his head, ignoring the sting in his eyes. "It's just a cold, he stayed at home today, I left him tucked up in bed."

"The doctors believe that Warren may have had a weak heart and he just wasn't strong enough this time to cope with it."

"But he's going to be alright, right?" Aidan pleaded with her to tell him something other than what he knew he would here.  "Tell me he is going to be alright?"

Sure enough, she shook her head, her eyes filling once more. "I'm sorry, Aidan. Warren is gone." The ability to stand left him and he crashed to the floor, broken.

****

Sitting upon the bed that had long since lost the warmth of his lover, Aidan rolled the engagement ring between his fingers. Each night since the funeral he played with it, as if trying to seek comfort from it or some sort of link to the man who should have worn it. The autopsy confirmed that Warren had died from heart failure due to his weak heart and the onset of influenza. The body had been found by Mrs Taylor, who had visited with her spare key and a hot flash of chicken soup.

Most of their friends and family made it to the funeral, the restaurant and the laboratory where Warren had worked had closed for the day so that the chefs and scientists could pay their last respects. Hanna had been there with her husband and Shaun with his wife and small son. Aidan had barely heard any of their condolences, though he had heard Alex at the wake, mutter how he could now move on and find himself a wife and Aidan had broken the older man's nose for it. Mr Levison had tossed his eldest son into a cab and told him he could make his own way to home and not to speak to him or Aidan until he came back with some sense.

And now, it was over. Aidan was left alone. He didn't want to be alone. He didn't want to be without his lover. Just when he'd finally captured him, he lost him again. How was that fair? He'd loved him for so long and now he was gone! He wondered if he should just follow his man into death.

*You can't do that, you haven't completed the mission.*

"What mission?"

*To save and protect him.*

He laughed without mirth. "I did, I tried, but I couldn't in the end, could I?"

*The one you knew as Warren is no longer in this world, but he is not gone. He still needs your protection.*

Aidan was silent for a moment, partially wondering if he had gone mad and partially wondering over the voice's words. No longer in this world, but not gone.. meaning he was somewhere else, some other world? He was alive? If that was true, then mad or not, he would hold this hope. "Then surely if I die, I can go meet him," he said, slowly.

*Negative. Dying at this moment would result in a random reincarnation and your rebirths would not necessarily be in the same worlds.*

"Then what do I need to do?"

*PING* Mission; Live.*