Behind the Flames .:H2OVanoss:.

.:Chapter 34- Final:.

          David took another strained breath, watching sadly as Evan paced back and forth restlessly. His sore feet dug a trench deeper and deeper into the slimy mud of the swamp. He glanced as often as he could at the moldy entrance of Doe's house, so infatuated by the door that didn't notice Lui, Smitty, and John approach from the trees.
          They watched him a moment longer, until Lui turned solemnly to the big group sitting on a fallen log. He gestured to Evan. "How's he doing?"
          They hesitated. Even little Cho, Flo, and Jo clutched tight to David, quiet with worry.
          "He's losing it.." Marcel wiped his tired eyes with a shaky hand.
          "He hasn't rested since Jonathan fell last night." Luke ran his log fingers through his wavy hair. "He won't listen to us, he nearly attacked Marcel for trying to get him to sit down. There's no reasoning with him until Jonathan comes out of this ok."
          A few small whispers came from inside, quickly shutting everyone up. Evan made a fast halt, nearly slipping off his balance. As quickly as they came, they were gone once again, and Evan went back to his nervous pacing.
          "Any luck contacting Tyler again?" Brock looked up with a tiny hint of hope. It disappeared quickly when Lui bowed and shook his head.
          "Even with the Mother's help we found nothing but a dead end. After Togek was defeated and the bridges were shattered, it's as if the spirit world went completely out of our reach, just like before. We may need to wait for another solstice to try and talk to them again."
Again, silence captured the conversation, until another sniff came from David. The triplets raised their big eyes fearfully.
"David? Please don' cry, Joan will be all better, soon! I promise!" Jo grabbed David's tunic with his tiny hands. Flo forced herself onto his lap and wiped his tears with her fingers, while Cho went to the creek side, picking a small yellow flower and running it back to him. David tried hard to smile as he took it, but his shoulders began to shake and his sniffling turned into sobs.
"Why couldn't I have been the blood bender..?" Nobody could bear to witness the guilt streaming from his face. "If I had known he would have had to suffer so much, I would have done it! And now he's dying, and I-I.." The triplets pulled away as the soldiers crowded him, laying hands on his back to give comfort. "If he dies, I don't know what I'll do.. we've been through everything together.. how could I forgive myself..?"
Lui suddenly pushed past the crowd, kneeling before his friend with a frown of defiance. "David, do you remember what you said to me when Arlan was killed? You told me that no matter what I did, it couldn't change what had happened. Had I gone with him instead of staying, I would have died too. And, had I died, so would you in the water by the ships."
David pushed him away, but Lui persisted, capturing his shaky hands in his own and continuing. "My point is, everything happened for a reason. We're all in the places we are now because it was the only way. Without you, Jonathan would not have survived as long as he did. I certainly wouldn't have, and neither would anyone else! Had things been different, we would have failed much earlier."
He turned his head in attempt to make eye contact. David shied away. "David, without you being the way you are, we would have failed. If.. if Jonathan doesn't make it, it will never be your fault. It's because destiny deemed it so, and there was nothing else we could have done. And.. I know Jonathan would be ok with that. Whatever happens, the world still needs you to do great things. Don't give up."
Finally, David raised his head with a deep sigh. Subconsciously, the pair leaned close, resting foreheads against one another. Lui squeezed his hands a little tighter, just as the door to the house quietly creaked open. Anthony and Doe stepped out, immediately confronted by Evan.

What happened next became a blur. Evan's breathing quickened as he stepped back, horror and shock carved into his face as Anthony spoke lowly. Then the fire bender shoved him aside, racing into the house, screaming out his best friend's name like it was the only word he knew. He ripped the curtain to the bedroom off its frame, collapsing by the bed with his hands digging into the arms of his beloved.
Jonathan lay still, white as snow, cold to the touch, with a look of contentment on his forever sleeping face. Evan clawed at his shoulders, shaking, screaming, begging and pleading. His best friend didn't move a muscle.
Never again would Evan see those beautiful baby blue's trailing behind him, gazing into his own with admiration, care, and trust, glowing with power like a proud king. Never would his hands again move to lace fingers with his own, never would he laugh like a ray of sunshine in a void of darkness, never would he curl into his arms, never would they share another kiss. Never again will his best friend stand beside him to conquer their fears together.
As Evan collapsed even further to the ground, sobbing and choking and screaming, one by one the rest entered the room, mourning once more for a fallen friend. David could not bear the pain any longer, letting his own sobs and coughs bring him to his knees by Jonathan's side. His shaky fingers ran through his brother's hair as he leaned closer to place a tender kiss on his forehead.
          "Thank you, for everything.." He whispered gently, beneath the wails of his companion as he fell apart, choking on his breath, pulling at his ivory hair.
Finally, Evan had lost it all.