Façade<Lashton>

Epilogue III

The fear of death is the most unjustified of all fears, for there's no risk of accident for someone who's dead. ~Albert Einstein

Third Person POV

*Three Years Later: Total of Five*

No one knew what happened, one day, she was fine. That morning she was gone. And it hurt no one, more than it hurt Luke.

Ashton's mother had passed away six days, twelve hours, and twenty-four minutes ago. But Luke was the only one counting.

For a while Ashton thought Luke would be okay, since he has done the whole "lose-a-mother" thing before. But no, it was even worse this time.

They were currently standing in a funeral complex and Luke couldn't take his eyes off the casket. Silent tears were always rolling down his face.

For Luke, this was more than just losing a mother, it was far greater than that. She had done Luke so much service, he was sure he wouldn't be alive with her. Ashton's mother welcomed Luke into their family when Luke had none, she offered assistance and she was the perfect motherly figure for Luke. Just when she filled the void left my Luke's mother, she was gone.

And Luke was hit hard by it.

For the first three days, Luke didn't sleep, eat, bathe, even speak to anyone. Including Ashton.

He had broken his streak of being clean more times that he could count and Ashton was scared he would lose his beloved again.

But, just as Luke had gotten over the pain of losing his own mother, he was forced to go through all the misery again. This time, however, he didn't know if he could handle it.

"Luke," Ashton said softly while placing a hand on Luke's shoulder, causing him to jump. "Sorry, but it's time to get going. Everyone else is gone."

Ashton wasn't wrong, the rest of the room has cleared out as Luke absentmindedly stared at the open casket.

"Right.." Luke mumbled.

Ashton frowned at Luke, feeling horrible for him. Tempted to ask if he was alright, but he knew the answer already.

Luke was not okay.

Regardless, they went and observed the lowering of the casket into a plot chosen. Luke's breaking was shaky shoddy breaths but he managed to control himself.

"Hey, boys." Jamie approached the two while the sky darkened like Luke's mood. "So..If you want you can have mum's house. If you don't I'm selling it but if you do you're welcome to live there."

Ashton thought it over for a second. "No I don't think Luke could -"

"I want it." Luke cut Ashton off.

"Luke, are you going to be okay there?" Ashton turned to the blonde who nodded his head fast. "Even with your old house down the street?"

"Yes Ashton." Luke nodded. "I am one hundred percent sure." Luke honestly wanted that house because of the memories it held. Luke was way too fond of them to let them go. Especially since Ashton's mother was included in surplus amounts of them.

So weeks passed, Ashton and Luke moved into the old house and Ashton was shocked when he saw how much Luke adored living there. He walked around the house a lot, admiring everything it it. Someone's he would reach out and touch the walls and smile as he did it, and sometimes Ashton saw it. Which, he couldn't understand.

But of course there will still some nights where Luke would go and lay out at Ashton's mother's grave. Ashton would wake and find him gone. Only later would he have found him sleeping at the grave, sometimes it was even Luke's mother's grave. But very rarely, only when Luke was extremely upset.

But otherwise, life here was much better than that of their old, falling apart apartment.

Luke was standing in the kitchen one night when he was surveying a shelf of cook books, Ashton's mother's, and Luke made Ashton leave them there, even though there were gathering dust.

Luke walked over and picked up a blue one with fancy white and red font. Pulling it out he brushed off the dust until an envelope fell out. Luke looked at it for a second before picking it up, sitting back down at the island.

He opened and pulled out a piece of lined paper.

He would recognize that handwriting anywhere.

On the paper was a letter from Luke's mother, addressed to Ashton's mother.

"'I'm begging you,'" Luke read aloud. "'Please keep these photos safe, I don't want my husband to destroy them, we both know I've reached the end here, but please keep Luke safe. I would never be able to have made it this far without him and if I can trust anyone to take care of him, it's you. Don't let him suffer my fate.'" Luke finished, setting down the old paper he reached back in the envelope and pulled out pictures.

Many of the photos were of Luke and his mother, smiling widely. His father was never included but that was okay with Luke. When Luke's mother died, his father threw away any photos of his mother that were in the house, even those Luke tried to hide. But here they were. For the first time in almost a decade Luke had seen his mother's smile and even if it was only a picture, it didn't stop Luke from crying.

"Luke?" Ashton said after a while, he walked in the kitchen farther. "Are you okay?"

Luke pushed the photos to Ashton with a smile. "Are these..?"

"All of the photos of me and my mum." Luke smiled and wiped under his eyes. Ashton smiled down at Luke, seeing how well this cheered him up. "She seemed to have love me an awful lot."

"Of course she does." Ashton said softly, rubbing Luke's back. "You're her pride and joy."

"Ash, do you miss your mum?" Luke lifted his head to Ashton.

"Our mum." Ashton corrected.

"Our mum."

"And yeah of course I miss her, but as much as I do, it seems like you've taken the hardship ten times more." Ashton said.

"I'm just not good with death." Luke shrugged as he scanned through the photos. "Hold on, what's this one?"

Luke picked up a photo and in this one was Ashton, his mother and Luke with his. The four standing together smiling wide.

Luke flipped it over, reading the back to Ashton. "'Our favorite two boys. Love you both.'" Luke laughed lightly, wiping away the happy tears. "We love you just as much."

AUTHOR'S NOTIFICATION

STARTED OFF SAD AND THEN GOT ALL HAPPY AND MAJOR LEAGUE FLUFFY.

Okay you're welcome. xD

TWO. MORE. EPILOGUES!

Hugs, Kisses, Cuddles and Serenades xX