Am I in a hospital? Does this mean...it was my last time seeing Ethan?

My expectations came crashing down upon not finding myself dead and even more, that I'd always wanted to see Ethan, but didn't know that I would see him when it's time for him to leave. Had I known that, I would've never wished to see him.

Keeping my hand on my chest where it was hurting like hell, I fell back on the stretcher. Tears were trickling down non stop as I stared at the plain ceiling. I involuntarily twitched as everything from that night came over to haunt me. The room, blood, ring and...Edwin Miler. I felt like a dead body. No, I wished I was dead, but...

"Oh Gwen."

I lowered my sight towards my feet but the blanket was getting in my way. I recognized that voice. I tried sitting up but I felt a pinching pain in my lower ribs and I screamed, falling back on the stretcher.

"Don't sit up yet." Elijah's face appeared as he covered me with the blanket.

"Elijah..."

"You've cried enough. Don't." He said, softly tucking me in bed," I was scared you wouldn't wake up."

"What happened to me?" I asked. That last thing I'd remembered was being thrown on the ground and choking on air.

"You had an anxiety attack and whatever happened traumatized you. The doctors said you'd wake up in 2 days. But it had been 4 days and you hadn't woken up."

"F-Four days? And what's the date today?" I asked in shock.

"You'd been in coma for a week. It's the 13th of December." He said, shaking his head," Everyone was so worried. We had to call your parents. We didn't tell them the real reason and just said you had an attack...but they cannot come and visit you at the moment. Your...grandfather..." He gently held my hand. He didn't have to finish his sentence. I knew what I had lost. Everything.

"Grandpa..." I sobbed quietly, turning my head towards the window. It was dark outside. Gloomy winters, just like my life.

"Let's talk about other things later. I'll go inform the doctor and they'll run some tests on you." He stood up, letting go of my hand.

"I wish to go back to a very deep sleep." I said, still staring out of the window.

"Don't say such things." He sat down again, slightly holding my chin and turning my face towards him.

"Ethan's gone!" I almost cried out. That was all I could do.

Elijah

I left Gwen's ward to let her be alone for some time. Everything had fallen apart. She had lost a dear one, ended up in coma for a week and said goodbye to Ethan, who helped her wake up before he left. I had no idea how she was going to pull herself together. She was in such a condition that couldn't be helped. We could only wait until she would come out of the trauma on her own and step out to go back to living her life.

But I was very disappointed. Ethan left without seeing his brother get punished for his sin. I had also, a little desire of seeing him but it was no longer possible.

"Eli, where you going sighing like that?" Dad asked as he met me in the corridor.

"Where are you going?" I asked him.

"I was going to find you in Gwen's ward. That's your new home, isn't it?" He joked.

"Dad she's woken up but don't tell the doctors yet. She wants to be alone for some time." I told him.

"Does she know what's going on outside though?" He asked.

"She's already stressed. Whatever's happening outside can wait." I said, grabbing his arm and pulled him along with me to prevent him from going to Gwen's ward. The two of them hardly conversated apart from the case. I could only imagine dad being sympathetic towards her instead of ordering her to leave her bed right that instant and go back home.

As we stepped out of the City hospital and walked all the way behind the building, I knew we were heading to the mortuary.

"Why are we going there now?" I asked dad while walking beside him.

"Did you forget?" He asked," Someone's deserved funeral needs to be arranged now that we've found the killer. It was a promise I made."

"Even though...we've only done half of our job?" I asked.

"What are you implying?" He asked with an eyebrow raised and stopped walking.

"Dad, Edwin will get out of the prison. In fact he hasn't even been proven guilty. He's just in the custody for interrogation and once it's over, he'll get out and come for us." I said," I know it's already too late for Ethan's funeral and we cannot keep his body from rotting even if it's in the mortuary, but we have to-"

"The lawsuit will take minimum 6 months. You know how powerful they are. We cannot delay the funeral any further, got it?" He started walking again and I sighed and followed him.

The interrogation with Edwin wasn't taking any shape. He wasn't ready to confess his crime and we didn't have any strong evidences.

Mortuary-

We went to -5 using the elevator to the Mortuary in the basement. Dad had earned a pass to enter that area, which no one else could without authorization. We had been there several times to talk to the doctors, but this time, we were going to see Ethan's corpse.

A young doctor and dad were conversating on our way, meanwhile I was observing our surroundings. It looked like a cave because of how deep down in the ground it was. The place was almost tearing apart. One could see the bricks in the walls as the top layer was coming off. The top of the corridor was lined with tube-lights, out of which only alternates were working.

"Who maintains this place?" I asked out of curiosity.

"Well, the hospital long abandoned this mortuary and since it's hidden from authorities now, there's no one to really maintain it." The young doctor laughed.

I glanced at his name-badge that was stuck on his doctor's coat. 'Dr. Rick Michaelson' was written in white on the black badge.

"I'd like to do some funding later." Dad said.

"You're most welcome to, Mr. Cooper." Dr. Rick said and halted in front of a steel door with a huge handle," This is the morgue freezer. It's maintained between 2C to 4C. This is usually used for keeping bodies for up to several weeks, but it doesn't prevent decomposition, which continues at a slower rate than at room temperature." He explained and pulled open the door.

We entered after him. It was a big room with several cabinets fixated in the walls and the area in the middle of the room was empty.

"Number 11 is Ethan Miler's." He said and approached the cabinet numbered 11.

He died on the 11th of November. What a coincidence.

I tightened my fists and mentally prepared myself to see Ethan's corpse while dad was looking at the doctor open the cabinet casually.

"You need a hand with that?" Dad asked him.

"Yes, the slider is jammed I guess. If you could help me pull it out..." Dr. Rick requested so dad got on to pulling the stretcher out along with him.

I took a deep breath as they finally pulled it out. Clouds of fog escaped the morgue freezer. Ethan's body was inside a translucent Cadaver pouch, laid on the steel stretcher.

The doctor unzipped the pouch just a little to show us his face.

"It's frozen solid but severe decomposition hasn't occurred yet." Dr. Rick said.

I stepped forward to look at his face. He had turned pale white. Even his lips looked white as paint. Looking at him, I remembered that one night when I had seen him. He was so lively.

__

31st October ( 2 months ago)

I was on my way home from the Halloween party and was a bit tipsy. I had dressed up as Peter Fonda because the costume of a rider seemed cool and I despised putting face-paint. It was too late to call a cab so I was slow-walking my way back home when I accidently tripped on a stone and fell on the ground. I sighed and stood up but my ankle was twisted and I couldn't take another step.

I sat down on the foot path, burying my head in my hands. I was exhausted and sleepy. The street was deserted and I could hear dogs howling in a distance. The music from the party was still playing in my head and it was irritating to some point.

"Are you trying to get robbed idiot?" A cocky voice came from over me so I looked up and saw a guy wearing all black towering over me. He was drunk as hell. I knew it was Edwin when I took a clearer look of his face.

"Ed, get a hold of yourself." Another guy ran up to us and grabbed Edwin's arm carefully and made Edwin lean on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry if he said anything." The other guy dressed up in a suit without any make-up spoke.

"He didn't. Don't worry." I said.

"Why are you sitting here?" He asked me and Edwin was already dozing off on his shoulder.

"I twisted my ankle. Can't move." I answered when his phone started ringing.

"Sorry I'll just take this call." He said and answered the phone. He didn't talk for long and it seemed he was talking to their driver who was there to get them and the next moment, two headlights flashed from a distance and a car appeared.

"We'll drop you home." He said kindly.

"No that's alright. Our houses are in opposite directions." I said.

"Do we know each other?" He asked and I told him I knew Edwin since he was my classmate but was meeting him for the first time.

"I'm Ethan, his elder broth-" He couldn't complete when Edwin muttered," Shut that hole in your face. You're not my brother."

"The car's here. Are you sure you don't want to come along?" Ethan asked again and I told him I'd go home after resting for a bit. He agreed and took Edwin to the car. He made Edwin sit in the back-seat and sat on the Co-driver's seat himself and they drove off.

I sighed, looking at my ankle," Not the right time little buddy." I was talking to my injured ankle. It was getting cold. I had no option but to call dad to come get me, but it was 2 AM and I knew he had been working his ass off, without getting sufficient amount of sleep. I decided to hold out a little longer and then try walking again, when I heard footsteps approaching me, as if someone was running towards me.

I looked to the right and saw Ethan coming in my direction and his car was driving off in the opposite direction.

"Wh- Why did you let them leave? Aren't you going home?" I stood up in surprise. The driver and Edwin had left without him.

He smiled," Edwin should get home safely. I'll walk you home." he put my arm across the back of his neck to support me. I couldn't speak a word. What a kind heart he had.

We started walking while talking to each other.

"What are you dressed up as?" I asked him.

"Patrick Bateman. Simple and hassle-free." He smiled at me," Are you friends with Ed?"

"Not really. I don't like making friends." I answered,

"I didn't catch your name Peter." He laughed.

"Oh- I'm Elijah Berryman." I answered.

We went on talking about things and laughing on our way. I could feel he was exhausted from the walk and that too after dealing with that pushover brother of his. I decided to try walking on my own and my ankle seemed a lot better. He still insisted on supporting me with a smile on his face.

__

Where's the smile gone now?

"Eli?"

"Yeah?" I snapped out of my thoughts and stepped back. Dr. Rick zipped the pouch and pushed the slider inside, locking the cabinet with a click.

"Look at me." Dad held me from the shoulders, facing me. I knew what he wanted to see. I turned my head down, trying not to let him see.

"Come on, son." He patted on my shoulder.

"I'm just shocked." I said, looking up at him. My eyes sure were teary but I didn't let the tears flow out.

"It's okay. Men can cry too." Dad said and ruffled my hair.