Rebel: A Monstercat Fanfic

082 - Goodbye

Song of the Chapter: Time to Say Goodbye - Mr FijiWiji, Direct, & Aruna (Chillout)
Together - Duumu & Kori (Chillout)

Very short chapter ...

The first song is about a broken romance and stuff but if you try hard enough, the lyrics work well for this chapter and these beautiful moments.

(Noisestorm's POV)

The war rages on around me, but all I can see is Nick. I run to him, ignoring everything, and collapse on my knees next to him. He's laying on his back, his right hand pressed against his bleeding chest, his sea green eyes staring up at the sky in something almost like disbelief.

"Eoin?" he asks, his voice shaking and quiet.

"I'm here," I whisper, taking his hand. I can't do anything except watch him bleed and bleed and bleed ...

"Eoin?" He sounds afraid now, like a little boy again. "I ... I think I've been shot."

"You're going to be okay," I say, tears blurring my vision.

"I've been shot ... " He pauses and swallows nervously, gasping for breath. He looks at me, meeting my eyes, and smiles a little. "Heh. Guess I'm Leaving Now."

"No. Don't say that. Stay with me." I squeeze his hand and he gently pulls it back, resting it on my knee.

"I'm sorry ... " he says, blood trickling out of his mouth. He licks his bloody lips as if he's nervous, and then says, "You couldn't have stopped it, you know. It was going to happen sometime."

"Stop it," I cry. "You have a future. You're going to marry, have kids - a boy and a girl, remember? And I'm going to teach you to make music, and you're going to grow old and smile a lot and be the best person you could be, and ... and ... " I can't continue. The tears choke my words.

"Shh ... " Nick says gently, his arm now limp across his stomach. "It'll be okay. I'm going to see my family again, finally, after years of being without them. You can't ... " He coughs weakly, spitting out blood and struggling to breathe. My heart aches as I watch him, completely helpless. "You can't stop this, but ... don't let it break you. You can be strong."

"Dang it, Nick," I whisper. "Please don't die. I can't do this without you."

He smiles a little. "You don't have to." His breaths are quicker, faster, and he's bleeding more. He's almost gone. "I love you, Eoin," he murmurs. "I love you with all of my heart, and I know ... I know you can't love me the same way. Thank you for always being there, always staying my best friend. It's time to say goodbye."

"Nick ... " I can barely breathe. My heart hurts and I want to relive every moment with him; the time we stole my friend's car and drove down the interstate with the top down, the way we'd blast music, the time he'd tagged along on the most awkward double date ever, the nights we fought side by side, the safety I felt in his arms. "Do you need a hug?" I whisper.

"Yes, please," he breathes. I gently pick him up and hold him close as I cry and he bleeds. He grips me tightly, barely breathing at all. "I'll always be there with you," he murmurs in my ear. I hold him as he takes a shallow breath, and then another, and then another as his grip weakens and his heart slows down. I feel it beating against his bleeding chest, slower, slower and then he takes a breath and his grip relaxes.

"Oh, no ... Nick?" I whisper. "Nick? Please, Nick, please wake up." My voice raises until I'm pleading with everyone - anyone, begging them to save him. "Don't leave me!" I cry. I hold his limp, lifeless body closer, tighter, as if showing enough love could bring him back. He's gone forever. I'll never see him again. I'll never hear him laugh at me. I'll never listen to him sing to his favorite songs. I'll never race him down the streets, never hold him close, never play games, never hear him tell me how much he loved me, no matter what.

Everything has a purpose, he always said.

People kneel or stand next to me. I don't see or hear or feel them. They force me to lay him down as they rip me away from everything I live for, everything I love. I see him as they drag me away, lying on the street, looking almost peaceful, with his eyes closed and his hands resting against his stomach, the way he always slept.

He's smiling.