Robert Callaghan laid on his bed. He was inside his prison cell. The walls were made of stone, the floor of concrete, and he was surrounded by some of the meanest people he's ever seen. But he belongs here.
He laid on his bed, clutching his upper left arm. He was sentenced to life with no parole for the crimes of manslaughter, arson, theft, attempted murder, and destruction of property. He could live most of those crimes, they helped to save his daughter, but he can't live with the first.
"Tadashi," he whispered to himself.
He laid on his bed, clutching his upper left arm, his chest in pain. No one knew their secret. No one knew that he loved Tadashi Hamada, and that his student loved him in return. No one knew that they were together for over a year before the accident that took his life. The accident he caused. Tadashi Hamada, his young love, was dead and it was his fault. He belonged in this prison, but not for much longer.
He laid on his bed, clutching his upper left arm, his chest in pain, dying. He knew he was suffering a heart attack. He started to skip his heart medication, and he didn't care. Hiro saved Abigail, she was going to be fine, and she didn't need a criminal father in her life, she didn't need to know who he became.
He laid on his bed, dying. His breath was becoming short, his vision was blurring. He could've called for help, but he didn't. It was better this way. He wouldn't be a drain on society; he deserved this fate.
"Robert," a voice called out.
He laid on his bed, dying, as he heard the voice of Tadashi Hamada. He turned his head towards the sound. Kneeling by his side was the spectral form of his lost love, giving him the same kind gaze that he did in life.
"What's become of us?" the specter asked. Robert tried to laugh. He rolled onto his back covering his face with his right arm.
"Only the things I have done," he spat out. "I can't believe I'm even seeing you right now. I didn't think I'd hallucinate before I died."
The spectral hand reached out to touch his face. Robert shuddered; it felt so real.
"Who said I wasn't real?" It said.
"Because you can't be," Robert responded. "Because I don't deserve to have you here." It was getting harder to breathe now. He didn't have much time left.
"I still believe in you," Tadashi said.
"You…" Fuck this hurts. "You shouldn't." The Tadashi specter shook his head.
"But I do." He pushed the arm off of Robert's face, and placed his hands his cheeks. "If you could change everything would you? Knowing what you know now? Would you do it differently?"
"Of course I would," he forced out. Darkness swam in his vision. Everything hurt. He closed his eyes.
"You promise?"
The world melted away and he felt nothing. Not the pain in his chest, or the hard mattress lying underneath him. It was all gone. He opened his eyes, and gasped.
He opened his eyes, and he was surrounded by fire.