First Stendan fanfic. I wrote this ages ago like literally just after the bus crash and was going to carry it on a bit but decided to leave it as a one shot and leave the rest up to your imagination ;) Let me know what you think :) xx

Ste stormed out the venue. He was furious and there was no way he could hide it. He growled and put his head in his hands, trying to keep relatively calm. He had to place a hand on the side of the big white building in order to steady himself. He scuffed his foot on the floor and really had to hold himself back from hitting the wall. Instead, he turned away and leaned against the building. It was then that he saw a tall muscular figure heading towards the wedding venue. It was the unmistakable outline of his ex, Brendan. He saw he had actually made a bit of an effort; his jet black hair was gelled and sticking up a little at the front, just how Ste had liked it, With his skinny black trousers and a white shirt, buttoned incredibly low, revealing far too many chest hairs for most peoples likings, but he wasn't going to complain. His black suit jacket was flowing a little out at the back in the wind, making his entrance appear magnificent, and important. Ste couldn't help but feel slightly relieved at the sight of Brendan, after all, his last few chats with him had been calm, insightful, helpful even and he knew he could tell him about his problems and Brendan would listen. He would listen. Like a proper friend, and he found that comforting. In fact, in these last few months he had felt closer than ever to him, and despite the history between them, he still knew they could probably remain close friends for a long time. Unless of course.. Nah, he was just being stupid, but he couldn't deny the fact he felt his heart flutter at the mention of his Ex's name or he had to stop to catch his breath when he saw him. God, and the worse thing was, he was supposed to be married. But Brendan felt the same, he was sure of it and at first Ste had took great pleasure in making sure his old lover was fully aware of his engagement to Doug, taking every opportunity to mention it and prove to Brendan that he was free. Soon, the novelty had worn off and he felt ashamed he could be so mean, and the more Brendan backed off and ignored him, the more Ste realised he missed him. Since then, he had decided to marry Doug but keep Brendan close, like a treasured friend he didn't want to lose, after all this was the man who had saved his skin several times. He knew their past had been dark but both their histories had been too and with everything they had been through, now, after all this time, he finally felt like he could forgive Brendan. But enough with his feelings, he was a married man now. Even though he had temporarily forgot in that moment he had been watching this man advance towards him. This man, he noticed, who had some flowers in his hand, who he presumed would be for him. He tried not to but he couldn't help smiling slightly. They were his favourite, blue delphiniums, the ones he had wanted for the wedding. The colour was a beautiful and brilliant blue that reminded him of Brendan's eyes. The ones he used to stare so deeply into. But that was then, and this was now.

There wasn't much distance between them now, perhaps about a couple of metres.

"Brendan.." He started, in that tone he always spoke his name when he was about to ask him something.

"I just came to wish you well Stephen. I'm off to Ireland later and I just wanted you to know.." He paused.

"Brendan don't, please." He stopped him.

"I don't want you to hate me" he said.

"I don't hate you" he replied automatically, like he didn't even have to think about it.

"Good" he stopped.

There was a silent moment between them, a buzzing tension in the air with thousands of emotions crashing into each other.

"Will I see you again?" Ste asked nervously.

"Yeah. You will"

"Promise?"

"It's your wedding day, you're supposed to be the one making the promises" he joked, in his sarcastic but serious way.

"I've already made too many today"

Brendan detected that something was wrong. He waited, considering what to say.

"Look, you deserve to be happy okay, so follow your heart and find what makes you happy, then grab it and never let go"

Brendan stretched his arm out, offering the flowers to Ste who spent a few seconds just staring at them, then eventually took them. Brendan gave him a half hearted smile then patted him on the shoulder, before walking off towards the venue, probably with the intent of picking up his sister. Ste didn't take his eyes off him. He couldn't.

"Brendan.." he shouted.

He was tempted to keep walking, but he didn't, he turned around. And it was that moment his eyes wandered from Ste to something in the distance. A blue bus heading straight for them and if he wasn't mistaken, it wasn't stopping any time soon. His face turned to one of fear and horror and Ste immediately picked up the bad vibe.

"STEPHEN!" Brendan cried, dashing straight towards him. Ste turned around but was so terrified when he noticed what was happening, he could barely move. He could feel his heart in his mouth and like a rabbit in the headlights, he was stunned and stationery. He tried to scream but only a small sound escaped his mouth. He couldn't hear anything other than the pounding of his heart and he was scared beyond belief. He could feel it was like the end. That was when he felt a force from behind him push him out of the way and to the ground. He barely had time to notice what was happening, but in that split second he heard an almighty thud followed by screams and crashing. There was a pain in his leg from where he had landed, but luckily his backside had taken the majority of the impact. He looked at his hands and noticed there were a few grazes on them, and then, he saw the huge broken window where the bus had smashed through and out of the corner of his eye, he spotted something on the road nearby. It was a figure and upon a short inspection from a distance he recognised it was Brendan.

He felt like he had had all the air knocked out of him. He gasped, struggling to catch his breath, before clambering to his feet, completely ignoring the pain in his leg, and rushing over to Brendan. He crouched down at the side of him, turning him over and then sitting down beside him.

"Oh my God" he cried.

He looked at the lifeless body of his ex lover, noticing the huge gaping cut on the side of his head that was pumping out blood. His face was also grazed and bloody.

"Brendan! Brendan!" He shouted.

"Can you hear me?" He asked to a motionless Brendan.

He felt his neck and was relieved when he discovered a pulse. But he could tell the worry was far from over. He picked up Brendan's head and rested it on his knee, gently stroking his face and his hair. A huge lump formed in his throat and he couldn't hold the tears back anymore. Brendan stirred a little.

"Brendan!" He cried, the tears streaming down his face.

"Stephen" he managed to croak as his eyes fluttered open, but he could barely keep them open.

Ste could see the pain in his face but not an ounce of fear was contained in him. It almost made him think Brendan was about to give up and surrender.

"Stephen" he choked. "It hurts"

"Well course it does silly, you just got hit by a bus" he tried desperately to keep Brendan focused.

He tried to laugh but it creased him with pain and all he could do was inhale sharply and wince.

"Steady" Ste said, trying to comfort him with a soothing hand again.

He traced the wound on his face.

"Impressive is it?" Brendan managed to splutter.

"It is. Standard Brendan Brady battle wound.. they'll be giving you a permanent bed at that hospital if you don't watch out"

"Bet I look a right state"

"Not your best perhaps, but you still look good to me" he laughed, and it felt different, like old times but with a normal, less- psychotic Brendan.

"Stephen-" He groaned in pain.

"Brendan, don't. Just stay still, you're gonna be fine yano" But as soon as Ste said that, Brendan's eyes began to flicker.

He breathed deeply and almost choked.

"Hey you're fine" Ste reassured, cradling Brendan's head in his arms.

"Go back to Douglas.. He needs you, he might be hurt too" he whispered.

But Ste didn't even consider the terror that would have been cause actually inside the building, not when he had more important matters outside.

"I'm not going anywhere till I know you're okay"

"No.. Leave.. I'm"

But Ste noticed how much he was struggling, how much effort it was taking just for the man to keep himself awake, alive even.

"I'm right here"

"Stephen" he groaned.

"The ambulance will be here soon, just don't close your eyes. You're fine, it's gonna be okay"

"I can't.."

"You can" he reasoned and he drew Brendan up close to him, sobbing into his shoulder, and added, "I've found it. What makes me happy right? And I'm not gonna let go of it now don't you dare leave me Brendan"

But he heard the paramedics approaching and looked up. He loosened his hold on Brendan and it was then that he noticed the difference.. In the blur of sirens and people, as he was dragged away from Brendan by someone he didn't know, he felt the coldness. And his vision was clouded and he couldn't even think straight, because he knew Brendan was gone.