Luke looked out the fogged window, staring blankly off into the stormy skies. His eyes glazed over, his lack of sleep beginning to show. But how could he sleep? The Professor was on his death bed, after being crippled last night with a debilitating heart attack.
Luke never could have seen it coming. The man was active, always chasing after crooks, his sidekick always at his side, the boy even sometimes struggling to keep up. The man had always eaten healthy, and had never shown any signs of any weakness.
And now here he was, hidden away within the depths of the hospital. Luke struggled to keep himself positive. The professor couldn't be harmed. He was probably healing up right now! Yeah!
And yet Luke couldn't help but feel something deep down that absolutely terrified him.
What if the Professor wasn't invincible after all?
Of course, the man wasn't literally invincible, but with all the time Luke had seen him, never once had he shown any signs of health problems.
Flora walked back into the waiting room, her eyes downcast. Luke's heart sunk in his chest. Was it really that bad? Could Layton really be-
"He says..." A sniffle interrupted Flora. "...He says he wants to see you, Luke." And with that, she burst out sobbing. Luke felt his throat tighten. no...no, this couldn't be happening...
Were his legs still functioning? It sure didn't seem so as he tried to stand up from the hardened chair. The world seemed to blur around him as he mentally stumbled to where he knew Layton to be staying. After traveling a few hallways, he managed to reach the area. Looking along the door numbers, he finally found it: Room 203.
With a shaky hand, Luke opened the door. And was unprepared to view the scene.
A number of machines were attached to his dear mentor, figurative father. A whirring came from the left of the motionless body. A pump, it seemed to be, steadily moving in rhythm with the Professor's breathing. It was attached to a tube that apparently went down the man's throat. Luke heard the faint beep...beep... of the heart rate monitor. Was it just him, or was it seemingly slower than it should have seemed?
He felt himself move closer to the pale body laying upon the hospital sheets. No, this couldn't be the Professor! This person looked too frail, too fragile, too...lifeless...
A stirring awoke the body in front of him. The beady eyes on its face slowly opened, focusing on the boy. Luke almost felt himself fall backwards. I-...it was... but...it couldn't...
A hand reached up to the boy's face.
"L-...Luke" a raspy voice came forth, one filled with pain. Luke felt himself choke up, his eyes getting wet.
"Professor..." he strained to say. He suddenly felt ill. He took a few deep breaths, before breaking out into tears. The Professor's eyes turned away.
"I'm...sorry you...have to see...me like...this..." The professor managed to gasped out after several harsh breaths.
Luke wanted to act out in rage. But against what? There was no fault here. Fate? But what good would it be to get angry at chance?
"Luke...listen...to me..." Another rough voice choked out around the plastic tube. Luke glanced through his tears. The Professor's hand reached out again, holding the boy's own. "Luke...I only have...one...favor to...ask of you..."
"Professor! Please! Don't talk like that! You make it sound like there's no chance for you to get better! But there is! Right?" Luke almost screamed aloud. A faint smile appeared on the man's face.
"Luke...my boy... this is...life. It may...seem unfair...at times... and as...for me...it seems as...if it's my...time to cash...in my coins... I see her, Luke..."
Luke's throat nearly closed on him. Her. Claire. He saw her. The Professor was barely here anymore.
"Now, Luke...will...will you...grant me... one last request?"
Luke felt his whole mind go blank. It kept pounding into his head. The professor is dying,. Right in front of you. He's leaving. Going to be gone. Forever. No more adventures. No more puzzles. No more...family.
Luke could barely look at the man. Tears poured down his face. He burst out into sobs.
A finger reached up to his cheek, brushing away the tears.
"Now, now...Luke...please...don't make...these last moments...sad ones..." A weak chuckle. "My boy, please... just...let me go...My boy...my last...request...is to hear...one last riddle... from you, Luke..."
It was at this point that Luke felt his insides shatter. His heart was aching with pain. He could barely breathe. But the Professor asked for one last request. And goodness, he was going to fulfill it.
Through choking sobs, Luke managed to bring one from his memory. The professor had shared it with him as a young boy, after losing his parents in that horrible accident...
"O-one is never complete without it..." his voice quivered. "Families are broken when it's lost."
The professor's heart rate began to slow down. Luke bit down on his lip.
"Brings a man and wife together, and only real can it weather any cost."
The man's eyes began to close, his breathing growing faint. Luke turned away, about to burst into tears.
A cold hand came on his shoulder. Luke faced the man one last time.
With his last breath, the husk whispered out his answer.
"...love..."
The heart monitor gave a long, droning beep.
He was gone.