WARNING: This is only meant for the real Nick x Ellis fans out there-including me! You don't like it? TURN BACK NOW!

DISCLAIMER: Valve owns these wonderful boys, not I. But I do however, own this story. So...bite me!

It happened without warning.

Ellis was sitting in the living room watching tv and enjoying the latest car race when from down the hall, the sounds of something breaking—possibly glass or even porcelain—echoed and startled him. At first he was momentarily stunned, muting the tv and listening for a moment. He was about to continue watching the race when Nick called for him.

The agony in his boyfriend's voice made Ellis hop over the couch and run down the hall. He found Nick slumped against the wall in the bathroom, panting and clutching his chest. His eyes were closed and his face was starting to turn white. It didn't take a genius to figure out that Nick was having a heart attack.

"Ellis," Nick breathed when he felt the boy kneel beside him and touch his face. The feel of his skin comforted Nick.

"Nick," Ellis gasped. "I'm right here—what do you want me to do?"

His eyes fluttered opened and he looked into the most beautiful face he'd ever seen. It took a lot of self-control for Ellis to hold back the anxiety he was feeling. Concentrating as hard as he could to see to Nick's needs. "Call Shannon…I need her here."

Shannon was Nick's only niece. She was also a doctor of the zombie-free community they lived in. Upon the two men's arrival to the community some months ago, she made herself to be their primary doctor at Nick's insistence. There wasn't anything at all that Nick wouldn't tell her about himself or Ellis that was vital to their health and well-being.

Ellis nodded and left the bathroom to call her. He came back in with the phone in his hand and managed to get a hold of her. Carefully she explained to Ellis to keep Nick comfortable until a team of paramedics was able to come pick him up. Shannon was proud of how well Ellis was handling himself in spite of the fact that Nick wasn't doing so good. She stayed on the phone with him until they arrived and said that she would see them at the clinic.

Ellis held Nick's hand the entire ride there. On and off Nick would open his eyes to look at him and each time, Ellis would squeeze his hand in reassurance that he was still here. Shannon met them outside when Nick was brought it. Three of Shannon's closest friends and fellow nurses—Hanna, Dallas and Anna—wheeled Nick down the hall on the gurney, while Shannon stayed by Ellis's side as they got to work on preparing Nick.

But before they reached the area where Ellis would be separated from his lover, Nick opened his eyes and offered a tired smile. "I love you, champ."

This stunned the young man when Nick was taken away from him.

Zoey soon arrived with Francis and the rest of the gang, once they heard about Nick's ordeal. He broke down in Zoey's arms as they waited for one of Shannon's staff to come back and tell them the plan. After nearly fifteen agonizing minutes, Shannon herself came down the hall with a grave look on her face. Ellis nearly lost it, thinking that Nick was gone.

"Ellis," she carefully said, taking his hands into hers. She was fully aware of everyone's eyes on her. "Nick needs open heart surgery. My girls' are prepping him right now."

The tears continued to fall, his sobbing heavy. "W-Will you p-perform it?"

She nodded. Squeezing his hands. "I will—KC will also be with me." KC was a fellow doctor and good friend of Shannon's. Ellis was very thankful his boyfriend's niece and her fellow colleagues and friends were taking charge of Nick's health. Zoey did her best to comfort Ellis as Nick's surgery went under way. Since there wasn't any time for Ellis to see him before he went under, Ellis was granted that his prized hat—of all things—was allowed to be seen by Nick before he was induced. The positive reaction they received on Nick's readings when he saw the hat filled Shannon with enough hope that the surgery was to be successful.

After nearly four hours, it was declared a success.

Ellis was all too eager to see him once he woke up. He was calm enough at that point to not place too much of his anxiety on Nick when the older man woke up. For Ellis to be the first one he sees was indeed a sight for sore eyes.

Nick offered a tiny smile as Ellis gently caressed his hair. The older man's eyes slowly opening. "Hey, Overalls." Nick sleepily greeted.

Ellis cried fresh tears, but with a new softness to them. "I'm here," he whispered. He leaned in and placed a kiss to his forehead. "I'm here, Nick. I'm not goin' anywhere."

And Ellis wouldn't.

They hadn't survived an ordeal like no other just to have one love disappear from this world from something much more trivial. With the massive cardio the two lovers' did, it was a miracle Nick's condition wasn't that much serious in terms of needing a heart transplant. Through thick and thin, Ellis would continue to stand by Nick's side no matter what the cost.

"Ellis," Nick said. His eyes shut again and he weakly lifted his hand, which Ellis gently took and placed his palm against his face. Nick's fingers flexed at the touch.

"Rest, now." Ellis kissed his palm. "I'll still be here."

And stay he would. Sleeping in a chair next to his boyfriend for the rest of the evening and well into the night. When Nick woke the next morning, Ellis was still asleep, snoring softly which soothed Nick down to the core. He watched him for several moments. The blanket rising and falling with each breath he took. The hat that covered half his face—Nick really hated that thing, but seeing it before he was put under filled him with a newfound hope that he would be all right and that Ellis would be waiting for him.

God how he loved the kid.

Nothing was to keep them apart.

He continued to stare at him until Ellis woke. Nick heard several vertebrae crack back into place as the kid yawned and stretched, taking the hat off for a moment to rub his face and scratch his scalp. The sight amused Nick, he quietly chuckled.

Ellis snapped fully awake at the familiar sound and looked over at him, nearly knocking the chair over as he stood up and towered over Nick, the blanket falling to the ground. His eyes beamed and that radiant smile of his seemed to brighten the room a bit more. Ellis stroked his hair. "Nick!"

Nick, with enough strength he could muster, brought a hand up and motioned for Ellis with his finger to move in closer. Ellis did, kissing his hand then holding it in his. Nick continued to stare into his eyes a moment longer before saying with a stronger voice, "Thank you."

"For what, Nick?"

He squeezed his hand. "Seeing your hat before they put me under. You…you saved me, Overalls."

Ellis cried tears of joy. Even though Nick knew he shouldn't, he brought him down into his arms for a loving embrace. Ellis cried against Nick's shoulder as he held him, whispering sweet words of encouragement and thanks for taking care of Nick and doing what needed to be done.

He knew Ellis wouldn't leave him.

He knew Ellis wouldn't give up on him.

Ellis was his rock; his partner and soul mate.

Ellis was his life, and that was enough for Nick to continue on with an even stronger determination to live each day to its fullest.