Happy Endings Incorporated: HEI

Disclaimer: I didn't invent Metias or his circumstances, but I am Julie (Not really. She's my alias), so I own Happy Endings Inc.

Here at Happy Endings Incorporated, we've been bringing joy to the world since 2003. We take characters right out of their stories, and give them happy endings, expert medical care, and group counselling, free of charge. We do our very best to give the characters their happy endings they deserve within their own universes, but when that would threaten to destroy another happy ending in the story, we set them up with an apartment and their very own happy ending, right here at headquarters. Each patient is carefully selected so that their absence will not disturb their story, and with the intention to return the patient to the story if possible. Hundreds of volunteer Readers go through books every day, searching for deserving characters that were neglected and never got a happy ending. Antagonists have a right to a happy ending, too, and here, they will get a chance to meet possible soulmates. If you have any questions, or have a recommendation for a character who needs a happy ending, please leave a review. We will do our best to help everyone, but as this is a volunteer organization, we can only help so many characters. Register a favorite character today to give them a chance at happiness! Here's a story of one successful intervention, told from the man's point of view. Meet Metias Iparis, a successful Happy Ender who recently joined our ranks as a Story Scout.

Hi, guys. My name is Metias. Wow. It's kind of weird, having people call me by my first name, instead of Captain Iparis. Anyway, I just had my twenty-eighth birthday, and I can't help thinking about where I would be if Happy Endings Inc. hadn't saved me. I remember the day I died – or, rather, the day the HEI faked my death. It was a mix of so many emotions: Fear, Frustration, Love, Excitement, Hope, and Disappointment. It was the happiest day I'd ever had, and the saddest too.

I was talking to a nurse. I don't really remember what she looked like. All I remember is that she was blatantly flirting with me. I felt kind of bad, but I had to explain that I wasn't interested. I tighten my gloves – a nervous habit.

"My men will be at the entrances tonight." I assure her.

She looked disappointed, and I think she guessed my secret when Thomas came over. She shook my hand before I left, and I suppose she didn't care, because she passed me a slip of paper with a series of numbers on it. I shoved it in my pocket as Thomas came over. I would have just thrown it out, but that would be rude.

Thomas had a weird expression on, but I didn't say anything. Maybe he had a bad feeling about this, or perhaps he just really had to go to the bathroom. Either way, I didn't want to bother him. I smiled at him reassuringly.

"Another long night, eh? I swear, if we're stuck here until dawn again, I'll whine to Commander Jameson like there's no tomorrow." At the time, I had no idea how ironic that statement was. I could tell his laugh was forced. I didn't want it to seem awkward, but I considered offering to cover his shift while he went to the bathroom. I didn't though.

"Let's hope for an uneventful night, then." He leaned up against the brick wall.

"Yes, let's hope for that;" I agreed, turning my head to watch him. "At least I have you for company."

"Likewise." Something in the way he said it caught my attention. It almost sounded like he wanted to tell me something. He noticed me staring, so I turned away before it became creepy.

Some kid showed up a few minutes later, breaking the uncomfortable silence. It later turned out that he was Day, my future brother in law and that he was really trying to help his brother, but oh well. I didn't know that at the time. I sent two soldiers to check him for weapons. At this point, I'm pretty sure they should have been fired, because they said he wasn't armed. Seriously, that dagger really hurt!

Anyway right then, I noticed that I could feel Thomas breathing next to me. He was way too close. He blushed, noticing it too. I frowned slightly, a little sad. He knew, all right. He knew, and he wasn't going to say anything. It was a few minutes before he tapped me on my shoulder, taking me out of my thoughts.

"Captain, can I speak to you in private for a moment?" My heart jumped, but I pushed that thought away. It must be something important.

"Is this urgent?" I asked carefully, blinking away the thoughts that were running through my head. It apparently wasn't. He dragged me over into a dark street. My heart was pounding, but I waited for him to speak. I wondered if this had something to do with the expression on his face earlier. I asked him about it. "Something wrong, Thomas? You don't look well."

His expression was unreadable. He said he was fine, but I knew it was a lie. It hurt that he would lie to me, that he wouldn't trust me. I pretended it didn't hurt, and said, "Come on. You've never needed to hide anything from me before. You know that, Right?" I hoped he did. He glanced up from the patch of ground he was staring at, looking into my eyes as though he were trying to see into my soul.

"What is this between us?" My breath caught in my throat. I was pretty sure he could hear my heartbeat, it was so loud. I dropped my false smile. I took a step back, acting like I had no idea what he meant. This was it. He was going to tell me it would never work out. He would tell me he couldn't stand to be around me. He was going to tell me he despised who I was.

"What do you mean?" I asked, carefully. He said I knew what he meant. And he was right. I studied his face, watching for any sign as to whether he hated me or -. I decided he probably didn't hate me. He was probably just trying to let me down easy. I went with what I thought he wanted to hear. "This can't happen. You're my subordinate."

"But it means something to you, sir. Doesn't it?" Something in the way he asked it made me wonder if my assumption had been correct at all. I stepped closer. Terrified and elated, I whispered the question.

"Does it mean something to you?" he hesitated, and then, the moment I'd always wished would come, but never dared hope for, was there. He kissed me. I froze. What was I supposed to do? I'd never really been kissed before, and right now, I was still in a state of shock. When he pulled back, I just stood there completely still, unsure of what to say. I decided not to say anything, as I saw his worried expression. I leaned forward and kissed him back.

I was surprised by the blaring of an alarm, and for a brief, ridiculous moment, I thought it was because of us. It wasn't though. I was the hospital. My future brother in law had caused a scene. We ran off in different directions to try and catch him.

You know what happens next. I get a knife in my shoulder. Thomas betrays me. But as he stabbed me, I noticed he was careful to miss my heart. Of course, the pain was still agonizing, but I could tell. He was not this clumsy on purpose. He still stabbed me, though. I felt a tiny pinprick on the back of my arm. He slipped a blue dart into his pocket. I knew there were cameras. I could see one from here. So as he came up with excuses, I played the part I needed to. I felt bad, seeing the hurt in his eyes, but I hoped he knew I was acting. I felt my heart slow, and I lost consciousness.

When I woke up, I was strapped to a hospital bed. I wondered if the Republic had gotten hold of me, or maybe the Colonies. Neither one trusted me, so that would explain the bonds preventing me from moving. Some kid, a blonde-haired girl who looked about twelve, wandered into the room absent-mindedly. She was holding a transparent blue clipboard and wearing a white lab coat, as if some adult had told her she could pretend to be a doctor for the day. She glanced down at me as I struggled to escape my bonds. Her face lit up.

"Hi! I'm Julie! I'm the manager of Happy Endings Incorporated, and you are our honored guest!"