Silence.
Ste had been used to being quiet around Brendan, and he had previously liked it, for he had never really liked to let himself be honest with Brendan. He thought it showed a sign of vulnerability, something that only Brendan could bring out of him, some sort of control that he had over Ste. So he instead chose to refrain from words or meaningful conversations with his former lover.
Still silence.
But on this day, in this hospital room, something felt strange. Silence was emptiness, and Ste was desperate for Brendan to not feel alone in this hard time. He had been on his own long enough. It was time to provide him with the opportunity to feel love again, not obsession, love. Ste was convinced that this was the only way to bring Brendan back.
His mind was made up; he would tell Brendan the truth about how he still felt about him, and how he never stopped loving him. This would wake him, it had too.
Concluding his thoughts, Ste looked up to Brendan's face. Memories flashed back of times in the past the two had spent together. How Ste had relied so heavily upon Brendan for his happiness, how Brendan had abused that trust, but ultimately, how the love between the two was unbreakable.
With the memories flooding back, Ste thought again about how alone he would feel without Brendan. Despite the last few months, there had always been a thought in Ste's mind that he and Brendan would find their place in each other's lives one day.
Ste then thought about what Brendan had done for him. How he had provided for him, lied for him, killed for him. It then dawned on Ste that no one had ever loved him quite like Brendan, not even Amy could dedicate as much to Ste as Brendan had.
It was with this thought that Ste deplored the miscarriage of justice for this great man. He deserved to be brilliant, to be loved by everyone around him, to be able to love more than just those who he felt responsible for.
Ste wept for the life that should have been, the person that Brendan Brady should have become.
Ste could no longer face Brendan; the emotions were becoming too overwhelming. He continued to cry.
Ste had successfully taken the silence from the place, but the room felt emptier than ever.