{Author's Note: Be for warned the following chapter contains: Violence, dark suggestive themes, very strong and very colorful language. Rating probably M. As always PLEASE be sure to view "Lucy" by xOxLxIxVxEx as that is the work that inspired this story. A huge massive ginormous THANK YOU to xOxLxIxVxEx for giving me permission to post this. :) This is my first ever Fan fiction of any kind ever. Please be honest but don't be hateful or petty. Don't forget to Review after you read thank you thank you thank you and hope you enjoy! End Note}

Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Fairy Tail, if I did the Fairies would be ruling the world and whipping people with their totally awesome tails!

Chapter 3

Sundered And Undone

It was almost three a.m., Erza had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. She was worried about Natsu. He was getting worse again. She didn't know how she knew, but she did. He was broken. Losing Lucy had broken him. It was a defeat that she was afraid the dragon slayer would never recover from.

Erza threw the covers off, and climbed out of bed. She had to check. She needed to make sure Natsu was still hanging on to his sanity. She requiped into her usual armor, and hurried from the room.

She rushed from the guild dormitory, and out into the street. Erza sighed as the still oppressive heat lingered.

Summer in it's death throws, knowing that autumn was not more than a month away, fought back by refusing to allow the temperature to drop even in the dark of night. Soon, however, the heat would fade and the leaves would begin to change.

Erza walked quickly through the darkened streets of Magnolia. She knew the way to Natsu's home by heart. She was tired, and cold. This was her routine, and had been for the last few weeks. She would go to check on Natsu at least three times a night. She was worried about him. He had never taken anyone's death so hard before.

Loosing Lucy had hit everyone in the guild hard. Even Bixlow, and Gajeel had taken the news gravely. Mira had lost her smile for over two weeks. Elfman stopped saying anything about being a man, but later told Erza that a real man knows when to shut up. Happy quit talking about fish for so long that she had taken him to the vet.

Erza brushed away the tears that had come to her eyes as she turned the corner, and approached Natsu's front door. She paused taking a deep breath. No one was really okay. Loke refused to return to his world, had given up any, and all company, and had taken to spending his nights laying on Lucy's grave. Erza shivered. It was creepy, and morbid. It was heartbreaking. He loved her so much. They all had.

Lucy had been her best friend. The only female she had ever felt she could always turn to no matter what. She could confide in Lucy. Lucy would explain things that Erza didn't understand about being more... well, girly. Erza had learned to be more prim and proper. Lucy had taught her about the finer details of social etiquette. Lucy had helped Erza become a lady, not just a woman. She missed her dearest friend in ways she felt she would never be able to express to anyone.

"LUCY!"

Erza jumped shaken from her reverie. It was the first time she had heard Natsu speak Lucy's name since her death. She grabbed the door knob. It was locked. She threw her shoulder against the solid wood. On the third try the lock gave up, and the door slammed open.

"Natsu! Natsu, where are you?" Erza yelled in the darkness of the small living room. She had to find him. The only other time he had spoken Lucy's name had been when Gray had caught him trying to kill himself.

"Natsu Dragneel answer me! Where are you?" Erza snapped, fear making her sweat, and shake.

"Lucy. Lucy, please I'm sorry. Lucy," Natsu sobbed.

Erza followed Natsu's voice, thankful that his place was so small. Erza found him in the corner of his bedroom covered in blood. She snatched the knife away so fiercely that it cut his hand as it passed through his fingers. The dragon slayer attacked her. Erza was caught off guard as Natsu punched her in the face with a very animalistic snarl, his fist hidden within intense flames. She fell back, the knife falling out of her hands, and clattering across the floor.

"Leave me the fuck alone! Let me die! I killed her! I killed my Lucy! I killed her, now I'm gonna kill me," Natsu snarled with more emotion than he'd shown in a long time. He reached for the knife again. Blood was pouring from both his arms where he'd carved long jagged tares from his wrists to his elbows. Erza requiped into her Flame Empress Armor. She lunged at Natsu as he brought the knife up, this time aiming for his neck. They became a flurry of arms, legs, blood and fire. Natsu had never won against her. Erza refused to let him win now.

"Stop this, Natsu! Stop! She loved you! She still loves you! She wouldn't want this! Lucy would be heartbroken if she saw you like this! This won't bring her back to us! Stop!" Erza screamed at him as she fought for control of the knife.

"Let me die! Let me join her! I killed her! I killed Lucy!" Natsu spat back. Tears still flowing, blurring his vision, choking him with the pain of his words.

"If that was true I would kill you myself!" she shrieked. Natsu stopped, frozen at the thought. Erza continued, as she began to sob, "I'm guilty too, Natsu! I was there! I couldn't save her either! At least you got to say good bye! She was my very best friend, and I failed her! It was my dagger! It was my dagger that killed her, that killed Lucy! I-I didn't even know it was gone until it was too late! I'm as guilty as you are, Natsu," she whispered the last sentence. She had beat herself in the chest with each statement and it had only served to make it harder to talk.

"I-I-I kn-now it was yours. I...remember when she gave it to you," Natsu was sobbing again as he remembered her smiling, happy face.

Lucy had been so proud of finding the strange weapon on a mission. She had given it to Erza as a birthday present. No one knew anything about it, other than it was an ancient dagger with a unique power. It had been part of a special set, but they didn't know which one in the collection it was. Even the magic council didn't have the ability to identify it clearly.

As it turned out, that dagger had the power to drain a mage's magical powers, and keep that power locked away. It allowed the wielder to use the power held in the weapon whenever they wished. Lucy had unknowingly found her own death. Her best friends had unwittingly dragged her to her early demise.

Erza pulled Natsu out of his reverie as she hauled him to his feet. The knife fell noisily to the floor in a pool of blood. Without a word, Erza picked the dragon slayer up, and set to marching straight to the hospital.

"I still want to die, Erza," Natsu told her, "One of these times, I'll succeed. Eventually, you and Gray won't be able to stop me. I can't live knowing that I killed her. I was standing right there. I let her die. That mage even warned me. He told me she wasn't safe. That she wasn't safe as long as she was in the temple, and I ignored him. I let her die, even though I knew she was in danger. I killed her."

"I will always stop you, Natsu. I will save you because that's what Lucy would want. She wouldn't care who killed her. You or me. She would want me to save you, so I'll do it for her," Erza said without emotion.

Natsu didn't reply. She looked at the man that she was carrying. His eyes were lolling, his body limp. He was bleeding to death in her arms. Erza gritted her teeth, and ran, praying to reach the hospital before it was too late.

Mira sighed as she approached Loke. She didn't know if she should tell him, or not. He didn't look up as she took his empty glasses. He didn't seem to notice as she set three fresh mugs on the table, careful not to spill. It was unforgivable to damage the drawings. You could do a lot of things, and Loke wouldn't flinch, but you always added sama to Lucy's name, and you never threatened the drawings.

Mira walked back to the bar, and set down the tray of glasses. Most of the guild already knew that Natsu was back in the hospital. Erza had a broken nose, several burns, and a few lacerations from the fight. Mira shuddered at the thought of how desperate Natsu must be to have managed to injure Erza enough to put the warrior in the hospital too.

Loke might go to visit Erza. She was one of the few people that the Spirit would talk to. Mira sighed, and walked back to Loke's dark nook.

He didn't seem to notice Mira approach. She jumped in surprise as Loke's voice rumbled softly, "I'm not polishing them off that fast, at least not yet. Did you want to talk, or was there something else that I can do for you, Mira?"

"I...um...Can I sit?" Mirajane asked gently, uncertain of how to broach the subject of Natsu's new attempt, and Erza being hospitalized by it.

"Be my guest," Loke purred smoothly as he waved coolly at the chair nearest him. Several people had notice the unusual interaction, as no one bothered the resident lion without good reason. He was terrible company, and was easily angered. Mira ignored the stares, and took the offered seat. Her heart was racing, and she was nervous. She bit her lip as she tried to think of how to tell him without upsetting him.

Loke noticed her discomfort. He sighed, and sat back in his chair. Slowly he leaned toward the gentle bar maid. He took her fingers delicately in his own, and brushed a soft kiss across the back of her hand. She smiled brightly at his sweet natured gesture.

"Mira, my dear friend, I will never do anything to harm you. My Princess would never forgive me. Please do not be afraid of this broken lion. I'd never be more than an over sized kitten with any lady, but even more so with any friend of My Beloved," Loke purred in his most charming manner. For a moment behaving like his old self. Mira's eyes glittered with sudden tears. Her chin trembled, but her most beautiful smile broke out on her face, lighting the entire guild with it's warm glow.

"Ne! Loke! I miss seeing you be so sweet. Thank you," Mira beamed.

Loke smirked for the first time since Lucy died. Mirajane noticed, and grinned happily. Her smile faded slowly as she remembered why she'd come over to speak with him.

"What disturbs you, Mira?" Loke asked as the moment passed, and he sank back into his quiet, brooding depression.

She looked away into the darkness of the corner. She pressed her lips together before speaking, "I wanted to know if you'll visit Erza in the hospital?"

Loke's head snapped up as his eyes widened in shock, "Why is Erza in the hospital? She was fine yesterday, and she hasn't taken a mission."

Mira sighed, "Well, she had a hard time stopping him. It's nothing serious. The doctor said she'll be fine in a few days. Just a broken nose, some burns, and a few cuts. They don't expect it to scar too badly."

"From what?!" Loke demanded. He was not taking it very well. Mira was beginning to worry if telling him had been the right thing to do.

"She, she caught Natsu last night. He, He was trying to kill himself again. She had to fight him. He almost succeeded. He's stable now though. The doctors said he'd recover in about a week," Mira rushed through the explanation. She clasped her hands in her lap, twisting them painfully. She was afraid to look at Loke. She didn't know how the Lion Spirit would react. She was scared.

Loke was outraged. He swallowed it though when he saw Mirajane trembling. He would control his anger. He would honor his lady love by handling her loved ones gently. Well, most of them at least. Natsu, on the other hand, Loke was ready to tare into. He took a deep breath, willing himself to calm down.

"Yes," Loke growled a little more harshly than he intended, "I will go visit Erza. Thank you for telling me, Mira. Don't worry, I'm sure she'll be fine. I'll...I will have a talk with that stupid dragon about his actions. I know My Princess would be displeased, if I allowed him to continue on in this manner any longer."

Loke rose without another word. Everyone in the guild noticed the lion as he exited. He hadn't walked that proudly since the incident. Loke had a mission. He would continue to serve his Lucy the only way he could.

Erza was fine. Loke sat with her for a while. She was surprised when he asked her the details of what had happened the night before with "that stupid dragon". That was how Loke referred to, and addressed Natsu on the very rare occasions that they did talk to each other. Natsu on the other hand referred to Loke as "that fucking lion".

She was worried. Erza hadn't seen Loke so full of life, so energetic since before that day. He, and Natsu avoided each other like the plague. She couldn't remember the last time they had actually exchanged words in a civil manner. They had spoken after the funeral but it had turned into an all out war between them in a matter of seconds. It had taken literally the entire guild to break it up. Even Master Makarov had to get involved to end it. Now Loke was planning on having a "sit down talk with that stupid dragon". This could not end well.

As soon as Loke left her room, Erza grabbed the phone, and called Mira. Just in case Mira hadn't notice that Loke wasn't parked at his little table of doom and gloom.

Loke made his way to Natsu's room. A dangerous smoldering look in his eyes. Gray was parked in a chair by the door. When he saw Loke bearing down on him, he almost fell out of said chair.

"H-hey Loke. Whacha doin' here?" Gray asked, hoping to intercept the Spirit before the hospital became a battle ground.

"I need to speak with that stupid dragon. Step aside, Gray," Loke ordered quietly without looking at the ice mage.

"He's not really in any condition for visitors, Loke. You two can't stand looking at each other normally. I can't let you beat on him right now," Gray countered. He was determined to keep the peace.

"I'm not looking to fight, I just need to talk to that moron. Clearly you and Erza can not get through to him. I refuse to fail My Princess ever again. Now, step aside, boy," Loke growled dangerously. He lifted his eyes, and leveled his gaze at Gray. Loke was not wearing his sunglasses.

Gray went sheet white, and stumbled away, tripping over his vacated chair. He was too frightened to wet his pants, or he would have done just that. Gray had seen a lot, but he had never had death, itself, look him in the eyes like that before. He'd not soon forget those green eyes, and their promise of a lifetime of agony if the demand was not met in a timely fashion. Ice was warmer than what was in Loke's piercing green eyes.

Loke swept through the door, and closed it softly behind him, leaving Gray standing, still shaken in the hall.

Natsu was staring out of the window at the pale blue sky. He didn't turn when the door opened, or when it closed. He didn't care who had come in. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered. At least until the scent of the person reached his nose.

His eyes went wide, then narrowed dangerously. His head snapped around to glare at the intruder.

"Get the fuck out, you fucking lion!" Natsu screeched. Anger twisting his pale features.

"We need to talk," Loke growled back. He moved quietly to a chair beside the bed, and seated himself without permission.

"I don't wanna hear your shit! Get out!" Natsu shot back. He forced himself to sit up. He was still dangerously weak from the blood loss, and the room seemed to ripple around him for a moment.

"Shut up, Natsu!" Loke snapped.

Natsu froze. The anger bleeding away in the sudden shock. Loke hadn't used his name in so long, he couldn't think of what could have brought the Lion Spirit to do so now.

"What do you want?" Natsu managed while eying the other suspiciously.

"To talk. Didn't you hear me the first time, or did you try to bleed yourself out through your ears?" Loke taunted. A sneer on his lips.

"I'll start there next time so that I don't have to listen to your pathetic growling, asshole," Natsu shot back heatedly. Words were currently his only weapon. And since Lucy's death he had started using words that Lucy probably didn't know that Natsu even knew existed.

"There will not be a next time," Loke said patiently, "You will not continue to dishonor My Beloved in this manner, Natsu Dragneel."

"Your Beloved! Fuck you, you son of a bitch! She was my girlfriend! I loved-" Loke cut Natsu short as he dragged the injured dragon slayer from his bed, and slammed him against the wall, pinning him there. He was shaking with barely controlled rage. Hot tears already running down his face. Natsu's eyes widened in both shock, and pain.

"Shut up you sniveling dragon whelp!" Loke snarled.

"Whelp?!"

"Shut IT!" Loke screamed. He breathed heavily for a moment, before continuing in a tear choked, bitter voice, "I already know fully what you were to each other. You had what I wanted from the moment I met her. I will never have that. Ever! You have one lifetime, ONE! To suffer through without her. I have all of eternity! I have lost the love of my entire life! You had her. You, you had her heart, her love. She smiled for you, as she smiled for no other! I could not convince her of my love. I love her enough to let her be happy, even if that is in the arms of another. I love her enough that I never, never said, or did anything to discourage you. I did not hold it against you, even though it ripped my heart out to see you with her. That's how deeply I love My Princess. Do not-"

"Bullshit! You threatened me when we first got together! You just couldn't scare me off!" Natsu interrupted fiercely.

"No, you stupid dragon, think about it. Remember my exact words. I told you that if you ever made her cry, I would carve you into pieces, and turn you into earrings for all of my stupid fan girls to wear. I never said anything about staying away from her. I never, never tried to come between you. That is how deeply I love her. Do not question that again," Loke responded. His tears falling freely.

"You don't understand what she means to me. No one does. No one else loves her like I do! No one-" Natsu spat before Loke cut him off.

"How dare you!" Loke screeched as his glowing fist slammed into the stone wall beside Natsu's head. The stones split in a number of radiating cracks that spread from under the Stellar Spirits fist. He was shaking violently.

He swallowed his outrage, and breathed heavily before continuing in a deeply pained voice, "You are the one that doesn't understand how much I love her. I petitioned to have her written into the very stars! I fought to have her given immortality! That petition was approved, Natsu! All I asked was that you wait even one more day to leave! But No! No, you couldn't do that, could you?! It had to be your way. She died one, ONE!, day too soon! If she had lived until sunrise it would have been in effect! My Princess would still be alive! So do not dare tell me that I don't understand! I know, Natsu. I know how you feel. I know I am not alone in this pain, this excruciating agony, so long as you are still alive. I know, you stupid dragon."

"No. No one knows. No one knows the truth about why I wanted that money so badly. Now I have it, and it means nothing because she's not here," Natsu was crying, almost sobbing, shaking his head as though trying to free himself of the knowledge trapped inside his own skull.

Loke snorted derisively, "You think I don't know? You truly are dense. I know. I have always known. That's why I hate you so much. I lost her to you, and you were so focused on what you wanted to give her, that you lost her for all of us. Forever. You didn't even buy the house, or the ring. I knew. I always knew. I always watched My Sweet Princess.

I knew you were planning something so I started watching you. I saw your design for the ring. It was fucking beautiful. I knew she would love it. I cried for a week. Then I found out how much it would cost, and the price of that house, and I knew there was no way you could afford either, never mind both. Then that damn mission was posted. She didn't want to go. I didn't want her to go. You made her go, just like you always did. You found a way to get her to agree.

You kept your promise though. Not that you have had much choice. You've never begged her to do another mission that she didn't want to since. Did you really think that I, I wouldn't know the truth? Did you really believe you were so clever that I, of all people, wouldn't be keeping so close a watch on you that you couldn't even think of another without me knowing? Stupid dragon.

After all that you've taken from me, after all that you've cost me, how can you refuse to suffer along side me for just one lifetime? Just this one lifetime without her, that's all you have. I have forever, and I never got to hold her like you did. Why are you so ready to leave me with this pain to carry all alone?" Loke's tirade ended softly with him nearly crying on Natsu's shoulder.

"You, you knew?" Natsu was staring disbelievingly, into the air beyond the weeping Lion Spirit, that still held him pinned to the wall.

Loke nodded dumbly, the tears choking off any hope of speech at that moment.

"I can't do this. I can't allow myself to live. I killed her. She was everything to me, and I as good as killed her, with my own hands. I should die for that," Natsu tried to explain his logic.

Loke's mind snapped. His voice returned in a rush. The tears vanishing as memories flooded back to him.

"No! No, if you had killed her, you wouldn't be sucking wind right now! I would have killed you, just like the other two! I can still hear them begging for death! Their screams of agony didn't last nearly long enough. I painted the walls of that temple... with their BLOOD!" Loke confessed wildly, an insane glitter coming into his eyes as he spoke, meeting Natsu's gaze for the first time since entering the room.

"Wha-what the hell are you talking about? I killed those two ba-" Natsu started but Loke cut him off.

"Did you really believe that you beat them to death?! Where did you think I was for a week straight? Think about it! Did you think that I would not seek retribution? If you want to believe that you killed My Princess, tell me now! I will personally drag you back to that temple, and do a touch up on my master piece!" Loke paused as if seeking dramatic effect, "Glorious life sized murals of My Beloved, on every single wall! Drawn entirely in blood!" Loke began to laugh in the most disturbing manner Natsu had ever heard.

He'd had a mental break down upon Lucy's death, but it never occurred to anyone that perhaps, the Lion Spirit had never fully recovered from it. Sure he spent his days drinking, and drawing pictures of her. Some of the members of Fairy Tail knew that he spent his nights at her grave. This bit of news, however, put all of it in a whole new, and rather disturbing light. Loke was clinically insane. What was worse, was how well he had managed to hide it for so long.

Natsu blinked. A strange, half smile creeping across his face. He tilted his head slightly to one side, as his eyes began to glitter, imaging what Loke had done.

"Really?" Natsu asked, sounding pleased.

Loke grinned, and nodded brightly. They grinned at each other for a long moment, like they had just done something wonderful, that would be celebrated the world over.

"Show me," Natsu said, grinning in the large, childish manner that he had been known for.

"Kay," Loke beamed, "but you gotta get well enough to leave first, stupid dragon."

The two men stood grinning at each other, like they had just realized that they were best friends.

Behind the two way mirror in Natsu's room, the scene was taken in by the watchers, as something far more disconcerting, than the dragon, or lion could understand, in their current state of mental instability.

"Uh...At least they aren't trying to kill each other?" Gray tried to be as positive as possible, given the frightening revelation. He broke the stunned silence that held everyone captive.

Master Makarov sighed heavily, "I was afraid of this. If those two don't regain their sanity, we may have some very real problems, that involve a lot of people suffering needlessly. Loke has been keeping it together by doing as Lucy would have wished. Natsu, however, I'm worried that Natsu may very well snap. Getting control of an insane fire dragon slayer, is not on the list of things to attempt, if you wish to avoid a painful death.
I'm not sure if allowing, either of them, to return to her death site is a better choice, than trying to stop them. It may well destroy what little reason they have left. Or it may just help them get through the grieving process. Then again, it could undo all the progress that they have made thus far. Hmmm...Erza, I want you to tell them that they are not allowed to leave Magnolia. If they stay here very well. If they do leave, then let them go. Don't tell them until after Natsu is released from the hospital though. None of you are to breathe a word of this to anyone else."

Master Makarov turned, and left the room without another word.

Gray, Erza, and Mira remained unmoving for a long moment.

"I think you should get back to bed now, Erza," Mira offered gently. She couldn't hide the deep concern on her pretty face. Erza nodded, and allowed the other woman to assist her out of the viewing room, and back to her own bed in the hospital.

Gray didn't move. He continued to watch both, fascinated, and horrified by what he was witnessing.

Loke, and Natsu had stood for a long while, grinning at each other. Finally, Loke helped Natsu back to the bed. They were talking like giddy children awaiting Christmas. Gray shook his head, and left. Which was probably all for the better considering the next turn in events.

Natsu laid back as Loke pulled the blankets up to the dragon slayer's waist. He sat on the edge of the bed, grinning like a march hare. Without warning, he stroked the side of Natsu's grinning face. Natsu began to laugh, clearly amused. Loke leaned forward, and rested his forehead on Natsu's.

"Natsu," Loke whispered, as he stared intently into the other's eyes. His expression became much more serious, but remained gentle, "Live with me, Natsu. Don't leave me alone. We can share our love of our Princess with each other now. We can even get her the house. We'll take care of it just as she would have. Will you, Natsu? Will you live with me for her?"

Natsu stopped grinning as Loke spoke quietly. He thought about what Loke was asking. He liked the idea. Loke knew. Loke understood. Maybe if Loke was with him, the pain wouldn't be so bad any more. Natsu nodded.

"Okay, I will," Natsu agreed.

Loke smiled sadly. Tears stinging his eyes, and dripping out from under his closed lids. He tilted his head slightly, and kissed Natsu.

Natsu inhaled sharply, frozen in place for a moment. He closed his eyes, and returned the kiss. They were kissing Lucy. They were kissing the woman they mutually loved. They were just doing so through each other. Natsu wrapped his bandaged arms around the Lion's neck, and sobbed deeply without breaking the kiss. A long moment later, Loke pulled away. He gently gathered the other to him. Natsu didn't resist. He buried his face in Loke's shirt, and cried as he hadn't allowed himself to do so before. He didn't fight the tears that came. He bawled broken heartedly, until several hours later, when he finally fell asleep.

Loke remained with Natsu, allowing Natsu to hold him as he had once held Lucy, until an hour before sunrise. He woke Natsu, and told him where he was going before he left. Natsu had nodded, then fallen back to sleep. Finally at peace in the knowledge that he was not alone. There was another who truly understood his pain, his grief, his agonizing, bottomless sorrow. The truth of it, the knowledge of their mutual pain having passed between them in the kiss they had shared. They had each loved her equally, and lost equally.

"Good morning, My Princess, the sunrise is truly beautiful this morning," Loke purred as he lay on his back beside Lucy's grave. This was his morning ritual. He greeted the day with her. In his broken mind, he heard her answer, as if she were actually there. He smiled his most charming smile at the thin air beside him where he could "see" her. It never occurred to him that it was all in his head. If he reached out he would tell you that he could feel her. He would swear that she was just as real as he was.

"I must apologize for not coming here to watch the sunset with you, My Love. I was holding your dragon for you. I finally told him the truth," Loke paused as if listening.

"Both, actually. I'm not sure if he understands the petition, or not. Your dragon can be a little dense about such things. He did, however, understand about the paintings I did of you. He wants to see them. When he's well enough to travel, we can all go together," Loke beamed. She was talking to him again.

"Yes, My Love, you were right. I should not have left the task to Gray, and Erza. Rest assured that from now on, I will make sure your dragon doesn't hurt himself any more, Princess. I promise. He's going to be just fine, My Dearest," Loke responded. He smiled once more. He reached out, and stroked the air. His smile began to fade.

"Yes, Beloved, you are probably right. As it pleases my Lady, I shall take my leave. I will return to your dragon's side. Oh! Are you going to join us, Princess?" Loke paused as he came to his feet, "Splendid! I'm sure he will be delighted. I know he hasn't come to see you yet. Stu- Ahem, forgive me, Princess. I know you dislike me calling him that, but you must admit, sometimes he really is."

Loke beamed happily, as he made his way back to the hospital, walking as though he were arm in arm with someone on his left. He didn't notice the strange stares that followed his passing.