Henry
Henry had seen many lives lost during his time in Eureka. He'd lived a fairly long life in a town where scientists were always pushing the boundaries, and this made the occasional fatal accident an inevitability. He just never thought he'd outlive Nathan Stark.
Henry had known Nathan before there was Corporate Nathan. Henry had known Nathan when he was young and bright-eyed and a tiny bit awkward, when he still marveled at even basic science and the possibilities of simple technology.
They'd worked together for years, and Nathan Stark almost never let his guard down, even back then. He was a man of science, not emotion.
But Henry saw what the casual observer might miss.
Henry saw tenderness when Nathan looked at Allison. He saw affection for Kevin.
He saw love and potential and intellect.
For awhile, he was convinced that Nathan had lost his way. He'd left Allison for a job, something old Nathan would never do. He'd pushed boundaries, sometimes disregarding safety in the process. He'd made mistakes, pushed people away with a rough exterior and a business-like indifference.
But when Henry heard how Nathan Stark had died – risking his own personal safety for the well-being and existence of Eureka...
Henry knew that Nathan had always been just Nathan, and it was then that Henry truly felt grief and the painful loss of a friend who had proven, more than anyone else, that a man can stray far from where he started, but still return home.
A/N: Not necessarily my best work or favorite chapter, but Henry needed something.