AN:
Hello everybody,
This chapter contains major character death, loss, and grieving.
Thanks for reading,
~LC & MA
A few years had passed, and Holly and Brook were getting older. They weren't playing as many games together, but they still hung out all the same. Nick was also getting older. His limp had progressed, and, now, he was bedridden. However, that didn't stop him from doing other things; his body might have been failing, but his mind was just as sharp as it always had been. He could often be found surrounded by books and papers, either reading, writing, or sketching things. He would be constantly doing something, staying up until sleep took him, or until Pyria would put him to sleep. It was a late night, when Pyria had found him up writing in one of the many notebooks that surrounded him. She looked at him and sighed, "Nick, please get some sleep. It is almost two in the morning." She said, walking over to sit beside him.
Nick looked up at his wife. He smiled at her, in all of the time that they a had been together, he had aged decades. Yet, she hadn't aged a day. He envied that about her. Elven magic was something that had always fascinated him, he wanted to look into it at one point, but, now, that seemed impossible. "Sorry, dear. I was just trying to get some words down on paper is all." He sighed, scribbling off the last of a sentence before closing his book.
"I just don't want you to overwork yourself is all." She worriedly replied.
Nick let out a yawn, as he felt tiredness hit him. "I am trying not to, believe it or not. It's just hard to have so much more to tell, and not enough time to tell it." He frowned, knowing his time was running out.
"Please don't talk that way." Pyria held his hand, gripping it. "You have plenty of time left. You just need to focus your efforts is all." She looked around at the piles of books that had taken up residence on the bed. She knew well enough that he didn't have much time left. She just didn't want to see him struggle to get his entire life's story down.
Nick sighed. "Pyria, we both know that, that is not the case." He whispered solemnly, holding his wife's hand tightly. "We always knew this was going to happen…" He trailed off, not wanting to finish his sentence.
"We just thought that we would have more time together." She said, finishing his thought. She felt a few tears fill her eyes. She quickly wiped them away, not wanting him to see them.
Nick saw the tears, and his brow furrowed slightly. He put on a smile for his wife's sake. "Hey! I said this once before, and I will say this one last time. I don't want to see any crying. I have lived a long, full life. That should never be mourned over, that should be celebrated!" He smiled widely.
Pyria smiled, and steadied herself. "I know. You are right. You are very rarely wrong."
"It is a blessing and curse." He joked, letting out another yawn.
"Okay, now, you have to get some sleep." Pyria leaned over Nick and kissed him good night before tucking him into the covers. "Sleep well."
"Thank you, dear." Nick smiled back, kissing her softly before getting some much needed sleep.
A few weeks had passed, and Nick's condition was getting worse. He had begun to start coughing more and more, and his breathing was becoming heavier. He was learning all to quickly that his time was nearing, and he still had a lot to do. Too much to do, and nowhere near enough time. There was no way he could get all of his stories on paper, but that didn't concern him; he was more worried about what he was leaving behind. Brook was the first thing on his mind. He knew he wouldn't get to see him get married or have children. He just wanted him to be happy, and Brook had a great friend that Nick knew would keep him out of trouble if he ever got into it. And, there was always Holly, the little gnomish girl who quite literally ran into their lives. She was as smart as they come, maybe even smarter than Vladimir. They had each other, and Nick knew they would always look out for each other's backs.
Nick asked Pyria if she could pick him up a few things, and handed her a small list. She looked at it curiously, but did as asked. When she came back, he thanked her, and asked if she could get the kids for him. He had a few things to give them. Pyria knew well enough that he would ask something like that. She begrudgingly got them and lead them to Nick.
Brook had seen his father like this for some time, but he still didn't fully comprehend it. "Hey, Dad. What's up? You wanted to see us?" He asked nonchalantly.
Nick smiled. He was glad that Brook still treated him like normal. It was a relief to hear. "Hey, guys. I wanted to give you two something." He smiled at the two of them.
Holly looked at Nick curiously. "But, it's neither of our birthdays. Why are we getting stuff?" She asked curiously.
"Ever the thinker, aren't you Holly?" He joked, eliciting a smile from the gnome. "Just because it isn't your birthdays doesn't mean I can't get you two something. Now, come here and get what I got you." Nick said, waving them over.
Holly jumped in front of Brook, and smiled widely. "Me first." She grinned eagerly.
Nick laughed, coughing slightly. "Okay, okay." He leaned over to the side, and picked up a large stack of papers. They were all neatly wrapped together, and all of them had a grid pattern on them. He carefully placed them in her hands. "Here you go. I got enough engineering paper for you to last you at least a few years. Use them well. It should help with your inventions." He smiled widely.
Holly's eyes lit up as she looked at the stack of papers in her hands. She looked them over with an analytical eye. The grid was very precise, and she could tell in an instant, that these would be highly useful for some of her more intricate designs. She leaned over to Nick and hugged him tightly, making Nick grunt as she did so. "Thank you so much! These will help more than you could ever know!" she smiled widely at him grateful for the gift.
"I'm glad." Nick smiled, catching his breath from the shockingly strong grip. He coughed for a moment before he turned his attention to Brook. "And, now, for you." He smiled.
Brook stepped up to his Dad's bedside, looking eager to find out what his father might have gotten him.
"This is for you." He said handing him a sketchbook. It was leatherbound, and, on it, it had the letters 'B. E.' embossed on the cover. "Now, I got you this because I know that you have just as many crazy ideas in that head as Holly has inventions in hers. You might not have the same technical skills as her, but I know for a fact that you have some art skills. This will be a place to keep all of those nice and safe." Nick patted his son on the shoulder, and pulled him in for a hug.
Brook hugged his father back, a few tears in his eyes. "Thanks, Dad. I will be sure to fill it up." He smiled back at his Dad.
"Good. I hope you do." Nick smiled. He looked at the two of them and shooed them away. "Now go have fun with those!" The two bolted from the room, and took off out the door, making their way to their grove.
Pyria walked in, and sat down on the bed. "They really like those." She smiled at him.
"I knew they would, that's why I asked you to get them for me." He smiled widely back at her.
Pyria leaned in and kissed Nick passionately. She retreated with tears in her eyes. "I knew exactly why you did that. You ass." She looked angry.
"Hey, what did I say about crying?" He frowned at her, placing his hand on her cheek.
Pyria held Nick's hand close to her face before pulling it down. "How can you be so calm in the face of death, Nick?" She asked in a higher pitch, her tears still flowing.
Nick pulled her hand to his mouth and kissed it. A few tears collected in the sides of his eyes. "Pyria, I am terrified of death." He said seriously, looking her dead in the eyes as he said that. "But, Death isn't a bad guy. He is just terribly, terribly good at his job. Everyone will eventually meet him, so why not greet him with a smile? The gods only know he gets enough sadness and tears when people meet him. I don't want to be like everyone else; I never have been, so, when I go to meet him, I want to be able to tell him, 'I have lived a full and eventful life, and I would change nothing about it.' That's what I want to do." He spoke honestly and truthfully. His voice broke slightly as he said it, but it quickly went back to a more wanting and assertive voice.
Pyria looked on as Nick spoke. She smiled slightly, realizing that he was thinking of someone other than himself- just like he always has. "You went through all this trouble just to make sure that Death has an easier time when you meet him?" He grinned, wiping away a few tears.
"Mostly." He smiled, glad to see a smile on the face of his wife. "We all have a time limit, Pyria. Why worry about something we can't change?"
"Nicholas Evenwood, you are, by far, the craziest man I have ever had the chance to meet." She leaned in and kissed him. Her eyes were dry now, but she knew they would be wet soon enough; she could wait until after to cry. For now, she would enjoy every second she could with him. She hugged him tight, holding him closer to her.
Nick hugged his wife back, knowing what she was doing. He was okay with that. He wanted to be with her for as long as possible as well. "I love you, Pyria. Now and forever." he whispered for her.
"I love you, too, Nick. Now and forever." She whispered back.
A few more weeks passed before Nick eventually passed away peacefully in his sleep. Brook awoke to an odd sound. It was the sound of his mother crying. He walked into his parent's room, and saw his mom leaning over his father. She was crying profusely. Brook knew in an instant what was wrong, but didn't say anything. He simply shook his head, and walked backwards out of the room before sprinting out of the house and beelining for the grove. Nothing bad ever happened there. He ran, and, when he found the grove, he smiled. But, the brief reprieve to his mood quickly soured. He leaned against the birch tree, and cried harder than he had ever cried before in his life. His dad was gone. No longer would he get to hear his voice, or get to hear his advice on things. He was alone. He curled up into a ball, and cried.
Holly awoke, and started her day off as normal. cleaning herself, dressing, and, then, having a quiet breakfast with Vlad. It was a normal morning until Vlad suddenly stood up. He looked saddened. He looked to Holly. "Go find Brook." He ordered softly. "I will find you in a few hours." With that, the elf found a swift and urgent gait, running out the door.
Holly sat in her chair dumbfounded, but she could tell that something was wrong. She quickly stood up, and ran out the door, looking for her friend. She couldn't think of anywhere else to look other than the grove so she made her way there. When she arrived, Holly saw Brook lying on the ground, he was sobbing, and, from the look of him, he had been that way for a while. "Brook? What's wrong?" She asked, sitting on the ground next to him.
Brook jumped when Holly spoke. He had been so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he had lost all perception of his surroundings. He looked at her, and hugged her as tightly as he could, crying into her shoulder. "Dad died." He said simply, before his tears began anew.
Holly didn't know what to say or do. A wave of something she couldn't describe washed over her like being splashed with a bucket of cold water. Her eyes prickled with wet tears, and she pulled Brook into her arms, holding him tightly. It wasn't until she heard his sobs of sorrow that she started to cry too. Suddenly, her mind started to whirl with information in the way that it always did, and she came to the realization that the engineering paper and journal were both his parting gifts to them. He'd known what he was doing, and he was still thinking of them even when he was at his end. Her sobs grew harder, and she started crying into Brook. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry. I love you."
Brook simply cried. He didn't say anything, the fact that Holly was there was good enough for him. He just needed a shoulder to cry on. The two of them cried for well over an hour, eventually their sobs subsided. they leaned against one another in silence. Brook grabbed Holly's hand, and leaned his head on her shoulder. "Thank you for being here." He murmured with a hoarse voice.
Holly looked at Brook. She couldn't find the words; there were none. She squeezed his hand back, and took in a deep breath, which he mimicked. She felt she needed to say something, but she couldn't think of anything. It all seemed hollow. She wished that there was something more that she could do for him. She wished a lot of things. "I wish that there was something more I could do."
Brook looked at Holly. "It's okay. The fact that you are here is good enough." He said, squeezing her hand slightly.
They sat in silence, glad that the other was there. A little while later, Vlad arrived. He looked sad, like he had been crying, but his face was his usual straight forward face. He walked up to the two of them. "Brook, Holly, please come with me." He commanded.
The pair quietly followed, more meandering than actually following. They walked back to Brook's house, but they didn't enter. Instead, they were lead about a hundred meters behind. There, standing next to a hole, was Pyria. Her face was red and tear stained, but she looked, for the most part, okay. Next to her was a body, wrapped up tightly and carefully. Pyria saw Brook and ran up to hug him. The two cried for a minute before Pyria turned to Holly and pulled her in for an embrace. They looked at one another before Pyria stood up and walked over to Nick's body, leading Brook and Holly next to him. She looked to Vlad, and nodded. Vlad sighed and cast Telekinesis to carefully pick up Nick's body and place it in the hole. Brook and Holly sobbed as they saw Nick get lowered down. Pyria placed a hand on both of their shoulders. "I know it's hard, but try to stay strong for just a bit longer. It is what Nick would have wanted." She said with a wavering voice.
The two looked up at her, and nodded. They could do that. Vlad set Nick down at the bottom of the hole and spoke. "Is there anything you would like to say?"
Pyria nodded, knowing she would need to lead the way. "Nick, you were a great husband, and an even greater father. You could make us laugh, smile, and even cry… You, were without a shadow of a doubt, the best thing to ever happen to me… Only second to my children." She smiled at Vlad and then Brook. "You worked harder than any other person I have ever met, so it is about time you got some well deserved rest. Sleep well. I will always love you. Now, and forever." She said with glistening eyes.
Brook looked down at his father. He really didn't know what to say, but he knew that he needed to say something. "I will miss you Dad. Thank you for telling me all of your stories, and about all of the adventures you went on. Those were fun to listen to..." Brook smiled, thinking back on the crazy tales. "I promise I will fill up the sketch book you got me, so that I can tell you of all of my tales. Maybe even show you… But, first, I will get big and strong, so that I can do all those crazy things you did! I promise." He said with gusto, making Pyria and Vlad chuckle.
Holly stepped forward a little to stand next to Brook. She looked at Vlad and to Brook for reassurance before speaking, "You were the first person to ever appreciate me for what I was and what I wanted to be. I have no idea where I'd be without you, so… thank you. For believing in me. I think you already knew about that, but I never got to say it."
Vlad looked at the three of them and nodded. "Nick, I know that we did not talk much, but, when we did, you offered me great advice with life decisions and moral ones. You always knew exactly what to say. Thank you for that. I will greatly miss you." He said, nodding his head in respect for the man. He looked up at his mother, and sighed. "Are you ready?"
Pyria nodded. She knew that this would be the hardest part. "Yes, go ahead."
Vlad nodded, and, using what time was left with telekinesis, he moved the pile of dirt on top of Nick, placing a few piles on before moving what was left in one large movement.
Pyria fell to her knees, and held the kids tightly for a moment. She looked at Vlad. "Could you please bring the kids inside? I would like to spend a few minutes alone." She asked with a hesitant voice.
"Yes, I can." Vlad replied, trying to stay strong for his mother. He walked up to the children, and guided them to the house. "Come on. Let's get you some food." He simply said.
They were lead inside, and Vlad began working on getting a simple meal set up for them. Holly listlessly sat at the table, while Brook made his way to his room before returning a few moments later with the sketchbook Nick had bought him. He sat down next to Holly, and, wearily, began to sketch.
About two hours had past before Pyria walked into the house, and she sat down at the table. Vlad placed food down in front of them, and joined them to eat. Brook and Holly played with their food while Pyria forced herself to eat. She didn't want to, but she knew she had to. Brook and Holly, eventually, finished their meals before going to bed. It had been an exhausting and emotional day, and the family all remained at Pyria's place for the night, not wanting to be far from each other. And, just like simpler days, many years before, a half-elven boy used a gnomish girl as his pillow. Some things never changed.