A/N: I feel I have a need to address the situation of last chapter's A/n. Okay, you all know that that letter I had from Kyle was originally one of mine. Well, I got a slew of messages asking me to be strong. While I appreciate the support like no other, I have to assure all of you that I am just fine. The suicidal phase lasted from 6th to 10th grade with me. I'm a senior now. It's all gone. But you guys are so awesome for being so concerned with someone you don't even know. So I thank you for that =)

Now then. Onto why you're really looking at this page ;)

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He couldn't take his eyes off of him. Were it not for the marks and equipment attached to him, he would have looked like any other boy, just sleeping a quiet slumber.

Kenny continued to stare at the boy. It'd taken him three hours but he finally convinced Stan to go get some food in him. Only with the promise that if Kyle woke up, he'd be instantly contacted. The Broflovski's had came and went already. Ike stood by his side and bawled, only to be yanked away by his parents and dragged back to the car. They muttered about his going to Hell had just been sped, it really didn't concern them too much.

This broke Kenny and Stan's hearts.

Even Kenny, who'd always been fronted with insults and violence since his childhood, could not even come close to comprehending what must have been going on their heads. What was going to happen if...no, when Kyle woke up? Where would he go? What would happen to him? Kenny tried his best to come up with his own answers, but to no avail.

"You okay, kid?"

Kenny turned away from Kyle and muttered, "better than him, I guess." Danny sighed and sat in the other chair next to Kenny and stared at the boy as well.

"How'd you get permits to stay the whole night, Dude?"

Kenny sighed. "I flirted with one of the nurses. Not hard. She's a fucking skank."

"Oh, well, at least it worked."

"Yea...," Kenny drifted off. His mind was still going a mile a minute. He just had to know what had happened. How did such a prodigy take a dive? Why is his life surrounded by death since he broke his curse? Was it destined to be as such?

"How does it happen, Danny?"

"How does what happen?"

"How does someone so...so happy, so full of life and potential...just want to give it all away? Why?! I mean...K-Kyle's always been so strong! He's always been the one to...to sort out the trouble and find the solution! He's always been the first person anyone goes to when they were upset! He was just so fucking strong, and everyone loved him for it! This just doesn't make any sense!" Kenny threw his face into his hands and let out a sob.

He felt a hand gently grasp his shoulder and he tensed under it. "Maybe," Danny said thoughtfully, "he felt there were things that he would just never be able to finish. Maybe...maybe he just didn't see the point in going on when what was so important to him just...."

"Vanished," Kenny finished in a whisper. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Danny nodding slowly.

"Danny?" Kenny asked while removing his hands from his face and sitting up straight.

"What?" Kenny turned and looked into his dark eyes.

"Tell me about Lucy."

Danny's mouth dropped and his pupils shrunk violently. "I-I have no idea who you're t-talking about," he stammered.

"Bullshit. You know exactly who I'm talking about."

"How...how the hell did you-"

"I called your mother," Kenny interrupted. "I needed some answers and she was able to give them to me."

"My mom...she's still...still..."

"Yes, they're all alive to my knowledge," Kenny stated. "They don't like to bring up your death, but they still think of you all the time. She would want you to know that."

Danny swallowed and nodded, tears brimming the edges of his eyes. "Now," Kenny continued. "Tell me about Lucy. It's my job to get you to your eternal rest, so damn it, you're going to have to give me all of the details that you can."

"Lucy...," Danny whispered. "My god...I haven't said her name in...twenty years."

"What happened to Lucy?"

"She...she ran off. I don't know to where...but I woke up one day and she was gone. At first, I thought she'd just left with some friends or something...then days passed. And weeks. And months. Finally, it just got to the point where I figured that she'd run off with some dude who was banging her behind my back...but I didn't want to believe it!"

"So you put yourself into denial?" Kenny asked. He nodded in return.

"I suppose now that I think about it, that's exactly what I did. But you can only deny so long until reality slaps you in the face."

"When did that happen to you?"

He sighed. "I had ordered the ring. For that day...her birthday. It arrived on my doorstep, along with the 50 roses I'd ordered...I...I just couldn't stand it. It just drove me over the edge."

They sat in silence, the only sound being Kyle's assisted breathing. Kenny blinked back tears and looked towards Danny once more.

"Do you know why she disappeared?"

He did not meet his gaze. He merely stared at Kyle and whispered, "No."

"I think we know why you're stuck then. We need to see just why she left you...otherwise I don't think you'll ever get to Heaven or Hell..."

"Can the formalities, Kenny. I'm going to Hell," Danny snapped. Kenny jumped back slightly at his tone. Danny let out an aggravated sigh. "Look, I'd rather spend eternity in Hell than eternity on Earth. I...I loved Lucy. We wanted to travel cross-country. See all that we could, ya know? Being stuck here...it's like reliving the fact constantly that I'll never see her again and we can't follow through with our plans."

"Is that why you travel around?"

Danny nodded. "I've always wondered if I'd see her again. Maybe see her smile. I'd do anything for just one little look at that smile of hers again. I swear...it could light up the world if she wanted it to," he shook his head and let out a little chuckle. "Don't know why I'm telling you," he glanced up at Kenny. "You've never lost a loved one, have you? It's just been you that constantly died."

Kenny looked at him for a moment, then silently turned his head back towards the bed. Danny followed his gaze and sighed. "I...I guess that's not true," he turned back towards Kenny and gave him a crooked smile. "Ya really care about him, don't ya?"

Kenny returned with a small smile. "I guess I do. Otherwise I wouldn't be here."

"Exactly."

"Huh?"

"If one feels like there's no one to love...no one to care for...and no one to return that feeling, you feel helpless. And you need out. Kyle didn't think anyone loved him, that's why he drove himself that far."

"But what about you? You had your parents...and Alice and Marie."

Danny shook his head. "It's different. If you feel like your soul has been torn out...if you've pretty much lost the only other person or people who make you you...then what's the point? I loved my parents and they loved me. But they weren't Lucy. Lucy made me whole, she was basically my Stan or Kenny," he smiled.

"But...you thought she was gone for good...," Kenny started.

"And so I did what I felt to be right. No one wants to live on an unloving Earth. Just a plain rock hurtling around a ball of gas? No! Everyone wants to have that...that feeling, you know? You feel like you could rule the world with your fingertips as long as their with you. You could...fly! I mean, the feelings like a drug...once you're in it too deep, if you get yanked out, you're going to have some issues on your hands."

Kenny nodded, though he really had little idea of what he was talking about. Kenny's relationships had always been unconventional.

"But once they're gone," Danny continued, "it's like everything just blows apart. It's like someone's smothering you in this dark and terrible feeling. You're dead inside and no amount of pills or alcohol can get you back on your feet... And you'd do anything to get things back to the way they were. It's...it's a horrible feeling. One that I hope you never have to experience, Kenny.

"I think I have...," Kenny whispered, looking at him through glistening eyes. "I...I don't know what to do, Danny. I don't know what to do if we lose him!"

Danny stared at him sympathetically. "Look," he started. "I've only known you for a day, but that doesn't matter. You're strong, Ken. If he pulls through this, you'll lead him back to where he's supposed to be."

"But if he doesn't...," Kenny responded. "I'm going to have to help him leave me forever."

This thought sinks in to both of them and they both fight back tears. It's never an easy situation to think in terms of a friend or just someone you're watching go through your experience.

"Do you regret what you did?"

"A bit," Danny replied. "I mean...it's not like it changed anything about me and Lucy...but if I fully die...who knows? Maybe I'll be better."

"I doubt it, Dude. You'll be the same as you are now, you'll just be someplace else."

"Right, I won't be surrounded by her wherever I go. It's so...suffocating sometimes, you know? It's one thing to be surrounded when it's such a clear feeling...but now, now it's just muggy and horrible..."

"I bet."

"How does Kyle make you feel?" Danny asked suddenly.

"Wait, what?"

"How do you feel when you're talking to him?"

Kenny blinked. Then again. "I...I feel..." Oh how could he describe it? "I dunno, comfortable. Like, like if anything in the world was wrong with me, I could just talk to him and all my problems would just go away. He's always been someone to lean on...and I always wanted to be someone that could return the favor."

"But he never let you, did he?"

"No...he...he really didn't until he came out. He usually went to Stan. If anyone." Kenny looked back at the boy. "I really wish that he had come to me...or Stan, I don't really care which. I just wish that he wouldn't have done this to himself...it's just so..."

"Uncharacteristic?" Danny guessed.

"Yeah."

"Well, you know what they say, it's the quiet ones you have to look out for. Kyle will make it...I'm sure. And you'll be there to guide him."

"Same situation if he doesn't make it...I don't like that. I...I need to focus. I need to worry about Kyle, but right now my largest concern is you. I have a promise to uphold, and if I keep fretting over Kyle I'm going to wind up in one of these beds myself. So, you say that Lucy just disappeared?"

"Yeah, it was strange, I just woke up and she wasn't beside me."

"Hm...well, mayb-" He stopped as he heard the door opening.

"Anything new?" Stan asked.

Kenny sighed. "No...no, he's still like this."

"Jesus Christ," Stan whispered. "I can't stand to see him like this, Kenny. It just isn't right."

"Of course it isn't, but as his friends, we have to stick by him."

"But that's what caused this in the first place! He thought that we weren't going to stick by him! Didn't you read the letter?!"

"Only fifty times...," Kenny whispered. "And it hurts more each time I read it. We weren't good friends, Stan. I betrayed his trust and you walked out on him. Imagine what would happen if he woke up in the hospital with no one beside him! He'd be even more of a wreck! We have to wait on him and help him get better."

"What if he doesn't make it, Kenny?! I don't like having to watch my best friend slowly fading away in pain!"

"You're such a fucking pessimist!" Kenny shouted, standing abruptly from his seat with Danny following suit. "He WILL make it, got it?! And we are going to stay here until then!"

"What, did you think I was leaving or something? If it were up to me, I never would have gotten that damn food, it's not like I was able to keep it down anyhow...," he muttered.

Kenny sighed heavily and walked up to stand face-to-face with him. "Look, Stan," he started. "We messed up. We fucking messed up hardcore, alright? All that we can do is be here for him and...pray."

"Pray? Kenny, since when do you pray?"

"Since the boy who happens to also be my best friend wound up on a hospital bed. I'm going for a walk. Call my cell if anything happens."

"Fine," Stan sighed and took his seat beside Kyle. Kenny took one last look at them and made his way out the door. Then he ran. He ran as fast as he could towards the exit...he HAD to get out of there.

Once he finally busted through the hospital doors, he was greeted with a silent, gentle snowfall. Not an unusual occurrence in South Park...but this one seemed different. Every snowflake that fell was like an extra weight on his heart. Billions of little snowflakes, lost. Caught in the whirlwind of time. And he had to save them all. He had to make sure that each one of them touched down just right. It was daunting to see them all, and to know that those he found were only a fraction of the total...but it didn't matter. Each one he could find was his responsibility, and he was ready to help them. No matter how cold it made him

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Danny and Kenny walked silently side-by-side in the snow, matching syncing each other in steps and in breathing. It was a little unnerving in a way, to be so at one with death...

Kenny let his mind drift for awhile and slid his hand into his pocket. He could feel his wallet and he pulled it out just for the sake of having something to read. He opened it upside down and shook it, trying to find something, when to his surprise, a folded up paper flew out onto the sidewalk. He put the wallet back and bent down to pick it up. When he opened it, he found himself on the verge of tears once more. He'd found a picture from two summers ago of himself and the guys when they went to Maui.

"Come on, Stan!" Kyle shouted. "Set up the goddamn camera, already!"

"Just give me a minute, alright? It's a bit more complicated than it looks!" he retorted, fumbling with the device. Kyle rolled his eyes and walked over, swiping it from Stan's hands. With a few buttons, he set it on the tripod and smirked.

"Ready when you are, El Capitan."

"Shut up, Kyle," Kenny and Cartman laughed as Stan stomped over to where they were getting ready for their snapshot.

"Everyone ready?"

"Yes, now hurry up, you stupid Jew!"

"Fuck off, Fatty," Kyle muttered as he hit the button and walked over towards them. "We got twenty seconds...so what should we do? We all know that we can't do things traditionally."

Kenny grinned. "How about we all jump on Cartman?" Cartman shot him a dirty look.

Kyle shook his head. "Nah, we'd bounce off the blubber."

Kenny and Stan laughed as Cartman stared daggers at Kyle.

"Ha ha, very funny Jewboy. Now, let's see you joke about this!" Cartman grabbed his towel from behind him and flung it around Kyle in a tight wrap.

"What the fu-" Kyle was cut off as he was swung forward towards Stan's lips just as the camera went off.

After the flash went, Cartman loosened his grip on Kyle's binding, allowing him to push back from Stan and wipe his mouth in disgust. Cartman and Kenny rolled around laughing as they both tried to regain their dignity.

"Best fucking Kodak moment ever!" Kenny snickered.

"Yeah, it'd be great for some porn site for creepy old men," Cartman added.

"What the fuck are you talking about, Cartman?" Kyle asked, his face getting flushed from his anger and embarrassment.

"Think about it, Kyle. You have four 15 year olds. One of them is tied up and kissing another as the other two stand and watch. What pervert wouldn't like that?" Cartman deliberately looked towards Kenny as he finished his statement.

"Cartman, you're fucking sick!" Stan gagged.

"Whatever, Dude. You're the one making out with guys," Cartman smirked.

"I fucking hate you so much, Fatass," Kyle stepped up towards him.

"Feeling's mutual, Jew."

"Guys, don't start," Kenny warned.

"Back off, Kenny, you know how they get," Stan interjected.

"All you fucking do is make other people miserable!"

"And all you do is talk about doing what's right and spreading your Jewish cheer everywhere!"

"Fatass!"

"Jew!"

"Retard!"

"Daywalker!"

"Son of a whore!"

Kenny and Stan watched as Kyle went falling backwards onto the ground.

"What's wrong, Cartman?" Kyle asked as he stood up and rubbed his back. "Did I strike a nerve?"

"Don't try me, Kyle. I'd love nothing more than to punch your nose in."

"Why?" Kyle gave him a little push backwards. "Just because I'm stating that your mother's job is in fact being the town slut?"

"Well your mom's a fat Jewish bitch!"

"Yeah, and?"

Kenny and Stan dropped their faces down into their hands and shook their heads. Would this bickering ever stop?

"What, so now you don't care if I call her a bitch?"

"Well, considering that you're a total bitch, too and you seem to be utterly in love with yourself, I suppose that it could be taken as a compliment. Besides, my mom can change her attitude. Your's can't change her reputation."

"Kyle...I swear to God..."

"What, Tubby? You think I'm fucking afraid of you?" Cartman's scowl just grew deeper. Kyle smirked in triumph. "You fat bastard."

With that, Cartman sent his fist flying straight into Kyle's nose. He went flying back towards the ground again, this time with his head coming into contact with the pavement.

"FUCK!" He cried out through his hands as he grabbed his nose. When he moved them, a steady stream of blood was running down his face.

"Oh, God," Stan muttered as he helped him stand up.

Kenny grabbed Cartman in a full nelson and displayed him for Kyle. "You wanna get a few good punches in, Ky?" He asked as he struggled to hold the larger boy in place. "Go ahead."

Kyle raised his fist and let it shake in the air with anger before dropping it with a defeated sigh. "Oh, forget it. I'm just gonna go before I do something I fucking regret."

Kenny, Stan, and Cartman just watched as he slowly walked away towards the bathroom.

"Hm...that's right," Kenny thought. "That's the first time we ever saw him give up against Cartman." Suddenly, something struck him as odd. Violence...and regret? "Worth a shot," he thought.

"Hey, Danny?"

"Yea?"

"What were you like in college?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, like, were you straight A's, a frat dude, what?"

"Oh," he replied. "Um, I was an average student, but I loved to party every now and then. We had fucking awesome keggers."

"Sounds tight. What type of drunk are you?"

Danny laughed. "What's with all the random questions?"

"I'm trying to take my mind off of Kyle," Kenny mumbled pathetically.

"Ah. In that case, I'm happy to oblige useless questionnaires. Now then, I don't really remember much from my partying. I'd usually go home and crash, then wake up and wonder how the hell I got there," he chuckled. "I was a fucking wreck when I was wasted."

Now we're getting somewhere.

"Did you...ever hurt anyone when you were drunk?" Kenny pressed.

Danny ducked his head down. "Once or twice, yes. I...I never mean to...I just lost my temper really easily."

"I do that, too when I get trashed. Once I broke a kids finger in the door because he pissed me off so much."

"Geez, what'd he do to you?"

"If I remember correctly, he gave me a Mountain Dew instead of a Dr. Pepper."

Danny laughed softly and ran his fingers through his dark hair and took a deep breath. "Lucy used to hate when I partied."

"Really?"

"Yeah. She was concerned for my health, I guess. Can't blame her, I was on the one way train to a dead liver. Now I'm just a dead everything. If I could actually eat and drink, I'd probably be drinking as much as possible. I guess some things never change, do they Kenny?" He looked over and smiled softly at the younger boy.

"Did you ever hurt Lucy do you think?" Danny's smile instantly dropped.

"I'm pretty sure that I would have known if I'd done that."

"But, you said you don't remember much from the drinking...you'd be confused as hell in the morning."

"Well...well, yes. B-but I'd never hurt Lucy...I loved her...," Danny stammered out.

"Danny?"

"W-what?"

"Your aura's wavering."

"What, is that how you say your fly's down in this time period?"

"What? No!" Kenny responded. "I'm guessing you can't see auras?"

"Only on other dead people...I didn't know that I had one. I thought that I was a fluke or something."

"Nope, your as green as envy...though it's starting to fade."

"What, why?"

"Because, I think we know why you were stuck. You didn't know why Lucy left, I threw out a suggestion, and all of a sudden your aura starts to leave?" Kenny points out. "I don't think that this is coincidence, my friend."

"But...but I loved her! I-I NEVER would have hurt her!"

"Do you know who's finger I broke when they pissed me off?" Kenny asked suddenly.

"Um...who's?"

Kenny stared at him with his deep blue eyes and simply stated, "Kyle's."

Danny stared at him. "Y-you're serious? You broke his finger?! How the fuck could you do that?!"

"I was drunk off my ass, Danny. He took me home to take care of me and I ended up hurting him. Think. How did you feel when you woke up and found that Lucy was gone?"

"My head was...off. I dunno...it hurt."

"Hangover?"

"Y-yea. And I had weird ass scratches on me."

Kenny raised his eyebrow. "Scratches?"

"Fingernails...I thought that...that maybe I fought someone at the party," he bit his bottom lip.

"I...don't think so, Danny. And I think you've finally figured out what happened. You're turning pink."

"What?"

"You've discovered why you were stuck...you're going where you belong."

"B-but I didn't mean to!" Danny covered up his face and let out a short sob. Kenny walked up and placed a gentle hand on his glowing shoulder.

"Hey, I know you didn't. And who knows? Maybe you'll see her in the afterlife."

"I don't want her to go to Hell! I'd never want that!"

"Yeah, but unless she's Mormon or under ten, she's probably going. Most of us do," he shrugged.

Danny grabbed him and gave him a quick embrace. "Thanks, I guess Kenny. I owe you a lot. Now, go take care of Kyle."

Kenny nodded and waved as he slowly disappeared. He sighed and took his notebook out of his parka once more.

Danny Ross February 3rd, 1970May 7th, 1989Unknown fate of love

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"Kenny?"

"What?"

"You want me to keep watch for a while?" Stan whispered.

"Nah, keep sleeping. I've got him."

Stan sighed. "Alright. But wa-"

"I know, Stan. Go to sleep." The ebon teen nodded and leaned back into his chair. Kenny looked from him back to the pasty boy in front of him. So far, he'd been only declared as 'under surveillance.' Not 'stable' or anything reassuring.

"You're lucky"

Danny's words from earlier that day continued to ring in his ears. "Lucky for what?" Kenny thought furiously. "Lucky that Kyle was alive then? Lucky that I'm an arrogant asshole and he'll never want to talk to me again?! Lucky that I had a chance to be with him...and hold him...and be his closest confident for just once in our lifetime?" Kenny could feel the tears welling once more as these thoughts tackled him.

Danny was right. Even if this would only last a little while longer, it didn't matter. He had been privileged to know Kyle Broflovski. He'd seen what little humanity had to offer through those bright green eyes of his. He'd seen the hope of many in his bright, perfect smile. And he'd seen a chance of he himself making it as Kyle struggled through his own obstacles while assisting others along the way. This last event was nothing to note in Kyle's life. Even if it caused his end. His achievements were far too outstanding, his accomplishments too many for them to be smothered in this unfortunate case. Him himself too amazing to be out-shined by matter of his demise.

Kenny smiled slightly and reached his hand up onto the bed. He placed it on top of Kyle's chilled, delicate palm and intertwined their fingers. It looked so funny. His relatively golden skin against such a bleached tone. His strong fingers in-between those of the finest china dolls. He smiled more as he closed his hand on Kyle's and lied his head down on the bed, resting atop his other arm. He gave a gentle squeeze and said a small prayer for Kyle. He felt his eyelids grow heavy, until he found himself staring at the smiling face of a pale, redheaded Jew.

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A/N: And Danny is done. AUGH! I had SO much trouble getting his story to intertwine with Kenny and Kyle's. I was like, throwing my laptop across the room in a frenzy XD

And you STILL don't know what's gonna happen with Kyle. I'm sure you all hate me right now, but that's okay. I only liked you as a friend anyway =p

Stay tuned for chapter eight, coming fairly soon, I'm sure =)