Eric wasn't exactly sure of what to do. What lifeboats the crew managed to find was for first class and woman and children.
It wasn't was he was expecting;waiting for death. It was awkward. He and Kyle sat on the balcony floor, holding each other. Kyle was wearing the coat he let him borrow earlier. Eric managed to grab another from his room during his running around But it didn't keep Kyle from shivering. He was thin and much more likely to succumb to hyperthermia or frostbite. Eric just held him tighter.
Kyle spoke up, his nose red and lips chapped from the bitter air. "Do you really think we'll live Eric?" Eric smiled weakly, feeling unsure but he wasn't going to let it show. "Of course. Soon as we get to New York I'm gonna show you around. I'll take you eating at some of the best places money can buy and dancing." Kyle perked up. "Dancing?" "Yeah. You like dancing?" Kyle smiled. "I love dancing."
Kyle heard something when he stopped taking. The violin band, playing a soothing tune. A haunting tune. Kyle felt it was a death sentence but he smiled, standing. Eric looked at him confused. "Dance with me?" Eric smiled sadly, taking his hand, standing. "If it'll make you happy Jew." Kyle grinned, holding his hand tighter. "It will."
Eric held him close, swaying, feeling the ship creak and move beneath his feet. People around him crying and praying but all he could focus on was Kyles smile and red curls shining in the moonlight.
It was moments later that the electricity on the ship went. Everything becoming dark save for the moonlight shining off the boat and ocean. People screamed and cried.
Kyle even was scared by the sudden darkness, holding onto Eric in a death grip. "Oh my god, I can't believe this is happening. It has to be a dream." Eric swallowed the lump in his throat. From fear or despair, he wasn't sure.
He just held Kyle close, praying to whatever God there is they make it out of this but the shop lurched, making a few people fall. Eric saw it starting to angle, making people fall into the water below. "Kyle, run! Com'on!" He held Kyles hand so tightly, getting them to the highest point he can, grabbing the railing and wrapping his arm around it, Kyle doing the same, staying close to Eric. Kyle was nearly sobbing he was so terrified. Eric felt his own eyes water as the ship started raising. "Regret saving me yet?" Kyle looked at him, his voice thick but determined. "Never. I will never regret that." Eric wanted to cry. He didn't deserve this little Jew, not one bit.
But an icy bolt of terror went down his entire body as he saw the water coming up so damn fast. He held Kyle tightly to himself, praying the don't get separated.
The water hit him and all he felt was pain. The water hit him like a thousand needles pricking at him. He almost passed out it hurt so badly but he fought it but found Kyle got separated from the force of the water.
He swam, looking for Kyle, yelling his name. "Kyle! Kyle!" He felt panic so strong he thought Kyle passed out or worse. He wanted to cry until he heard that wonderful voice. "Eric!" Eric heard it, turning to it and swimming fast as he can.
He got to Kyle, kissing him senseless. "Oh thank god. Let's go find something to float on. We'll die in the water for sure." Kyle followed, keeping a hold of his soaked jacket as Eric swam through the icy waters and panicked people.
Sheila could only watch, holding her youngest who was crying, wrapped in his mother's jacket. She bit her lip, trying to be strong for Ike but she feared what happened to her oldest son and husband. She kissed Ike's head, keeping the tears away until she found them.
Gerold wished he could swim to the ship, grab Kyle and get him into the lifeboat but they were nearly two miles out, giving enough room not get damaged or sucked in by the ship itself. An older woman was next to him, she offered her hand. "Pray with me?" Gerold felt his eyes water, looking back at the wreckage and took her hand.
Heidi was nearly sobbing. Surly Eric couldn't have survived that? Could he? She didn't want to get her hopes up. It seemed so unlikely anyone would come out of this alive.
Eric swam and swam and finally found a large, wooden door...or wall...he didn't care. He got to it, getting Kyle onto it. "Here, up here." Kyle climbed, his fingers red and aching and painful but he made it, nearly crying. Eric followed, with little trouble, the wall/door turning over but they managed, sitting up and watching what little wreckage remained. Kyle sucked in a breath, sobbing. "I can't believe this. This is a dream." Eric wrapped him in his arms protectively, taking a hand in his, seeing how red and painful they look.
He started kissing the hand, breathing on it, trying to warm it up. Kyle stared, so much love in his eyes for this man he somehow managed to save, twice. "Eric..." Eric stopped what he was doing. "What?" Kyle smiled sadly, kissing him. "I love you, you know that right?" Eric felt his own eyes water. "Yeah. I know. I love you too." Kyle smiled weakly, letting himself be wrapped up in Erics arms. Eric using part of his own wear coat to bring around him, hoping it would be use as some sort of protection.
It must have been hours before Kyle spoke, making Eric jump. "Will you live a good life Eric? After this?" Eric raised an eyebrow, he was shivering but Kyle stopped shivering long ago. "What do you mean? Of course I will. I'll have you." Kyle smiled weakly. "I want to go dancing when this is over. I don't care who sees us." Eric smiled, kissing his head, not caring of the frost and ice that built up. "I don't either."
Eric wasn't sure when he fell asleep but there was a light in his face and a yelling in the distance. "Is there anyone alive out there?! Please! Is there anyone out there?!" Eric started waving his free arm, nearly crying in relief, calling out. "Over here! Help!"
The people heard him, starting to turn their boat. Eric smiled, tears starting to go down his face. "Kyle! Kyle, we made it!" He went to shake Kyle but found him laying against him, limp. Eric's heart froze. He shook him, seeing Kyles skin was white and frozen. Red curls covered by a sheen of frost. "Kyle? Kyle! No! Wake up! Wake up, we're saved!" Eric sobbed, shaking his head as he came to the realization that Kyle wasn't alive. The bitter cold took him. Eric held him close, sobbing. "No, no, Kyle, I need you. Please, please wake up." His hand was still holding his, interwoven and frozen to each other. Eric regretted calling the rescue ship because now he wanted nothing more than to die along side him.
The nearly pried Eric off Kyles body, having to leave him there till morning for another crew. Eric watched numbly as Kyles body was laying motionless on the door, getting further and further away as the rescue crew gave him a blanket around his shoulders.
They were all taken to the New York docking harbor but instead of fanfare for a glorious voyage there was doctors and worried families and police and reporters.
He got checked over, just like all the other survivors but he didn't care that he survived. He didn't have his fiery Jew to dance with or argue or make love to.
When he was done he got sent back in the waiting area, before he could be cleared to fuck off.
"Eric!" He heard his name and saw red curls and green eyes and he wanted to sob. Sheila found him, hugging him tightly. "Oh thank goodness, where's my bubblah?" Eric started to sob, crying into her hair when she pulled away, already knowing what happened. He pleaded and explained tearfully. "I tried. I tried so hard. I'm so sorry..." Sheila started to cry, hugging Eric again, mourning the loss of her son and he the loss of the only person he ever loved.
He stayed with the Broflovskis, seeing Gerold with casts on his legs and wheelchair beneath him. He walked over. "How you feeling?" Gerold had watery eyes. "As to be expected I suppose. I...I lost my son." Eric bit his lip to keep it from trembling. "I'm sorry. I did everything I could." Gerold nodded before smiling sadly. "He must have really loved you to jump the boat like that. He jumped out of our lifeboat and ran like hell to find you." Eric didn't say anything.
"Eric?" He turned, seeing Heidi. Hair a mess and eyes bloodshot. He went over, hugging her. "Hey." She frowned. "I can't believe you made it. Are you ok?" Eric get his eyes water. "No." Heidi had a few tears escape as she hugged him. He didn't explain and she didn't ask for an explanation.
A person was coming around with a clipboard, asking people's names. They got to him as he stood with the Broflovski family. "Name?" Eric froze, unsure if they would accept it but it's better than nothing. "Eric Broflovski." The guy nodded as Sheila looked over. "Eric?" He turned to them. "I'm dead, technically. I'm sorry if this is too much for you, you won't have to see me again." Sheila went to him. "Of course we want to see you again. You saved our lives." Heidi touched his shoulder. "What does this mean for us?" He sighed. "Eric Cartman is dead, you're out of our situation." Heidi nodded. "I hope we still see each other again." Eric nodded as she walked away.
He wasn't sure what he was going to do with the rest of his life but he knows one thing: he's going to live.
Kyle sacrificed himself to be with him, to save him in so many ways. He wasn't going to let that go to waste.
He stayed with the Broflovskis a bit before he could buy his own place, work his own job, earn his own money that wasn't his mother's or the company's.
He had a picture of Kyle, courtesy of Sheila that he had on him. Every night before bed he would remind himself what he was living for.