Before you get on with this story, I'd like to ask for your attention! This will most likely be the last chapter, followed by a short epilogue, because I've been having trouble with time and inspiration. If you have ideas for a different ending, please tell me! I can't promise I'll use your ideas, but I'd like to hear any you might have! Thank you! I hope you'll enjoy this~

oOo

Gilbert stared at his brother with a mix of shock and horror, blood running cold.

"He said... what?"

Ludwig looked very uncomfortable, and even more so when he noticed his brother's reaction. Gilbert couldn't quite register what was going on. One moment, they had been sitting and talking (and he'd never talked to anyone about stuff like that). The next, Matthew's brother had come in, started accusing him for pushing Matthew into the river, and then proceeded to hit him. When he woke up, Matthew was gone, and Ludwig told him he'd left in tears, asking to tell Gilbert to "forget about him".

What the fuck? He just couldn't process it all, but he knew one thing for certain; he had to find Matthew, and he had to find him quickly. From the sound of it, he'd started blaming himself again, and to a more serious degree, if Ludwig's and Feliciano's observations were correct.

"Bruder, you shouldn't be up and about yet, your conc-"

"I don't give a flying fuck about a damn concussion, Ludwig, I'm going to find Matthew." Gilbert's accent was even heavier now as fear started building up in his chest and mind. He swayed a little as he stood a bit too quickly, telling himself to calm down, take a deep breath and wait for the dizziness to pass. As soon as it did, he put on his jacket and marched towards the door.

"Bruder!" Ludwig sounded almost frantic. Any other day, Gilbert might have felt guilty, but he didn't have time to worry about that now. He moved out into the hallway, and heard his brother and Feliciano following him. He decided to go to Matthew's room first, to see if he left behind any clues to where he'd go. As he reached it, however, he saw Alfred talking to Dr. Harrison outside the room. Alfred looked quite distressed, pale and concerned.

One side of him blamed the man for screwing things up, but at the same time, he could somehow understand, strangely. If he'd heard that Ludwig had fallen in a river along with someone else, he might have been too worried to think straight as well. Over-protectiveness and rashness were both points they shared, he supposed, which was why he didn't blame the other too much for what he'd done.

"Alfred!" he called, picking up speed and running up to him. The other's gaze snapped towards him and he looked positively frightened, guilty and shocked at the same time. He looked liked he expected Gilbert to beat him to a pulp or something.

"Y-you... I'm so sorry for hitting you, I-" he began explaining himself, almost panicked, but Gilbert just waved his hand.

"Forget about it. Do you have any idea where Matthew might have gone?"

Alfred looked a bit startled, but bit his lip, a thoughtful expression adorning his face.

"I was just thinking about that... I don't know, but he might have gone home to his apartment? In any case, we might find some more clues there... God, why did he just run off like that, in his condition...?" he ran a hand through his blonde hair, shaking his head.

"I have a fair idea, but come on now. Do you have a car?"

"Uh, yeah. Let's go," he said. And without further questions, they raced down the corridor, leaving Dr. Harrison, Ludwig and Feliciano behind, wondering what just happened.

"How's your head...?" Alfred asked meekly when they sat in his car, and he drove off.

"I'll live," Gilbert replied with a shrug. He could have stated that his head was throbbing and that he was horrible dizzy and a bit nauseous, but what good would that do? Alfred was clearly beating himself up about it already, and at the moment he needed the other to be clear-minded and not wallowing in guilt.

"Good..." there was a pregnant pause, while Gilbert gripped the seat to keep as still as possible while Alfred drove at the quickest pace allowed. "I guess I didn't really give a good first-impression, but... well, I'll introduce myself properly. I'm Alfred. Matthew's dumb-ass younger brother..." He gave a small, sheepish smile and Gilbert in turn gave a small lopsided smile of his own.

"Gilbert here, the jackass who's practically the reason for all this crap," he replied. The mood seemed to lighten just slightly after that. Perhaps they would get along after all.

The rest of the ride proceeded in silence. Alfred's gaze flickered between the road and the speedometer, making sure he drove just at the allowed speed. Being stopped by the police was something they couldn't afford at the moment. After what seemed like ages to Gilbert, Alfred drove in before an apartment building, parking quickly – and in a manner that would greatly annoy the other residents if they stayed for long - and jumping out, Gilbert following suit.

The two ran inside and up the stairs, until they reached the apartment. Alfred barely paused to knock before testing the handle. It was unlocked.

"Matthew?" Alfred called as the two moved in. Gilbert's eyes trailed across the living room they'd entered. It wasn't too big, but cosy. The furniture was rather simple, showing that he didn't have all the money in the world, but at the same time stylish. It fit the man's personality; neat, elegant and modest. The lights were turned off, and heavy silence hung upon the entire apartment.

"Check the kitchen, I'll check his bedroom," Gilbert said and Alfred nodded before they parted. Matthew's room wasn't all that big, and decorated in the same style as the living room. It looked different, though, more... lived in. By one wall, there were book shelf upon book shelf with books and music sheets, and a rather grand-looking stereo stood on a table next to it. On the walls hung posters of various musical groups and bands, as well as a few paintings.

What caught Gilbert's attention, though, was the bed. Or rather; what lay on top of it. The violin case was open and empty, except from a small note, where something was scribbled down in haste.

Gilbert took it and his breath caught in his throat when he read what was written there. It felt as if his heart had been ripped out of his chest and hurled off some steep cliff.

I tried remembering my reasons not to jump... but I couldn't find them.

I'm sorry, Gilbert, for everything...!

Please forgive me...

Matthew

The hand writing was shaky, as if he'd been trembling when writing it, and had splotches of tears on it. Gilbert felt a wave of dizziness wash over him and had to grip the wall for support.

"A-Alfred!" he called, and nearly flinched at the fear in his own voice. His accent was now so evident, that he was probably harassing the American name, just as badly as Dr. Harrison harassed his own. The other came running quickly, stumbling into the room, and halting at the sight of the silver-haired man. Gilbert handed him the note and forced himself to take a deep breath.

"Oh God..." Alfred breathed, paling to a shade of ashen white as he stared at the note. "Oh my fucking God!"

"Any..." Gilbert had to swallow and try over again as his voice broke. "Any idea where he might have gone to... you know..." he couldn't even finish the sentence. Alfred looked to be in shock, simply shaking his head slowly as his eyes were trained on the words. Then suddenly, he stopped the frantic motion and his attention snapped to the violin case.

"His violin... he brought his violin!" he exclaimed, and a tiny flicker of hope lit up in his eyes. "I think I know where he is!" he exclaimed, and grabbed Gilbert's good hand before running out of the apartment, nearly colliding with a startled elderly woman in the corridor, her insults about "kids now a days, always in a hurry", following them down the stairs.

Once in the car, Alfred drove off down the street, while Gilbert found himself doing something he didn't do very often; praying. He prayed that Alfred was right. He prayed that they weren't too late. He even prayed that they had misunderstood the note and that Matthew would meet them, with a confused expression in those beautiful eyes, wondering why they looked so distraught.

"Where are we going...?" he asked quietly after a while. Alfred took to the right, ignoring the whining of breaks and angry horn from the car that had to halt to avoid crashing into them. Gilbert could read on his lips more than hear Alfred's whispered apology as he glanced in his rear window to check if the other driver was ok.

"The bridge," he then replied shakily. Upon Gilbert's confused expression, he explained further. "A few years ago, Matthew was depressed due to a major fight with our father, and he went to the bridge... On some stroke of luck, I found him playing a violin there, just gazing down into the lake below. He didn't plan on jumping, he told me. He just liked coming there to play... said that the view gave him inspiration."

Gilbert swallowed. It was possibly the only clue they had. Eventually, the large bridge came into sight, towering over the shimmering, dark lake. Alfred drove up until they could see a small crowd ahead, and stopped the car. Both of them jumped out and ran towards the crowd. Gilbert reached it first, pushing through to see what was going on. Through the air, the solemn sound of a violin could be heard, sending chills down his back.

As he got through he could see what they were staring at and felt a wave of fear numb him for a moment. Alfred had been right, Matthew was here. However, he was currently sitting on one of the metal ledges that kept the complicated bridge standing, and a rather wide gap separated the ledge from the main parts of the bridge.

"Please, sir, do not be rash!" a man called, fidgeting with his phone. "I've called the police, they should be here soon..." he added in a quiet murmur, possibly directed to the crowd.

"M-Mattie..." Gilbert looked to his left, seeing Alfred standing there, staring out at his brother, who was faced away from them. The blonde American stepped forward, as in a trance.

"Matthew!" he called. The violin paused momentarily, but he didn't turn, and soon played on. "Mattie, please... don't do this!" Alfred's voice broke at the end.

Gilbert felt completely numb. He could see Matthew's shoulders trembling where he sat, noticed the way the violin notes hitched in tune with the sobs that retched the blonde's body. He didn't see a person who was selfishly aiming to hurt those he cared about, nor did he see someone who truly wanted to die. He saw a person who was tired of all the shit he'd faced in life and who had finally met the last straw, which was threatening to topple the wagon. He saw a broken man who reminded him so much of himself that it caused his heart to twist in his chest.

Before he really registered what he was doing, he had thrown off his sling and swung himself over the fence, to the gasps and horror of the on-watchers.

"Gilbert, what are you..." Alfred didn't come any further before Gilbert fastened his attention on the ledge, not the gap that separated them. He only had a few feet to catch speed before the leap, but it was enough. It had to be enough. He barely noticed the screams and cries of horror as he sped up and kicked off, flying across the gap and landing on the metal ledge at the other side. However, he slipped and for a heart-stopping moment he was sure he'd topple over to the side. Gripping onto the metal, however, he managed to hoist himself up, head pounding, both due to adrenaline and his concussion, and his wrist screaming with pain. A dizzy spell had him paralyzed for a moment, as he forced himself to breathe again.

The violin sound had stopped entirely, and he looked up at Matthew, who sat only a couple of metres away. The other had an expression of shock and fear, face pale and wet with tears. Biting his teeth against the pain, Gilbert began to move closer, careful not to look down at the deep darkness far below.

"W-what are you doing...?" Matthew gasped, but Gilbert didn't respond, simply continued until he was sitting right next to Matthew, who was now facing him. Up close, he could see the mix of emotions in Matthew's blue eyes. He could even feel his rapid breathing touch his face in warm waves.

"I'm... returning the favour," he murmured eventually, once he trusted his voice enough to speak. Matthew's eyes widened slightly, then more tears leaked down his cheeks and he shook his head slightly.

"I don't... I've never done you any favours, Gilbert...!" he cried. "All I've ever done is to give you injuries and near-death-incidents, a-and..."

"You saved me, Matthew!" Gilbert broke him off, his voice rising in volume now as his eyes pleaded for the other to understand.

"W-what? You said you weren't jumping...!" confusion was clear in the other's voice.

"I might not have been jumping at that time, but fuck, Matthew, I was falling... You could see that, that's why you tried to help!"

"But I f-failed didn't I? You nearly died!"

"Still, I didn't die! I survived, and not only that... For the first time in a very long time, I felt that I was meant to survive! That I had a reason for being alive!"

Matthew hiccupped, and Gilbert reached out, laying a trembling hand on his cheek and drying off the tears with his thumb. Matthew leaned into the touch ever so slightly.

"You too have reasons to be alive, Matthew, even if they aren't always clear."

"I can't see them..." Matthew closed his eyes, taking a shuddering breath

"Yes, you can! You just have to open your eyes, Matthew! Look around!" Matthew opened his eyes hesitantly. "See that?" he pointed out across the lake and the lights from buildings and cars at the other side, shimmering through the darkness that had begun to creep upon them. "Every light you can see is a friend you haven't met yet, a place you have yet to see. Fuck, Matthew, I'm not the most poetic person in the world, and that crap sounds completely ridiculous, but I know... that thinking like that gives me hope, even if it's subtle..."

Matthew followed his gaze, his sobs calming just ever so slightly.

"And if you look to the other side..." Gilbert didn't have to say more. Matthew followed his eyes, seeing Alfred standing there, along with several other people who were all transfixed and dead silent as they watched and listened. Alfred was crying, silent tears running down his cheeks in streams as his hands gripped at the fence desperately.

"Al..." Matthew whispered. Gilbert nodded before reaching out and resting both of his hands on the other's cheeks.

"And if you look right in front of you..."

Matthew's eyes met his, and Gilbert swallowed when a sob escaped the other's lips. No words were needed, he could tell that Matthew saw the emotions that had broken out from behind the now fallen mask.

"Do you see now...? Do you see what you'd give up if you gave up hope tonight? He searched that tearful gaze, feeling as if he could drown in it as Matthew nodded almost numbly, more tears running down his cheeks. Gilbert leant forward, letting his forehead rest against the other's as he exhaled slowly, shakily and felt Matthew's breath on his skin.

"Let's play together when we get down from here," Gilbert whispered. "Your violin and my flute..."

"Yeah," Matthew replied after blinking, resting his hands over Gilbert's as he gave a tiny smile. "I'd like that."

And Gilbert grinned through his tears, his heart finally calming down. Despite the fact that they were sitting on a small ledge, with certain death at both sides, he had never felt safer...

oOo

Please keep my request in mind!