Chapter 8: Feeble Fire

Tuesday in the Morning...

All silence was shattered as quick footsteps clattered across the floor, blunt heels making a screeching sound as they came to a hasty stop. A set of wheels followed the second set of feet and that was followed by a third set. A password was rapidly punched into a keypad, the electronic tones of each key sounding out harshly in the silence and making heavy chrome doors slide open. All three stayed still for a moment, staring at the unfamiliar body inside or at the information flickering across the banner at the top. 'Status: stable, no treatments available, disease still unknown, research still in progress... HR-1861...'

That would all change soon. At least, behind screen doors it would.

Being the first to snap out her concentration, Bella whispered out a quick command, her two assistants carrying them out quickly. The metallic stretcher they held on to was opened to reveal a capsule lined with frozen nitrogen that was quickly subliming back into it's cool gaseous form. After watching them for a moment, she tapped out another code, this one to unlock the back of the container. "Hurry, we need to be out of here in less than ten minutes. There's a new person due to be given the tour here."

A short blonde male moved towards the other side of the container, motioning for the other to help him. Together, they finished opening he container to take out the patient's form. Moving as quickly as they could, they carried him back to the stretcher and gently placed his cold form onto the icy bed. Bella nodded, eyes widening and smile appearing in excitement. Finally, the real process could begin. She gave the men instructions to deliver their special cargo to the locked operation room, giving them the key and a warning about who was where, should they encounter any problems. And if she had planned correctly (and she hoped she had), they wouldn't come in contact with anyone during the transport.

In a second, the capsule was closed and instantly pushed towards its new destination, leaving Bella to close both open doors and change the codes. Once finished she tested the old code and was satisfied with neither side opening, she scurried out of the containment room, checking both side of the outside hallway before leisurely walking out with both hands clutched to the edge of her lab coat. She was excited that they were finally going to go through with Lovino's reanimation. Though it was nerve wracking as well. Anything could go wrong, from news leakage to the procedure... Lovino hadn't been an 'ideal' case, there could have been damage during the initial process, the transportation... and if he didn't die during the operation, he easily could during re-cooperation stage.

She didn't want to think about what would happen if his body rejected the blood or was ultimately unresponsive. Everything had to be so precise... 'How are we even going to place him in recovery without anyone finding out? It isn't like we can just abandon our jobs here to look over him...' Maybe she hadn't thought everything through completely to the point that she was sick of it. Bella still had time though, she could find a place for Lovino to recover in quickly; the clinic had plenty of unoccupied room that no one touched. If that failed, she'd smuggle out equipment and care for Lovino in her own home as a last resort. She wouldn't let one thing turn all her work into ruins.

Bella glanced back out of reflex, checking to make sure no one had seen her. If all went well, no one would even know that Lovino wasn't in his container until she told Antonio about the surprise. She knew he would be excited; it was only natural to want to see someone, or hold them tight, after they haven't been able to for years, wasn't it?

"Phase one complete," she told herself, "We'll be going ahead with the devitrification just as we planned..." As she reached the lobby, Bella sighed out in relief quietly. It was unusually lonely, but that was a good thing at that point. She looked up at nothing in particular, sending up a silent prayer to whoever was listening, "Please let Lovino live though this, let him be strong enough to fight if something goes wrong..."

Her phone chimed out, the little screen lighting up from within her coat's pocket. Pulling it out and unlocking the screen, she viewed the short text message. They had arrived without problems.

~ooXoo~

"Isn't there anything I could use to contact the clinic that's not someone else calling?"

"No. I know it doesn't do anything to help with our 'legally dead' limit, but there's nothing we can do about that, Lovino." I scowled. That meant whoever I was with would have to call the instant they noticed something was wrong. And if I was with Antonio... the instant I was dead... or even minutes after if he panicked in that moment. Which was plausible... who wouldn't be freaking out if the closest person to them was dying when they thought they were healthy.

That was one surprise I had hoped wouldn't happen. But life decided no, let's make their lives seem like something out of a creation of fiction! I mean, how many shows have you seen where the main lead has someone die in their arms or dies themselves in someone else's arms? Bit cliche, don't you think? How about keeping your disease a secret? I don't know how many times I've seen that one... though, having done it myself... I can see why some choose to do so. I wouldn't want to be smothered and pitied, Antonio would go overboard with everything. As if he didn't do so already sometimes.

"We'll just make sure to monitor your condition carefully." I looked up from my thoughts to frown at my grandfather. He wasn't going to be around me twenty-four seven and I wasn't going to fucking move back in with him. Hell would freeze over if I decided that Antonio and me would move in with him.

I gave a short, crude laugh. "And what? Do you expect me to just control this stupid illness while not around someone who knows about it? If I could do that, I would have already gotten fucking rid of it. Moving back in would give Antonio a reason to be suspicions in the first place!" I shifted in my seat, deciding to lean against the wall for support. "That's not going to happen. Ever."

"Lovino, that's not what we were aiming to say... what I meant was..." Bella looked off thoughtfully at the door. As if that boring piece of wood would hold some answers. The only answer I knew would work would be finding some type of cure or treatment... but they weren't anywhere close to making a discovery.

"This is all for the better, don't you want to be healthy and not have to worry about death and all that?" Nonno spoke up, making me want to hide. That wasn't what I wanted to hear. It just made feel guilty and want to just give in and accept, not that I would.

"I'm not that little brat I was anymore, dammit! I understand that, what I don't want is more people than necessary finding out about this stupid, shitty, illness."

"I never said you were a brat," I tried to interject, but Nonno managed to silence me with a strict face, "If you're not going to let anyone 'monitor' you, or tell Antonio something this important, then at least be careful." I blinked in surprise at his response. Usually he was a lot more firm on his decisions. "I know you aren't going to change your mind on this topic."

I nodded, gulping quietly. I knew it still meant Nonno would keep a close on me when he could. But it wasn't like I wasn't careful to begin with, the last time I had been gravely ill was while I still attended university.

I hated it, though I think anyone who knew could see so. Of course, I never completely warmed up to the idea. Especially when the exact thing I didn't want, and was scared would happen, did. The last thing I wanted was a panicked, frenzied Antonio yelling at the world to help him get to a hospital, or go into denial trying to wake me up...

There's only so much one person can take. I know if our roles had been switched, I would have gone crazy early on. Crazy enough that I wouldn't be considered stable enough to keep living among society. I can only hope that that wasn't Antonio's case and he was able to live the normal live that I knew wouldn't have been possible with me at his side. No matter how much it was requited love on both sides, Antonio had been thrown into this mess because of me and that fucking disease. Maybe he's been able to move on. Maybe he's already forgotten me... and if I ever wake up, I'll find half of our stuff gone from the apartment and all the pictures still in their albums tucked among the shelves in the living room...

I really hope that's not what happened. I think I'd rather be completely dead than live to see that... not when we had already been through so much.

~ooXoo~

Tuesday, midday-

Antonio stopped and turned on the heel of his shoe. He seemed to pout at Feliciano and motioned for the Italian to catch up quickly. Which, at that moment in time was almost impossible since he wasn't used to the dry, cold weather like Antonio was. Realizing that, he waited for Feliciano to catch up. He tried not to smile as he watch the other walk up to him shivering in the coat he was wearing which, in all reality, was just a smidge too big having been one of Lovino's older possessions (and had actually been one of Antonio's older coats, specifically, the one that Lovino had never given back after borrowing it).

"Is it always this cold?" Feliciano chattered out, hugging himself for warmth. Antonio let out a puff of air, letting it trail away before nodding briefly.

He himself felt no difference, though the weather was usual to the time of year. "Yes, but we're almost to the clinic. It's warmer in Italy during the fall, isn't it?" Feliciano nodded, walking faster with is hands shoved into the coat as far they went. Antonio laughed briefly, now having to be the one to catch up with the other. The actual clinic was at the end of the block, next to the coffee-house that stood on the corner. The street was always filled with people bustling about, what with the nearby shops and it's downtown placement. The one place that was regularly somewhat empty was the cryogenic clinic.

It was almost memorizing to watch people flutter about everywhere except that one building... as if they were still scared of the concept of freezing humans... "Antonio! Come on, it was your idea!" Smiling up at the Italian, he called back an agreement, telling him to wait outside the doors until he caught up, which didn't take long.

Once they were together again, both entered looking for Bella in the lobby, but didn't see her in her place behind the desk. She must be relaying information among the doctors... Antonio thought. It was the only logical explanation as to why she wasn't in her workstation. He shot a glance at Feliciano before walking up to a women who was filing papers. "Excuse me?" The worker looked up, putting on a welcoming smile. "We're here to visit someone."

"Oh, of course!" She quickly turned to the computer, making it spring into life with a swipe of her hand, "name of the patient?"

"Vargas, Lovino."

The nurse, he assumed she was a nurse, hummed out a thanks. She was, no doubt, searching through the computer's database to note of the new visit. "I have it, you two can go in once you verify that you're authorized. But I think everyone here knows you by now, Antonio." Antonio blushed a light shade, trying to force a smile that didn't look nervous.

"Heh, I don't stop by that often..." He shook his head, shooting a questioning glance at Feliciano. "Can you stay here and wait for Bella while I go ahead?" The Italian nodded, smiling at the girl who was asking him for his name. It shouldn't take too long for Bella to return to the lobby and meet up with Feliciano, he'd probably only get to the front of the container before they caught up. Though it was weird that the Belgian hadn't been in her usual spot, or greeted them at all.

Pushing the thought away, Antonio turned down the hallway that led to the containment room, walking quickly to get there in as little time as possible. Behind him, he couldn't hear footsteps that sounded like they were getting closer to him...but he was practically almost sprinting down the hallway. He paused for a moment in front of the doors, unsure about going in alone yet again before making a snap decision and going in. Antonio quietly made his way around the room, eyes glancing from container to container to read the names on each one, though he could never forget the where Lovino's stood. Second to last on the right side of the room with a silver chrome sliding door instead of the cobalt blue chrome that some of the other containers had.

Glancing back, he wondered how much longer it would be, not that he had to wait for Bella to open up the doors, he knew the code himself. And a few minutes to himself with Lovino wouldn't be that bad... Taking a deep breath, Antonio reached out to tap out the four numbers on the square touchscreen pad, '0317'. A loud beep resounded through the room, in turn making the Spaniard frown in confusion. They hadn't changed it, had they? Bella would have notified him...

Or, it could have been a malfunction. Maybe trying again would unlock it this time. A repeat of the first time happened, managing to frazzle his nerves with the electronic noises that weren't supposed to be happening.

Now in a panic, he forcefully tapped out a different, back-up code that was only used in case of the system rejecting the first one. He was starting to get a bad feeling, a cold sensation filling up his stomach and making its way throughout his insides. That couldn't be happening, there wasn't anything wrong. Nothing at all. At worst, it might have just himself pressing the wrong number, right? But now he starting to believe that his thoughts were only a way to reassure himself...

An unlocking sound reached him. Relieved, he sighed out and closed his eyes, waiting for everything to go silent again. When it did, he didn't feel the sensation leave him. Instead, it seemed to become stronger, setting off the warning bells in his head. Slowly, he pried his eyes open, dread filling him instantly. He tried to force back his shocked scream, failing when a small whimper still made its way out. Hands shaky, he attempted to hold himself upright against the container's glass wall. "L-Lovino..." It came out as a whisper, barely audible, even to himself.

At some point, he registered slow footfalls finally making their way into the room. But acknowledging them, was beyond him. His heartbeat was almost drowning them out anyways.

"Antonio, Bella never-" Feliciano's voice echoed off the wall after his voice died out. "Is something wrong?"

Antonio gave an awkward, slow nod of the head and moved away from the container and into the Italian's worried line of sight. "Lovino. He's..." he swallowed painfully, forcing out the next words and hoping that Feliciano was able to hear him, "he's not in the capsule."


A/N: Anyone guess what happens next? I didn't really like the ending to this, but whoa, this is that longest chapter so far o.o Also, the drawing link has been added to my profile if you'd like to check that out~
Thanks to everyone who has reviewed, favorited, and followed! I can't stop mentioning how it means that you guys do so! I'm thinking that the fiftieth review will receive a one-shot, though were a bit far from that... Another note, after this chapter anything pertaining to cryonics will be fictitious since, as I've noted before, reanimation is not possible, but whatever this is an AU.
I might upload something else later on this week as a birthday gift from me to you guys as well, so watch for that!
Once again, thank you everyone! Hope you enjoyed the chapter and had a happy Veteran's day!