It seemed time just vanished inbetween intervals. One minute we were at our old family home, the next at the hospital and throughout the whole car journey there, my breath was shaky and heavy.

I didn't know if I was able to face a barely living Simon... in a comatose state, because of me.

The whole fun of going on a time travel adventure now seemed like a nightmarish event, the dreamlike adventurous me, hoping to make the world a free for all had become worried, frantic and confused in the place and time I now found myself.

Derek had spoken to me in kind words, saying stuff like.

"Yeah, Brit's been totally taken care of everything for the wedding."

"We recently got a chihuahua, it's like our baby!"

"I find it really cool how your doing this for your family, Alvin."

"Y-yeah," I said in a shaky voice, not knowing how to properly respond to him. It was like all his cares and worries had disappeared, like the jerk he had been for all the time I had known him had now completely gone. Replacing the old bully Derek with a calm nice centred Derek.

All the time however, me and Brittany hadn't spoken any words between us. But I could feel the tension. The fact that Derek was there, just made it so much worse.

I wanted to talk to her, but I didn't have the bravery to bring forth any words. What was wrong with me?! Why was I being so timid?!

At the hospital, as we reached Simon's room in the ward he was sectioned in, I just halted before the door, panicking.

Dave held back from going in for a second, looking at me worried, and I just muttered out in desperation.

"DON'T LOOK AT ME!"

Brittany gasped barely, and Theodore crooked an eyebrow up.

I walked backwards, going up against the wall and closed my eyes, taking deep heavy breaths.

"Alvin..." Brittany just whispered and Derek bent down, touching her shoulder and she turned her head, looking into his eyes, concerned.

"I can't go in just yet, okay!" I shouted at them quickly, opening my eyes with tears in them and the four only watched me lost, "This isn't meant to be! None of this!"

Brittany took a deep breath in and out, and only said to the others quietly, her voice soft, "Guys, give me a few minutes with him, okay...?"

Theodore, Dave and Derek looked at Brittany quietly, before Dave nodded his head and Derek shrugged a little, standing up straight again. I saw the door push open and looked to see a heart monitor inside the room, beeping away. I shut my eyes again quickly, afraid of the sight, and turned my head away from the direction of the door.

Brittany sighed, and walked over to me, leaning up against the wall beside me and asking.

"What's up...?"

"This isn't meant to be, Brit." I said to her, wiping the tears from my eyes and when I looked into hers, I saw quiet discernment.

"But it is," she said back quietly, not questioning the way reality was and I shook my head again, adding.

"Because of me..."

"Simon's lucky to have you and his family here to see him." she said, trying to comfort me and I hated that reply.

"No," I uttered out, near to sobbing now, "He's not."

Brittany didn't say anything for a moment, just watching me with still eyes. She placed her hand on my shoulder, leaning her head sadly against me and I continued, afraid of her touch.

"I just didn't realize what I had... till," I swallowed, not wanting to say the words but they stumbled out of me helplessly, "Till I didn't have it anymore. Till I didn't have... you..."

Brittany's blue eyes slowly began to widen, as she moved back from me confused and asked in a weak voice that was barely there.

"...what?"

I didn't say anything for a second, just looking at her heartbroken. She returned the gaze, seeming just as hurt and she replied back, upset.

"Alvin, you had a three years to tell me how you really felt. Why now?"

"Why him...?" I asked back, my words quaking and she looked at me, tears rising in her own eyes, "Would it have always been him? Was it never to be me..?"

Brittany held her breath, swallowing and turning her teary eyes to the ground, mumbling in a aching voice, "He needed me and you, you never needed anyone."

"If I hadn't done it..." I said just then, wiping my face from the wetness of the tears and continued, "If I had never broken his-"

She squinted at the mention of Derek's leg, looking to the ground quickly in pain, before turning her eyes up to mine afraid.

"But you did..." she said to me, and I slid to the ground, just crying some more like a baby.

I did do it, I couldn't deny that. I had caused Brittany and Derek to fall in love. I had never fought for her... I had lied to myself, acting like I didn't need her.

But I did.

I felt an emptiness in my heart... knowing she didn't need me.

"You're wrong, Brittany..." I muttered, looking at her and sitting up against the wall, catching my breaths, "I do need others... I need you."

She nearly lost her breath, and uttered out, almost afraid to say it, "Alvin, why didn't you tell me three years ago?"

Before I could answer, Dave opened the door to the room and said.

"Is he ready to come in now?"

Brittany was about to say, "No-"

But I stopped her, standing up and just taking strong steps towards Simon's room. I could feel her eyes on me, as if hurting just as much.

I entered the bluish room, and climbed up onto the chair that stood beside Simon's bed.

Theodore was sitting on a chair away, just swiping through stuff on his phone, and I couldn't believe it. I was the one who had made him like that too.

I looked before me then, at my unconscious brother and there he was.

Simon Seville. His eyes closed and his mouth opened as a tube was connected to his muzzle and I could see blood bags and bags with liquid food being put into him through tubes at his small veins.

I nearly stopped breathing.

The heart monitor was beeping gently beside him, a white electronic line being broken up by bleeps whenever his heart bet, and I shook there, broken at the sight.

"Can I have a moment alone with him...?" I whispered out, my words choked and frail and Dave nodded his head, saying quietly.

"Okay, Alvin..."

He nudged his head, indicating for the others to leave, and Theodore just groaned, as he got his chubby bottom off the chair and left with Derek and Brittany.

The last thing I heard before the room was empty was Brittany saying in a quiet whisper.

"It wasn't your fault, Alvin..."

But I knew that was a lie. Something I could never tell them.

When I heard the door shut, I whimpered out a lost broken breath, shaking my brother's arm weakly as I begged to him.

"Simon... Si? Are you there, buddy?"

There was no reply and I felt tears begin to dribble down my cheeks again, "Simon, I-I'm so sorry. Man, I, I didn't mean to... I-I didn't,"

My brother made no response and I only dropped my head down a little, crying pitiful tears as I whispered.

"What have I done..? WHAT HAVE I DONE...?!"

At that moment, I suddenly heard it.

Beep... beep... beep.

I looked up, and saw the heart monitor was starting to speed up.

"SIMON!" I shouted, shaking him desperately but his body didn't move. My eyes were pleading for this not to be a heart attack, and I looked to the machine.

The white line was bleeping out beats in irregular bleeps. And before my sight... I suddenly saw the line break up, as letters were formed in it, spelling out the word.

-H-E-L-P-

I stared at it, in horror, and jumped on the bed, hopping over Simon and rushing the monitor on the other side. I grabbed it and looked as more words were spelt.

-G-E-T-T-O-T-H-E-T-I-M-E-M-A-C-H-I-N-E-

I looked back at Simon, my hope coming back and I jumped to the ground, rushing to the door. The heart monitor started to work normally again, and I yelled to my brother just as I was about to leave the room.

"I will, Simon! I will!"

I wiped my eyes as I pulled opened the door and whispered in dire hopefulness.

"I'll fix everything, I will..."

I entered the hall and only uttered out, my breath still shaky and heavy from my disbelief that I, I could save him.

"I will..."