Thanks to Bristlefrost and Milkyway for the reviews! :)

What better way to celebrate the new year than with some dead siblings angst, right? -No, ignore me, I'm a horrible person!

A (belated) happy holidays though! Gosh, I've wanted to get back to these for so long, but whenever I think I'm starting to get a hang on things, life is like "nope! try again later". So this is me, trying again later.

ENJOY!

No 19. Mourning Loved One (470 words)

The unescapable stab at his heart hit Leo almost as soon as he entered the cemetery. Even now, months later, the grief was almost overwhelming.

"Hey, guys..." Leo greeted, sitting down in front of the grave of his siblings. "It's been a minute."

Leo felt the smile slip off his face, swallowing against the lump in his throat. He busied himself with placing the flowers he'd brought, ignoring the trembling of his own hands.

"Sorry Big D hasn't stopped by," Leo murmured, leaning back with a sigh. His gaze flickered up to the darkening sky as he thought about his family – the broken pieces that now remained.

"It hasn't been easy for him – for any of us really. I mean, you're dead! Sorry, uh, but I guess that's hardly news to you," Leo let out a watery laugh, smiling apologetically towards his siblings' names.

"Big D..." Leo trailed off slightly, shaking his head sadly. "He really hasn't been dealing with this well. Still isn't to be honest. I think coming here- I think it makes it too real for him. I'm not sure if it's guilt or denial or-... At home he can pretend it's not real, that you guys are just gone somewhere, not gone gone. It doesn't really work, of course... but there he can at least try."

Leo let out another shaky breath. He could feel his voice wobble, threatening to break, but he wasn't ready to stop just yet.

"We are doing better," Leo said determinedly, looking straight at the headstone. "Okay? You don't- You don't have to worry about that. We'll be fine. Maybe not right now, but... Some day."

A couple tears slowly slid down his cheeks without permission. They never did seem to stop.

"Some day it will hurt less. Maybe Big D will even come visit."

Dark clouds were rolling across the sky, promising a dark cold night. Leo would have to leave soon, he'd already been here too long. His mother would start to worry soon.

But there was still one thing he needed to say.

"You know, sometimes I wish we weren't as alone in this," Leo mused aloud. "Okay, wishing the whole world pain does sounds kinda bad. It's just- this isn't fair to you. You were heroes. You saved the world! And now... People just think you were three normal teenagers dying in a freak accident."

Leo couldn't help the bitter laugh that escaped.

"It just doesn't seem fair. You deserved so much more... Though I guess that was the point, wasn't it? Saving the world in secret from an eccentric billionaire's hidden lab... What I'm really trying to say is, thank you. Truly. The world might not know what you did, but I do. We owe our lives to you. So thank you... I love you guys."