Hello hello! So here is a longer chapter to make up for the short one that I had last time. I apologize for the events in this chapter and the ones to come. Again, this is loosely based around a true story so things are going to get a lot worse for Kyle before they get better (unfortunately).

As always, PLEASE review and give me your feedback! I love you all!

"Ike?" I asked "Is he okay?"

The redhead shook his head while attempting to wipe away tears. "I don't know. My mom said that they're on the way to the ICU in Hell's Pass. They said it's serious,"

Then the Jew moved his eyes from the floor up to me.

"That's why I have to go," He said as he pushed himself off the floor and started to put his arms through his jacket's sleeves.

"Let me drive, Kahl!" I yelled right after he took his first step towards the door.

The redhead stopped and turned around. His raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"You… Want to come with me?" He asked softly.

I nodded. "You're really upset right now, Kahl. It's better if I drive so that way I can get you there fast AND safely."

"If… If that's what you want. But you don't have to, Cartman."

"But I want to, Jew."

"…. Okay."

After the redhead locked the dorm suite, I told him that we were taking my car. Luckily, our families are only 20 minutes away from SPU. Still, I knew that if I really hauled ass, we could make it to Hell's Pass in 15. And that is exactly what I plan to do.

As soon as we got in my car, Kyle began texting like crazy. After about a minute of me driving like a boss, I noticed he stopped crying. Finally, he stopped texting and put his phone back in his pocket.

Then the phone rang.

"Hello?"

From what I could hear, there was some sort of loud noise coming through the phone.

After a pause, my roommate stammered a response.

"What? N-no, that didn't happen."

Another pause. I could still hear the same noise.

"No, it's not true!" My passenger managed to choke out the words.

"No!" Was all he could say before he broke down sobbing.

My heart sunk. I feel like I already know what kind of shitty news Kyle just got.

After a minute, he sniffed and cleared his throat, trying to talk.

"Yeah, we're on our way. I-I'll see you soon. Love you too dad."

After he hung up the phone the redhead dropped his phone into the floorboard and bent over and sobbed loudly, hugging his knees.

While I couldn't really look too much at him since I was trying to get to the hospital fast, I could hear all of Kyle's pain in his loud mourning. So hopeless, sad, and lost. His back wracked each time he tried to gasp for air. I'm pretty sure that this is the loudest I've ever heard someone cry their eyes out.

The next time he tried to gasp for air, I asked:

"Kahl, is Ike-"

"HE DIDN'T MAKE IT!" He lifted his head to scream, followed by more sobbing. Then, still crying into his knees, he sobbed, "He didn't fucking make it!"

I felt horrible. I suppose everything I was going to see at Hell's Pass was going to be fucking sad and fucked up. But at least Kyle isn't going to be alone.

When we got to the hospital, I did not waste time to find out exactly where the ICU was and when we got there, to find out exactly where Ike Broflovski was.

When we entered his room, I saw both Mr. and Mrs. Broflovski hugging Ike from either side of the bed, wailing painfully and loudly. I looked at Ike. Honestly, I wouldn't have known it was him if I didn't know what was going on. His hospital bed sheets were pulled up to his chin, and through the sheets I could see a lot of fucking blood seeping through. He had all sorts of Ivs and shit hooked up to him, including a wire connected to a heart rate monitor displaying a straight red line along with the monotone solid sound, indicating no beating. When I looked at his face, it was so swollen and bruised and has so many stitches that it was hard to make out his features. There was an especially large open wound on the side of his mouth.

There were also two nurses there, and they both looked like they had been crying, too.

"Mom….?" The Jew asked weakly, slowly stepping closer to his family.

Kyle's mom somehow heard herself being summoned over her lamenting as she got up from the bedside and ran to Kyle. They both held each other in their arms, continuing to wail. Mr. Broflovski turned his head around and the sight of seeing his wife and son cry and comfort each other made him cry harder, too.

I stood there observing everything and felt awkward. I have always sucked at this kind of shit. But fuck, even I was sad. Ike was a very cool kid. Hell, I always got along with him better than Kyle growing up. And this totally sucks because he was still very young- only a junior in high school.

I was kinda lost in my thoughts as I continued to watch the Broflovski family comfort each other, still mourning endlessly. Normally I don't think about this shit, but while watching all this I just couldn't help but wonder if there really is a God. I mean, if there is one, why would he take the life of an innocent, young kid like Ike? Why would he want to do this to Kyle and his parents? All I know is if there is a God, he has one fucked up sense of humor.

I noticed the two nurses talking to each other. There was a younger one with dark hair and then an older one with short blonde hair. The older one was holding a tissue, occasionally dabbing her eyes.

"I'll go get Dr. Hanley again," I could hear the younger one say as she left the room while I approached them.

"How did he die?" I asked the older nurse.

"Drunk driver hit the poor boy," She replied.

"No I mean, how did he die, physically?"

"He had too much blood loss," The nurse answered. She wiped her eyes as she explained, "We did everything we could to save him. We were even trying to pump blood back into him, but he already lost so much at the actual collision,"

"Was Ike driving?"

She shook her head. "No. He was in a car with 3 others. They were driving back from watching a football game. Ike was in the passenger's seat though, and a drunk driver was driving on the wrong side of the road,"

"Jesus Christ," I said.

"What about the others?" I asked.

"The other passengers are critically injured, but they are alive. It looks like the drunk driver isn't going to make it."

Like I give a shit about the drunk driver. I tried not to roll my eyes.

"Damn," Is all I could say.

"Are you family too?" The nurse asked me.

I shook my head. "No. He's my roommate," I said as I pointed to the redhead, who was now crying in the arms of Mr. Broflovski.

"Did you know the boy?" She asked.

"Yeah," I responded. "We all grew up together."

"This is all so sad," She said, blowing her nose. "You all will be in my prayers."

What the FUCK is that supposed to mean? Is that supposed to make me feel better or some shit?

"Thanks," I said as I did the best to contain my sarcasm.

LATER THAT EVENING

"Well, I guess I need to be heading back to the school," I announced as I noticed it was close to11:30.

"I'm sorry that you had to see all this Eric," Kyle's mom said as she got up from her chair. Despite her swollen, puffy eyes, despite how exhausted and delirious I knew she was, despite all the shitty things I have said about her growing up- she walked over and actually hugged me!

"But I am very grateful that Kyle has a friend like you," She said sincerely. I was actually at a loss for words.

"Yes, thank you Eric." Mr. Broflovski said as he gave me a hug too. Kyle meekly walked up and stood beside his dad. I mouthed to him, "Can we talk?" to which he nodded. I said goodbye to his parents one more time as the redhead followed me outside.

Except for the crescent moon and the stars, it was almost pitch black outside and cold as fuck, but there was no snow. After Kyle saw his brother's body and was reunited with his parents, the doctor came back in to discuss different morgue options to take Ike's body to while the family plans the funeral. All this took a good hour at least. Then we finally drove back to the Broflovski's house to regroup. Luckily, Mrs. Broflovski had some leftovers she warmed up for us and we all ate dinner in silence. It was only until a few minutes ago I realized just how late it was, and I couldn't help but think about the Biostats class I had tomorrow morning at 9:30.

"Thanks for driving me here Cartman," The daywalker said, his words causing that magic fog in the cold night air.

I shrugged. "No biggie. So you're not coming back tonight, right?"

"No," The Jew replied. He shoved his hands in his pockets, cold and shivering. "I'm going to e-mail my professors tonight and tell them what happened. I need to be with parents right now to help them with the funeral." He explained in a monotone voice, probably out of exhaustion.

"Hey Cartman, will you do me a favor please and try to keep an eye on my car?" The daywalker asked.

"I mean, I'm the only person who has a key, but… Just make sure nobody messes with it, okay?" He asked.

I nodded. "No problem, Jew." I yawned and I knew that there was something else I wanted to ask the Jew.

Oh yeah!

"You'll tell me when you know when the funeral is, right?"

"Of course," He said, he eyes still puffy from all the crying, just like his parents'.

"Kewl. Hey, can you promise me something, Jew?"

"Yes Cartman?"

"You're not going to do anything gheyy and like- I don't know- cut yourself over this, are you?"

Kyle's eyebrows furrowed together, either out of shock, emotion, or both. And maybe it was just me, but it looked like his eyes watered a bit and his nose was turning pink again.

"No, Cartman!" He said in a soft voice. "Of course not."

"'Cause like, you know this is totally not like your fault, right Jew?"

"I know."

"'Kay," I said. "Kewl."

Then we hugged. It was a tight and I could hear Kyle's unsteady breathing as he whispered, "Thank you."

When we parted he quickly turned around so that I couldn't see his face and he walked back towards his house.

SATURDAY

The funeral was held 6 days after the incident. There were so many fucking people- they could barely fit into the synagogue.

Shit, I'm pretty sure the whole damn town of South Park was there and then some. Fucking everybody- Me, Kenny, Butters, Stan, Wendy, Bebe, Red, Lola, Token, Craig, Tweek, Jimmy, fuck even Clyde was there.

It was sad. And long. God, hopefully this is the last Jewish funeral I'll ever have to go to.

Kyle had asked me to be a pallbearer. I agreed, and so did Stan, Kenny, Butters, Craig, and Token. The ginger cried some at his brother's funeral, but not a lot. While I observed him it was almost as if he was out of tears. Like he had become numb to it.

Later that night at the repast, the Jew did approach me.

"You going back tonight, Cartman?" He asked.

"Yep."

"Would you mind if I came with you?" He asked.

I shrugged. "Nahh. I was wondering when you'd come pick up your car Jew,"

The daywalker shifted, almost uncomfortably.

"Well yes, I want to pick up my car, but… I-I'm ready to go back to school," He said.

I just looked at him.

"You mean, like, actually CONTINUE this semester?" I asked.

"Well, yes."

I couldn't believe this shit.

"What the fuck, Jew? Didn't you e-mail all your professors and they were all cool with you taking time off?"

The ginger furrowed his eyebrows, giving that very familiar expression that he gives when he's standing up to me and determined to win an arguement.

"And I took that time off, Cartman!"

"You took 6 fucking days!"

"Maybe that's all I NEED!" He snapped, stepping closer.

The Jew realized that some people were starting to look at us. He grabbed my wrist and pulled us into a corner in the living room that was more secluded than the hallway we were just standing in.

"Seriously Cartman, I think I'm ready to go back," He explained more quietly.

"But you don't have to go back to school after something like this happens, Kahl!" I tried to reason.

"But I want to." He said calmly. "Besides, it will help me get my mind off of things."

I sighed in defeat. Truth is, Kyle is a stereotypical Jew and is as stubborn as the day is long and once his mind is mind up, it's a done deal.

"Fine Kahl," I said. "You can come back with me. Just get your shit ready fast."

MONDAY

I took a deep breath of the cold night air as I got out of my 5:00 class. Even at 6:15 is was already pretty dark and cold. To be honest, complex analysis is such a fucking annoying class and I don't see what that has to do with probability. Even at 6:15 I was ready to hit the sack.

But before I do that, I need to cook something for dinner. After I threw my backpack in my room I stepped into the kitchen.

Only to notice that the sick was fucking towering over with dishes.

"BUTTERS!"

I screamed.

The blonde immediately ran out of his room.

"Yes Eric?"

"Whose dishes are these?" I pointed to them.

"Well, let's see here…" He said as he got closer.

"Oh! Why, I believe they're Kyle's!"

"Are you sure?" I asked.

"Positive!" He responded. "I always do my dishes right after I use them. And let's see…. Ah! About two of these bowls are Kenny's, because his dishes are dark blue, but you see how all these dishes are white with the orange rim? See, those are all Kyle's."

Only someone gheyy like Butter's would remember all that bullshit.

"Christ, he hasn't even been back 24 hours yet!"

"Well, go easy on him Eric. His brother DID just pass on, an' all….." The blonde said, rubbing his knuckles together.

Then we heard someone opening the door.

"Hey Jew!" I greeted him.

He just mumbled and headed towards his room.

I swiftly maneuvered in front of him.

"Would you mind- please- taking care of your dishes tonight?" I asked, maybe too politely.

"So that I can cook and have dinner."

The ginger may have looked at my eyes for half of a nano-second.

"Sure," He mumbled. "Lemme put my stuff away first."

I stepped out of his way as he unlocked his door, walked in, and shut it.

I stood there for a second, thinking about something.

….. Did I just smell alcohol on his breath?