Okay. I know it's kind of confusing how this is his finale day and all but it's like this: The day he was told he was sick was his first day because he was sick the entire day. So the next day is the second day. Which is when he...

Anyway, 3 chapter another 3 to go I guess. Well it's the next one then the next one and the alternate ending. Just saying. Okay too many spoilers as always review and all that nice stuff :D. Also this is a rather short chapter to me (4,448 words less then all the other stories I wrote) but next chapter will make it up I guess...still gotta think about it and all that- ANYWAY I'M JUST RAMBLING! Go on, you know you wanna read it. Now go! Thanks for all the support and stuff. Love, y'all!

So, This is all Valve's creative stuff not mine, only the idea of the story and writing of it. If that makes sense.

The boy woke up to the sun rising. The storm stopped overnight. The burning sun beamed through the mechanic's window. It shined through towards his leg, making it warmer on his cold skin. Ellis opened his eyes then and there as he felt the burning sensation from the morning sun. His hick smile showed. He was alive. His dream was about Nick as usual. He then remembered today was his last day alive and his first time released. Only for a couple of hours before the virus took over him completely. As he waited for the doctors to come in for more data and samples, he thought what to do with Nick. On his final day to live.

The doctors came in a few minutes after Ellis planned his day. They took the samples just as planned and told him when to be back by. It was like his mom told him when to come back for dinner when he was younger in Savannah. He had to be back before 9 o' clock. The virus would take over his body the same time he was born. Not as his birthday but instead the time of day he was born. The night. He always lived in the darkness because he was the light in it at all times. He was the candle in a blackout when ever a hurricane would hit his family and friends. He thought his flame was finally burning out.

The doctors unplugged and disconnected all the things they hooked him up on. He got his old clothes back on and grabbed his hat that was on the nightstand next to where he slept. He left the medical center and started to find Nick. His movements was slow because of his sickness but he tried to go fast. It hurt to walk for some reason, but he kept going.

The sun shined into the pure white room which the old gambler would stay in. Nick didn't like the morning at all. He was a night owl, instead of an early bird. He got up anyway because he was going to visit Ellis today. A wave of energy managed its way through the conman's body. It died down as the sun made its wave of energy into the snow white room, making it as bright as a light bulb. Nick just walked out of his room slowly. He tried to find the missing boy fast before even Keith found him.

Oh shit. What if he finds him first...

The tired conman pushed that thought to the back of his mind and continued walking in the lonely hallways. On his way he saw Rochelle who was trembling and had a sad look on her face.

"Rochelle." he called out into the emptiness. It caught her attention. Her sad expression turned to her name and found Nick staring at her. She started to cry a bit because of him, since it reminded her of Ellis. It was his last day alive and Nick didn't know anything about it. She quickly ran towards him and hugged his $3,000 suit. Tears slowly fell of her eyes and landed on his blue shirt.

"Ellis is worried sick about you. You have to see him A.S.A.P.. He's in the medic center, the biggest building in the whole camp. I suggest you spend the whole day with that boy." she mumbled as she tried to stop her river of tears. She let go of Nick and rubbed her eyes until they turned red.

"Why, what happen? Is he okay?" the concerned older man asked with out a second thought. He hoped she said yes and he was fine.

Instead, she gave a short sigh and met with his green eyes. "I promised not to tell you. He'll tell you, but promise you'll go easy on the boy and handle him well."

He nodded and patted her shoulder. "Don't worry, whatever it is, I'm sure he'll be fine in no time. He's invincible, right? That kid could take on the world!" Nick said before running down the hall. Rochelle started to cry again. Muttering the words as the tears covered her vision, "If only he knew..."

Ellis ran to the tall building and went inside. He saw a girl behind the front desk while he saw little kids and mothers next to them. The sound of kids crying filled the dull air as other people were crying in there seats as they waited. He tried to ignore the cries and walked towards the front desk and placed his hands on top of the desk.

"You know where I could get some 'elp, or somethin'? I know this girl, she was one of those doctor people. The ones that help people who are sick, I mean sick as in when they ain't right in the head. I mean, I ain't implying that everyone in 'ere is one of those loonies or that she talks to crazy people or anythin', but that's what she does, y'know." he tried to explain before losing his mind of his own. He knew he didn't make sense for a second before thinking he was making sense. The girl in the front desk sat there in a complete daze. He knew exactly what he was talking about. Too bad she didn't.

"Floor 14. Room 64."

Ellis gave a smile and tugged his hat to thank her. He ran up the stairs joyfully for some reason. He got to the 14th floor in no time with his upbeat energy. He walked towards the 64th door. In bold letters the door say "Dr. Judy Hale's Office: Therapist and Guide." He knocked on the door a few times and waited for an answer.

While he waited, his eyes traveled around the red hallways. His imagination took over and placed him in the hallways of New Orleans. The hallways were bathed in the blood of the infected and the stench of rotting corpses filled the toxic air. It was just him alone in the blood stained hallway- confused. The mechanic started to hear someone calling his name out in the distance. It came from behind him and it sounded as if he heard that husky voice before but the boy couldn't put his finger on it. He followed it into the emptiness of the dark abyss. He walked slowly down the hallways until he found a white jacket. He was stunned for a moment and thought who it was. Nick... he trailed off and ran towards the jacket as it became brighter and brighter. When he reached it, it wasn't so white anymore. Red colored the conman's jacket in blood as it trailed towards where he just came from. He then heard his name again, echoing through the walls. He turned to find Nick on the floor, bleeding with no jacket. His blue shirt all bloody still dripping to the floor.

Ellis ran to the bloody figure still calling his name out through his rose red lips. The figure finally looked up to the worried boy with his green eyes who where in tears. The boy squat down to meet Nick's eyes in full attention. The gambler had his signature grin all bloody, but still there. Tears started to fall down Nick's face on to his red-blue shirt. He finally manage to slip some words out of his cold lips. Why did you do it, Overalls? Why...

"What did I do?" the boy asked. His imagination ended and he came back from his world to reality.

"Ellis?"

He turned to find himself on his knees towards a taller girl. She was in her lab coat with a black skirt and red shirt, looking down at the boy with a puzzled expression. He stood right up and fixed his hat. He put on his hick smile and acted as if nothing happened to him. "Yes, miss?"

"Did you knock?"

"Yes, ma'am, I sure did. I meant to ask ya somethin', hold on I'll remember it." he said as he began to ponder.

"Ellis, why don't you just come inside, we'll talk about your little episode outside."

Nick ran towards the building that Rochelle told him about. He realized when he saw the giant windows of the building, it was where Dr. Hale's office was, since he could see her office and herself right by the window. He stared at the window because it looked like she was talking to someone. He isn't a nosy person half the time but he had a feeling to see what would happen. Then he finally appeared. It was Ellis right by the window as well, looking down at the whole camp sight. He looked like a little kid looking down at train set with the glass covering it. His big hick smile showed through the window and lit the older man's face up. He was stunned but yet happy to know he was fine and wasn't dying or anything of that matter. He ran faster, still looking up at the building, and didn't bother looking down. Until he tripped over his own feet.

He was so focused on Ellis that he tripped over his own feet. He fell face front on to the cold concrete ground. He groaned and cursed himself as he got up, brushing the dirt off his suit. That's when he heard some kind of noise. It was laughing. It came from in front of him. He looked up to find who he really didn't even want to think about at this point. The sandy blond haired hick. Keith.

"You just fell like a sack of dirt! Not implyin' that yer one or anythin'. That was a hell ova fall, you sure you'll be alright 'ere?" he said with the same hick smile Nick's hick had. Nick shot a death glare at the engineer but turned it into a friendly smile. He didn't want to start anything with Keith, not after he just fell. That hillbilly is lucky I'm in a good mood.

"I'll be fine. Lemme guess, you're off to go fix some jeeps or something, right?" he said with that signature smirk. It was forced on to him because he really hated Keith for some reason. It must of been all the thoughts of Keith finding Ellis first before Nick did that got to him.

"Yup, I sure am, listen I wanna ask ya, if you don't mind. You know a guy named Ellis? I'm sure he was around here somewhere." Keith asked as he scuffed his hair to make it more messy then it already was. Nick's face dropped into a "Oh, why did he just ask me that" face. Now, Nick is a good liar, that's why he's a great poker player because you don't know if he's bluffing or just plan serious. If he could lie to more then 4 people, he could lie to a hick with no problem.

"Nah, sorry. I haven't heard anything about that guy. Well, good luck finding him. Good-bye." the gambler said as continued running towards Dr. Hale's office.

Keith's smile died and turned back up as he waved good-bye as well. He sulked back to his path and was headed to fix more Jeeps for the Army.

"Homaigod! You could see 'veryone from up 'ere! They look like ants from this high up. Awe, shit, imagine Keith fallin' from here, he'd die for sure! I mean, he's lived through, like, so many burns and he's been to the hospital a lot, y'know. Shit, shit, shit. I reckon I coulda seen my house from up 'ere!" the childish 23-year old said as he pressed his head against the thick glass window. His eyes wondered around wildly to see what he could find in the whole camp.

The therapist sat in her chair, curiously watching the playful young man having the time of his life right by a window. It made her wonder what made him going, he must miss his family and friends. How can he be happy and joyful like this? As if he was a 5 year old kid, just as Nick said. The only thing she could do was watch him until he realized why he came here for.

He stood there with the same smile for a good minute or so until he turned to face the room behind him. He noticed the red-haired doctor taking notes on her clipboard quickly. He noticed her hand-writing and it was in script. He couldn't read script because he really didn't have the best education in Savannah. He walked to the long sofa and laid down as if it was a bed. The boy waited in silence as the doctor stopped the tapping of her pen to the clipboard. She looked up to him as he closed his eyes.

"So, what happened out there?" she finally said as she crossed her legs. He opened his eyes fast as if he was about to jump up into the air. He didn't know what to say. He really didn't know what happen himself, he just had a vision. He had to reply to the doctor.

"I have no idea. I was just standin' there and doin' nothin' really, I was just thinkin' y'know, about stuff. To be honest, ma'am, the hallways remind me of the ones back in New Orleans with all that red paint lookin' an awful like blood. It just took me back into one of those flashbacks, I think that's what there call, hell I dunno. So anyway, all of a sudden I see Nick just there covered in blood and shit so I'm freakin' out and I don't know what to do, I mean, what do you do? He said somethin' that I swear still chills me to the bone. He said, 'Why did you do it, Overalls'- he calls me Overalls 'cause I wear'em and all- then he said 'Why...'. It was confusin' as hell, lemme tell you that."

The doctor was amazed. He talked so much it almost drove her crazy. She was use to people talking but not as fast and long as Ellis. It didn't annoy her but it all most drove her mad. She was well aware of what happen to him, about the virus. She knew exactly what happen to him and it would hurt to tell him or remind him about his sickness.

"Ellis, that was a hallucination or an illusion. That never happen, it was all up in your brain. The drugs they put you on gave you that effect. It also might tell you something about either past or future events that came or to come. I suggest you forget about it and move on. Your friend might be here in a second."

"Who? Keith? Awe, shit I knew he was alive! That sonovabitch can't hide forever!"

"No, I meant Nick."

His smile died down into a sadder expression. He couldn't tell Nick, but he had to. It was his last day after all.

His smile turned up again, "Awe, Nick that lil' cocky bastard. I was actually goin' to ask ya where they kept him and stuff, y'know."

Dr. Hale gave a huge smile just like his and started to write things again down on her clipboard. Ellis started to get happier by the minute, he was never this jumpy in his life. He couldn't wait for Nick to bust through the doors and see him. Then get disappointed with the news about the virus.

"Tell me more about your relationship with Nick."

Nick got to the same lobby he was in before and took a look at the girl behind the desk. He walked up to her with thoughts of Ellis and worried about him.

"Hey, have you seen a guy with blue eyes with a hat on? Yellow shirt and has overalls on, too."

She stared at him coldly.

"He talks a lot."

She finally came to her sense, "Oh, him! Yeah, he went up to see Dr. Hale."

He laughed at bit because of what he said that triggered her memory. "Thanks", the conman said as he rushed into the elevator that was right next to the desk. He pressed the button to lead him to the 14th floor.

The metal doors closed and the larger metal box began to move upwards to its destination. The conman inside waited towards the back of the large space in front of him. He sat down with his hand covering his left eye with his fingers in between his hair. He closed both his eyes just for a few seconds as the elevator moved him up slowly.

The gambler opened his eyes and looked up to see a man. He jumped right up as the small light made the man clearer to see who it was.

"Ellis?"

The man smiled. "I reckon you'd try to find me."

"Ellis, what the hell? Where were you, how did you get in here?"

The man stepped under the light to reveal his real face. It wasn't the Ellis that Nick knew at all. His eyes were bright yellow with black lines going down his pale white face. His lips where blood red and had the same color across his cheeks and mouth. It looked like he just ate someone. Surprised, Nick stepped back until he hit the wall again.

"Ellis, what happen to you? You look like..."

"The infected? Yeah, I know. Don't worry you won't be seein' me for long." the figure started to walk slowly at the scared conman.

"Why, whoa, come on now, Ellis. The hell do you think you're saying? I'm going to see you right now, this can't be happening."

"Oh, but it is. You want me to prove it? I'm real hungry right now. Did I ever tell ya 'bout the time me and Keith were lost in the forest with this one guy."

The figure had a crazed smile and lifted his arm up to reveal claws.

"Now, he didn't know where the hell we were. We were there for 4 days without food or water,"

The conman began to panic. This was unreal to him. But he trusted his eyes more then anything.

"So we did what any other guy would do in one of those situations."

The dark Ellis dug his black claw into Nick's white suit. His claw went deep inside of him almost reaching his heart.

"We thought of a plan to eat the guy."

Nick started to cough up blood on to the figures arm. He now believed it was true.

"So, first we got a rock."

His claw was taken out of the bleeding conman and the other claw grabbed Nick's neck.

"And we started bashin' his head while the guy was sleepin'."

He threw Nick to the other end of the elevator. The helpless conman started to lose his vision because of how much blood he lost.

"Keith thought he wasn't sure if he could eat a guy so I said to him,"

The figure walked towards Nick and got him to his feet. The figure pulled his head to his own. There heads where together with there foreheads pressed together. Nick felt Ellis' cold skin which made chills run down his spine.

"I said, 'Keith, we either just killed a guy for nothin' and starve to death, or I reckon we should just continue our plan'"

The figure pushed Nick to the wall with force as there heads were still together.

"So, we just ate him whole and shit was it good."

The dark Ellis pinned the conman towards the wall.

"I reckon you would taste just as good. Lemme get a good taste of ya."

The figure kissed Nick's trembling lips. He let his bloody lips wonder around his prey, towards his neck as he filled it with kisses. He sucked on his tender neck as he made his way closer to him. The conman was less tense but was still scared about what was happening. The pain from his wound went away but his suit was still blood red. The figure took off his blood red jacket and threw it to the other end of where they were.

"You taste better then he was that's for sure. Now lemme have a lil' bite."

The dark Ellis' stopped his sweet tender kisses on Nick's neck and opened his blood-filled mouth to have a piece of the gambler to eat. He took a bite of him as his sharp teeth started to eat him away. The sudden pain rushed towards Nick as he screamed out in agony. The conman closed his eyes as the pain overcame him.

He opened his eyes to see him on the floor with his hand covering his left eye.

It was all a dream? It felt so real it couldn't be. The hell is going on.

He looked to see what floor he was on. It was the 12th floor and he was almost there at Dr. Hale's office. He stood up and went to the metal doors. He was still in shock of what happened to him in his dream.

Ellis started to blush and giggle about the doctor's question.

"Re-Relationship? I-I-I mean, I kinda...It's not that I'm...I can't explain it." he said as his face was bright red. It was brighter then any other blush he'd had because of the change of skin the sickness gave him. He started giggling like a school girl and bite his finger, meaning he was nervous.

The doctor was amused by the young boys emotions about Nick. "It's okay, Ellis, you can tell me anything."

The boy lifted his red head to face the doctor with his hick smile. He's blush started to fade away and he was ready to say something about Nick.

"See, I ain't no gay or anythin', but when I saw Nick the first time. WHOA. His sharp white suit and everythin', my God, it was so cool. I liked him at first like a friend until we were in the sugar mill together. Everything kinda changed 'n' shit. He looked after me more and I looked after him more. We were kinda into each other, well I was for sure, I dunno 'bout him." he replied as he started to have that same blush sensation just like before.

The therapist took some notes and looked towards the door. She saw a figure and knew exactly who it was. She didn't bother opening the door but instead sighed at the face she didn't do what she had planned in her head.

Nick waited outside the therapist door overhearing the conversation inside. Judy and Ellis were talking about him and he wanted to know what they said about him. He wouldn't let a hick talk behind his back like that and get away with it. He came just in time when the young boy started blush again. He sat next to the door and close to listen. He waited as he heard the conversation start again.

"So why haven't you said anything about the sickness to Nick?" she asked in a low voice but the conman could still hear.

Sickness? What the hell...

"Naw, not yet. I don't want to but I gotta y'know. If he found out he would go ape shit! And we all don't want that to happen, Imma right?"

Wait don't tell me...

"Today is your last day alive. Before you the virus overcomes you, right?"

Holy shit.

"Sadly, ma'am, you're right. I'm ganna miss everything when I'm gone. Keith, my mum, everyone back in Savannah, Rochelle, Coach, and especially Nick. Especially Nick..." he trailed off with a sad tone.

No, no, no. That's why Rochelle was like that. It all makes sense, but what does he mean by sickness. Wait, Nick, think, think, think, think. That's right. He was bleeding in the helicopter that was one of the signs of being-

"Nick, would you like to come inside?"

The conman looked up to see Dr. Hale stand next to him with her clipboard in hand. She had a smile with those red lips that would charm any other guy, but Nick. She wasn't his type.

"Nick? NICK?! HE'S HERE!" the boy screamed in pure joy. It hurt the gambler to hear but it made him happen to know that Ellis was alive and well. According to him, not for long.

Nick stood up and found himself looking down at the doctor as Ellis came behind her searching for his long lost friend. He met his dark blue eyes to Nick's sea green eyes. Without looking anywhere else they just smiled at each other and gave each other a hug. Ellis began to cry a bit on the conman's white suit.

"Ellis are you crying?"

The boy wiped the tears from his eyes and looked down at the floor. "Nawh, I ain't cryin', cryin' is for pussies and shit. I ain't no pussy, I ain't cryin', no way, no way." he said with his cheerful laugh and smile.

They where finally together and had the whole day to themselves. It was about time Ellis told Nick about the news.

*~End of Chapter 3~*

Ohmaigawd! What is going on in my world that I'm shaping them into. All these dreams do they mean anything? From the past, present, future? What will happen?! OOOOOHH that's for you to read and find out on the next: Invincible! Chapter 4: Minutes Together! Also, some of you like that lil' scene with Nick and Dark Ellis in the elevator I had to make a lil' love to happen Y'KNOW! Okay keep up with the reviews and reading, thanks a lot! Love everyone of you :D 3