HOMAIGAWD. It's the last chapter c: what will happen? Ooooh it's a mystery! Anyway I hope you guys like it and there are 2 alternative endings but they're going to be in another chapter thingy. If you get what I mean. I don't know anymore. Anyway, here it is read and review because I love all of your reviews :3 makes me feel awesome some how. Ok, nuff said I don't own the characters Valve does because they can and they're awesome. Ok, bai!

Is it all over now? Is this suppose to be the "happy ending"?

I couldn't hear anything. Not a word or just the tiniest sound. The room or the world around was completely dark. Well, may be it was because my eyes were closed. I...I just can't open them, not after what I did. Poor Ellis. I can't believe this just happened. And at the point where I found my true feelings. Snap out of it, Nick, you're being to sound like a pussy. But shit, at least I feel something. Years and years I felt like a drunken robot, doing the same routine over and over. It sickened me to the core. Then the infection happen. This happened. Pull yourself together, Nick. Everything is going to be fine right? Right. Now stop complaining and bitching, just open your eyes. I just can't, not yet at least. This feels weird my eyes are so shut that I'm starting to see flying red balls. Okay, listen you're going to open your eyes right now. May be the doctors already cleaned up the mess. All you gotta do is open your eyes. Now do it.

No. No. No. I can't. Even if I tried I could still smell the blood and if I even try to open them I could see it as well. Goddamn it. Think of something. Ellis...Ellis why. No it wasn't his fault. It was mine. Don't even try to force this on yourself either. It wasn't your fault. I mean, I could of went back for him before the copper and help him in before he got bite or something. Stop it, Nick. Listen to yourself, I mean really you're talking to yourself with your eyes closed in a hospital room. Are you going to do this all day? Cry? Oh shit, I forgot I was crying. I think I'm getting the hang of these "feelings". Speaking of feelings, my heart is flaming up. It's like it's going faster or something. No shots, no pills. I've shot a gun before, no shit, but I didn't know my heart can beat that fast. Okay stop it. Wait...wait I think I could hear something. Shhh...it's getting louder. But I just can't make out the words. Who is that anyway?

"Nick, are you okay?"

Not even close, Rochelle.

"Nick, answer me!"

The room filled with sound again. People trying to cover up the blood on the wall. Others getting the body out of the scene. But yet, Nick was still on the ground. Pistol in his hand and still with his eyes closed.

"Ro'? Rochelle is that you?" he cried out like a blind man.

"Sweetie, it's me. Everything is going to be okay. Let's get out of here." she took his hand and left the room quickly.

They went down the hall and down the stairs by the group of chairs. The reporter lead the blind man to sit as she tend to him. Her eyes full of tears yet they stood in place and didn't fall. Her hand traveled up to the conman's shoulder. She shook him for a good 5 seconds. As if she was trying to wake him up.

"Nick, come on, open your eyes. It's all over. We're out of the room now, you don't have to worry about seeing the boy like that. It's okay, Nick."

He tried to hold back the tears. The image of Ellis still burned in his brain. Any moment with Ellis flowed through every inch of his body.

"I can't. I can't do it."

"Yes you can. Why won't you just open your eyes?"

"Do you really want to know why? Do you really wanna know? It's because I just want to wake up from this dream. I want to just open my eyes and just make believe this was all just a dream. I want to think that this is some fucked up dream. I don't wanna open my eyes to this cruel world anymore. Going through a fucking zombie apocalypse wasn't enough, the only thing that ever made me feel. The only person that made me into who I am right now. Just a blind old gambler bawling his eyes out for some kid. Some stupid kid who he just HAD to like. Who he HAD to love. Who he HAD to care for. Is gone. I killed him. I shot him in the fucking head, made the wall taste his blood. I don't want to go to that reality. Never again. I'd rather be blind as I am now."

Rochelle didn't say a word. She didn't want to at that point. What Nick was going through was real pain. A pain more painful then a shot to the head. More painful then getting your limbs torn off. The only limb that was torn from him was his heart. She knew he couldn't be helped at the moment. So she patted his head and started to walk away. She turned to say, "I understand. I'll leave you to your suffering. It's best if you do it alone. Good-bye and good luck." As much as she thought it was cold-heart thing to do she knew that it was for the best.

"Thank you." was all the blind man could say.

Now what? You ganna sit here and cry? No. You're not a pussy. Just like he said, "crying is for pussies" and it's hard to believe that you're a pussy. I'm glad I'm alone right now. I want to just cry and cry. I'll look weird if I'm here just crying like a kid. I should go to the apartment. I just can't open my eyes. It's too painful. Nick, pull yourself together, I mean really. Come on just go to the apartment.

"Need help?"

The blind man was stunned. Who was there? It was the voice of a woman. Someone he knew. Yet, who was it?

"It's Dr. Hale if you're thinking that. I heard your speech by the stairs. Do you want me to walk you to the apartments?"

"Shit, you just read my mind." he answered trying to dry up his tears. He stood up and felt the therapist's hand grasp his own. She lead the way out of the door. It was night and he felt the cold wind blow against his face. It was colder every step they made. Tears still in his shut eyes.

They got up to his room and she left with a kiss on his cheek. He opened the door quickly and dropped to the ground. His knees brought to his chest as he buried his head into them. The wrapped arms around his legs held tighter and tighter as he thought about Ellis' voice. The way he would smile. That smile of life. The invincible smile that would never die. His back against the door as he cried deeply. He got use to the crying now and now it's as if he was addicted. Addicted to the pain of losing someone that meant something. He's been bitten, choked, shot, pounded, thrown miles away, scratched up, and everything you could imagine. He was use to that. Now he's use to real pain.

"I'll never open my eyes again. Never. I don't care if I'm forced, I'll just scratch them out til they bleed out. God, that's a bit dark. Just like this fucking world. It's so cruel, taking away someone that I actually did love. Fuck me. Fuck this. I'll never open my eyes and I'll never love again." he said out loud to himself. He was going mad, talking to himself in an empty room.

Nick...

The gambler gasped of the voice. It was Ellis. But how?

Nick, open your eyes.

"No. Shut up you're just in my head. I'm making you say this. This can't be real. Get outta my head, I killed you!"

Nawh, Nick, no ya didn't. You saved me.

"No I didn't get outta my head it's over let me just live my life blind."

You don't gotta be mad about it. Nick, it's okay you can just open your eyes. I promise everything is ganna be okay.

"How can you keep a promise if you're dead. This is impossible right now I can't fucking believe this is happening it's bullshit."

It is. You wanna know why? Started bawlin' like a lil' kid when I heard why. Not ganna say the details on how I'm doin' all this shit and all but, I just had tha'. I'm only here 'cause of love. 'Cause they said that we had true love or somethin' and they said you were like this and I had to fix you. And I wanna help you, I wanna let you see again. So just please open your eyes.

"What's the point. I don't wanna live this nightmare anymore. I sound like a fucking pussy right now, this ain't me."

This ain't me either. Just open your eyes, Nick. For me. It's my dyin' wish. I want ya to be happy, I don't like ya sad like this it ain't right. Ain't right at all. So please, just open yer eyes. I left you a gift under your pillow and if you wanna see it just open your eyes. Bye, Nick. I'll be watchin' ya.

"No, don't. Don't you leave me like this!"

The voice was gone. He stood up and put his arms out to move around. He walked a few steps and tried to find his bed. His fingers caressed the blanket that was cold as the rest of the room. They followed to what he thought was a pillow. And it was. He left it up and searched for what Ellis left as said. He let out a big gasp. There was something underneath his pillow as said. He shut his eyes more squeezing tears to flow down. He then opened his eyes to find something that nearly stopped his heartbeat.

It was Ellis' hat.

One week flew by quickly.

Nick was locked up in his room not eating but just drinking fugitive scotch left behind in army bags. Today was his funeral. Ellis' funeral. Nick bought a black suit and red shirt with a bonus black tie. He never went to a funeral before and it was his first one. Hopefully his last one until his own. The clouds were dark but no rain or a sight of the sun. He walked to the graveyard that was about 1 mile from the hospital and pulled a cigarette from his pocket. He lit it up with his silver lighter with a single flare. His blank stare was more dull then usual, as if he was a zombie returning to its own grave.

He saw in the distance some people caring a coffin. It was Ellis' coffin. He wasn't inside but only pictures of him, no one wanted a bloody mess. The gambler looked up into the sky. He took some of the smoke and exhaled it into the air around him. He sighed and rubbed his eyes then looked back up into the sky.

"Why are you doing this to me?"

He inhaled his cigarette again and let out another puff of smoke. He started to walk towards the people. The blurred people slowly became people he knew. On the right side was Coach and Rochelle. The other was...

"You gotta be fucking kidding me."

With that he turned back to his apartment. Walking in shame. Everything would've been better if "they" weren't there. He could of gone to the funeral. Now his face couldn't be shown.

He didn't want his daughter to see her father cry.

A few hours pasted. Nick was looking out into the dark sky. He was isolated in his own room and in his mind. He was lost in thought and lost in the clouds. Then, a knock came from the door. He slowly walked towards the door and opened it in a quick reaction. It was Rochelle and she was pissed.

"Why didn't you go?"

"I didn't want to. It was best if I didn't anyway." he said turning away from Rochelle and walking back towards his place to watch the clouds.

"What the fuck. Just explain to me, one moment you love him, you show emotion for once and now for some reason your back to your old selfish fucked up self? Did Ellis want that?"

"He'll understand my reason."

"What's your reason? Huh, Nick? Please, explain."

"She was there."

Rochelle fixed her expression to a worried look. She went inside to sit next to the conman. She grabbed his hand and held it in hers.

"Who was there?"

"My daughter, Claire, and her boyfriend. They were the ones carrying the coffin with you."

"Wait. First things first, you have a daughter. Also, second your daughter is with-"

"Yeah, Keith."

"Outta all the odds. So that's why you didn't go? Because of him?"

"No, because of her. Listen, without getting into much detail, she and I have our father daughter moments. But I refuse to let her see me cry. I knew I was ganna, I mean look at me I'm a big fucking pussy right now. Nothin' I could do about it. She's most likely mad at me right?"

"Not at all. She understood you completely. I told her everything and she was in tears. She wanted to go out looking for you but Keith thought it was best if she stayed. Nick, she loves you, your her father. She understands you completely."

Nick sighed and hanged his head low. He then looked up to Rochelle who was smiling with tears flowing in her eyes.

"Thank you, Rochelle. Thank you for everything."

She got up and gave him a kiss on the cheek and left. She closed the door quickly as her footsteps still echoed in the empty room. Then, the isolated man looked up into the dark sky and shed a tear.

He's watching me right now.

Two days pasted. He made his choice that he was debating with over the days he wasn't heard from. The sky didn't change from 2 days before. He left his room with the same black suit and red shirt he wore on the day on Ellis' funeral. He took a note he wrote earlier and placed it inside of his coat pocket. Then in a flash, he took another important item. He walked to the cemetery at a faster rate but at the gate walked slowly. He read all the tombstones one by one, trying to find the mechanic's.

He walked for an hour trying to find his tombstone. He was getting tired and he laid on the grass with his back to a tombstone. He took out a cigarette and lit it up. He turned to the side to find something interesting.

"Well, I'll be damned."

He read the tombstone out loud to the empty graveyard.

"'Emma Jane Wales. 1965-2010. A great woman, with a big heart.' Big heart my ass." he stood up and patted the stone.

"You were one hell of a girl. I didn't want it to end like this for you."

He started to walk pass the grave and started his search on the tombstone. Minutes later, he finally found Ellis' grave. He stood in front of it and began to read aloud again.

"'Ellis Walter Sanders. 1987-2010. A fighter for who he loved.' God damn it, Ellis. You were so young, why'd you have to go out like that."

He stood there for minutes thinking about all the good times they had. All the stories. All the time they saved each other. All the times they were together. He finished his cigarette and threw it to another grave. He didn't care, no one really come into this graveyard as from he was told. He took out the note and read it over. He took out a pin he saved and also the most important thing of all. Ellis' hat. He pinned the note to the hat and left it on his grave. Seconds after the hat touched the ground it began to rain. Not hard or light but as if the sky was crying.

As if Ellis was crying.

He shed a tear and took off the pin that was in front of the hat and pinned it towards the inside. With the deed done, he walked away to start his new life. He was going to stay here or pick up gambling again. Either which he loved. As he found his way to the gate he took his first steps on becoming a better person. A person who Ellis would've wanted. The same Nick but yet improved. With a smile on his face as the raindrops clashed into his face, he began to say out loud what the note said as if he was talking to Ellis.

"You'll always be invincible. No matter what."

*~ The End ~*

What a happy ending right? It was okay as a happy ending but it was kinda sad I guess... I don't know anyway REVIEW! Also 2 new alternative endings in the next 2 chapters or they will come don't you worry! Okay bye now! Also thanks everyone for reading and writing reviews I haven't read my NickxEllis stuff so that's what I plan on doing. Okay bye :D MUCH LOVE.