Ben hadn't spoken while Conner was taken back to the camp by Roma. April was currently with the doctor, Mike refusing to leave her side through the entire process. She had a concussion which was expected from how the crash had juggled her head. She also needed stitches from the seatbelt lodging itself into her chest.
Mike came out once April fell asleep, Ben lurching to his feet at the sight of him. "How is she? Is she okay?"
"She's fine." Mike told him instantly, knowing he needed all the good news he could get. "A concussion, twenty stitches, but they want to keep her overnight for observation." Ben felt like he could breathe again, but there was still something piercing in his heart. The loss of his wife was still stabbing him with every breath. "Sir," Mike spoke after a long silence. "Why don't you and O'Neil go back to the camp and I'll stay here with April. I'll make sure she's safe, sir."
Ben looked to him, filled with an almost anger. "Well not even that can guarantee her safety anymore." Mike had to bite the insides of his cheeks to keep from showing how much that comment had hurt him.
"Sir," O'Neil spoke as he walked up to the two, sensing some tension. "Let's go. We need you to get some sleep." Ben still hadn't taken his eyes off of Mike. "Mike's got everything here and we can see April tomorrow once she's woken up." Ben finally looked away from Mike, nodding to O'Neil and then following him out.
Mike stood there for a moment once they had left, knowing this was his first time alone since everything had went to shit. He let out an angry scream before kicking the waiting room's table, drawing the attention of everyone around him. He didn't care about them. He cared about April.
"April." he whispered before hurrying back to her room. He couldn't lose her no matter what. He was so close to losing her tonight, but he ended up losing her mother.
When he got back to her room, he took a deep sigh of relief in the fact that nothing had changed. He slowly moved to her bed, pulling up a chair to sit near her. He took her cold hand with wires running down it into his big warm ones. "I can't believe that after everything that happened, I don't have you convincing me none of this is my fault."
He just continued to look down at her, focusing on her breathing. "When I saw you unconscious in that car, it was the scariest moment of my entire life." He moved his hand to her head, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "I thought you were…" Mike trailed off, not finding himself able to finish that sentence. His eyes were watering and he didn't want to think about what would happen if he actually lost her.
Mike felt the first tear run down his cheek, wiping it away with his free hand. "You're gonna tell me over and over again that none of this was my fault, but I feel so guilty, April." He took a deep breath, looking back to her face. "I'm a monster, and I killed your mother." He began to rub her cheekbone, taking deep breaths to keep from breaking down into tears. "I keep playing it over and over again thinking that if I didn't spend so much time getting you out or arguing with Ben. Or even if I would have let you ride with me and Conner. Your mom would have still been alive." His eyes fell, looking at her hands. "April, please forgive me."
The last thing April and Mike talked about when they got back was the divorce. They had a lot more to deal with. The funeral was one of the scariest events for the entire Secret Service. Everyone was going to be there. Citizens. Allies. Family. Friends. It was going to be a mad house, and the family still wasn't done grieving.
During the procession, military units based close by were leading it, a new and improved Beast carrying President Asher, Conner and April behind the units. Behind the Beast was Maggie's casket being pulled by pure white horses, the casket draped in a huge American flag, followed by the casket of Diaz and Thomson. Roma was driving the Beast with Mike in the passenger's seat. April felt like this was the longest drive of her life. She didn't want to look back, knowing her mother's body was back there, but that was the only thing on her mind.
Mike looked into the rearview mirror, seeing April looking out the left widow, a black veil covering her face and the black dress and stockings matching perfectly with her black heels. He wanted to hold her hand through the whole thing, tell her everything was going to be all right, but he wouldn't be able to do any of that during the funeral.
When they got to the Arlington National Cemetery, April didn't want to get out of the car. She was taking deep breaths as her father and brother got out of the car. She was thinking about the accident all over again. The last thing she saw of her mother was the blood trickling down her face. And the last thing she said to her. She was complaining about her parents kissing around her. The truth was that she would never see that again. Her scar began throbbing as her chest bounced with tears wrecking through her body.
Ben looked around after he had closed the door behind Conner, noticing April wasn't out of her side of the car yet. "Where's April?"
Mike then looked, noticing the same thing. He looked into the window of the car, just barely making out a figure sitting in her seat. Mike put a hand on Ben's shoulder before whispering in his ear, "I'll get her."
Mike opened up the door Ben and Conner had come out of and slid into the car causing buzz around the funeral attendees. All April was doing was looking out the window, continuing to breathe in and out as heavily as possible to keep herself from crying. "April," Mike spoke as he shut the door after him. She just continued to sit there. "April, you're going to have to get out."
"I can't." She spoke in the shakiest voice he had ever heard from her.
He placed his hand on hers, knowing this was going to have to be one of the hardest things she would ever have to do. "You're gonna regret it if you don't." April let out a little sob, breaking Mike's heart. "And you'll have me through it."
April slowly turned to look at him as he squeezed her hand. She knew the windows were tinted and no one would be able to see what she was about to do and it was a good thing. She was going to need this to get her through the next few hours. She leaned forward, placing both of her hands on his face, Mike looking to her as soft as he ever had before she whispered, "I love you."
"I love you." With that, she slowly leaned in, giving him a soft kiss. Mike still felt like this whole thing was his fault, but when she kissed him, it was like some of that guilt faded away. To her, he was this amazing man who could do no wrong and she made him want to be that. She knew he had his flaws, but she was willing to forget all of them to have a lifetime with him.
When they finally pulled away, they stared into each other's eyes for a moment, both feeling a tad better. Like they would be able to get through this together. She took his hand, giving him a small smile which he gave her right back before the two got out of the car.
April walked to her father, giving him a small smile which he gave right back. When she looked off, though, Ben looked to Mike, wondering what would happen if April was the one in Maggie's position. Would he be burying her instead? Ben shook the thought out of his head. He didn't want to think about any of that, but it was still in the back of his brain.
Megan joined the family at the White House, everyone knowing April's best friend was going to have to be there to help her through it. Maggie's family went off to another portion of the house as April and Conner were just left in confusion. It was almost like they didn't want to talk to the Asher family at all.
Mike walked into the Oval Office where his presence had been requested. He would rather be comforting April and Conner after the funeral. They had just lost their mother and no matter how many times April said she was okay, he knew she wasn't. "You wanted to see me, Mr. President?" Mike asked once he was fully inside of the office.
"Yes, Mike." Ben spoke, finally turning around to look at him. "Please, take a seat." Mike did as he said, automatically clasping his hands together from nervousness. Ben sat across from him, taking all of his courage to finally look him in the eye. "Mike, I brought you in to talk about you…breaking things off with my daughter."
Mike sat there for a moment, wondering whether he should start denying or fighting for their relationship. Mike started to laugh, deciding denying was the first step. "Sir, I don't know – "
"Oh, cut the crap, Mike." Ben spoke, annoyed with the whole façade. "I may not be the most observant, but I'm not stupid."
"Sir," Mike spoke, becoming panicked. "I want you to know it's not just a fling with April." He took a moment, becoming fearful at the thought of losing her. "I love her."
Ben sighed while looking down, knowing how selfish this all was of him. "Yeah, I know, and she loves you."
Mike looked around, making sure this conversation was completely private before continuing, his voice getting very low at the despair taking over him. "Then why do you want it to stop?"
Ben suddenly stood up, not wanting to look Mike in the eye for this next part. "I gave you a direct order on that bridge, Mike."
"Sir," Mike spoke as he stood, about to continue apologizing.
"And you did your job back there, I don't blame you." Mike took a deep breath, finding it really hard to breath in that moment. "But I realized something on that bridge." Mike was too scared to ask. He would be fine going his whole life not knowing what he was about to say. "That no matter what the stakes, in the end, I am the top priority. Not April. Not Conner. Me."
"With all due respect sir," Mike started still struggling to breath. "I don't see how any of this has to deal with my relationship with April."
Ben finally turned back to him, taking a deep breath. "So if it was April instead of Maggie, would you have done the same thing?" He let those words sit with him, feeling his heart break at the thought. "Mike, you're a good man and I know you two love each other, but please, Mike, don't bring my daughter into something she won't be able to survive."
Mike felt his heart like a weight, his entire body shrinking down, knowing that Ben really was right. If he loved April, he would let her go. "How do I go about it?" His voice was hoarse, trying to keep the tears from falling. They had gotten so close to a beautiful life together, but it was all ending in shatters.
So, the Asher family and Megan collected in April's room minus Ben who went straight to the Oval Office once they got back. April was obviously worried about her father, but she also had her brother to look after. Grandmother Asher was running her hands through Conner's hair as April laid on Megan. "It was a nice service." Grandmother spoke almost absentmindedly.
April wanted to be mourning the death of her mother as everyone else was, but only one thing was going through her mind right now. "I wonder what Mike and Dad are talking about."
Conner looked up at her, his eyes starting to flame with anger. "God!" He screamed while getting off of Grandmother's lap, everyone jumping at his sudden outburst. "Don't you ever think of anyone else besides yourself?!"
"Conner," April tried, but Conner was angry and filled with grief.
"All you care about is you and your stupid boyfriend and your stupid secret which is not so secret!" April's eyes widened, not realizing he knew. Or the fact that anyone knew. "Mom died and that's still all you're talking about!" April got up, trying to go to him, but Conner pulled away before running off. "You're so selfish!" He called before slamming the door shut.
They all sat there for a moment before April stood up, going after her brother. "Oh, April," Grandmother called. "He didn't mean it!"
The door slammed behind her, leaving just Grandmother and Megan sitting on April's bed. "So, dear," Grandmother began, looking over at Megan. "Do you get high?"
All Megan could do was look at her. She knew Grandmother Asher was a wild card from April's stories, but she didn't expect this. "Who are you?"
April hurried down the hall, not quite sure where Conner had went, but she knew she had to find him. As she ran, she ran directly into Mike. "There you are!" She exclaimed, she began explaining everything that just happened, but the only thing Mike could do was look at her face. He was memorizing every inch of it, feeling like this was going to be the last time he ever saw it. "Mike?" She questioned, tearing him back to what she was saying. "Are you even lis – "
"Leah and I aren't getting a divorce."
April blinked a little, not expecting something so random to come from the story of Conner running off like that. "Well, obviously not now, my mother just died. We have to give it some time – "
"April," Mike spoke, the same bland tone he used before.
That's when it all hit her. He wasn't just talking about within the next month. "Oh," she breathed out, trying to keep herself standing upright. "You mean…" She had to pause, knowing she wouldn't be able to get through the sentence if she didn't. "Ever."
All they could do was look at each other, not coming up with any words, April still numb from what she had just heard. "I'm sorry, April."
April's breath began to quicken, all of this just hitting her so hard. First her mother and now Mike. "Why?" It was the only thing she could say. That was the only thing running through her mind.
"I just…" It only hurt Mike more to see her reaction to the news. He knew it was going to hurt, but he could physically see her heart break the longer they stood there. "I can't."
"Did I do something?" April stepped forward, but Mike took a step back from her, causing the first tear to fall down her cheek. "Tell me what to do and I'll do it."
"No, April," Mike spoke in the best assuring voice he could manage, finding just looking at her was breaking his heart. "It's not – "
"Please," April spoke, now getting angry with the whole thing. "Do not give me the 'it's not you, it's me' speech."
"I'm getting transferred to the Treasury Department."
April wiped a tear from her face as she shook her head. "Because of me?" When she looked back to Mike's poker face, she rolled his eyes. "God, you just can't take two seconds out of your day to ignore me?"
"April, I am so – "
She then struck him across the face, Mike surprised she actually did it. He looked back to her, April taking deep breaths as tears continued to flow down her cheeks. She finally looked down, not being able to look Mike in the eye anymore. "You should go."
Mike lingered for just another second, debating on taking it all back, but he knew that he had to do what was best for her. As he began to sulk to the stairs, he turned back, looking at her standing there as she cried. "I really do love you April."
She looked up at him, her deep breaths taking a toll on her and more tears continued to trickle down her cheeks. He took an extra moment to study her face before turning back to the steps and continuing down them. After he was gone, April shut her eyes while tears ran through her whole body. "Hey, April," she heard Megan call from behind her, but she was too overcome with grief to say anything. "Conner came back to your room to apolo – "
That's when Megan noticed her face. "Hey," Megan spoke, knowing this wasn't just about her mother or Conner. This was something else. "What happened?"
April was gasping from tears as she threw her arms around Megan's neck, not knowing what else to do. Megan instantly hugged her back, but she just didn't know what to do. She didn't know why she was crying, but she knew one thing. She had to comfort her. No matter what happened, she had to be there for her.
On Mike's last day, April refused to come out of her room. She just sat there, not answering anyone's calls, not doing anything but sit there and think about what she was going to do without Mike. Suddenly, there was a knock on her door, but she didn't respond, she just continued to look up at the ceiling while tears fell from the sides of her face. The door opened minus her approval of the person coming in, and when he did come in, he inhaled a sharp breath at the look of her. "April?"
April's eyebrows knitted together before sitting up in her bed, looking to who was standing in her doorway. Mike slowly closed the door behind him while April looked him up and down, wiping her tears away when he wasn't looking. "What do you want?"
Mike turned back to her, taking a deep breath before moving towards her. "I wanted to say goodbye."
April shook her head, the rain pounding on the side of her window getting harder. "I don't want to talk to you."
All Mike could do was stand there. He knew she was devastated, but he expected a goodbye at the very least. "April," he started.
"I don't wanna hear some last ditch effort of how much you love me and that you're doing this for me because that's bullshit." All Mike could do was look at her. "That whole 'if you love her let her go' thing is such bullshit." More tears continued to fall down her cheeks and Mike just stood there, wishing he could take all of her pain away. "If you really truly loved me then you would stick by my side through this."
"I know it doesn't make sense." He told her while moving to sit on her bed next to her. "But I wish I could stay here more than anything."
April moved her hands to his cheeks, beginning to play with his hair with her right hand. "Then stay here." April's nose was getting red from crying and she had bags under her eyes, but Mike still found her the most attractive woman in the world. "Stay here with me."
Mike leaned forward, taking his time to look into those gorgeous eyes he was scared he would never see again before putting his lips to her's, giving her a passionate kiss. April kissed him with all of her might almost as if that would make him stay, but she knew Mike. And she knew this was strictly a goodbye. When they pulled away, Mike continued to stare into her eyes, taking a deep breath when their foreheads fell to each other. "I love you."
April gasped from the tears, hating how he said it. Like it was the last time. "I love you."
Then before he could convince himself to stay, he got up and hurried out of her bedroom door. April shut her eyes, letting the tears fall freely now as she fell back onto her bed, holding her favorite pillow to her chest, hoping it would reduce the pain of her breaking heart.
Mrs. HappyAnarchy: You are the strongest of us all then
MisfitCarter: Yes. It's just rain in this indoor place. Not tears!
Kagome309: Thank you, sweetie!
I'm not crying, you're crying. I just want to give you guys a thank you for getting me to fifty reviews (really 49, but hey, close enough) in eleven chapters! You guys are the absolute best. I just want to let you guys know you can follow me on Tumblr at janaespecter14 and I post some edits for my stories there and give updates and stuff like that. I only have one Everything New edit on there so you can look through the "April Asher" tag on my page to find it. I hope you all enjoyed even if this chapter was pretty emotional and shorter compared to my last one. Thank you guys so much for reading and remember to review!