(Hello dear readers! I do hope you are all enjoying this story! I would like to put a short warning that the contents of this chapter might be seen as triggering, please forgive me for the dark content, I promise it will get lighter as it continues ^.^)

"Kyle, you can stay here tonight if you'd like." Wendy said, setting the appropriate amount of dinner wear. Kyle smiled softly, setting a large pot in the centre of the table.

"I should be okay Wendy, thank you for the offer."

"Is Uncle Kyle spending the night?" Jay looked between the two adults. Kyle laughed gently.

"Maybe another time squirt." The toddler nodded with a large grin just as Stan lifted him up and placed him in his high chair. The toddler giggled, bringing another gentle laugh from Kyle's throat. Once the table was finally set, they all sat and enjoyed the home cooked meal. Stan and Kyle reminisced, laughing about their high school years. When the meal was over, Kyle stood from the table.

"Going so soon Ky?" Stan asked, wiping his mouth with his napkin.

"Yeah, I gotta catch up on some housework." He smiled, trying to mask the pain of loss which had been nagging him all evening.

"Oh, okay." Stan stood as well and gave his best friend a tight hug. "Look dude, if you need anything, just call or come over." He said, letting go of the red haired Jew. Kyle nodded and was startled by small arms wrapping around his legs. He looked down.

"Do you have to go now Uncle Kyle?" Jay asked, craning his neck upwards. Kyle unwrapped the toddler's arms from around his legs and crouched to eye level.

"Im afraid so kiddo, but I'll come visit again soon okay?" he smiled softly and ruffled Jay's hair. Jay smiled and nodded then gave Kyle another hug before waddling into the living room. "Well, I'll see you later dude." He sighed, slipping his jacket on.

"Take care Kyle." Stan waved as Kyle exited the house.

Kyle slammed the door of his apartment and made a bee-line for his bedroom. He pulled the large bottle of whiskey from his wardrobe and began drinking away his sorrows from earlier. With each shot he threw back, a new memory of Kenny rose from the depths of his grieving mind. As his sadness caught up with him, a dreadful thought tiptoed and planted itself within the confinement of his brain. Throwing one last shot back, Kyle grabbed his shaving razor and headed for the bathroom.

"I'm coming Kenny, just wait." He slurred to his warped reflection as he began running the tap. He shakily held the razor's edge at the base of his wrist. Just as he forced it to bite through the skin, his front door opened. As if he didn't want to be caught in the selfish act, he dug the blade deeper and pulled it up his arm. Blood began to leak rapidly from the fresh wound and the red head fell to the ground with a loud 'thump'.

"Jesus christ! Kyle!" Stan rushed to the red head's side. "Stay with me Kyle." He placed Kyle's head in his lap and called the hospital. "I need an ambulance right away, my friend, he's ... He's bleeding out!" His voice was frantic as he watched the life slowly draining from his best friends eyes. He hung up his phone and threw it to the side. The raven-haired man grabbed a towel from the nearby towel rack and dressed the wound then placed pressure on the brachial artery. "C'mon dude, don't die, not like this." His eyes began to burn as tears fought to escape.

"I-Im sorry Stan." The Jew's eyes fell shut and his body fell limp. The next time the red head opened his eyes, he was in unfamiliar territory. He looked at his left arm and saw it was dressed in white gauze. Guilt swirled in his stomach as he recalled his rash actions. He scanned the hospital room and noticed his long time best friend, napping in one of the hospital chairs. "S-Stan?" His voice was soft as he called out. The raven-haired male jolted wide awake.

"Kyle!" He hopped to his feet and over to the Jew's side. "What were you thinking Ky?" Stan whispered, his voice soaked in concern.

"I-I wasn't thinking." Kyle looked away. "I'm sorry dude, I-I was just in a bad place." He mumbled.

"The doctors weren't sure if you would wake up, you lost a lot of blood man." Stan sighed as Kyle's eyebrows furrowed in confusion. He looked at his saviour.

"How long was I out?"

"Its been a few days now, I was starting to get real worried." Stan pointed to the bedside table with a mournful smile "Jay was worried for uncle Kyle too." He chuckled gently. Kyle looked to the table and saw it was littered with homemade cards and in the centre of them all laid the toddler's teddy. Tears suddenly poured from the red head's eyes.

"Oh my god, I-I didn't think about how it would have effected anyone else." He continued to avoid making eye contact as he mentally kicked himself. "I was so stupid." He muttered to himself.

"Relax Ky, its over now, you're safe and most of all alive." Stan gently took his best friend's chin and forced him to make eye contact.

"I'll never be able to thank you enough."Kyle sniffled, tears running down his cheeks and soaking into Stan's sweater sleeve.

"It's okay Kyle, once you get discharged you can come stay with me and Wendy and Jay until you're better." Kyle shook his head.

"I can't do that dude, you've done enough for me already."

"Its not a problem, Wendy has a room set up for you already." Stan retorted. Kyle smiled although his eyes still leaked tears.

"I-I gotta make it on my own Stan." He looked down at his bandaged arm and nodded to himself. "Look, if it gets bad, I'll take you up on your offer but right now, I think I need to try." Kyle looked back to the raven haired man. Stan nodded.

"Promise dude?"

"Promise." Stan carefully wrapped his arms around the frail red head.