Where the hell was I and what the hell was going on? Those were the first questions to cross my mind when I came around again. Then, I heard crying in the next room over and felt sorry for whatever family was shedding those tears. I could hear the voices of a mother and father, going on and in about how they should have been there and made him feel safe instead of making him fear being rejected. I could only guess what they were talking about; it could have been anything from being gay to Danny's secret.

Where was Danny, anyway? I'd have figured that he'd be here waiting for me when I woke up. That fight couldn't have taken this long, could it have?

I faintly heard a name that sounded like Danny, but I had to be wrong. It was probably just Johnny or something. Then I heard something about a secret again, and fought the urge to worry about Danny. Danny said he'd be back for me. There was no way that could be him those people were crying about. No way, it just couldn't be possible.

"We hunted him. He was our own son, and we hunted him!" . That could not have been Maddie's voice. I couldn't be. That would mean... No. Danny is okay, he just hasn't made it back to me yet. My mind is just a jumping to conclusions, that's all.

That weak logic was already starting to fail when I heard the next voice. "He didn't tell you because he didn't want his enemies coming after you. I know he doesn't blame you for hunting him, you were just doing your job." That was Jazz's voice, I'd know it anywhere.

"That doesn't change the fact that we hunted him, Jazz!" The mother, Maddie, had broken down hard sobs than she'd been in before. I could faintly hear Jack trying to comfort her.

My eyes were watering when I finally called out for a nurse, or Danny, or someone. Someone to tell me that what I was hearing next door was just some massive coincidence. They couldn't be talking about Danny. My Danny could not be the dead son those people were talking about. My Danny had to still be here, waiting for me.

He was not dead.

"Hello?" My voice was already cracking from the tears I was trying it hold back. Danny wasn't dead, he wasn't.

"Was that Sam?" Maddie's voice, the same one I'd heard earlier.

He's alive. He has to be alive, damn it!

"I think so. We should go see her." That was Jazz. This wasn't happening, I had just misplaced the voices. That's all.

"Sam?" Maddie walked in first, and for a fraction of a second, I wondered where my own parents were before I noticed her eyes were red and puffy.

I prayed to god I was still asleep, that I'd wake up any time now to see his smiling face waiting for me. I tried to believe that, but in my heart, I knew that wasn't true. My life was about to become a living hell.

"Where's Danny?" My voice was shaking and I felt a tear force itself free and run down my face. This was not happening. Danny was alive. Danny was not dead. He'd come flying in any second, right?

The three of them went silent. Dear god, no. No, I wasn't going to believe it. I just wasn't. "Sam, sweetie," tears were starting to fall more and more freely as Mrs. Fenton spoke up, barely reigning in her own emotions. "Danny...he didn't make it back, sweetie."

I went hysterical. " No! No, no, no, no, no! He isn't dead! He...he can't be!" I had broken down well past calming down. God damnit! I'd finally gotten the love of my life and now... I swear to god, I'm the only one this would happen to! "Danny..." His name was a whisper in my lips as my sobbing finally made it impossible to speak.

He was gone. My Danny, my brave, cocky, lovable, goof ball of a hero, was gone, and there wasn't a damned thing I could do about it. I couldn't do anything to bring him back. I couldn't do anything but cry like a baby for god only knows how long.

I ran out of tears after ages. It was then that Maddie pulled out a purple rose. I knew instantly who it came from, a small part of me recognizing the ghostly energy that went into forming it. "He said to tell you he loved you." I could see the emotional walls Maddie had managed to keep up for so long falter as she reached out to hand it to me. Only seconds later, she was pushed out if the room by a combination if nurses and her remaining family. I don't remember the reason, all I knew was that some of my last connections to Danny were being taken from me.

I held the little rose close to my chest as I started to fall asleep. It wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world, but it didn't hurt either. I needed to keep a piece of him close to me, and I'd suffer a little discomfort to accomplish that.

"I love you, Danny," I whispered into the thin air around me, hoping there was some way he could hear me. How the hell was I going to live without him? I'd known him since we were eight years old, and now,he had been stripped away from me. I knew I could survive without him, but could I really live?

God damnit. I'd give anything just to so much as speak to him again.

Good grief... Excuse me while I go fight the urge to go cry in a corner...

In case you haven't noticed, this story is winding down. There is one more chapter, maybe two, before we reach the end. I could do a sequel...but I'm not entirely sure just how far my idea could really go. I'll make an attempt at it if you guys want me to though. :)

Comments and feedback are as welcome as always! :D

Invisible One