To anyone still reading this or to any future readers, sorry I fell out of love with this story. I lost interest a long while ago. This is the original ending, from the beginning. Just less eloquently written. But honestly, I don't think I'll ever get a better version written. So here's a quick, crappy, sort of outlined ending. It was probably going to end up being 2 chapters, so I had two titles picked out.
Chapter 10/11: Morphine/Invincible
"Come on!" Eragon thumped the wheel as a car cut him off. "Fuck you!" He screamed, flipping off the car and pressing on the gas pedal.
Despite the situation, Murtagh let out a laugh. "Road rage much?"
"Shut up!" Eragon spun the wheel and swung around the offending car. The tires squealed as he turned the corner.
"Calm down." Murtagh said, reaching over and patting his leg. "You'll get us killed before we get there."
"Calm?" Eragon whined.
"Seriously." Murtagh said louder. "Slow down."
Eragon let out a groan and pumped the breaks.
"She fell asleep, I think." Murtagh pulled the phone from his ear. He flipped it closed. "Whatever's wrong, I'm sure it's nothing."
A few minutes later and they pulled into the parking lot. Eragon swung into a parking spot and they both jumped out.
"Hey Eragon." The maintenance man waved in their direction.
They ran past the man without slowing. "Don't have time for you, Jeff." Eragon called.
"Ah." Jeff called loudly after them. "Your niece get a hold of you then?"
Eragon stopped and grabbed Murtagh's arm. "Niece?" He said, turning around.
"Yeah. Little girl." Jeff said with a nod. "I recognized her from a few days ago."
Murtagh turned and tugged on Eragon's arm.
Jeff continued on. "She said she was staying with you and forgot her key. She looked pretty bad."
"Bad?" Murtagh's eyes widened.
"Said she got in a fight at school. I let her in. I hope that's alright."
"She what?" Murtagh gasped.
"Yes! Thank you Jeff!" Eragon smiled at Jeff and turned to Murtagh. "This way." He nodded to the hall.
"She promised she'd call you." Jeff called after them. "I told her if she couldn't get you, she'd come find me."
"Fine, Jeff." Eragon pulled Murtagh down the hall behind him.
"I didn't want to leave her alone but she…" Jeff's voice faded off.
"Can we hurry?"
"Oh now I'm too slow." Eragon pushed past him and lead him up the stairs to his floor and then the door. His pulled up his keys and unlocked it.
Murtagh threw the door open and ran inside. "Gasey?"
She was laying on the cough, seemingly asleep, with a bloodied towel pressed to her face.
"Holy shit!" Murtagh lifted the towel from her face. A gash on her nose and lip looked to be the cause.
Eragon pulled a bag of frozen peas from his freezer and tossed them at Murtagh. "Swelling."
Murtagh nodded and gently touched the bag to her face. She let out a whimper.
Eragon stepped closer. "We need to go to the hospital."
Murtagh looked up. "Hospital." He repeated slowly.
"Yes." Eragon nodded. "Could be a broken nose. Come on."
Murtagh was suddenly glad for Eragon being with him. He was having trouble thinking. His baby. Someone had hurt his baby. She'd had little more than a band-aid cut her whole life. He gently picked her up.
"Daddy…" She mumbled.
"Shh." Murtagh said softly. "Go bad to sleep."
"Actually, try to keep her awake. In case of concussion. And keep her head elevated. That's what they always say."
Murtagh nodded. "What happened, baby?" In answer, she started crying.
-X-X-X-X-X-
"Is she okay?" Murtagh asked the nurse.
The nurse looked at the clipboard in her hands. "I have some questions for you."
"Is she okay?" He repeated.
"Tag, calm down!" Eragon said, grabbing his hand. He turned to the nurse. "What questions?"
The nurse looked up at Eragon. "Who are you?"
"Family friend." Eragon said.
The nurse nodded slowly and turned back to Murtagh. "If you answer these questions, I can check, sir."
Murtagh wanted to argue. But he let out a sigh and nodded. "What?"
"You said she called you and when you got there, she was unresponsive."
He nodded and went over what he knew, which was nothing. "I thought she was at school. I left her with her mother this morning. She should have taken her to school."
"She told the maintenance guy at my building that she got in a fight." Eragon added.
"Look, can I see her? Please!" Murtagh was practically begging.
The nurse nodded. "Just a moment. Let me check with the doctor."
Eragon grabbed his arm. "She'll be fine, Tag."
"What kind of school let's a kid leave?" Murtagh said, turning around towards him. The man looked crushed. "Or get in a fight like that?"
Eragon stepped closer and squeezed Murtagh's hand. "Just wait and see what she says."
The nurse returned a few minutes later. "The doctor will talk with you now."
"Screw the doctor." Murtagh said. "I want to see my daughter."
-X-X-X-X-X-
(That was all I wrote. So here's a brief summary of what was supposed to happen next.)
Gasey's alone in her hospital room, waiting for the doctor to bring Murtagh in. She flashbacks to earlier that morning. Arya's angry, for no apparent reason. She starts screaming at breakfast. Gasey hides from her in her bedroom. She pulls out the art kit Eragon got her for her birthday and is smiling, thinking about Eragon and how happy he made her and her dad. And then Arya throws open the door, sees the kit, and throws a fit.
"Where'd you get that?" Arya screamed, pointing at the kit.
Gasey flinches at her tone of voice and looks down. "My birthday." She mumbles.
Arya stepped into the room. "From who?" She demanded.
Gasey didn't answer right away.
"Who?" Arya asked louder.
"Eragon." Gasey finally mumbled out.
Arya reached down and snatched the wooden box from her.
Gasey's eyes widened. "No! Mom, please!"
Arya slams the thing shut hard, breaking the clasps and handle. Then turns, heads to the front door. She opens the door, throws the kit as hard as she can at the pavement outside. And it cracks and paints and pencils and whatever was in it goes flying everywhere. Gasey's behind her, crying.
"I'm glad dad's gay!" Gasey yells loudly. "Eragon's a better mom than you!"
And then Arya slaps her. Really hard. Hard enough that Gasey is knocked into a table or couch or something. Arya is stunned. Gasey gets up and runs to her parent's bedroom and locks the door. Arya bangs on the door and apologizes. But Gasey's up on the bed pushing the window open. She's crying as she climbs out the window.
She walks all the way to Eragon's apartment. She tricks Jeff into letting her in. And then gets the phone.
And the flashback ends as Murtagh hurries into the room. Eragon stops for a second, hesitates at the door. But Murtagh has a hold of his hand and pulls him inside.
"Sorry about your towel." Gasey says.
Eragon laughs. "It's okay, sweetie." He says.
"What happened?" Murtagh asks.
"I got in a fight." She mumbles. "At school."
She sticks to her story. They take x-rays. Nothing's actually broken. Just bruised. Doctor gives her a few pills to help her sleep. And warns Murtagh that social services have been called as a standard thing. There could an investigation. Blah, blah, blah. The three go back to Eragon's place. Gasey finally tells them what really happened. Then falls asleep.
Eragon and Murtagh are sitting on the couch. "I can't believe she hit her." Eragon said, shaking his head.
Murtagh lets out a sigh. "She said she was glad I was gay because she likes you better than her mother."
Eragon turns to gawk at him. "Do NOT tell me you're defending her!"
"No!" Murtagh said quickly. He sighs again, shakes his head, and leans back. "I don't know. This is all fucked up."
Eragon shakes his head sadly. "If you don't do anything about this, I'm gone."
Murtagh looks over at him, confused.
"I can't do this." Eragon says. "I can't."
"No!" Murtagh says quickly, grabbing Eragon's hand. "I can't lose you. We can't lose you." He smiles weakly. "You heard her. She likes you better. I just… need some time to think."
Eragon smiles all goofy like. "You guys stay with me for a few days."
Murtagh breaks down, starts crying hysterically and apologizing for a bunch of stuff he doesn't have control of. Blah, blah, blah. Eragon holds him and pats him on the back. "Let's get some sleep." He says, pulling Murtagh to his feet. "Nothing naughty. I promise. Just sleep." Murtagh smiles a bit and they go to sleep.
The next day, Murtagh goes back to their house. Eragon offers to go with him, but Murtagh declines. Arya's not home. Murtagh sees the broken art kit still strewn across the driveway. He picks up what he can and stuffs it in a bag. Then gets some clothes and junk for him and Gasey. The spend the next few days at Eragon's apartment.
Flash to Arya, who's been home and seen all the empty draws. She frantically calls Lana, Murtagh's mom. Doesn't get any information. She throws some stuff around, makes a lot of noise and mess. Blah, blah, blah.
Back to Eragon, Murtagh, and Gasey. A couple weeks go by. Murtagh's gotten his job back at the coffee shop and quit the glass factory. He's working a day schedule. Thorn, Saphira, and Eragon are at the coffee shop. Thorn and Murtagh are working. Their boss Nas walks in, makes comments about how none of them are good at their jobs and they should all be fired. Because their sitting around, talking. They all laugh. Saphira excuses herself because she has work to do. Thorn gets up to go to the bank. Eragon has to pee. So Murtagh's alone pretty much and stands at the counter. Because it's a slow day/time.
Arya suddenly shows up. She's all smilely and sweet. She walks up to the counter. "I've been looking for you everywhere!" She says, like she's concerned.
Murtagh stares at her. Yeah, he doesn't believe her. He ignores her.
"Where have you been? Is Gasey here?"
He still ignores her. Eragon returns from the bathroom. He sees Arya. Murtagh sees him and shakes his head. It's fine.
"Murtagh!" Arya says his name louder, her nice spell breaking. "I want you to come home now."
He turns to her, finally acknowledging her. "No."
She glares at him. "Now, Murtagh. You can't take my daughter from me. I want her now!"
"Like hell you're getting your hands on her." Eragon says loudly, stepping up beside Murtagh.
"You need to fuck off!" She practically spits at Eragon.
"You need to leave. Now." Murtagh says.
"I'm not leaving until you promise to bring her home!" Arya demands.
Murtagh steps around the counter, pulling Eragon with him. He gets closer to Arya. "I know what you did." He says softly.
Her eyes widened. "She's lying!"
"I saw it, Arya." Murtagh said. "I took her to the doctor. I'm done, Arya. I want full custody and a divorce. You leave us alone, I won't report you to child services."
Eragon's smiling. "Divorce is better than child beater on your little model resumes, right?"
She's mad. She's glaring at them. "You'll hear from my lawyers." She spins on her heels and marches out.
"Good." Murtagh calls after her. Then promptly collapses back, feeling lightheaded and shit. Eragon stumbles and catches him.
Then there was gonna be an epilogue. Like six months later. In which Murtagh and Eragon are standing in the dining room of a large house. Gasey is bouncing around, running from room to room all happy.
"This is too much." Murtagh says, looking around.
Eragon shrugs. "It makes them happy."
"You're parents are nuts." Murtagh says.
Eragon nods. "I will repeat again, it makes them happy. I told them about you and Gasey living with me. They said we needed a bigger place to play family." He shrugged again. "It's really not that big."
Gasey comes running back in. "There's a pool in the backyard!" She yells before darting off again.
"It's a small pool." Eragon say, like that makes a difference.
Murtagh still looks apprehensive. Because someone JUST gave him a house and he still has self-worth issues.
Eragon rolls his eyes, grabs Murtagh, and gives him a kiss. "Just shut up and say you're happy."
Murtagh smiles. "I'm happy." More kissy.
Gasey runs in again, smiling and unfazed that her daddy and new daddy are making out in the middle of the kitchen. "Can I have a dog? And a cat? And bunny?"
THE END!
(Sorry it sucked so much.)