When no one answered him, Ethan knew something had happened. He could sense something was wrong. He tried to sit up to look at the expressions on their face but, was held back by Zoe.
"Ethan, you need to stay lying down." Zoe told him.
"Where's Cal? What's happened to him?" He asked starting to panic.
His panicking only made his breathing worse and the machines began to become erratic. Zoe placed the oxygen mask over his face to help calm him down.
"Zoe, where's Cal?" Ethan asked again more firmly this time.
"You need to calm down for me."
"For goodness sakes! Just tell me! Where is Cal?"
Zoe sighed. She didn't know how she was going to break the news to him. How was she supposed to tell him that Cal had tried to kill himself? She looked at Max and Lofty before speaking.
"Ethan, Cal is in surgery at the moment."
"Surgery?" He asked confused.
"Yes."
"How? Why?"
"He um..." But Zoe couldn't finish her sentence.
"He jumped off the roof, mate." Lofty finished.
"What? Why did he do that."
"He couldn't deal with the thought of losing you." Max added.
"And so he decided it would be better if he killed himself?" Ethan shouted a bit angry.
"He did. I know it's difficult of you take in but, he's really beating himself up about it. When he found you unconscious on the floor it broke his heart."
"It's not his fault that I'm in this situation." Ethan replied.
"Of course, it's not, but he feels like he should have told you sooner before all of this happened."
"Yeah, he should have. But, it's done. Nothing can change the fact that I'm dying. I don't want Cal to blame himself. I know it's going tear him apart when I go but, he has to accept it. Just make sure he's okay."
"Ethan, what are you saying?" Zoe inquired not liking where this conversation was going.
"I need you to help me die."
"Mate..." Lofty said.
"No, don't try and talk me out of it. I know what my life is going to be like in a few years time. I know I'm going to lose of my facilities and I don't want to put the pressure of relying on people to help especially not on Cal. I've made up my mind. Let me go while I still have control over my own body."
"Ethan, are you sure you want to do this?" Zoe asked.
"Yes."
Zoe couldn't agree with Ethan's request and now understood why Cal didn't want to make that decision. There would be no going back once the deed had been done. Ethan noticed her hesitation.
"Please, Zoe." Ethan begged. "I can't live like this."
Zoe looked to Lofty and Max. Both of them nodded their heads accepting Ethan's decision. They all knew it wasn't what they wanted but, they couldn't let Ethan suffer. If he wanted to go then they would help him. Ethan laid back against the pillow as Zoe injected him with the drug.
"Tell Cal I'm sorry." Ethan whispered as his eyes closed for the final time.