Chapter Sixty

Between Mother and Brother

So many feelings were running through Joshua's head it was hard to pick any out individually. As the seconds ticked down Joshua paced, eyes occasionally flitting back and forth to Lisa and Miles' cages. To their credit, both of them had grew more calm and were watching Joshua carefully.

It truly was an impossible choice.

"Take care of him… I can't… I just can't…"

Joshua had raised Miles by hand. He was more of a father than a brother, the way they had lived. He had taught everything to Miles, had fed him and bathed him. Miles had grew up an intelligent child and always impressed Joshua. The feeling Joshua had was one of extreme proudness whenever Miles proved he was more intelligent than any other his age. Then they had worked together with Death, Miles providing information. As far at Joshua could remember, the two had only argued once and that was when Joshua explained about Lisa.

"You don't understand, Miles! I hate her! She doesn't deserve forgiveness!"

And while Lisa had all but abandoned them, she and Joshua shared a connection only a mother and child had. Much like Joshua raised Miles, Lisa raised him. He could remember memories of theme parks and games at Christmas before the accident. Lisa was always there, caring for him whenever he was injured or had nightmares. She was the perfect mother anyone could hope. Then she had left, but Joshua almost understood. Isaac had died and Lisa couldn't handle raising a child in the situation they were in. After Miles was born, she had put him in Joshua's arms and disappeared from their lives.

"You abandoned me and Miles, so you have no right to call me a son."

When she had come back, Joshua was furious and angry that she came back but now they were starting to fix their relationship again. Joshua was ready to forgive Lisa.

"Fuck… fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!" Joshua's right hand was clenched on his hair while his other was curled tight in a fist. He couldn't do it. He couldn't choose between his mother or his brother. It was completely impossible. Joshua spun around and faced Myers, who was smiling smugly. "What grudge do you have against us Myers?."

Myers just shook his head lightly. "You wouldn't understand."

"Then make me understand." Joshua motioned towards the containers. "You don't need to do this! You don't need to take this path. Whatever happened to you, we can try and fix it. You don't need to murder anyone else."

Myers laughed quietly at first before it grew into a rough bark.

"Look at you, trying to save everyone!" Myers chuckled. "I don't need fixing, Joshua. What happened to me was perfection… and you cannot fix perfection."

"This isn't perfection." Joshua shook his head. "This is downright barbarism. If you were perfect you would have no need to satisfy your ego with this." Joshua stepped forward again. "Come on, Gerald, see reason. Why don't you act like you did when you were trying to save everyone? My mother couldn't handle it after Isaac died, I was too young, Fisk had locked himself away. You were the only survivor who actually tried to help people. Where did that go Myers? "

Myers blinked slowly but didn't respond.

"If you wanted recognition of being great, you got all the recognition in the world." Joshua continued, hope rising in his chest. "Because you were the only person who tried to save the others. You tried your damn best. You saved so many of them. Remember Gordon at the police station? Or Phillip in the forest? James, Bella, Rose, all of them! It was you who allowed them to live as long as they did."

"But they all died anyway." Myers responded with anger. "No matter what I did, Joshua, I couldn't save one person. I watched as Gordon's head was crushed, when Phillip was cut in half. The screams of Bella and Rose when they burnt alive still haunt be to this very day." Myers took a breath before his lips turned into a snarl. "That is why I despise your family and Fisk. If your mother and Fisk had actually helped me, then we could've saved more." Myers was almost shouting now. "I couldn't save everyone by myself! I wanted to be a hero, but instead I watched people die with hope in their eyes. While Fisk was stitching his eyes up and your mother was mourning I got to know everyone! James wanted to be a teacher. Instead of being a teacher, he drowned."

Myers shook his head. "I got to know each of them and each of them in turn died. They saw me as some kind of hero because I was helping but every time I looked into their eyes as they died I saw betrayal. They thought I was letting them die! Do you know what that can do to a man!?" Myers took a deep breath. "I was all but ready to give up. I was ready to leave. Then I met the man who changed my life. I could get revenge on Death for forcing me to watch… to watch those I knew die. I could get revenge of your family and Fisk for abandoning me."

"We didn't abandon you!" Joshua yelled back. "I was nine years old, Myers! I couldn't do a thing! Fisk had lost his wife and mother lost her husband! What if it was Beatrice, Myers? What if it were your daughters? You would have broken down as well."

"I would not have. I would have been strong."

"No you would not!" Joshua growled. "You would have been reduced to a wreck. This quest for revenge is a stupid one. So just give it up Myers. You saw the survivors die, fine. Do you want to see more of them die? Do you want to see betrayal in more people's eyes? Just stop this, Myers, and you can stop being haunted by the memories of those that died. You can move on."

"I don't want to move on!" Myers snapped. "I wanted to be a hero but I couldn't do it. Now I can. If I get rid of Death, then people won't die. I'll be saving billions upon billions of lives. I'm the good guy here, Joshua."

"You're no good guy. Stop trying to fool yourself. You're nothing more than an egomaniac who couldn't handle a few deaths. You say my mother and Fisk broke down? Look at yourself. If anyone has lost their mind, it's you!"

"I have had enough of this talking!" Myers slammed his fist on the pedestal in fury. "This is your choice Joshua. Make it right now. Make it now! Lisa or Miles, choose, right now!"

Joshua felt every muscle stiffen. He had wanted to try and get Myers to let them go but it didn't work. Was he really going to have to make this choice?

"Save one of them or none of them." Myers repeated lowly. "Go on. Do it."

Joshua turned around and walked over to Lisa's cage. They looked into each other's eyes for ten seconds. Turning away, Joshua moved towards Miles and exchanged the same ten second stare.

Joshua put a hand on his face, covering his eyes. "I cannot make the decision as a family member, guys." Joshua said, directing his voice towards the two cages. "This would be an impossible choice. The only way I can save one of you is by considering things in a purely business-like way. Who would me the most useful in helping me defeat Myers." Wet lines ran down from underneath Joshua's hand which was still covering his eyes. "This is the only way to save one of you." Joshua's other arm shook hard. "…T-this is the only way to… to…" Joshua bit his bottom lip hard enough to draw blood. "The best person to help to defeat Myers is… is..." Joshua shook his head and pulled away his hand, revealing eyes brimming with tears. He spun around and stepped towards Lisa's container. Putting both hands on the cage to support himself, Joshua stared at Lisa. "I… I'm sorry, mother…"

Lisa stiffened but nodded. She said something that Joshua could only read by the lips. 'I understand'.

Joshua shook his head. "No…. n-no you don't understand… y-you're the most useful to help defeat Myers…" Joshua turned his head towards Miles. "Miles… I love you." Lisa's eyes widened and she stepped forward, banging the cage, shouting unheard curses at Joshua.

Grinning down successfully at the family, Myers moved towards two buttons in a panel. He pressed one and crossed his arms.

Joshua moved over to Miles' container and looked through tear stained eyes at the brother he had raised.

Miles smiled briefly and said something. Joshua stiffened slightly more and nodded.

"Yeah… y-you… you do that…" Joshua's voice trailed into a whisper. "I'm sure h-he'll love that…"

Connecting eyes with his brother for the final time, Joshua watched as fire burst from the pipes. The fire covered Miles completely so he couldn't be seen. By the time the fire disappeared, Joshua was on his knees, weeping, staring at the pile of ash that was the only remnants of Miles Valentine.

A/N: Gabe's-Girl-Forever and Bookreader2010 for the review! Dang, this chapter was hard to write. (which is why it's slightly late). So Joshua made the hard decision. Was it the right one? Well, to be honest, I'm not sure there is a 'right' choice in that situation.

Also, I forgot to mention on the Five Chosen that'll I'll be updating during the weekends. So expect the next chapter one Saturday or Sunday.

Finally, I want to send out my support for the victims of Superstorm Sandy.

'Till next time!