I have "fixed" the first chapter. Sorry you had to wait so long just to get this short ending, enjoy.
Your name is Spades Slick and four months ago you told your best friend that you'd be back to see him. Obviously things didn't quite go to plan.
The plan was to raid an opposing gang full of fake leprechauns and her. They've been messing with you and your gang for a while now and honestly you were fed up with it. The last straw was when they destroyed one of your casinos without a cent of retribution. They had to pay.
Originally you just sent Hearts and Clubs to take care of it. They could handle a couple of leprechauns you thought. Diamonds needed you more than ever right now.
But after a couple of days of no show and no call from those two idiots it became apparent that they needed you out there.
"I'll be back in a week at the most.", You told Diamonds the day you left. He looked crushed for a moment but then he put on that usual mask he wears. He was so thin and so pale. God, he looked so tired and worn. You offered him a genuine smile with no edge and no bite, a rare sight even for his eyes and made your way with a quickness to each step.
You took off to the coordinates to the mansion a hour later in one of the crew's cars that you guys has stolen from god knows where. With a gun in your hand you had parked the car by the mansion and walked through the front door which was surprisingly open.
You could practically hear Diamonds scolding at you for your blatant un-stealthiness. If he was there with you he'd have picked a more cautious route. But Diamonds wasn't there and you needed to get things done faster than usual even it involved a big bang.
"Well, well. I've been wondering when you'd show up, Spades.", A voice had said, smooth and silky. You hated it.
"Where the hell are they?", You asked menacingly as you aimed your gun at her without hesitation.
"Oh them? Let's just say they lost track of time.", She said with a smirk and you immediately knew what she meant. Fucking Felt and their voodoo magic shit.
"Fuck", You cursed as you ran past her and looked around for some time bending fighting.
"Spades! There you are!", You heard. You looked up to see Clubs dodging a seemingly injured Sawbuck.
"Yeah I'm here but where's the big ol lug?", You said as you ran up the stairs to where Clubs was while looking around for Boxcars.
"I have no idea!", Clubs said honestly as he jumped up to avoid a swipe from Sawbuck. "Can you please help me?!"
"Buncha useless..", You muttered half heartedly under your breath and you aimed your gun right for an obvious wound on Sawbuck's head which of course put you in another timeline. You shot bullet after bullet before you realized that approach was not going to work.
Pulling out your knife, you plunged it right into his head with a running start and fell on your ass when you were sent flying into another timeline. This timeline was eerie. There was no other Felt members in the house in this one.
You ignored the emptiness of the house and plunged another stab wound into the shockingly still Sawbuck. But nothing happened.
"No..", You said as you stabbed him over and over again with your knife to no avail.
"Whatever. I'll just find the losers of this timeline and get back to my own.", You said and wiped the blood off of your knife and ran downstairs. Snowman was not there like your timeline. In fact, it seemed like the house was pretty empty besides the annoying ticking of the clocks.
"Hello? Any of ya' morons out there?", You yelled but only the ticking responded.
You quickly realized that the house was empty so you went outside and were surprised to find your car not there. You curse and wait for a car to pass before running in front of it and throwing the terrified owner out of the car. You planned on being out of this timeline as soon as possible so you didn't care about Slueth's ass right now.
You pressed down on the pedal and before you knew it you were at base where you hoped to find Hearts and Boxcars.
"Guys listen, this is gonna' sound really stupid but!-", You start off as you kick open the door but you stopped and gaped mid sentence as you saw the person behind it.
"What did you do this time Spades?", Diamonds asked exasperated but with a hint of amusement.
It was him. Perfect, perfect Diamonds. He had no greying skin, no tired eyes, no pain subtly etched into his features. You felt like you were going to cry.
"Diamonds? Is that really you?", You asked stupidly and walked slowly over to the man, afraid that moving too fast would have broken the image of your best friend in front of you.
"No shit it's me. You're acting stranger than usual.", Diamonds says as he arches an eyebrow.
You were right in front of the man now and you could smell the scent of him. It was a mix of clean linen, a hint of pancake powder, and….
No nicotine.
"You're not...you're not my Diamonds.", You said. You go down to your knees, breathing in deep to try to keep the tears from coming because you're Spades Slick. You were a murdering, rampaging, untouchable, mafia man and you'd be damned if you cried in front of your best friend. Even if it wasn't really him.
You should have knew as soon as you stepped in and you felt like part of you did know. There was no subtle rasp to his voice like your Diamonds, no unexplained coughs or a cigarette in his hand.
"Spades?", Diamonds asked almost softly. "What is happening, are you alright?"
"I fucked up. I fucked up really bad. I was the one who did it to him. I was the one who fucking offered up a cigarette to him all those years ago! We were both fucking idiots who wanted to escape and I just had to offer him one to try and look cool!", You yelled. You were yelling, no screaming. Shouting it out at the top of your lungs and the Diamonds stared at you with a blank face.
"He was so stressed, so scared. I thought it was just a phase, somethin' that would pass. Thought he would leave it behind once we got exiled and built the city. But he still did it. I never even fucking seen him without one in his hand or mouth without him fucking twitching for the itch for another one. I should have fuckin' said something!"
"Spades...You're not really 'my' Spades are you?", Diamonds mumbled as your shouting subsided.
"No..I need to get back to my Diamonds..I promised him.", You said, voice broken.
"I may know where The Felt is right now, and as long as you don't do anything stupid to get the crew in my timeline in trouble then I will offer my assistance.", Diamonds says.
"Then we need to go to wherever those green fucks are right now.", You said as you wiped your wet eyes and tried to pretend like you just didn't spill your guts out to this Diamonds.
"Alright. Stay here while I get some stuff. My Spades is busy right now so you shouldn't run into him.", The Diamonds said as he exited the room.
You nodded and stood waiting while impatiently tapping your foot. You knew that the probability of hitting Sawbuck and landing in your timeline was pretty slim. Not only that but if you did end up in your timeline it could be months or years later. By the time you got there Diamonds could be…
No. You believed in Diamonds and he believed in you. You'd try to get back to him no matter what.
"Here.", The Diamonds said as he handed you gun. You took it and pocketed it.
"They're at a social gathering right now. We got invited to go also but my Spades was against it since they were going and he had a job to do right now.", He said as he headed outside and into one of the crew's cars with you following behind. "When we get there try to cause as less attention as possible."
"Heh, we both know that's not happening.", You said.
"I suppose we do.", He said.
"I messed with The Felt and ended up here..Those bastards.", You mumbled, trying to give some explanation since you knew Diamonds was not going to ask. "You're not going to mention what happened earlier to anyone are ya'?"
"Oh yes, let me just tell everyone about how a Spades from a different timeline came and-"
"Alright alright! I now see that it was a stupid question you fuck!", You said with a snarl but no bite. "Nice to know one thing doesn't change between Diamonds. They're all smart-alecks."
"Smart-alecks still helping your sorry ass.", Diamonds mutters.
When the two of you got there you turned to the Diamonds healthy and well. You're not going to fuck things up for the Spades in this timeline.
"Just drop me off here, I'll be leaving to hopefully my timeline anyways.", You said.
"No can do."
"Fucking hell, I'm just gonna hit the fucker and poof! I'll be gone. No need to have ya' fighten off the rest of them yourself.", You said.
"I suppose you are right. I'm still going in. I'll be in the background just in case things don't according to plan. Which is usually the case.", Diamonds said nonchalantly as he loaded his gun and pocketed it.
"Well maybe things would go to plan if you didn't kill everyone who gets your suit dirty."
"Ok Mr. Stabs."
The two of you got out of the car.
"Guess this is goodbye.", You said. The Diamonds that is not yours nodded.
"Spades..I can't say this to my Spades and you will be gone anyways but..", Diamonds started but then paused, hesitating with his words. "Please tell your Diamonds how you feel about him. From the sounds of it I think he needs that."
"I will.", You said, not even bothering to lie. You could tell that he stepped out of his comfort zone so you should step out yours. "And if your Spades doesn't hurry his ass up then you tell him yours."
"Heh. See you later, Spades."
"See you later, Diamonds."
And with that you enter through the front door and Diamonds healthy and well goes around the corner to go through the back.
When you opened the door you could immediately hear the eloquence that was practically dripping in the air. You resisted the urge to curse as you step inside of the room full of people in fancy dresses who danced and chatted away to slow music.
You heard whispers around you from people who recognized you but you ignored them. You saw just who you were looking for past a few dancers.
"Hey fucker, ready for more?", You said with a toothy grin as you aimed your gun at the unsuspecting Sawbuck and started firing. You kept firing; rained bullet upon bullet on him. You looked around, seeing the different timelines, looking for the one until-
"Welcome back."
"Is this.."
"Yup. I'm quite surprised. You made it back in four months. I'd say that is quite a record.", Snowman says with a smile.
"Oh no..", You mumbled as you ran your hand through your hair. Diamonds better be alive.
"Oof!", The rough sound was made behind you as Clubs and Hearts fell on top of Die with his vodoo doll in hand.
"Hearts, Clubs, we are leaving now!", You said.
"But boss, we didn't even-"
"I don't give a shit. Four months have passed."
"Oh shit.", Hearts said. He picked Clubs up and put his hat back on. "We need to to go."
The three of you shot out of the cursed mansion. You were so much in a panic that you didn't even throw a "Fuck you" at Snowman when she waved and said "Goodbye boys".
"I'll drive.", Hearts said and you nodded, feeling to sick to argue.
"Where are we going? I'm hungry.", Clubs said as he put his seatbelt on in the backseat.
"We need to go see Diamonds.", Hearts said as he pushed down the pedal.
"Yay! I can't wait to see Diamonds. You showed him my card right Spades. Spades? Spaaadessss?"
"Shut the fuck up already! God damn it, he could be dead!", You yelled in anger. The panic inside you felt like it was pushing around your insides and you couldn't breathe.
"Diamonds...Diamonds is not dead.", Clubs said as he slowly went into tears.
Oh god you hoped he was right.
When the three of you got to the hospital you ran straight up to his room, Clubs struggling to keep up behind you as Hearts tried to explain to the staff that you were the Midnight Crew and basically made this town and should be able to see Diamonds even if it's past visiting hours.
And now there you were. Outside your best friend's hospital room. He would probably be sleeping since it was the middle of the night but you just needed to see him alive and breathing.
You take a deep breath and open the door.
And there he is.
"Diamonds...What the fuck are you doing?", You ask as you run towards him. He's by the open window, one leg out of the window.
He look towards you in panic and before you can grab him he's out the window.
"Diamonds!", You yell, reaching your hand uselessly as he falls further and further away until your dear Diamonds shatters.
Crack
The investigators had determined that Diamond's head connected with the pavement and cracked his skull open. He had died almost instantly.
Crack
But they didn't need to tell this to you. You saw and heard it. Oh god, you wish you could unsee it. But you can't. It will play in your head, over and over.
Crack
You were so far up and he and his his poor head was so fucking far down. You shouldn't have been able to hear the crack. It should have been physically impossible to hear it. It resounds in your ears regardless, playing over and over like a broken record that you just can't break.
Crack
"Spades...I know that this might be pretty tough for you. You guys had always seemed pretty close but I need you to start answering my questions.", Sleuth says
"I hate you."
"I know. Now, did Diamonds act strange the last time you had talked to him", Sleuth asks with a fake comforting tone as he taps his fingers on his desk.
"He had cancer. Of course he was acting differently.", You say. You wanted to leave. You wanted to go home.
"Yes I know but did he mention anything that suggested…", Sleuth said as he trailed off.
"Are you going to finish your sentence or can I just go home.", You say coldly.
"Spades, did he mention anything about killing himself?", Sleuth asks and then everything stands still. Diamonds, he would never..
"No, no he didn't, he's not like that", You say. Your voice is raising slightly, it's getting hard to breathe.
"Spades, he jumped out a seven story window. I'm sorry but it's looking like a suicide.."
"No! He was probably just trying to escape. He wouldn't, he never.."
But then it all clicks.
"Spades...My head is constantly aching and so is my chest. My fucking hair is falling out and I'm still hacking up blood. Don't you see Spades? I'm going to die. I'm just going to rot away here. Why don't you just put a bullet in my head and save your time."
He had said that. He told you this and you just yelled at him, oh god your best friend practically admitted that he wanted to die and you left him alone.
Crack.
"Spades? Spades?", Sleuth called your name as he shook you lightly on the shoulder. "Spades you need to breathe!"
You try to respond, to shout at Sleuth to get the fuck away or to actually push some air in your lungs but nothing comes in and nothing comes out.
"Ace, Pickles he's not breathing!", Sleuth said in a panic as he ran from the room. As soon as he left you sobbed.
Hearts took you home soon afterwards, the ride back long and cold, everyone in the car broken and distant.
You seemed to float back home, numb to the aching core. Everything hurt but at the same time you felt nothing at all. You opened the door to his room that had been left untouched since the day you brought him to the hospital and something in you snapped.
This room was the room you would come into in the middle of the night, catching Diamonds up late smoking. You would sit down next to him, complaining about the smoke as you told him all of your problems. This was the room where you made promise upon promise to tell him how you felt as you watched his face soften as he finally drifted to sleep in the late hours of the night.
This was the room that Diamonds prided himself in to keep orderly and clean without interference from the rest of the crew. You remembered how everybody seemed to come into the room, ignoring Diamond's "don't come in my room unless you want you fingers chopped" rule.
However now this room just serves as a place for memories. Memories of failed promises and murmured whispers you couldn't quite make out.
"I'm so sorry Diamonds.", You say outloud. Fucking hell, you've never believed in ghosts before, never even considered the mere possibility that they were real. As you laid down on your best friend's bed and imagined the warmth of his comforting lanky body against yours, you hoped that ghosts were real.