Chapter 19

"Amazing how fire exposes our priorities."

"You're not listening to me, you know?" Tweek said without even the slightest bit of irritation. Tweek and Kyle had been talking in their corner of the barracks, but some time during their talk Kyle had stopped listening to Tweek and was staring off into space.

"Oh Kahl, you're such a Jew." That got Kyle's attention. The red head snapped his attention back to Tweek with the widest eyes Tweek has ever seen; Tweek didn't know if he looked petrified or very confused. "God Kyle, you should see your face. It's priceless," Tweek said through giggles that he tried to keep as quiet as he could, trying to muffle them with his hand.

"Ha-ha Tweek, so funny," Kyle said as he playfully rolled his eyes, trying his best to keep a straight face but he had to admit his Cartman impression was pretty spot on. When Tweek finally stopped his muffled chuckles, he spoke again to Kyle.

"You know, I'm used to people ignoring me, but I gotta say it hurts coming from someone I love like a brother," Tweek said with a pretty heavy sigh and hid his face behind his hand. Kyle immediately felt horrible and launched straight into an apology.

"Tweek I'm so sorry. Really I just-" But Tweek suddenly flicked him not too harshly on the forehead.

"Gah! I'm kidding you dip. I was just trying to get you to really snap out of it. I think your pores are leaking with worry," Tweek said with another chuckle. Kyle rubbed the back of his neck and gave a small sigh.

"Is it that obvious?"

"Kyle, you're talking to the guy who was born having panic attacks from the womb. Probably. Wouldn't doubt it. But my point is, yes, it's obvious you're worried, very worried about him." Kyle met Tweek's eyes with sad ones of his own.

"I am. I just can't shake this feeling that something is wrong, that something bad is going to happen," Kyle said rubbing at the irritation he was feeling in the pit of his stomach. Tweek grabbed a piece of his blond hair and pulled at it.

"Oh jesus. What about Craig? He is with him too. Oh god." Kyle gave him a weak smile while he removed Tweek's hand from his hair. Now Kyle felt bad that his insecurities reached Tweek.

"I'm sure it's nothing, right Tweek? Craig can take care of himself, you know that. Come on, we really should head to bed." But before Kyle could stand, Tweek gripped his arm.

"Cartman can't take care of himself though." Kyle's eyes went wide looking at his best friend. "He needs you, and you're not there to help him. Is that why you're worried Kyle?"

If Kyle were being honest he hadn't even thought about that possibility, but now that Tweek had said it, it made sense. Maybe that was the reason he was so worried. Deep down he did feel like Cartman needed him, to help him get out of the dark hole he had dived into so long ago after his sister was killed. But Kyle also wondered if Cartman really did need him, or was Kyle just getting ahead or full of himself?

Instead of answering Tweek, he just smiled and took his hand. "Bedtime Tweek." With that Kyle stood, helped Tweek up, and then took a step towards their bunk. As soon as he took that first step he tumbled forward, but Tweek caught him before he hit the floor; he was giggling to himself. Kyle looked down and noticed his shoelaces were braided together between his feet.

"That's what you get for not listening to me Kahl." Kyle rolled his eyes and playfully shoved Tweek's face away, the whole time he was smiling.

"Okay, I deserved that."

/

Kyle was used to screaming, constant screaming, so when it woke him up he merely rolled over to try and go back to sleep. That was until Tweek roughly, even painfully, shook him to get his attention. "Kyle wake up! There's a fire! We have to get out!" Sleep fatigue was no match for the adrenaline that shot through Kyle's body and he was out of his bunk instantly.

"Ike!" Kyle shouted in panic, searching his brother's bunk but his panic immediately turned to terror when he found that Ike wasn't there. "Ike?!"

"I'm here Kyle!" Kyle whipped around to see his brother aiding an elderly man out of his own bunk. Of course he would try and help another, he was a Broflovski after all; Ike was helping the man walk with an arm wrapped around the teens neck and shoulder.

"Please, my grandson. His toes are frostbitten and he can barely walk," the old man pleaded while Ike helped him. Before Ike could say anything, Kyle immediately stepped in.

"I got him, don't worry." Kyle ran to the man's bunk where his grandson was attempting to stand to follow, but as he said he was having much difficulty to just stand. "There is a fire and I'm going to help you, is that alright?" Kyle knew there wasn't time for this but he didn't want the kid to be so scared that he would kick and scream against Kyle. The boy's eyes followed his grandfather's frame for a moment against Ike, then turned back to Kyle and nodded. "Good, wrap your arms around my neck and I'll carry you." The boy did so, also locking his legs around Kyle's boney hips. "Tweek don't leave my side!" Kyle yelled as he joined up with Ike, the old man, and Tweek.

"Gah! Right behind you Kyle!"

The scene in the barracks was chaos, however they had been lucky the fire had not yet made it to their end of the building; but Kyle knew it was fast approaching. The prisoners were yelling, pushing against each other, pushing anyone out of their way if they thought they could make it past. Most of the prisoners seemed to think it was every man for themselves, unlike Ike and Kyle who were actually helping; Kyle knew the trauma of the camp gave the prisoners this selfish mentality.

But he couldn't think of others selfishness at a time like this. He kept an eye on his brother, held the boy tight against him, and pushed forward. They may have been escaping the fire, but not the smoke. The smoke reached Kyle's lungs just as they all pooled out into the yard. The scene outside was no better than inside the barracks; mass hysteria and panic.

Kyle noticed some of the prisoners even tried to run towards the gate in an attempt to escape the camp during the confusion, but soldiers seemed to appear out of nowhere and shot them on sight. Kyle had to look away. His plan wasn't escape, it was survival, for him and his brothers.

Kyle and Ike sat the old man and his grandson down where the other men were gathering in the yard. The young boy clung to his grandfather, both of them sobbed with relief that they were safe and still together. "Thank you boys, bless you, bless you both," the old man cried in gratitude towards Kyle and Ike.

The boys merely nodded their heads with a smile. Kyle wanted to say anyone would have done the same, but he knew in this harsh reality he was wrong. He knew he was wrong when he watched prisoners trample and run all over their fellow men, the ones who were weaker and could not keep up with the others. No one bothered to stop and help and it made Kyle sick to his stomach.

"Ike where the hell are you going?!" Kyle screamed grabbing his brother by the arm when he nearly bolted from his side.

"There are more people in there Kyle, I'm going to help!"

Kyle's eyes went wide with terror. "You're not going back in there Ike and it's not up for discussion!" Kyle clung so tight to Ike's arm he knew his nails were digging into him, but he wasn't about to let his baby brother go back into a burning building.

"I can't let them die Kyle! What if it was me in there? You would run right back in wouldn't you?" But it wasn't Ike in there, Ike was right here. Couldn't Kyle be selfish for one time in his life? "We can't be separated anymore than we have Kyle!" That single statement hit Kyle like a slap across the face. Ike wasn't talking about them personally, but the prisoners as a whole. Men have been separated from their wives, children from their mothers, brothers from their sisters; families had been physically ripped apart. Over the months there had been boys who lost their fathers, their grandfathers, and fathers lost their sons. But Ike wanted to make sure no one else was torn apart if he could help it and he sure as hell wanted to.

"I'm coming with you," Kyle stated, ready to follow his brother back into the burning barracks.

"Gah! Then I'm coming with you guys!" Tweek wasn't about to be left alone while his new family risked their lives; he wanted to help. Kyle turned to him, grabbed his pinky with his own and pressed his forehead against his.

"Tweek I promise we'll be back. I'm begging you, stay here. I know my father will be here any second, scared out of his mind. Take care of him please, Tweek." Tweek did not argue, knowing they were pressed for time. Tweek squeezed Kyle's pinky and then shoved him away.

"Hurry up! Go!" Kyle didn't miss the tears that were running down his face before he turned to follow Ike back into the barracks.

"Cover your mouth and nose Ike!" Kyle ordered using his sleeve to cover his own. When they made it back to the main room of the barracks, half of it was already ablaze and Kyle knew it was spreading fast. There were men, and elderly men just sitting there in their bunks, some of them even lying in them as if they were asleep. Realization hit Kyle in the gut hard. These men wanted to die and were waiting for death. They didn't want to he saved and in this moment Kyle didn't know if he felt sorry for them, or hated them.

"Kyle we have to get them to move, they are probably too scared," Ike said running towards the men.

"Wait-no-Ike!" Either Ike truly believed the men were too terrified to move, or he was in denial about what fate these men chose.

"Let me go boy!" One of the men angrily snapped at Ike, yanking away his arm when Ike grabbed it. If Ike looked offended or terrified, Kyle could not tell, still Ike tried to help again. "Get up all of you! We have to go! Are you all blind?!" Yelling all of this sent Ike into a coughing fit because of the smoke he was inhaling by doing so; Kyle was at his side in an instant.

"Ike we have to go, the room is starting to collapse," Kyle informed him with his sleeve still over his mouth. The next moment a portion of the far wall collapsed on one of the men still sitting in their bed. Kyle looked away, horrified at the sight and felt blessed Ike did not see it.

"But Kyle-"

"Listen to your brother, kid, and get out. We are choosing to die here, rather than spend one more minute in this hell hole. Leave us be," the man said as he laid down in his bed, awaiting his inevitable fate.

"But-"

"Ike let's go!" With that Kyle yanked him away, making sure Ike wouldn't turn to look back, he wouldn't allow him to see these men burning to their deaths. There was fire all around them, the room was collapsing, but Kyle kept his eyes forward, they needed to keep going. He had to get Ike out, he had to get back to Tweek, get back to his family, get back to-Cartman. He was going to see the Commandant again, that thought alone kept his legs moving. But it seemed like fate had other plans for him.

In the burning hallway, a beam fell from the ceiling, hitting both Ike and Kyle on the head. Ike was instantly knocked unconscious, but Kyle was fighting the oncoming darkness. "I-Ike," he could barely manage to say as he dropped to his knees. He wouldn't know how he had the sense or strength to roll the beam away from them, but he managed. Kyle tried to help Ike up, but his vision was getting hazy, he tried to shake his head and blink away the stars behind his eyes, but it was for not. Kyle collapsed on his side, reaching for Ike's hand. "I'm s-sorry Ike." The darkness was consuming Kyle now, his eyes closing and his body going numb.

"Kyle!" Kyle smiled blissfully. He really was dying here, why else would he hear the voice of his angel?

/

"Eric!" Tweek shouted, breaking Cartman out of his terror upon hearing Kyle and his brother were still in the burning building. When Cartman blinked back into reality he saw Craig holding Tweek against his body, his hand secured over his mouth so he wouldn't speak. From any onlooker it looked like a soldier securing a prisoner, but Cartman knew Craig was embracing him, thankful he wasn't in the building.

Cartman needed to act, not only fast, but smart. He couldn't just run into a burning building in front of nearly every single person in the camp to save two Jews. Right now he needed to act as the Commandant. "I need every able-bodied man in work here. Keep the prisoners from escaping, keep them in line, and for God sakes put out this goddamn fire before I lose my whole camp!" The men followed his orders without hesitation.

Cartman looked once to Tweek, nodded, and then took the chance while he knew everyone was distracted, handling the prisoners and the fire, to slip away. Thank god he knew a back way into the barracks. Rather than a doorway, Cartman was met with a fiery vortex that he knew could lead to death, but he didn't care. He needed to save Kyle and his brother, and he'd laugh in death's face to do so. Just before he ran into the building, he heard a voice near him. "Eric you have a big mouth, but try to keep it covered." It was Craig, running right to his side, covering his own mouth with his sleeve. Cartman's eyes went wide. "I'll grab Ike, you get Kyle, come on." Cartman didn't have time to argue, he would scold him later. A second later Cartman and Craig ran into the burning barracks.

He didn't know where the brothers were, but he would look through every room if he had to, screw a bloody fire. "Kyle!" Cartman yelled at every room entrance he passed, he didn't care his lungs were at risk each time he yelled.

"Eric! In the hallway ahead!" Craig screamed looking ahead. Cartman's head jerked in time to see the outline of his Jew fall over onto his side.

"Kyle!" Cartman yelled, sprinting forward without hesitation. While he ran towards Kyle it felt like the hallway went on forever, that he would never reach him and he kept getting further and further away. After what seemed like eternity, and twelve miles later, Cartman and Craig reached them. It didn't take a genius to put together what happened with the beam, but Cartman was thankful they weren't trapped under it. "Kyle!" Cartman panicked at the fact he was unconscious, Ike too.

"Eric we have to get them out now!" Craig was right, there was no time to panic; he was thankful he had his first officer at his side to keep him sane in this moment. Craig scooped up Ike, Cartman scooped up Kyle, and both men ran back the way they came. "The building is gonna collapse, we have to hurry!" Craig noted, both of them ran at a speed they didn't know was possible while the barracks fell apart around them.

They made it out just in time before the entire building gave way. Thank god. Cartman mentally prayed as the pair moved yards away from the fire and placed the boys on the ground; the heat from the fire had melted the snow of a small surrounding area of the grounds. "Ike's still breathing, how's Kyle?" Craig asked after he listened for Ike's breath. Cartman leaned down to press his ear to Kyle's mouth to listen for breathing, but heard nor felt any air escaping.

"He's not breathing!" Cartman panicked.

"Eric, start CPR but don't do chest compressions, he's so skinny you may puncture a lung or break a rib!" Cartman didn't even respond, but jumped into action immediately. He opened Kyle's mouth further, plugged his nose, and breathed into him. He did this a few times, but Kyle still wasn't coming to.

"No no no! Kyle come on! Breathe dammit! Kyle!" Cartman breathed into him again. "Kyle I'm seriously! Breathe!" Cartman tried again. He wasn't about to lose his Jew, not now, not when he hadn't even told him that he loved him. "God dammit Kyle, I love you, I love you you stupid Jew now wake up!" Cartman breathed into him once more. "Kyle!" By this time Cartman was hysterical, tears were running down his face that was covered in soot from the fire. This wasn't happening. This was just God laughing at him again wasn't it? You took Iris away from me, but god dammit you're not taking Kyle. He breathed into him again. Cartman cupped his pale cheek in his large hand. "Kyle, you never even guessed my name, it's Eric! My name is Eric!"

Just then Kyle's eyes snapped opened and he went into a coughing fit. "Kyle!" Cartman cried out in relief and pure happiness. When Kyle was able to get his coughing under control, Cartman wished he had water on him, and after a few deep breaths, he looked up at Cartman and smiled.

"Eric, that was my next guess." Cartman's tears only increased, some even falling down onto Kyle's own soot covered face. Cartman yanked Kyle into an embrace, making sure his head was over his shoulder so he could breathe.

"You stupid Jew. Stupid, stupid Jew." He felt one arm wrap lazily around him and pat him on the back.

"I love you too Eric." Cartman didn't have time to react when Kyle suddenly panicked. "Ike!" He pushed away from Cartman and looked around for his brother. He tried to move when he saw Ike unconscious by Craig, but Craig held a hand up to stop him.

"He's okay Kyle, unconscious, but breathing." Craig told him with a smile. Kyle relaxed against Cartman and nodded.

"Thank you."

Before anything else was said, a blond blur came passed Cartman's vision. "Kyle!" Tweek seemed to appear out of nowhere and flung himself against Kyle, wrapping his arms around his neck. "Kyle, I was so scared! Oh Jesus!" Cartman blushed at the sudden embrace, but allowed it; he was no fool to how much these two meant to each other, in a platonic way, and Cartman had to accept that.

"We're okay Tweek. Ike and I are okay," Kyle whispered returning Tweek's embrace, but then had another coughing fit.

"Let's get you both up to the Villa, I'll have Dr. Wyatt check you and Ike out."

/

Cartman was thankful to hear that Kyle and Ike escaped the fire both with minor injuries and there was no sign of concussion from the hit to the head from the fallen beam. Smoke inhalation, and a scrape from the beam were the worst of their injuries.

Kyle and Ike were sitting on the couch in the Villa, both hooked up to a breathing treatment apparatus. "You both will have to undergo breathing treatments for a few days, but you'll be fine," Dr. Wyatt informed them and then rummaged through his medical bag. "The scrape you both received isn't severe, and barely bled. Just apply this ointment twice a day until it heals," he said handing the ointment to Kyle's outstretched hands. Kyle nodded his head in gratitude and understanding.

"Sir," Gerald said turning to Cartman.

Cartman had learned from Tweek that Gerald had shown up in the yard during the fire and when they were returning to the Villa, Tweek retrieved him when he knew Kyle and Ike were okay.

"Mr. Broflovski, please, you don't have to keep thanking us." Several times this evening Gerald had thanked Cartman and Craig for saving his sons lives, but it really didn't need to be said over and over.

"No, that isn't what I was going to say this time sir."

Cartman looked at him curiously. "What is it Mr. Broflovski?"

"Will you allow my sons to stay here, just until they recover?" Cartman felt Kyle's eyes on him without even having to look at his Jew when his father asked this.

"They may Mr. Broflovski." Of course he would allow them to stay, he nearly lost Kyle tonight, he didn't want him out of his sight so soon. Ike and Gerald seemed happy at his decision, but he noticed Kyle eyeing him curiously. Cartman avoided his gaze and turned to Craig.

"Lieutenant Craig, I need to return to the yard, I leave them in your care for now," Cartman said turning to leave the room, but Dr. Wyatt spoke and stopped him.

"Commandant, when you get back I want to examine you as well. I think you have a few burns where your uniform was singed."

"Fine," Cartman said dismissively and walked from the room.

"Cartman wait," Craig called running after him. Cartman sighed heavily and turned to face him.

"What is it Craig?"

"Sir, about Tweek-" Cartman's eyes trailed back to the living room where he knew Tweek was standing next to Kyle. The blond refused to leave Kyle and Ike and followed them back to the Villa. He even vocalized he didn't care if he was punished later.

"Listen Lieutenant, Tweek has to leave tonight-" Craig look appalled.

"But sir-!" But Cartman held a hand up to silence him.

"However, if he were to sneak back in when I'm not looking I can't do anything about it now can I?" The look of relief on Craig's face was almost comical to Cartman and he actually had to bite his lip to stop himself from smiling.

"Yes sir," Craig said as he bowed and then ran back to the living room.

When Cartman went back to the yard, the soldiers were putting out the remainder of the fire. They were lucky it only burned down one building and the fire didn't spread across the whole camp. Something that caught Cartman's eye more than the fire were the bodies, dead bodies that had nothing to do with the fire itself. They had tried to escape during the chaos and were shot on sight. That led him to wonder if the fire was started by a prisoner as a distraction to escape. It was just a theory but they may never actually know how it happened.

When the fire was completely out, Cartman had walked to the center of the yard to make an announcement. "In the coming days I want this mess cleaned up. If you have other labors assigned to you, you will forget them. This grotesque sight will be the top priority, is that understood?" While everyone was listening, no one said a single word in reply but they did nod in understanding. Cartman wasn't sure he was looking at men or ghosts, they all looked-soulless. In this moment he wanted to share his condolences with those who perished from the fire and from his soldiers, but he knew he had to keep face. "The prisoners who lived in this building will have to be moved to other barracks tonight and will remain indefinitely." He gave a few more orders and then made his way back to the Villa.

Dr. Wyatt checked him over like he wanted. He had a few burns that he hadn't even remembered acquiring. The doctor said his adrenaline was probably so high that he wasn't able to register any pain to his person. He gave Cartman a small container of silver sulfadiazine for his burns and told him he wanted him and Craig to do some breathing treatments as well over the next few days, just to be safe.

After Dr. Wyatt dismissed Cartman from his care, he decided to check on Kyle and his family. He expected to see everyone in the living room as he left them, but the only face he saw was Kyle; everyone else must have retired to bed. Kyle was asleep on the couch under his quilt, free of soot and ash. He probably took a shower while Cartman was in the yard.

While Cartman wanted nothing more to bring Kyle to bed with him, he needed a shower as well. "Good night Kyle," he whispered and then placed a quick kiss to Kyle's lips and departed for his bedroom bath for a much needed shower.

Before he dressed after his shower, he applied the silver sulfadiazine to the few areas where he had been burned in the fire and then wrapped them in gauze; luckily they were easy areas like his wrists, forearms, and ankles. He dressed and then left his bathroom. Seeing Kyle sitting on his bed wasn't what he expected when he came back to his room. "Kyle, I thought you were sleeping."

"Your kiss woke me up," Kyle said with a shrug and then hopped off the bed. Cartman chuckled and wiggled his eyebrows.

"Does that make me Prince Charming who can awaken his sleeping beauty with a mere kiss?" Kyle reached him and playfully gave his chest a swat as he rolled his eyes.

"Prince Charming is Snow White fatass, if you're going to talk fairytales at least get your facts right."

"Fairytale facts? Isn't that an oxymoron Kahl?" Kyle said nothing, instead he wrapped his arms around Cartman's neck and buried his face in the crook of it.

"Thank you, for saving me."

Cartman's arms came around Kyle's waist, so tight it was almost like a vice grip. "I was so scared, Kyle."

"I know, the fire was really scary." But Cartman shook his head.

"Not of the fire you idiot, I was scared of losing you. I was terrified Kyle. I couldn't lose you, I couldn't." While still embracing, Kyle reached a hand up to stroke the back of Cartman's head.

"When Ike and I were trying to get out, do you know what I kept telling myself?" Cartman said nothing, just held him awaiting his answer. "I had to make it out so I could see you again. A stupid fire wasn't going to keep me from you, I needed to make it back to you. I just didn't expect to be knocked unconscious." The last part he said with a small chuckle, but Cartman barely even heard the last part. He was stuck on hearing Kyle needed to see him again, that he wanted to survive because of him.

Cartman clung to Kyle like a lifeline. "I love you Kyle." Kyle smiled in the crook of his neck.

"I love you too, Eric."