Secret Reunion
It was already dark when Notch opened his eyes and sat up cautiously.
He had spent the last few hours waiting for everyone around him to fall asleep and now it seemed that moment had finally come.
He glanced over to the other bed where Steve and Jason lay close to each other, peacefully asleep.
Notch sighed deeply as he observed them both. He would have to talk to Steve about it, but first, he had to take care of something else.
Notch closed his eyes and felt the guilt tearing at his heart as he thought about how angry Steve would be when he found out what he was planning.
"Don't go!" he heard his brother's sharp voice saying in his head again. "Believe me, Notch, it's not worth it! He's not worth it."
Notch swallowed hard as he thought about it.
That's exactly what Steve had said to him shortly after they learned from Ethan that Herobrine had regained consciousness.
Probably because he knew exactly what this information would do to him.
But he couldn't help it. He... he had to see him.
Even though he knew it wasn't good for him and it would probably only break his heart even more.
But he had to do it.
He had to!
It had been so long... since... since the last time he had seen him.
With this thought, Notch sighed softly before getting up from the bed as quietly as he could, trying not to let the dizziness and headache affect him.
He managed to reach the door without waking either of them but he needed a moment to catch his breath and mentally cursed his weak, aching body before cautiously opening the door and slipping through to the other side.
As Notch walked through the empty corridors of the large house, he could feel the nervousness and worry inside him intensify.
He had to hurry!
He didn't know how long it would be until morning and the fear of being discovered and brought back to his room grew with every step.
Luckily, he and Steve had been given permission to move around the house and the accompanying courtyard, so he knew exactly where to go to get to where he wanted.
In that moment, he spotted a staircase leading downstairs into a room with several armchairs, carpets, and small tables, with several doors branching off from it.
The largest of which would lead him to the main hall.
However, Notch didn't turn towards it; instead, he turned around and headed towards a smaller inconspicuous door that he knew led to the basement and the dungeons.
Notch's heart skipped a beat as he laid eyes on it. If he passed through it, he would be at his destination, but just before he could grab the doorknob, he heard a clearing of the throat behind him.
"Where are you going?"
Notch startled and spun around, only to see Ethan suddenly appear at the foot of the stairs, studying him with a thoughtful gaze.
"E-Ethan!" he stammered finally, his voice filled with embarrassment. "I... I didn't know you were still awake."
"I'm always awake," Ethan replied with a tired smile before his face turned serious again. "But why are you?"
"I, uh..." Notch answered slowly as he desperately searched for a good excuse. "Just wanted to... take a walk?"
With those words, he smiled crookedly and looked at Ethan uncertainly. But Ethan didn't seem like he believed his statement.
"A walk," he repeated, to which Notch quickly nodded. "And why are you standing in front of the door that leads to the dungeons then?"
Notch froze upon hearing that, and Ethan merely smiled.
"It seems you've never been good at lying to me," he continued in a friendly tone but a moment later, his face turned serious again. "But I'm afraid you can't go down there. It wouldn't do you any good."
Notch's heart weighed heavily as he heard that. "I know..." he murmured softly, feeling his voice falter. "You're not the first one to tell me that."
"I believe that," Ethan replied. "And for once, I agree with Steve. Going to see him won't bring you nothing but more pain."
"Believe me, I know," Notch replied softly. "And I... I don't expect him to forgive me or anything like that... I...I just want to see him."
"Please, let go," he pleaded with a desperate voice as Ethan looked at him with doubt. "Please. It... it has been so long since... since I last saw him..."
But Ethan sighed in response.
"You know Steve won't be pleased if he finds out," he finally answered, and Notch nodded sadly.
"Why do you still want to do it then? Why are you willing to risk everything for someone who doesn't care about you instead of focusing on your remaining relationship with your other brother?"
"I mean," he continued with a serious tone, "you even saved my ancestors from Steve back then, and you didn't care if you lost him in the process. But if the relationship with Steve doesn't mean much to you then why are you still longing for Herobrine? A guy who hates you and probably wishes you dead. Why can't you just leave him behind like Steve did?"
Notch sighed deeply upon hearing that.
"Because if I do..." he murmured softly, turning around and staring at the doorknob with a saddened expression, "it would mean that Brian was right all along when he said I didn't care about him...and I can't let this happen..."
He sighed deeply before continuing.
,,I know I've would make Steve angry when I step in and saved your ancestors", he added with a sigh ,,but you are wrong in saying that I don't care about my relationship with him. I care about him deeply. More than he will ever know...but that doesn't mean I can't step in when I think he's doing something wrong."
He sighed.
"I know that what I want to do know will cause conflicts between me and Steve again," he added with a guilty voice, ,,But...But Brian is my brother too", he finished with a look at Ethan ,,and I can't...I won't give up on him. No matter how... how much he hates me."
His voice broke on his last words, and he felt tears welling up in his eyes but he managed to keep them under control.
He could not burst out into tears in front of the leader like a little kid. That would be too much of a shame, even for him.
"I understand," Ethan finally replied with a pensive nod. "It seems I can't change your mind on this either.", he sighed ,,Alright I will bring you to him then."
Notch looked at him in surprise upon hearing that.
He hadn't expected Ethan to actually allow him to go but he was incredibly grateful for it.
"But don't expect too much, Notch," Ethan continued a moment later. "Because what you're looking for, you won't find it there."
Notch simply nodded in response.
He wanted to say something, like I know but for some reason, he couldn't. Instead, he lowered his gaze and followed Ethan through the door, down into the dungeon, until they stood in front of a smaller inconspicuous door guarded by two wizards.
"Are you sure you still want this?" Ethan asked Notch, turning to him with a serious tone.
Notch had been looking at the door uncertainly until then, and he could feel the nervousness rising within him.
But he couldn't, No! He didn't want to turn back now.
He had waited too long for a moment like this.
"Yes," he replied softly, to which Ethan nodded and signaled the guards.
They turned around and opened the door with a muttered incantation.
"Alright," Ethan addressed Notch a second later, stepping aside and gesturing for him to go first. "Then go."
The room he entered afterward was dark and small, with nothing but a torch that weakly illuminated the space, providing just enough light for Notch to make out the sleeping figures on the floor.
However, he only spared a brief glance for two of them before directing his attention to the third person who lay against the wall opposite him, their face gently illuminated by moonlight.
Notch's heart skipped a beat as he looked at him!
There he was... Brian...
His brother, whom he had banished to the Nether over 300 years ago and hadn't seen since.
Notch swallowed hard as he thought about it, quickly shaking his head to push away the dark memories that now arose and threatened to overwhelm him.
Instead, he approached Brian and carefully settled down beside him, while simultaneously examining him with a concerned look from head to toe.
He had grown taller.
Significantly taller than the last time he'd seen him, but Notch couldn't tell exactly how old he was.
I can't believe how much he's grown... Notch thought in surprise as he continued to scrutinize Brian. He looks almost more like Steve now than he used to...although I doubt he'll like it.
Back then he tryed to do everything to look like Steve as much as possible..., he added sadly. And today...today he hates him almost more than me...
He sighed in distress and he could feel his heart breaking at the thought.
Ethan was right.
Coming here indeed only caused him more pain, but Notch still thought it was the right choice, especially since he deserved to feel it.
With that thought he continued his inspection of Brian, whereupon he could see that Brian's appearance had changed even more.
His skin was lighter, no longer as bronzed as before, and his hair was noticeably longer and more messy than it had been back then.
He was clearly more muscular than before, and Notch felt a pang in his heart as he looked at the scars that were clearly visible on his upper arms and bare torso.
They hadn't been there back then either.
Notch swallowed hard, feeling a wave of guilt crashing over him.
All these changes... all these scars were his fault, they had happened because he had banished him.
Notch sighed sorrowfully as he thought about it, then turned his attention to the wound that Brian had received from Null, now concealed behind a thick bandage.
He didn't know how severe it had been initially, but he had heard that Brian had almost not survived the ordeal, which had shocked and frightened him even more, making him all the more eager to see him.
I really hope he gets better soon, he thought with a sad gaze fixed on the still sleeping Brian. He still looks so terrible...
But he seems to be well taken care of, he added, looking at the bandage. I must ask Ethan who the wizard taking care of him is, so that I can thank him for saving his life.
With this thought, he turned his gaze to the face of his youngest brother, which appeared pale and sickly, with sweat glistening on his forehead.
He didn't look good at all and Notch caught himself instinctively raising his hand to check his fever and take care of him, like he had always done in the past.
But he knew full well that Brian wouldn't appreciate it.
On the contrary, if he was awake, he would probably try to kill him for it.
This realization was hard to bear and Notch felt tears welling up in his eyes. What wouldn't he give to have Brian back...
What wouldn't he give to undo everything that had happened back then.
I miss him so much... Notch thought sadly and he could feel the tears coming again but this time he didn't hold them back. I miss his laughter, his jokes and the expression on his face when he got excited about an idea and his stubbornness that couldn't be swayed by anything...
He sighed.
Well, I'm glad I could at least see him again, he added with a sad smile as he wiped the tears from his face. That... that's more than I ever expected...
With this thought, he sighed once more before glancing out the window.
He was surprised to see that the sky had already become noticeably brighter.
He hadn't realized how quickly time was passing.
I should get back to my room before Steve wakes up and realizes I'm not here, Notch thought before turning his gaze on Brian again.
He didn't like leaving him behind but he knew he couldn't possibly get him out of here.
He had done too many bad things for that.
With one last loving, sorrowful look at Brian, Notch finally stood up with a heavy heart and walked to the door without turning back.
If he had turned around, however, he would have noticed two sea-green eyes watching him from the shadows that had been observing him the whole time.