Edelweiss Fiction!
Title: When the Apocalypse Was Over, And Everyone Stood
Author: Faith Harris
Summary: Five years after current, Saint Edelweiss canon.
Note: Yes, fanfic for my RP. Live with it.
It was the little things that mattered now.
Jack Kelly was used to hearing that he wasted too much time on 'the old man'. Maybe it was a lost cause, but Jack was used to feeling like he was running in place. And, no matter what anyone said nowadays, the past had to be a little important, somehow.
He closed the door to the cell behind him. Doing this was harder whenever Reeve had a roommate; Jack choked on a bittersweet relief at the fact that Reeve's last roommate hadn't...stayed for very long. It was always painful to lose the new ones-- Saint Edelweiss was strange when only the older patients remained, and the new ones quickly faded from memory-- but it was more painful to come into the room when they were here. Then Jack had to field questions he couldn't answer, even if he wanted to, demands, pleading...inquiries into why he had this daily ritual.
Who this silent, frozen patient held such importance to any member of the staff. Why he took such gentle care of one of the few patients whose voice hadn't been heard in so very long. All questions that Jack couldn't handle when asked by those who knew him, who knew the answers.
He swallowed the lump that was rising in his throat. He carried a a bucket and a sponge with him, and he placed it down beside Reeve. Removed Reeve's shirt and started the slow process of bathing the older man. It was the same bucket that Jack had used since he'd started this tradition.
When he started, it wasn't just him. Yuffie and Edgeworth would take turns with him. He remembered rushing both of them out the room, in hushed whispers, before the other staff members could realize what he was allowing the other patients to do.
Yuffie stopped coming when she realized that she didn't want Reeve waking up to the sounds of the three of them fighting.
Edgeworth stopped coming when he realized that Reeve wasn't going to wake up.
It was no good thinking about either of them, right now, because if he got distracted by that, it was likely that Gary or Paul would take notice. Last time they'd noticed...Reeve's still body still had the bloody scars that Jack had had to wash clean and bandage. That was their form of mockery; the joke was lost on Jack.
Jack finished; today was just a wipe down, tomorrow he had permission from the doctors to carry Reeve into the showers and really give him the cleaning that he needed. He stood up, getting ready to leave, and noticed something on the floor by the bed.
He smiled sadly as he knelt down to grab it; it was his hat. He must have left it there the day before. His fingers touched the aging brim carefully, before brushing it off and putting it atop his head. The chuckle came unintentionally; everyone thought he was silly for holding on to the hat.
Jack started to stand up, but for a minute, he swore he heard a sound. A...a groan? He glanced over at Reeve, hopefully. Nothing. No movement. Jack's smile from a moment before faded, sinking.
He shook his head. He was probably being foolish, but he was used to that at this point. He sighed, turning to exit.
A cough. Jack froze. "...Jack...?"
Jack closed his eyes. He was imagining things.
"Wha...where..."
Jack's breath caught in his throat. No, it couldn't be.
"What's...happening?"
Jack turned slowly. Stared.
And for the first time in nearly five years, Jack Kelly cried..
Author: Faith Harris
Summary: Five years after current, Saint Edelweiss canon.
Note: Yes, fanfic for my RP. Live with it.
It was the little things that mattered now.
Jack Kelly was used to hearing that he wasted too much time on 'the old man'. Maybe it was a lost cause, but Jack was used to feeling like he was running in place. And, no matter what anyone said nowadays, the past had to be a little important, somehow.
He closed the door to the cell behind him. Doing this was harder whenever Reeve had a roommate; Jack choked on a bittersweet relief at the fact that Reeve's last roommate hadn't...stayed for very long. It was always painful to lose the new ones-- Saint Edelweiss was strange when only the older patients remained, and the new ones quickly faded from memory-- but it was more painful to come into the room when they were here. Then Jack had to field questions he couldn't answer, even if he wanted to, demands, pleading...inquiries into why he had this daily ritual.
Who this silent, frozen patient held such importance to any member of the staff. Why he took such gentle care of one of the few patients whose voice hadn't been heard in so very long. All questions that Jack couldn't handle when asked by those who knew him, who knew the answers.
He swallowed the lump that was rising in his throat. He carried a a bucket and a sponge with him, and he placed it down beside Reeve. Removed Reeve's shirt and started the slow process of bathing the older man. It was the same bucket that Jack had used since he'd started this tradition.
When he started, it wasn't just him. Yuffie and Edgeworth would take turns with him. He remembered rushing both of them out the room, in hushed whispers, before the other staff members could realize what he was allowing the other patients to do.
Yuffie stopped coming when she realized that she didn't want Reeve waking up to the sounds of the three of them fighting.
Edgeworth stopped coming when he realized that Reeve wasn't going to wake up.
It was no good thinking about either of them, right now, because if he got distracted by that, it was likely that Gary or Paul would take notice. Last time they'd noticed...Reeve's still body still had the bloody scars that Jack had had to wash clean and bandage. That was their form of mockery; the joke was lost on Jack.
Jack finished; today was just a wipe down, tomorrow he had permission from the doctors to carry Reeve into the showers and really give him the cleaning that he needed. He stood up, getting ready to leave, and noticed something on the floor by the bed.
He smiled sadly as he knelt down to grab it; it was his hat. He must have left it there the day before. His fingers touched the aging brim carefully, before brushing it off and putting it atop his head. The chuckle came unintentionally; everyone thought he was silly for holding on to the hat.
Jack started to stand up, but for a minute, he swore he heard a sound. A...a groan? He glanced over at Reeve, hopefully. Nothing. No movement. Jack's smile from a moment before faded, sinking.
He shook his head. He was probably being foolish, but he was used to that at this point. He sighed, turning to exit.
A cough. Jack froze. "...Jack...?"
Jack closed his eyes. He was imagining things.
"Wha...where..."
Jack's breath caught in his throat. No, it couldn't be.
"What's...happening?"
Jack turned slowly. Stared.
And for the first time in nearly five years, Jack Kelly cried..