"You know when you're drowning you don't actually inhale until right before you black out.  It's called voluntary apnea"

Anita gasped and then puked more stomach acid up into the toilet.  She let out a groan as she was finally done, grabbing some toilet paper to wipe her mouth off. Anita stood up, flushing the toilet and then washing her mouth out in the sink.

Anita grumbled, slowly sitting on the ground with her back against the cabinet.  Anita closed her eyes, placing her head on her legs.  She didn't want to move.  Her head was killing her and she still felt nauseous.

Derek slowly stepped in.  "You good?"  He asked.

"No".  Anita whined.  "I'm never drinking again".'

Derek smiled at that comment.  "Let's get you to bed.  Sleep the hangover off".  Derek said.

Anita slowly looked up at him and then held her arms up, gesturing she wanted him to carry her.  Derek didn't waste time and made his way over, crouching down as he gathered her into his arms, Anita wrapping her arms around his neck while resting her head on his chest.

"I feel better all ready".  She whispered with a comforting smile.

"I'm sure you do".  Derek replied. Derek walked her to the bed and gently set her down, getting her under the covers. "I got you water, ibuprofen, and crackers". Derek said, looking at them all on the nightstand.

"My hero". Anita smiled up at him.

Derek leaned down, moving some hair away from her before placing a kiss on her forehead. "Now, sleep". Derek went to walk away but Anita grabbed his hand.

"Derek...what were those things last night?" She asked, looking up at him.

Derek was silent for a moment. "I don't know. But, we'll figure it out". Derek rubbed soothing circles on her hand with his thumb.

"You still owe me a dance". Anita then said.

"I didn't forget".  Derek let go of her hand and pulled a blanket a little higher for her.

Eichen, Year 2

"They're in the walls!  They're in the walls!"

Anita winced from where she sat, watching a man scream and thrash in two nurses arms.  Another nurse came running over to help.  The three started to drag the man away as he continued to shout and thrash.

"Want to get some fresh air?"  Simon asked from the chair across from her.  Anita nodded and instantly stood up, heading outside.  Anita passed some other residents, making sure not to look at them in the eyes.  Anita made her way to her sport where she found security and staff didn't pay that much attention. 

It was close to a piece of the fence.  A nice garden area where she felt hidden and could pretend she wasn't in an institute.  Anita sat down and picked at the grass around her.  Anita looked up at the fence, the sun shinning down on her face.

"I wish I was a bird".  Anita told Simon.

"Why's that?"  Simon asked, taking a seat beside her.

Anita continued to look up, over where the gate ended.

"So I could fly out of here".  Anita answered.

Simon gave her a sad look then smiled softly.  "Guess, I'll just have to call you birdie, then". 

Anita looked to him and gave him a smile back.  "If you want.  I don't mind".  Anita looked back down and continued to pick at the grass.

"Alright, birdie".

"Birdie...birdie".

Anita slowly opened up her eyes, letting a painful groan from the headache that was till pounding in her head.  She saw Simon standing next to her.  "Why did you wake me?"  She groaned, closing her eyes once again.  "You also left me last night.  You said you would never leave".  Anita was upset at her best friend.

Simon was always there for her.  He promised her he would never leave her until he knew she was safe.

Sure.  There were times that he was not there.  But that's because she asked him to give her space or when he checked up on his family that were still alive. 

But, she told Simon that night that she wanted him to always be by her side and he left.

"I didn't leave you, birdie.  I was there the whole time.  You just didn't see me".  Simon explained to her softly.  Simon sat on the side of the bed where she was laying at.

"What?"  Anita asked, not understanding.

Simon looked away from her for a moment, looking at the ground.  "When you drink too much alcohol, or take too much substance such as being too high, ghosts go away".  Simon explained. 

"You've never told me that before".  Anita pointed out.

Simon looked back at her.  Looking at her with sadness.  "I was afraid you would pick up a bad habit".  Simon admitted.

Anita stared at him. "Why would I do that? You wouldn't be by my side anymore". She paused for a moment. "I was scared when you weren't by my side last night at first. And then I wanted to dance". She admitted.

Simon laughed at the end of her comment. "I was with you the rest of the night. Some of your dance moves were...interesting". Simon was holding back a laugh.

"Don't be mean". She pouted.

"Just saying". He held his hands up in surrender.

Anita let out a laugh and then groaned from the instant pain it caused her head.

"I should leave you. You need more sleep. Sorry for waking you". Simon told her.

"See you soon". Anita smiled peacefully, closing her eyes. Anita felt the blanket being pulled up slightly.

"Night, birdie".

Simon stood there for a few more minutes before he felt a pull in a different direction. His head turned to the direction he felt the pull and left the warehouse. In a blink of an eye for Simon he was now in a different location. A different state to be more exact.

Simon stood still, swallowing harshly as he looked ahead of him. Three males in their late 30s stood in front of him, all looking down slightly.

"How many years has it been?" One asked.

"Come on, Alex". Another said.

"You know I suck at math". Alex defended himself.

"16 years". The third male answered.

Simon placed his hand down slowly, rubbing his fingers over the smooth rock. Stone to be exact. Headstone.

His headstone.

Simon Sterling
23 June 1974
18 January 1995
A loved Brother & Son

The three standing there were his friends. Alex, Jared, and Nick.

"Should we say anything?" Nick asked.

"Just wish that day was different". Jared kept his eyes on the stone as Alex placed a comforting hand on his friends shoulder.

Nick took a few steps closer to the grave and squatted down, placing a bouquet of flowers up against the stone. He wiped a way some fallen leaves that were below and looked up slightly.

Nicks eyes made contact with Simon's.

Simon parted his lips and saw the sadness in Nicks eyes.

"You would've won it all".  Nick whispered and then he stood back up, eye contacted being removed.  Nick took a few steps back while Jared shook his head.

"I should've tried harder".  Jared spoke.

"It's not your fault, Jared.  You know that".  Alex sighed.

"You know I'll always think that".  Jared whispered.  Taking a few steps forward, placing his hand on the top of the grave as tears gathered in his eyes.  "You will always be my best friend".

Simon placed his hand on Jared's.  Jared's eyes flickered back and forth for a moment as he felt the sudden weight on his hand.

"You'll always be mine too...Jarhead".  Simon smiled through his own tears.

Jared let out a deep breath before pulling his hand away, looking slightly past Simon.  "See you later, Simster".  Jared turned back around and started to head back to the car.

"Bye, old friend".  Alex gave one last look to the headstone and left as well, Nick following last.

Simon stood there as he watched his three friends leave.  Hearing them as they were walking to the car.

"Molly is making lunch for us".  Nick told the two. 

The two friends cheered softly.

"How's Ollie?"  Alex asked.

"Fine. Fine.  You know kids".  Jared answered, laughing slightly.

Simon smiled sadly.  He was happy for them.  Truly was.  But it hurt. It hurt so damn much.  They were growing old, living their lives.  Having wives and kids and here Simon Sterling was.

Forever, 21

18 January, 1995

"Pass it!" Nick yelled as the hockey puck slid across the ice but Jared came and knocked him away, taking the puck.

"Come on!" Nick shouted in frustration, slamming his stick on the ice.

"Come on, Nick. It's just a game". Simon slid past him.

"Why do I always get stuck with Alex?" Nick groaned.

"You know, you love me". Alex spoke loudly from his spot, hearing his comment.

"We will switch after one more shot". Simon told Nick.

"Fine". Nick sighed.

The four started to set up again. "I want a burger after this". Jared told his friends, skating back to get into position.

"You always want burgers. All that grease is going to catch up to you one day". Simon told his best friend.

Jared waved him off, holding his stick with his other hand. "Whatever, Simster". Jared smiled.

"Don't say I warned you, Jarhead". Simon smiled back. The two laughing.

"Let's go". Alex clapped to them.

The four got into their positions and started the next round.

"Got it". Alex told Nick.

Jared immensely snatched the puck and skated faster across the ice.

"Don't got it". Alex sighed. "Man, I suck at this".

"Simon, go". Jared called and Simon skated further up, Jared hit the puck, sending it flying, going further off their court they made.

"Damn it!" Jared yelled.

"You're so lucky". Nick skated next to Alex.

"Don't blame me. I suck at this". Alex defended himself?

Nicks eyebrows knitted together and then laughed which caused Alex to start laughing as the two waited.

"Don't worry. I'll get it". Simon told them.

"Sorry". Jared apologized.

"It's fine. That's why we're practicing". Simon turned his head towards them with a wide smile and skated further out to the puck.

"Did he say practice?" Nick asked Jared who was about ten feet from him and Alex. "Simon doesn't need practice. We all know he's going to be famous one day. The one who needs practice is this guy". Nick pointed to Alex.

"Come on, Nick. Don't you think I know that?" The three started laughing.

Simon soon stopped, hearing the laughter in the distance as moved his stick and swung it, sending the puck back over. Simon turned around and went to skate back to his friends when cracking was heard and the ice below his skates gave out.

Simon sunk into the freezing water.

The laughing stopped between the three friends. Jared was the first to turn his head to the noise. Seeing the bubbling water and the broken ice floating over a hole where Simon once was.

Dread fell over him and his heart stopped.

"SIMON!" Jared shouted and wasted no time in skating over as fast as he could.

"Shit!" Nick yelled and skated over as well.

Alex following suit.

"Slow down! You'll fall in too!"

Jared didn't slow down. Once he got over to the hole he slid on his stomach and reached into the water, shoving his arms into the freezing water.

"Simon!" Jared grabbed onto his friends hand and tried to pull him up but the current was pulling him.

"Nick, Alex, help me!" Jared yelled with plead in his voice, struggling to hold onto his friend. He couldn't. The current was so strong but he held on. He held on until he was sent flying back into the ice.

Jared breathed out and sat up. Simon's wet glove in his hands. "No, no, no". Jared shook his head and looked back into the hole.

"Where did he go?" Nick asked in panic.

The three boys looking in and then they heard a pounding.

"Over there!" Alex pointed in the distance and the three immediately went over.

Simon was under the ice, pounding on it, trying to get out.  All he could think was;

"Not like this.  Not like this.  I can't die like this"

"Simon!" Jared shouted once more and grabbed the end of his hockey stick and started to pound the ice as well.

Alex and Nick doing the same.

"Hang on Simon!" Alex yelled.

They all kept trying to break the ice but the most any of them got were a few scrapes. Nick's stick soon broke but he kept trying and Jared looked like a mad man.

Simon tried to breath in oxygen but all he got was water. He couldn't breath. He couldn't breath and it hurt.

He was cold.

He felt his lungs burning.

And from above him he saw blurred figures of his friends trying to get him out with muffled yelling.

Simon's pounding soon started to slow down and everything around him started to blur and he felt himself start to let go of the world of the living. But it wasn't peaceful.

It hurt.

Whoever said drowning was peaceful was a liar.