There's always something nagging at him. Always. He wakes up in the middle of the night dreaming about her death... it haunts him. And no matter how badly everyone wants him to live, he wants to die. He wishes so much that she lived. Not him. Her. She didn't deserve it. She didn't deserve it. He didn't deserve it, either. He didn't deserve how he was treated, making way for his depression. Even when he got the help he needed, there would always be those pills on the bathroom counter. There stood a reminder. A sickly sight. "I-I'm sorry" "Dad, no! No, no, no!" When his time came, he risked himself to save his daughter. "Dad! Daddy! Please! Don't!" She pleaded and pleaded. He shook his head, embracing her, then he pushed her. "I'm sorry, sweetie," tears welled in his eye. "Tell your mom I love you both, so, so, so much. Tell her... tell her I'm sorry for the things I didn't say," he closed the heavy door, latching it shut. He could hear the enemies' voices gather in the hall behind him. Iris started screaming at him. She could see him through the window on the door, she watched him glance down at the trigger in his hand. Wait. It was in her satchel. "DADDY!" she hadn't called him that since she was eight. "DON'T! NO! PLEASE, PLEASE!" He smiled at her. "I love you," Enemies started pooling in the room. He took a deep breath and turned away from the door. "I'm sorry, Sunny. I really am." he whispered and pressed the trigger. Iris's screams faded. In a blinding flash of light, he blinked and opened his eyes. Standing over him were two figures. He gasped, tears spilling from both his eyes. The dark green one helped him to his feet. "You did it." she said. "I-" he swallowed, unable to speak. "Wait, where am I going?" She smiled. "Heaven, buddy!" Hail nodded. "It's a great place. You can still watch your family grow. Like we've been watching you grow," Adaja laughed. He still couldn't believe it. "Wait, where's Iris?" "She's on the other side of the door still. Waiting for you," He turned around, facing the scorched door. "And I can walk through that? Now that I'm dead?" Hail shrugged. "I laughed so hard every time I walked through a door after my death," He smiled and took a deep breath, and stepped forward. Void was met with the exit hallway, Iris curled in a ball. He knelt down to her, putting his hand on her shoulder. She shivered, but seemed to relax. "I'm right here when you need me," he wiped his eyes. "I'll always be here," Adaja's hand appeared on his shoulder. "Just what I said. And hey, it was fun to watch you be a parent." He laughed just as Hail appeared. "We should get going. There's someone who's been waiting for you," He nodded, and then Hail and Adaja grabbed his arms and leapt into the air just as the rescue team found Iris. He was sad to leave her and Sunny behind, but this wasn't the end. The only new thing was that he was free. Free like a bird.
