The Loss by Steffie

Author's notes:My first tragedy fanfic.Spoiler and warning for the 
younger and sensetive audience:Someone's gonna die.

Knuckles etc (c) SEGA
Kragok etc (c) Archie
Lupe-An and everybody else you don't know are (c) 
Steffie/Lupe-An(me)Please don't steal my characters or my storyline.

Enjoy ^_^

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Time:A few months after the previous fic
Place:Twilight Zone,The Butch residence

It's about midnight in the Butch residence.Everyone's sleeping in their 
bed.Butch wheezed and coughed everytime he breathed.Rose-An was used to 
this but the coughing and wheezing kept getting worse.She almost had a 
heart-attack when he didn't cough or wheeze.She got up and checked his 
pulse.It was very weak.

"Butch," she whispered quietly.She doesn't want the children to worry 
about their dad just yet,"I think we must go to hospital.Now." Butch 
didn't reply.She switched on the light and made it very dim.She saw her 
spouse's face.He was almost blue in the face but he's also blood-red in 
the face as well.
'OH MY...!!!' she thought to herself.Her face was pale from shock.She 
phoned Floren-Ca,she can look after the children while she takes Butch 
to the hospital very early in the morning.

*Early morning*

Floren-Ca finally came to babysit the children.Rose-An hugged the 
children goodbye.Butch did the same.
"Why must you go and work today?" Ixis asked his parents,"It's your 
holiday!"
"It's just for today,honey." was Rose-An's only answer.She didn't tell 
her children the truth,she can't,definitely not in front of 
Lupe-An.Butch barely helped Rose-An into the boogie because he was so weak.The 
couple waved again goodbye to the children.Floren-Ca told them to take 
care.Luckily for Rose-An,it's the weekend for the children.Floren-Ca can't 
drive and Rose-An had to take her husband to hospital at about 07:30 
am.She drove the boogie to the hospital.She noticed how Butch sweat 
profusely.His face was red as well.He actually fainted from the fever.Butch 
isn't a pansy and he can tolerate severe pain but here he is,so weak 
from whatever disease he had...could he have The Twilight Virus?She 
finally reached the hospital.

As soon as she landed the boogie,paramedics were there at the landing 
site.They laid Butch on a floater stretcher.They rushed him into the 
Emergency Room.Everyone realised he had the Twilight Virus by the symtoms 
he's having.All they can do is try to operate on him or put him on the 
Lung-Supporter.This machine helps anyone to breathe like a healthy 
person if their lungs are damaged,have broken ribs etc.While they 
"rocketed" Butch into the ER,Rose-An whispered,"Goodbye".She walked towards a 
nearby chair in the Waiting Room.She stopped in her tracks,her shoulders 
shook.She fell to her knees and wailed loudly,"Don't die!Please-I beg 
you.Don't die!".Her tears poured down her cheeks while she curled up in 
the corner and mourned for her husband.

*Hours later*

After Rose-An waited for hours,the doctors came out of the ER with 
Butch in the hospital bed.He was wheeled into one of the hospital 
rooms.They put him on the Lung-Supporter.The virus is eating away his 
lungs.That's why he had difficulty breathing.The doctors allowed Rose-An to go 
and visit her husband.She can't stand the sight of him suffering like 
this.She kissed him on the forehead.For some reason,the Twilight Virus 
isn't contagious.One of the doctors told Rose-An to go home.She asked her 
why should she.

"It won't do Butch any good if you are totally exhausted.Besides,your 
children want their mom..." she explained.Rose-An agreed.She walked out 
of the room,hoping she'd made the right choice.She walked up into the 
landing site and rode off in her boogie.

*Half an hour later*

Rose-An finally arrived,face red from all the crying.Her children ran 
quickly up to her.Lupe-An jumped into her mom's arms and said a 
heartily,"Hello,Mommy!".
"Where's dad?" Ixis asked his mom.Rose-An looked away,tears flowed down 
her face.
"My babies,Floren-Ca,there's something I must tell you..." she finally 
spoke.She explained everything about Butch's problem.Her children were 
saddened about their father's fate but held onto the tiny hope he'll 
survive.Simon came to pick his wife,Floren-Ca up after his shift,he asked 
where Butch was and Rose-An just started crying.She explained 
everything to Simon.He couldn't believe it at all.It's quite understandable,how 
can Doctor Butch,well-known Health and Twilight Expert,catch this 
virus?
"Goodbye,Rose,take care.We wish your husband good health!" the elderly 
shouted to Rose-An.After they'd left,Rose-An and her children stood 
outside like statues.
'Can luck help Butch?' Rose-An asked herself.Her children stared at her 
and smiled."He'll be okay,mom.Dad will live!" Ixis reassured her.She 
smiled and nodded her head in agreement.Why should she be so 
worried?Maybe he'll survive just because she took him to the hospital in time.The 
Twilight Virus victims had those symtoms(always having a fever,weak and 
difficulty breathing)for years before they go to hospital.A hopeful mom 
and her equally hopeful children walked back into their 
house,hand-in-hand. 

*Nighttime*

The children finally went to bed.Rose-An was still up,worried about her 
husband.But she wasn't as worried as she was earlier.She sat in their 
bedroom and picked up their wedding photo.
'Oh,how happy we were.We still are.You'll survive,I know you can.' 
After that comforting thought,Rose-An switched off the bedroom lamp's light 
off and drifted off to sleep.But while she had about fifteen minutes of 
sleep,the phone rang.She answered it.
"Hello.Who's speaking?", she asked groggily,"You're from the 
hospital?How's Butch?WHAT!!!!!!" she screamed hysterically.That scream woke the 
children up and they rushed into their mother's room.

"Mom,what is it?" they both asked,totally shaken.Rose-An started to 
cry.She turned her attention to her children and 
whispered,"You...(sob)Don't wanna know..." They asked what's the matter again.
"Your dad...half an hour ago...died." Rose-An told the shocking news 
without any emotion.She was shocked.The children were too.Ixis doesn't 
believe it.Lupe-An just stood there,as stiff as a statue.She started to 
cry,tears flowed down her cheeks.Ixis cried too.Rose-An looked at her 
wedding photo and cried with her children...

*A few weeks later*

Everyone had a funeral for Butch.Doctors,nurses and anyone who knew him 
were there.Luger was there too.He was Butch's friend from highschool 
and they were close.Many talked about how great he was in his work and as 
a friend.

After a long funeral,they buried his coffin in the grave.The 
legionnaires threw flowers on the grave after the coffin got buried.

After a few hours,the people left were Rose-An,her children,Luger and 
his family.They stood around Butch's grave.
"If only we knew how he got the virus..." Merin-Da whispered.The others 
agreed.Everybody threw another bouquet on the grave and walked home 
sadly.Rose-An stood there at the same spot and bent down.

"I will never,ever have a husband like you again.I also promise I'll 
never marry another man again." she vowed.She stood on her feet and 
joined the others.They had one last look at the grave and rode off in their 
boogies.

Losing a friend is never easy but it's more difficult if you don't know 
how he got the virus that killed him...

To be continued...

Next story:The Twilight Virus strikes again