A joke, or as good as he could manage, to lighten the mood. To get a final smile instead of leaving the world with a bunch of sad faces. Elliot knew there would be endless tears. It was inevitable, really, and it weighed on his heart even more knowing that it was his own damn fault that this was happening. That was the worst part of all of this. It was an accident, but it was one of those accidents that could’ve been prevented if only he’d listened…
Elliot gave David’s hand a squeeze. “Don’t be sorry. This isn’t your fault. It’s mine. I’m sorry.” He’d said that a lot over the past couple days, yet it still felt like he hadn’t said it enough. There were countless things he wanted to apologize for — things that happened years ago that shouldn’t have even mattered now.
“It’s not always the biggest and the strongest that survive. The ones who deserve to live don’t always get that chance. It’s always been that way, even before all this. You know that.” Just because they both knew it, didn’t make the information any easier to swallow.
He smiled again when David said he loved him. “’Course I know that. Just like you know I love you. I may not have always shown it, but I couldn’t have asked for a better little brother.”
“You’re the last Zimmerman standing now, you know that?” It was meant to be a joke, but he knew it wasn’t a very good one. Nothing could make this moment funny. “Only one in the family who’s immune. You’ll be the one to outlive this thing, man. I know you will. You have to take care of Rae and your nephew.”
It was unfair, how short a time they’d spent together since being reunited. They should’ve had longer. Shouldn’t have been separated in the first place.