1/2
[ He can't squeeze her hand any longer; he no longer has the strength. Ashton still has many things to atone for, and the sharp pain in his back -- so close to those scars -- reminds him that he has let down enough people. His life can't end like this.
He owed Jennifer more smiles. He needed to be able to make it to his classes. There were questions he needed to ask of many people... Miranda, Kyouya, Ryu, and others. He had projects to work on -- gifts that brought joy to his friends and to then-strangers. ]