We don't have the entire world, so make the most of this

It was hard getting his scent out of everything. Smells in fabrics clung like static electricity. No matter how much he washed everything, there was still that lingering smell that appeared whenever he held the clothes, or even wore them for a few moments.

In the end, he and Catrin took everything that David had ever touched in refuse bags and burned the lot.

It was the only way to get the smell out.

Catrin leaned against her older brother, watching as the flames danced before them both. Ethan slowly closed his eyes.

- - -

Standing in the empty lounge, ears searched for sounds that were no longer there. There were no happy giggle emanating from the bathroom where Harmony attempted to get Reuben into the bath to wash the daily dirt from him. He could no longer here the clatter of dishes in the kitchen, followed by Ben's giggles as he tormented his mother by stealing her ladel or other needed kitchen utensil and ran around the kitchen, brandishing it as a valued prize.

He dared not go anywhere near the boy's bedroom. He no longer slept there.

Somewhere came the sound of a door opening.

"Anyone home...?"

"In here, LyLy," he replied, letting his eyes slip closed so that the darkness to hide away the empty surroundings.

- - -

"I'm sorry, but I can't be what you need me to be."

He never wanted to see her cry, let alone be the one to make her cry. It was great, but there was something missing on his part. Reaching up, he swept away the tear that coursed down from her brown eyes. Such vibrant brown eyes - they were now drowned in sadness. He was the one to blame for the broken heart and the tears.

In the end though, he knew that she would find someone better. Someone who would love her the way she deserved.

Not wanting to see her crying anymore, strong arms wrapped around her and pulled Madeline close. Resting his chin atop her head, eyes slipped closed.

- - -

It was hard getting over someone. Especially someone that he didn't even think had effected him in such a way. Laying on his sister's couch seemed to be the safest place he could be right now, because the rest of the world had it in for him.

Someone decided to drop a pillow on his head. By drop, we mean smacked him across the head with it.

"Someday, you will get off my couch," the woman said, pushing her brother's side and causing him to roll off onto the floor. "She was a fling, you said it yourself. Get over her and get back out there. One of my friends from work were asking about you. How does a blonde with green eyes sound to get you back in the game?"

He sighed, laying there on the floor and pulling the duvet up over his head. His eyes were open, but all he could see was black and so he let his eyelids drop.

- - -

The plane was due to take off anytime soon.

He looked up into the Russian male's eyes and smiled. It wasn't a smile filled with sadness. It was a bright, beaming smile that lit his entire face up, reaching all the way to the male's eyes that his closest friend classed as "Christmas Eyes". It was meant to be a time of sadness, and yet he was smiling like the first day of summer.

Dimitri glanced down at the shorter male, confused at the smile. "You don't seem sad," he said.

"I am," came the reply, the younger standing on tip-toes in order to kiss him. "But I'm happy, because I know that you'll come back for me. This is not something you want to do, but something you have to do."

Dimitri smiled back, but there was a slight despair in his smile. Arms pulled the younger body to his own, and he rested his head atop the blond hair.

"Don't close your eyes," came a soft voice, murmured into his chest. "Closing your eyes makes everything sad."