"4 weeks, the cancer has reached your vitals. You're dying." Damian breathed from his nose before he rubbed the bridge of his nose, all his hope draining. "Well, shit, I didn't know I barely have enough time to see the end of one piece….not like it would end any time soon" He smiled at his dry humor, the doctor sighing and patting his shoulder in attempted comfort as she walked outside, stopping at the door as she looked towards him. "Your family is coming in soon, so it would be good to cherish the time you have now." Damian smiled at her and nodded, waving as she turned back around. "You're the boss, doc!" When she left the room, Damian's mask fell, his smile slowly morphing into an agony-filled scowl, and angry tears came unbidden down his face. Though he wept not out of sadness, only of anger at the thought of leaving his family behind, they needed him, and he didn't want to leave them as he did. Damian's heart rate increased as he remembered the man who had abandoned his family, leaving him and his mom with a newborn to fend on their own. For years, he did things he didn't like to remember for money, all for his family since the family was the only thing he had. "DAMMIT!" He roared in his silent room, his fists hitting the sheets with a soft puff; the only response was the machine's melodic beeping, the only sound he heard in his dreams or, more like, his nightmares. He gazed up to the ceiling, gazing at the uniform tiles as the words slipped out his mouth, "Why…I don't want to die…not yet…please…not ye.." He wiped away his tears as he heard familiar, fast steps running to his room. He quickly wiped away his tears and schooled his emotions as a little girl almost fell into the room. They won't see him cry; he has to be strong for both of them.

  "IAN!" the girl lunged onto his chest, knocking the wind out of his damaged lungs and making him gasp as he patted the curly-haired-skinned girl. "Wheeze, Lily…you need to stop that." The same small girl fished through her pockets and bag before displaying the sickly man with several small snacks. He smiled as he looked at the small hand filled with snacks. He knew he couldn't keep them down but would put on a show just for her. He held up a chocolate bar towards him and took it with a smile. "This for you! I remember you said that when you get better, you want a lot of chocolate bars! So I bought a lot just for you!" Lily excitedly leaned against the plastic railing that framed Damian's hospital bed.

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  Damian smiled as he waved his hands slightly at her joy. "That sounds nice…you left Mom in the dust, right?" Lily smiled and gave him a cheeky grin as she nodded, "Mama was right behind me, but she's very slow! Unlike the Flash!" She said as she shoved a comic into his face. The Flash. She always loved that hero. Damian would miss hearing his sister's voice rambling on about it... Damian only nodded as he pointed towards the comic book. Fighting Batman, raising his eyebrow, "Batman man fighting the Flash huh?

  One of the mind control plots, huh?" This got his little sister going, ranting about how stupid this series is, but she enjoys the artwork. It was pleasant to Damian's ears the pure child-like joy with which she spoke of her interest; this may be his last day hearing it, so he'd let her rant just a little longer. That was until an older, worn-looking woman slowly entered the sterile room. Lily was a carbon copy of her. Dirty and stained blue scrubs adorned her form. Battered and abused from her line of demanding work. "Mom, Lily is ranting about Superman again." Damian groaned as he rolled his eyes in playful annoyance. This made the woman smile and speak up. "You know how she gets when she starts, sweetheart." This made Damian smile. It was fine if she could smile, and he could give her happy memories. "Lily, how about you get more snacks for your bro?" Lily only smiled and delicately placed the book into her backpack. "Lily, you don't have to," Damian objected, but it was too late. Lily had already decided to leave the bag at his side as she dashed off with a crisp five-dollar bill. Looking towards his mom, he gave her a tired smile, "I'm sorry, Mom… I'm losing badly." His mom grimaced as she grabbed his skeleton-like limbs, all skin and bones, so gaunt and almost lifeless. "Oh, baby, don't say that. You're going to be alright and live a happy life! You- you-" her voice became choked up with tears. Her eyes fought them from pouring down her worn features. He interrupted her with a shake of his head, that movement using most of his dwindling energy reserves. "4 weeks, Mom…we got four weeks to make sure Lily is prepared, alright?" He smiled as he gazed at his crying mom. Her shoulders trembled with each sob. It broke his heart, but she needed to prepare Lily for when he was gone; raising his arm, he wiped away the tears and shook his head. “No tears…alright, no tears, those are for dead…we got four weeks…” She gripped his hand tightly as she sniffled and nodded. Though it hurt, he smiled as he let his tears flow freely, his mask falling away instantly like a kid who had to grow up too quickly to cry in his mother's arms. "Don't deserve such a son like you…I love you, Damian." Her arms squeezed her one and only son tightly. ""Love you too, Mom…" They hugged for a few moments longer. Damien relished in his mother's comforting, safe warmth before they parted. "" will get your sister alright…and we will discuss this as a family.."" he stood up and left the room, leaving Damian alone with his thoughts. He was just about to get lost in a spiral of despair when a thundering thrumming invited his ears. His body froze as a sense of dread flooded through his very soul. As he looked toward the all-encompassing sound, his eyes widened. He laid his eyes upon it and saw an Elf! A literal elf! ""ake…Kravice…szairae.."" ith that, the elf grabbed hold of him, the lithe form having the strength so immense it broke his wrist. As the elf dragged towards the buzzing, a rift in reality quickly appeared before he was pulled inside, his brain just now catching up to try and scream for help before he was dragged into the portal…as everything went dark.