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Ethan breathed a sigh of relief. It was over. At first he thought he was screwed when teaming up with Karl, until Chris came in and supplied them with enough weapons (plus the help of Karl’s other form) so that in the end, rose didn’t need to be used.
Chris wasn’t at all keen on this team up, but Heisenberg did prove useful with all of his machinery and metal army. And so they also came up with a compromise that Karl wouldn’t be killed or arrested after this was over.
He looked back to see Chris in the distance.
“Ethan, quick! I’ll have to trigger the detonator.” Fuck they needed to get to the helicopter. Ethan ran through the fiery wreckage, debris and scrap metal everywhere, clutching Rose against his chest. “KARL!” Ethan yelled out. He lost sight of Karl after a big explosion that finished Miranda for good.
He squinted his eyes to see through the fire, and eventually saw a hunched over figure, metal slowly detaching from them. It was Karl de-transforming, thank god he was alive, but in no way okay.
As Ethan ran over, he saw how terrible Karl looked. His jacket, glasses and hat were discarded. His boots were missing leaving him barefooted, his shirt was torn up so badly it barely was a shirt anymore, and his trousers were ripped up at the ends a bit.
And he was bruised, bloodied and covered in cuts.
“Karl! Are you ok?!” Ethan crouched down in front of Karl, putting a hand on his shoulder and shaking it as he held rose in his other arm. Karl looked up at the blonde. “E-Ethan…? Is Miranda dead-“ he interrupted himself by vomiting due the adrenaline.
His vomit was a mix of flesh red and black, which was probably a result of Miranda’s experimenting. “Yes…she’s dead.” Ethan gained a soft smile. He helped Karl up, wrapping an arm around his side.
Karl was so tired, so in pain, his whole body ached. But it was worth it. Miranda was finally dead, thank god…after all these years of imagining the day, even if it ended up playing out very differently from how he pictured it.
“ETHAN!” Chris yelled louder and more sterner. The father gave a scowl he knew Chris couldn’t see, “we’re going as fast as we can!” The rumbling from the megamycete could be heard in the distance. Rose fussed at the noise.
“Shh shh…it’s okay rosey-“ Ethan tried to calm rose, but felt Karl go slack against him, clearly losing consciousnesses. “Karl! Hey, hey!” Ethan shook him a bit, “cmon…wake up!”
Once they finally made their way over to Chris (well Ethan had to practically drag Karl over…) he handed Rose to Chris, and turned his attention back to the man slumped against him.
Ethan lightly slapped Heisenberg’s face. “KARL! Shit…COME ON WAKE UP!” He knelt down in front of the unconscious man, shaking him. “E…than…?” Heisenberg mumbled.
“Yes…it’s me…! Now come on we have to get going.” He helped Karl up and wrapped his arm around his waist again. “W-Wow…how chivalrous of you w-winters…helping me like this…” Karl gave a shaky laugh.
“Not the time for jokes! Hurry!” Ethan replied, following Chris towards the helicopter. As they walked into it, Ethan was so focused on keeping Karl conscious (which he barely was), that he didn’t even notice Mia taking rose in her arms.
I mean, it’s not like he would wanna look at her anyways…
She lied to him. Didn’t tell him that he was practically mould. He felt so lied to, and he already felt lied to with everything that happened back in Louisiana. He didn’t see Mia as the love of his life anymore, he saw her as someone two faced, someone he didn’t know if he could trust or not.
Mia stared at Ethan rather awkwardly as he helped Karl sit down, asking Chris to get a med kit and bandages for him.
—-
The helicopter now was flying among the clouds, the distant sounds of an explosion as the village blew up sky high. Miranda was dead, Rose was safe, the megamycete was destroyed. All of this was finally over.
Mia held a now fast asleep Rose and watched the two men across from her tiredly have a conversation, not giving her any attention.
Ethan had now patched up Heisenberg to the best of his abilities (with help from Chris!) and Karl was given a new change of comfortable clothes. A loose white shirt and black trousers.
“So…glad to finally be free from Miranda…?” Ethan sarcastically asked Karl, who was slumped against him. “Eh…could be better.” Karl chuckled.
“I mean, now that you’re wrapped up with me, I doubt it will get any better” the father joked. They both gave a small, breathy laugh. “Don’t jinx it winters. Now that Miranda is dead things can finally look up a bit.”
“Yeah I guess you’re right…” they both sat in silence for a while. Eventually Ethan spoke up again. “…hey Heisenberg…?” The two made eye contact. “What is it, Ethan?”
Ethan smiled warmly. “Thanks. For helping me save my daughter. And defeating Miranda.” He said softly. Karl’s face flushed a bit, “u-uh yeah…no problem winters…I mean it was for me too…but y’know…”
“Yeah, yeah. How could I so ever forget?” Ethan sarcastically asked. Heisenberg gave a small ‘tsk’ in reply, clearly annoyed at Ethan’s comment, but Ethan saw the small smirk he had as he did so.
And pretty soon, the exhaustion caught up to the two, and they fell asleep rested against each other. With Karl’s hand resting lightly atop Ethan’s.