A/N: I would suggest playing the music before reading.  It really helps set the mood of the story :) There will be an SJ song in each chapter to set the mood for new ELFs to hear their songs and show the range our boys have through their entire career as idols!

"Donghae, I'm fine." Hyukjae said on the phone for the third time that day as he locked up their apartment and headed out the building.

"I really wish you would wait for me though," Donghae replied with just a slight whine in his voice. "I'm pretty sure Kyuhyun was just being a brat and doesn't really need you."

"Hae, it's just a cold and I'm feeling better. A lot better because of you." Hyukjae hoped that his small compliment could comfort Donghae a little bit. Besides, it wasn't like it was an empty compliment. Donghae did take very good care of him and it made his heart flutter that after all their years together, Donghae would still freak out and pamper him the same.

"Just be careful ok. Make sure you call me when you get there."

"I will, Hae. I promise."

"Wait for me to pick you up. I'll leave the office early."

Hyukjae chuckled at Donghae's urgency but agreed anyways. "Yes, sir." He pressed the pedestrian button as he shifted the phone to his other ear. "Anything else you would like me to do?"

"Give me a kiss when I see you?"

Hyukjae immediately blushed and looked around to check if anyone heard that. "Yah! You're so embarassing."

"What? You're not gonna give me one?"

"Aish!" Hyukjae saw the light go green and started crossing the street. "Of course I will, but you don't have to be so cheesy about it."

He heard Donghae chuckle on the other line and Hyukjae rolled his eyes because he could just tell that he did that on purpose.

"I love you, Hyukkie."

Hyukjae reached the other side of the street and smiled even though Donghae couldn't see him. "I love you too."

Just before Hyukjae could hang up the phone, someone ran past him and bumped into his shoulders making him drop his phone. "Yah!" Hyukjae yelled after the man but he was too busy bumping into other people to care. He could faintly hear the sound of Donghae’s voice on his phone but when he turned around intending to pick it up, He caught sight of a child running towards the middle of the street without a care im the world to grab his dropped toy. Hyukjae's eyes widened when he heard the sound of a skidding car coming their way ans saw It swerve trying to avoid the man that bumped into him earlier. Quickly making the connection of the dangerous scenario that’s about to happen before him, Hyukjae did not hesitate to sprint forward and save the child before him.

As soon as he was able to reach the child, he looked up and in a split second made a life changing decision. He closed his eyes tight, and with as much force as he could, he pushed the child towards the screaming woman that was on the other side of the sreet.

There wasn't much he could do when he felt the car hit his body and lunged him down the street. He thought the impact would be more painful but the car didn't hurt his body as much as the pavement did when his body hit it rolling down the road. He must have been in total shock as he still had time to look over on the other side of the street and check if the child was okay. Hyukjae couldn't hear him but he could see him crying in his mother's arms and it made him smile, a small sense of relief going through him knowing that the child was okay, but then...in that moment...as he laid on his back and looked up to the  bright blue sky staring at the clouds that passed him by, he tried to move his body around to lessen the pain he was feeling only to feel it intensify a thousand times over. He felt something caught in his throat and that was when he started to cough up blood.

The metallic taste of his own blood filled the inside of his mouth as he felt his chest tighten and his airways started closing up. He tried to open his mouth and take a deeper breathe to ease the pain, but the more he tried the heavier his chest got. It felt like no air entered his body but a lot of it was leaving him.

However, despite the pain and difficulty he faced, all he could think about now was Donghae and how upset he would be at him to find out that a car had just ran him over. He moved a little trying to gauge his own injuries, but even just the slightest movement of his head sent a shock of pain all over his body. A single tear fell through the side of his eyes and avoided thinking of the possible outcome of his situation. He focused his mind on Donghae and how he was going to explain his injuries away from him.

He could hear people screaming and running around him but no matter how hard he tried, there was nothing he could do or say. Hyukjae kept his gaze towards the sky and felt his heart slowing down. He took one small final breath before deciding to close his eyes and hoped that when he wakes up, things would be better

~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~+~

Donghae looked at his phone with wide eyes as a million different scenarios already ran in his head at what he just heard.

"Hyukjae! HYUKJAE!" Donghae kept screaming at his phone hoping that the latter would pick up and say he was just kidding. However, as soon as he heard the screeching of a car and people screaming in the background, something in Donghae told him to run to where Hyukjae was. Despite not knowing where to go, Donghae ran out of his office and into his car. Completely ignoring his colleagues calling after him.

On his way, he kept trying to dial Hyukjae, hoping that it was just him overreacting but all he got was his voicemail. Cursing absolutely everything in the moment, Donghae got in his car and drove home. Just his luck, the traffic jam to his house was particularly bad at that moment.

"Lee Hyukjae, why aren't you picking up your phone." Donghae muttered as he tried it again.

Slowly, traffic started flowing again. Donghae was beyond frustrated when he still couldn't get through to Hyukjae. Cursing his luck Donghae grunted and hit the wheel to let out some of his frustration. His phone vibrated and he looked to see who had sent him a message.

From Kangin Hyung
You need to come to the hospital right away. 

Donghae sighed and immeditately replied.

To Kangin Hyung
Maybe next time. I need to see Hyukjae right now. 

It wasn't even two seconds later when Donghae got a reply from Kangin but this time, he felt his blood run cold reading his message.

From Kangin Hyung
Hae-ah...he's here.

Not bothering to waste any more time, Donghae quickly tried to get out of traffic and to the hospital. Kangin was a doctor at the hospital and he never wanted to meet over there unless he absolutely had to. Not knowing what to expect Donghae sped through as many red lights as he could to get to Hyukjae. Thirty-five minutes later, and he left his car in a hurry in the emergency parking lot and ran inside.

Donghae didn't know where to go. He looked left and right hoping to God that Hyukjae was just sitting there with a minor scrape or maybe a cast, but there was still no sign of him.

"Donghae!"

He quickly looked to his left and saw Kangin in his coat and Doctor's uniform and knew that wasn't a good sign. Donghae ran up to him and in a hurried voice asked, "Hyung, where is he?"

"Donghae, hey, calm down," Kangin tried to say. "He's in surgery right now. Leeteuk has him."

"Hyung, what- what happened?! Why is he here?"

Kangin sighed as he brought Donghae to the hospital's surgery outpatient wing. "I don't know a lot about the details. There was a crash emergency this morning and as soon as I saw who they brought here I contacted Leeteuk to prep for surgery then I texted you."

Donghae ran to the door that Kangin pointed him at and put his hands over the glass. He felt lost and helpless as the urge to see Hyukjae grew by the second.

"He's gonna be okay, right hyung?" Donghae looked back at Kangin pleadingly tears threatening to spill. "Tell me he's gonna be okay..."

Kangin didn't know what to say. He couldn't imagine what Donghae was going through but he was also worried about Leeteuk. The latter was shaky upon news that his dongsaeng had just arrived at the ER but being the only on-call surgeon at the moment, had no choice but to operate.

"We're-...We're going to do everything we can, Donghae." Kangin comforted instead.

Donghae couldn't keep it anymore and finally broke down. Kangin quickly caught him and allowed Donghae to cry in his arms. Kangin didn't know what to do or how he could help. It pained him a lot knowing that there was nothing he could do but hope for the best.

They both waited next to each other until the surgery was over. There wasn't much they could do and after a while, Donghae's tears had dried up and his body felt numb.

Donghae sat on the floor with Kangin next to him both of them staring into nothing. Their minds were blank and there was nothing in the world Donghae wanted to do more at the moment but hold Hyukjae's hand and tell him how much he loves him. It seemed like they were waiting for forever but, seven hours later and finally the red light of the surgery room went off. Leeteuk slowly came walking out, his feet dragging on the floor like a zombie as he looked completely lifeless. Kangin was the first to notice him and tapped Donghae's shoulders to get him back on his feet and they both semi-ran to Leeteuk waiting for the news.

Donghae watched Leeteuk closely and felt his world slowly crumble seeing his reaction. Leeteuk looked like he'd been completely drained of life as his eyes slowly filled with tears. He was still wearing his surgery gloves and mask, both still stained with blood. Hyukjae's blood. Kangin noticed Donghae shaking so he was the one who met Leeteuk half-way and asked.

"How..." Kangin didn't even have to finish his sentence before Leeteuk fell on the floor and started crying. Kangin too, suddenly overwhelmed with emotions, allowed a drop of tear to fall, but quickly wiped it away knowing Leeteuk needed him right now. He crouched down and took Leeteuk in his arms, trying to console the latter, momentarily forgetting the other person in the hallway with them.

Donghae just watched Leeteuk break down from his spot. He was completely frozen in place as his mind tried to process what was happening. It was too much. There was no way this could be real. 

It's not real. 

It can't be.

Before he could even think about what he was doing, Donghae's legs were already taking him steps towards the surgery room. Just before he could open the door Kangin grabbed his arms and pulled him back.

"Donghae, you can't."

Donghae didn't bother to say anything and simply pushed him away. Kangin didn't take it to heart and simply blocked his way. Nothing in Donghae's mind made sense anymore as all it can think about was Hyukjae, and right now, Kangin was getting in his way. He tried to violently push past Kangin but the latter was much stronger than him and made for an effective barricade.

"Hyung, get out of my way!"

"Donghae, you can't!" Kangin struggled as he tried his best to not use force but Donghae was making it hard not to. "DONGHAE, STOP!"

Donghae pushed Kangin away as he felt hot tears flood his eyes and the need to be with Hyukjae intensified. It hurt not to see Hyukjae. To not be with him. It physically hurt him that he couldn't touch him right now and he knows why it does, but he just can't accept it.

Donghae's shoulders shook as he tried to keep himself from crying before slowly approaching Kangin. He hung his head low and with both hands on Kangin's arms he plead to him one more time. He gabbed at his coat - and gripped it as tight as he could - while tears flowed down his face one after the other. 

"P-Please hyung...I-," Donghae's voice cracked and it broke Leeteuk and Kangin's heart hearing it. "I need to see him, hyung. P-Please."

"Donghae..."

"I- I can't," Donghae choked out then fell on his knees -- literally begging Kangin at this point to just let him see Hyukjae.

"I can't live without him, hyung." It was hard to understand Donghae's words from his sobbing but Kangin knew what he was trying to say. Donghae wasn't sure if he made sense anymore or not. Nothing in the world made sense without Hyukjae. All he could do at this point was cry and beg Kangin to let him be with Hyukjae.

"P-Please."