Something felt wrong.

Awfully wrong.

Steven Grant was laying on his bed in his dorm, looking at the ceiling.
Now what could be causing this feeling in his core? His team? Nah, they would've called if there was a problem. An attack? Can't be, there were alarms everywhere. The other teams?

He suddenly sat up.

Surge.

Something must've happened to him.

Grant has known Surge ever since they were created 28 years ago. He never really liked him, since Surge got the spot in the Alpha-team instead of him, until Grant found out about his problems.

Extreme insecurity, sleep deprivision and suicidal thoughts.

Ever since then, he felt guilty for Surge. Grant treated him better, stopped making jokes about him, actually helped him during trainings and missions together. They eventually created a pretty strong bond.
With it, he also learned to figure out which of the things Surge shows were real and which fake. And boy, was it a lot!

It's sad that his own team mates couldn't tell that Surge's smiles, happy moments and laughs were all fake...

Grant grabbed his portal maker. It would take too long to get to the mansion by foot from the Hero Factory.
He activated a portal, jumped it and stood in front of the entrance of the mansion.
Upon knocking, a white haired girl, opened it. She was quite short.
"Grant? What a surprise. What brings you here?" Wolfie asked.

He needed to find Surge.

"Uhm, I'm here for Surge. D'you know where he is?"
"In his room the last time I saw him. It's upstairs, down the hall on the left, the fifth door. It's a blue one with two yellow stripes on the sides."

Grant quickly thanked her and rushed in the direction she said. He knocked on the said door and called Surge's name.

No answer.

He tried opening the door and it swung open. The room was really dark. Grant tried turning on the lights, but the lightbulb didn't seem to work. "Night vision it is then..."
He turned on his night vision visors and immediately froze in his movement.

There he was.
Hanging from a rope.
With an empty gaze, a tear mark.

And a very faint smile.

Grant ran to him, put the chair back up, stepped onto it and tried opening the knot.

Where was his dagger when he actually needs it?!

Grant looked around Surge's room and saw his weapons in a corner. He picked up a knife, cut the rope and laid Surge down on the ground.
Come on, he can't be gone yet, right?!?

"SURGE, STOP PLAYING THIS ISN'T FUNNY!!!"

No response.

Surge's eyes weren't glowing, nor was his core. The faint smile from earlier was also gone.

Tears started to fill his eyes.

"Surge...... no..."

Grant held Surge close as the tears came down like a waterfall.

"Grant?" Wolfie stood in the doorframe. "Grant, what's going on??" He didn't answer. Wolfie made her way through the room to Surge's bedside and turned on the lamp which stood on the nightstand. She noticed a letter written in Surge's small, but neat handwriting.

With a bad feeling, she shakely picked it up and read it.

Dear Alpha-team and friends,

I'm aware this sounds a bit cliché, but I guess I'll be dead by the time you find my letter.
It's been a great time spending with all of you, so thank you for being there with me. But I'm afraid it ends here. I'm sorry.

Are you wondering why I hanged myself? Probably, since I'm known as the "Livewire" and "the clumsy, energetic hero".
No, it's not because of you guys or the attention. Just some things I've been dealing myself.

Hey, is it okay if I don't elaborate? It's kinda complicated to explain, especially in written form.
You know, I'm happy that you guys were there with me. Really! We were a family, but some things just don't last forever. I chose my own path, now you guys choose your own. Hopefully they're not like mine, heh!
But hey, at least you don't have me as a troublemaker anymore! That's something, right?

It's getting hard to write...
I just wanted to say goodbye and that everything we did together meant a lot to me!
I'm so bad at goodbyes....

Farewell then!

Underneath, Surge signed it with his signature.

Wolfie slowly turned her head to the center of the room. It was dimly lit by the lamp.
Grant was holding Surge's body. He was shaking. A lot. Like he's suppressing his urge to scream.

She stared at them for a moment, before dropping the letter and falling onto her knees.

She didn't bother holding it back.

She screamed and sobbed and cried, all at the same time.