The Greatest Showman #876 - Aimlessly

The cold wave had passed, but the air was still dry and biting, carrying a desolate chill that cut through the city. Passersby instinctively huddled into their coats, lifting collars against the wind. Yet, despite the harsh winter, the rare sun broke through the steel-reinforced forest of skyscrapers, casting mottled shadows on the streets and breathing a small, quiet vitality into the otherwise cold city.

This was one of those rare, bright winter days in New York.

Renly opened the car door and stepped out. The sunlight brushed lightly over his skin, warm and fleeting. He spread his palm to catch the brief warmth, feeling it pulse in his fingertips before closing his hand and slipping it into his coat pocket. He raised his pace, walking into the lobby of Mount Sinai Hospital. The sun slowly slipped behind him, and the fleeting warmth vanished, like sand through an hourglass.

Inside the hospital, everything was quiet—methodical, orderly. The air was still, calm even, but beneath the surface, life and death, sickness and pain were woven into the very fabric of this place.

Ding. The elevator doors opened, and Renly stepped out onto the destination floor. As he walked toward Heather's room, Andy's voice called after him. "Renly, are you sure this is a good idea?" he asked, gesturing to Roy and Nathan. "Isn't it rude to just show up like this? Maybe we should wait in the rest area until we have permission from the family."

Renly paused, turning to face his team. After a brief moment, he nodded. "You should stay here in the rest area." He gestured toward a quieter corner. "The smoking area's just around the corner, or there's the balcony and the stairwell if you want to stretch your legs."

Before he could finish, the sound of voices outside the floor-to-ceiling windows caught his attention.

There, silhouetted against the pale daylight, were Derek and Ellie Cross. Both were holding cigarettes, their faces drawn with exhaustion. Their coats hung loosely around their frames as they stood outside, their expressions telling a story of weariness and grief.

At that moment, Heather's condition was still critical, and it seemed unlikely both parents would step away from her side at once. But as Renly stepped closer, it was clear something was amiss. The conversation outside grew louder as he approached.

"...Are you crazy? Why would you call him? He's a star. The only reason he's here is to use Heather for publicity!" Ellie's voice was sharp with anger.

"Ellie, calm down! Do you hear yourself? Are you really going to believe the tabloids?!" Derek's voice trembled with a mix of frustration and disbelief.

"I don't care!" Ellie shouted, her voice raw. "All I know is that he's a stranger—a volunteer. He's no different than any of the staff here. Why is he doing this to Heather? Why?!"

Derek's frustration broke through. "You don't understand. If it wasn't for him—if it wasn't for last night's concert—Heather wouldn't have woken up. Maybe she wouldn't have gotten worse so quickly. We knew the risks—"

"No, Derek!" Ellie screamed, her face contorted with grief. "You made that choice! You did this! We should have never gone, not in this cold! Not with Heather in her condition!"

The air was thick with accusation, the harsh words thrown like daggers, and for a moment, Derek fell silent, unable to answer. Ellie's anger only grew, her voice rising to a fever pitch.

"Yes, I said it!" she cried. "I'd rather Heather be in a coma than like this—alive, but unable to speak, unable to smile, to feel pain, but at least she'd be alive! Do you understand? I want my daughter alive. Forget the music, forget Renly, I just want her back."

Her words hung in the air like a wound, raw and bleeding, before she turned away, her body trembling with emotion. Derek watched her for a moment, then turned his gaze back to Renly, who had stepped into view.

"Renly?" Derek's voice was soft with disbelief. He opened the sliding door, stepping toward Renly. But as soon as he saw the calm expression on Renly's face, he faltered. Words stuck in his throat, and all he could offer was a helpless, apologetic look.

Renly's face remained composed, a shallow smile flickering across his lips. "Derek," he greeted, his tone polite. He then turned to Ellie, who averted her gaze stubbornly, refusing to meet his eyes. Renly's smile wavered, but he didn't push it. "How is Heather doing?"

Renly's calm demeanor was almost unnerving. He didn't react to the outburst or the tension that hung in the air. His concern was genuine, but his composure remained unshaken, like a vast, silent lake in the midst of a storm.

Derek hesitated, his words slow and disjointed. "She's... not good. It's bad. The doctors... they don't know what to do. Her respiratory failure is happening so fast—faster than we expected. In the past few weeks, everything's deteriorated. They don't have much hope left..."

His voice trailed off as the weight of his words hit him, and he looked helplessly at Renly. "Sorry. Ellie... she's just... struggling."

Renly waved off the apology with a smile, though his eyes held understanding. "It's okay. I understand," he said softly.

Renly knew that Ellie wasn't angry with him specifically. She was angry at everything—at the situation, at the helplessness, at the inevitable loss—and that anger had nowhere to go but outward. It wasn't logical, but it was human.

But Renly also knew there was nothing that could be said to change Ellie's grief-stricken state. She was trapped in her own rage and sorrow, just like Derek, like everyone else who loved Heather.

Renly glanced at Derek. "Can I go in and visit Heather?"

Derek seemed to snap out of his trance, nodding in surprise. But before he could respond, Ellie's voice called out from behind, sharp and urgent, "Derek! We need to go back. The nurses will be finishing soon."

She rushed past Renly without looking at him, her face a mask of anguish and frustration.

Derek froze, his throat tight, and for a moment, he didn't know what to say. Finally, Renly spoke again, gently, "Derek, go back to the ward. I'm sure Heather wants her parents with her right now."

With a short nod, Derek rushed past Renly to catch up with Ellie. The two of them disappeared into the hallway, swallowed by the chaos of the hospital.

Nathan's voice called out from behind, filled with suppressed anger and concern. "Renly, we need to talk. You're not okay."

Renly turned, his smile still present, though there was an edge to his tone. "It seems my name is being called more than usual today," he said lightly. "I'm fine. I'm just tired, that's all. But don't worry. I'll be fine."

Despite the worry that was evident on his friends' faces, Renly remained calm. He knew what it felt like to lose someone to illness—he had been there before, in a different life. But this time, he wasn't the one suffering.

Turning back to his team, Renly made a quick decision. "You all go ahead. I'll stay here for a bit longer. But I'll be ready for the party tonight. You have my word." He glanced at Andy, who hesitated. "Trust me, I'm fine. Just like last time—if I'm not, I'll let you know."