1:53 AM

A/UListen to this song while reading if you want, I like it.~Munky

Third Person POV

"1:53 Am. That was the time Axl Rose died."

-

"I love you." Slash said one last time, holding onto Axl's cold, ashy hands. He pressed them to his wet lips, slick from spit that slipped out from his sobbing. "I-I love you so much."

"We have to g-go." Nikki whimpered, trying to hold it together as he saw his friend on the white clothed bed. "He's al-already gone."

"J-Just one-one more minute." Slash whispered, voice cracking as he reached forward to touch Axl's face ever so gently. Axl was breathing, but it wasn't him: it was the machine. He was already somewhere else.

Slash took a deep breath and got up. His knees collapsed under him, but Nikki caught him and helped him up. Slash bent down, tears racing quietly down his face and his lips brushed Axl's one last time.

"O-Okay." Was all the curly haired boy could mutter out, "You can do it." He whimpered, speaking to the doctors but not leaving his eyesight off his boyfriend. His poor boyfriend. His love. His best friend. His everything.

The doctor nodded and reached down to the cord to cut off Axl's life support. The slow, slow beeping of his false heartbeat started to fade, until the jumps of green on the monitor turned into a flat line.

-

"1:53 AM. That is the time I wake up at night sometimes."

The people in the sad sea of black looked at the ground. No one breathed, no one talked.

"I feel him with me. I know his is there." A tear rolled down Slash's face as he spoke on the podium next to a silver casket, microphone shaking in his tan hands. "He's here right now."

Steven, Izzy, Duff, Nikki, Mick Mars, and more were seated on plastic seats in a tiny, greed field. A small breeze wove its way through the crowd and the trees around them swayed gently. A small bird chirped its song quietly, respectfully. The sun was out, their black clothes absorbing the heat, but no one dared move to take off a jacket or cardigan.

"Axl thought of himself as no-good. As someone who took up space in this world and was here for no reason. But to me... He was everything. He made such an impact on me, and many others here today."

Nikki nodded lightly, pursing his lips together and staring at a patch of grass next to his black boots. Steven held onto Duff's hand, who held onto Izzy's. Mick Mars had his arms crossed, looking at Slash with respect, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Those of you who knew Axl closely knew that he made mistakes. He went down the wrong path many, many times. When I met him... he seemed to try and right his wrongs. He tried to get better, and I know he did. He's somewhere were good people go, because that is what he is- was, a good person. No matter the amount of mistakes he made."

Slash nodded and stepped down from the podium.

-

Two Months Later

"Vincent Neil Wharton was arrested this morning for video proof of arson along with many different drug charges. Another man on the scene of the crime, Thomas Lee Bass, was also convicted of such felonies." The news reporter said over the TV in Nikki's apartment.

"I told you they would get turned in." Mick sneered at the mugshot of Vince and Tommy shown on display upon the screen.

Nikki averted his eyes from the TV, not wanting to look into the eyes of his former lover who tagged along in the incident that got his friend killed.

Slash pursed his lips together, his hands folded on his lap as he sat crisscross on the leather couch in between Nikki and Mars.

Once Axl's city house started to engulf in flames, multiple people called the police who brought the firefighters. They were thankfully able to recover a security system with video that Nikki forced Axl to install when he found out the redhead lived in the city house. Police took the evidence, reviewed it, and along with detectives, arrested Vince and Tommy.

"Mr. Wharton and Mr. Bass are also convicted with Involuntary Manslaughter. Both will be sentenced to 10 years in prison, possibly more, as new evidence is shinned upon." Continued the anchor on television before Mars turned off the TV.

"That's enough for today." Mick grumbled, standing up and maneuvering himself to Nikki's fridge and grabbed a beer out. "You boys want any?"

"Ah, yes, I would love some of my own beer that is in my fridge, thanks for asking!" Nikki snorted which caused Slash to laugh, reaching out to Mick for him to throw one. He caught the cool can, but barely. Nikki shook his head and got up.

"I'm hitting the hay, I got a job interview in the morning." Nikki yawned and stretched his arms, walking to his room. "You're welcome to stay for however long, just lock the door. Also, I bought you a new pillow, Slasher. Your old one looked like you fucked the stuffing out or something."

Slash has been staying with Nikki on the man's floor since he kept having nightmares about a burning zombie Axl dragging him to hell. He knew the dream was just that; a dream. But anything that had to do with Axl made his heart hurt, so Nikki offered to have him stay at his apartment. He was greatful.

"Thanks, Nik Nok." Slash grinned, cracking open the cold can and waving goodnight to his friend. "You headed out, Mick?"

"Not just yet, gotta finish my beer." The older man smiled and chugged it down. "Mind if I chat with you for a bit?"

"Not at all."

Mick leaned against Nikki's marble kitchen island and stared solemnly across the living room to the outside world.

"What are your plans, boy."

Slashes eyes widened and he stopped mid drink. Mick was still staring off into the distance.

"Well..." Slash hadn't thought much about the future ever since... the incident. He fell into sort of a depression, which is common for someone to fall into when losing a loved one. "I'm not sure."

Mick nodded and there was a silence between them as they sipped on their beers in no rush.

"I... guess I want to help people." Slash looked down at the shiny can, wiping his cold, wet hand onto the couch cushion. "I wanna help people like... him."

"Mm." Mick nodded. "I see."

"Yeah... Nikki is trying to become a teacher. Said he might go back to college. Crazy, right?"

"Nothing's too crazy." Mick smiled. "You should go back, too."

"I don't even know what I would go back for."

"A therapist."

Silence.

"A what?"

"A therapist." Mick took one last swig of his beer and crushed the can with his rough hands, tossing it into the trash to the left of him. "You said you want to help people. People like Axl had a lot of things wrong up here" He pointed to his head. "But you made him feel better."

"I..." Slash thought for a second. "I never really thought about that. Thank you."

Mick smiled, eyes wrinkling.

"As for me," Mars began, "I'm retiring. I'm gonna move to the Bahamas."

"Are you for real?" Slash laughed.

"Dead fucking serious."

"Can I visit you as an excuse to just fuckin go to the Bahamas?" There was a little bit of excitement brewing in Slashes head, the first time in a while.

"Absolutely."

"Thank you for... talking." Slash looked up at Mick who was putting on his heavy leather jacket, preparing to leave the small apartment. "It means a lot I have someone like you In my life."

"Don't get too sappy, dumbass." Mick rolled his eyes but with a grin and headed out the door, shutting it quietly to not wake up Nikki.

Slash smiled to himself, drinking what was left in the can and crushed it.

Although it was 1 in the morning, Slash knew he wasn't able to sleep. He waited a few minutes until he heard Mick's car pull out of the driveway, then stepped outside, relishing in the cool air. He locked the door and started walking down the steps, going into his own car. He drove, the radio was off so all that tranquilized him was the sound of rain starting to beat down on his car.

Not far from Nikki's apartment was his destination. He parked in the parking lot of the building and got out. He made sure no one was looking, then climbed up the tall ladder on the side of the brick wall. It was a Chinese food restaurant that Slash enjoyed eating at sometimes, but right now, he just wanted to be alone with his thoughts. His arms strained to pull him up, and finally he was on the roof, huffing a little and being careful not to slip considering it started to rain heavily.

He couldn't go to Axl's old city home and climb on the top because the weight of the brick compared to the wooden parts of the building made it collapse. This Chinese restaurant would have to do. Slash came up here often to be alone, mainly after the death of Axl, or if he just needed to think. Now, he needed to think.

Mick's suggestion of trying to get a degree to become a therapist swirled in his head. He didn't know what he wanted to do, but helping people was one of them, and a therapist seemed like a good choice. He had enough money saved up from his job at the record store that he could do at least two years, after all, a few student loans weren't that bad.

Slash lifted his face up, closing his eyes and standing in the rain, the water dripping down and wetting his hair and clothes, but he didn't mind.

He smiled, shaking himself like a dog to try and prevent the water from sliding down the back of his neck. He looked out into the city, listening to the rain and the cars and the people. There was a faint smell of the Chinese food from down below, but the rain muted the smell.

The city reminded him of Axl, and in this moment, the thought of his past lover didn't make his heart hurt, it made him happy. Happy that he got to experience him in his life. He knew he couldn't sulk, Axl wouldn't want that for him.

Slash thought to himself, about Axl, about Nikki, about Mick and Izzy and Steven. He thought about the future.

What would Axl want me to do?

-

A few years later and Slash enrolled in college and on the path of becoming a therapist. Nikki was on his way to becoming a teacher. Mick had retired to the Bahamas as promised, occasionally sending Slash money to help with school. Izzy still worked at the record store and Duff and Steven took over the Coffee shop. Axl, well, he watched them all with a smile on his face.

-

A/N

And here we are. The end. Thank you all for encouraging me to finish this story. I enjoyed the journey. If you ever need help or need someone to talk to, I am here. I love you all, keep rock and rolling.

~ Munky