[My Hero/My Partner]

Jason sat beside the hospital bed, staring at Mary's fragile body, his mind replaying every moment they had shared together. The soft beeping of the machines echoed in the quiet room, each sound a cruel reminder of how little time they had left.

They had always been inseparable—since they were kids, when they created their own superhero association in the backyard. He had been Weiss Owl, the strategic protector, always thinking ahead, always planning. She had been Saber Athena, the fearless warrior, bold and unstoppable. Together, they had made a vow to save lives, protect the world, and most importantly, always look out for each other.

But Jason had failed. He couldn't save her.

He watched the shallow rise and fall of her chest, the once invincible spirit of his best friend now lying frail and broken. Mary had always been the stronger one, the light that pulled him through every dark moment. She had been his partner, his hero, his guiding star. And now, she was fading, the strength that had defined her slipping away with every passing minute.

Mary stirred, her eyelids fluttering as she struggled to open them. Jason leaned closer, his heart aching with every beat, his breath catching in his throat as he saw her trying to speak.

"Mary," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. He gently took her hand in his, careful not to jostle her fragile body. Her fingers were cold, so cold, and the thought of her slipping away sent a wave of despair crashing over him. "I'm here. It's me—Jason."

Her lips twitched into the faintest smile, her eyes, once so full of fire and life, now dull and clouded with pain. But even through the haze of sickness, there was still something in her gaze that spoke of the fighter she had always been.

"Jason…" Her voice was barely audible, no more than a breath. She looked at him with so much love, so much regret, that it tore through him like a blade. "Weiss Owl…"

Hearing her use his superhero name almost broke him. It was their thing—their way of escaping the world when it became too hard, when they needed to believe they were invincible. In their game, they had always been untouchable, unbeatable. But the real world wasn't as kind.

"Don't talk like that," Jason pleaded, his voice cracking. "We're still a team. Weiss Owl and Saber Athena, right? We'll get through this—together."

Mary shook her head weakly, her eyes filling with tears. She knew, and deep down, so did Jason. There was no escaping this battle. There was no final mission they could win. This was the end.

"I can't… fight this one, Jay," she whispered, her breaths shallow, each word a struggle. "I'm… resigning."

"No, no, don't say that." Jason's voice trembled, and he fought back the tears that threatened to spill over. He couldn't lose her—not like this. She had always been the strong one, the brave one. She couldn't just… leave.

But the truth was staring him in the face, no matter how hard he tried to deny it. Mary's body was shutting down. The illness that had taken over her once vibrant, powerful form was winning, and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

Tears welled in his eyes, his chest constricting as he clutched her hand, trying to hold on to what little warmth remained. "You can't leave me, Mary," he choked out. "I need you. You're my partner, my hero. I can't do this without you."

Mary's lips parted in a soft, broken laugh, and for a moment, it felt like they were kids again—two best friends pretending to be heroes, saving the world one imaginary mission at a time. But this time, there were no games, no pretend victories. The weight of reality pressed down on them both.

"You don't need me, Jason," she whispered. "You never did. You've always been the hero. You just… never saw it."

Jason shook his head furiously, the tears finally spilling over. "Don't say that. You're the strong one, not me. You're Saber Athena—the warrior. You've always been the fighter."

"And you've always been the heart," she said softly, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "You were the one who kept us grounded, who made us better. You were always the reason I fought so hard. But now… I'm so tired, Jay."

Jason squeezed her hand tighter, his own heart breaking as he watched the life slip away from her. He didn't know how to do this. He didn't know how to say goodbye to the one person who had meant everything to him, the person who had been there through every battle, every victory, every defeat.

"I can't let you go," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "I can't be a hero without you."

"You already are," Mary said, her voice growing weaker with each word. "You've always been my hero, Jason."

Her words shattered him. He wanted to scream, to rage against the universe for taking her away, for leaving him alone in a world that felt so empty without her. But all he could do was sit there, holding her hand, as the person who had been his entire world began to slip away.

Mary's breathing grew slower, more labored, and Jason could see that the end was near. He leaned closer, his forehead resting against hers, his tears falling onto the hospital sheets. He didn't want her to go. He wasn't ready. He would never be ready.

"I love you," he whispered, his voice breaking. "I love you so much, Mary."

A single tear slipped from Mary's eye, and she managed a weak smile. "I love you too, Jay," she whispered. "Always."

And then, with a strength that surprised him, she lifted her hand slightly, her fingers brushing against his cheek. "I, Saber Athena," she said softly, her voice barely more than a breath, "am… signing off."

Jason's heart shattered.

The words—their words—felt like a final blow, a reminder that their game, their childhood dream, was over. Mary was resigning, not just from their imaginary superhero association, but from life itself.

And there was nothing Jason could do to stop it.

He held her hand as the beeping of the heart monitor slowed, the sound stretching out into a long, piercing note that marked the end. Mary's body went still, her fingers slipping from his grasp, her final breath leaving her lips in a quiet sigh.

Jason didn't move. He couldn't. He sat there, frozen in place, the weight of her absence crushing him, the silence in the room deafening.

She's gone.

His best friend, his partner, his Saber Athena—the girl who had been his hero, his light, was gone.

And he was alone.

The world outside the hospital window continued on, oblivious to the life that had just ended, to the heartbreak that had just ripped Jason's soul apart. People moved, cars passed, the sun set. But for Jason, time had stopped. Nothing mattered anymore.

He leaned forward, pressing his lips to Mary's forehead, his tears falling freely onto her still skin. "Goodbye, Mary," he whispered, his voice trembling. "Goodbye, Saber Athena."

The game was over.

And Jason—Weiss Owl—was left behind, the hero without his partner, without his heart.

He had lost his greatest battle.

And now, he didn't know how to keep fighting.