The week had been a long one, one with even less sleep than he usually had. It was a week spent researching and collecting information on the likelihood of Jake's resuscitation. Everyone reassured him that everyone came back here, that the moderators of this bloody game wouldn't let their precious pieces be done away with so easily, but as time passed he started to believe those words less and less.

Each day he would clean Jake's body, keep it as preserved as he possibly could, but nothing could stop the growing doubt in the back of his mind. The body would continue to decompose in his bedroom. It was a health hazard. He needed to dispose of it if it got any worse. A couple of times he almost did but he couldn't bring himself to do it. 'Just one more day' he would say to himself. That was three days ago. He couldn't bring himself to burn the only person whoever truly believed in him. If he were in that bed, would Jake do the same?

He tried not to think too much on such things and continued to take care of Jake as if he were still alive. Finally his body was starting to give way and he found himself dozing longer than intended. It wasn't until Jake's hand fell into his lap that Dirk sprung to alertness. His sword was half-way out of his sylladex when he realized what was happening. He mumbled a quick rhyme to put it back before putting Jake's glasses in his hand and sitting back down in the chair next to his own bed.