Narrator's POV

She packed my bags last night pre-flight
Zero hour nine AM
And I'm gonna be high as a kite by then
I miss the earth so much I miss my wife
It's lonely out in space
On such a timeless flight
And I think it's gonna be a long long time
'Till touch down brings me round again to find

"I'm not the man they think I am at home
Oh no no no I'm a rocket man. Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone." Stephen sang as he played notes on the debris covered piano in Tony's half destroyed home.

Tears pooling in Stephen's eyes, threatening to fall.

"And I think it's gonna be a long long time
'till touch down brings me round again to find. I'm not the man they think I am at home.
Oh no no no I'm a rocket man. Rocket man burning out his fuse up here alone." He played every note perfectly. "Mars ain't the kind of place to raise your kids..." He continued singing.

Captain looked at him, feeling the sadness radiating off of Stephen as he sang and played. He began to howl along with Stephen's signing.

Stephen looked down at the little puppy. A small smile sneaking up on his lips. "You want to sing too?" Stephen asked Captain.

Captain gave a small yip.

Stephen picked him up and placed him on his lap. He began to play again. "In fact it's cold as hell, and there's no one there to raise them if you did. All this science I don't under-"

Captain began to howl, standing on his two back legs and placing his two front paws on the piano keys, playing broken keys and notes. He did it again, playing terrible noises and howling.

That set a small chuckle in Stephen off.

He watched as the small dog played broken notes and howled. He sniffled, tears rolling down his cheeks. He looked down at the small dog, listening to him howl. His small smile began to fall as he listened at how sad this all was, reminding him of what had happened the previous days. He felt silly doing it, but he let out a quiet howl along with Captain.

Captain began to howl even louder.

Stephen howled with him, each howl getting louder, but more broken as tears began to treat down his face.

His heart hurt.

Stephen took Captain in his arms and held him close, sobbing.

///0///0

Stephen woke up to nobody by his side. "Hah..." He sighed and turned his face to the ceiling, the smell of Tony's cologne still in the air. Stephen sat up when he saw something run by his door. "Tony?" He called.

The cloak appeared at his door.

"Oh." He said, his expression quickly changing into one of sadness. He laid back down.

///0///0

He picked at his breakfast plate, sighing. He pushed it aside.

Captain sat in the chair across from him at the dinner table with his own little place of food. He tilted his head to the side, watching his human push away his plate aside.

>knock< >knock<

"Stephen." It was Christine.

Stephen's head perked up. He looked at Captain. "Sh. Sh." He said, placing a finger up to his lips.

Captain barked.

"No, sh!" Stephen whispered.

"Stephen, I know you're in there." She said.

"No, I'm not." He said. "You had to bark." He told Captain.

Captain only looked at him, sticking his tongue out and happily panting.

"Stephen, open up."

"Go away." Stephen said.

"Stephen please. I'm worried." She said. "And you have a ton of mail out here."

Stephen looked at the door. "How many are coupons?" He asked.

"I don't know." Christine said. "There's a few for whole wheat bread and strawberry yogurt."

///0///0

"So." Christine said, looking around the Sanctum. She saw how rough this has been for Stephen.

I mean, come on, the man was dressed in pajama pants, a t-shirt, and a robe with his feet bare.

She spotted Stephen's violin. "Composed any music lately?" She asked.

"Yes, actually." Stephen answered, he picked up the violin, clearing the his throat. "I call this one "My Life so Far." He played a single note, then screaming came after.

"Alright, alright." Christine took the violin from him.

"I wasn't done yet." Stephen said.

"I don't think you need to go on. I've heard enough." She said, putting the violin away. "How about you and your dog come take a walk with me at the park? I'm sure you miss the outdoors."

"Oh, please." Stephen said, walking over to his couch and swishing his robe over himself before flopping onto the couch. "I'd rather look into a loaded gun." He said.

"How about we go talk to a doctor?" She asked.

"I'll just look in the mirror." Stephen said.

"I meant a therapist." She said.

"I don't need a therapist." Stephen said.

"Stephen." Christine said. "You've literally got your hand in a FrootLoops bowl that's been sitting on the ground for a few days, according to the state of that milk."

Stephen looked down at his hand, hanging from the couch. "Oh, so that's where it went."

"Mhm." Christine nodded. "We're gonna go see someone."

///0///0

"So, we have a new member upon us. Why don't you introduce yourself?" Asked a man, standing in the middle of a chair made of circles, each containing a different face, and looking at Stephen.

"My name's Stephen." Stephen said.

Christine was sitting near, watching him during his first session.

"Hello, Stephen." Everyone said.

Stephen looked over at Christine, who gave him a thumbs up.

"So, tell us your story." Said the man.

"Oh man. It's one of those circles where you share your feelings. Oh fuck." Stephen said. "I've gotta get out of here." He said, turning his back to the man.

Christine got up.

Someone held Stephen. "There's no way out of it." Said the doctor. "The only way out is to face your fears."

"Christine!" Stephen called.

"I'll see you at three." Christine said, leaving the building.

///0///0

"And that's when I noticed, I had taken a glass of water from the toilet and drank it." Said a man.

Stephen sat in his chair with his legs and arms crossed, giving the man that had just spoke an extremely weird look.

Everyone else nodded.

"Stephen, are you ready to talk to us?" Said the doctor.

"Uh, no." Stephen said. "I'm actually not suppose to be here. I'm perfectly fine."

"Denial." Everyone said.

Stephen was suddenly pushed to the center of the circle.

"We're here for you Stephen. There's nothing that you should be afraid of. We won't judge you for anything you've done. We're all here for you." Said the doctor calmly.

"I killed a man with just this thumb." Stephen said, sticking up his left thumb.

The room suddenly grew quiet.

"I'm just kidding." Stephen chuckled. "But, no. I actually..." He swallowed. "My partner...he..." He sucked a breath. "He died in my arms, and I can't help but blame myself for it."

///0///0

Stephen laid awake in bed, staring at the ceiling in the dark. He watched as cars that drove by casted shadows on the ceiling.

Captains laid in bed, soundly asleep next to him.

"You know Tony..." He spoke. "I'd give up my eyes to see you one last time. I'd give all my fingertips to touch you. I could paint you picture perfect even if I were blinded. Painfully, I can't breathe, I need you here with me. I close my eyes I can feel you close. Why did you have to go?" He said as silent tears rolled down his cheeks.

Captain sleepily made his way to Stephen and laid on his chest after curling up into a little ball.

That put a small smile on Stephen's lips.