Tear Jerker / Stitching Hearts

• The earliest of these is probably Matthew's monologue abut little mistakes, the origin of the "ten minutes" motif.
  • Slightly earlier than that, Matthew pushing himself to an asthma attack in gym class because he just wants to be normal.
  • And the boys bullying him at school for his demeanor - but more than that, the schism between he and Alfred that results.
• Arthur's failure to save the old man with pneumonia. Harsher in Hindsight when the Foreshadowing is taken into account.
• Upon a second reading, all of the offhand references to Arthur's heart become torturous. And there are a lot of them.
  Alfred: What were you singing?
  Arthur: It's a song from an English rock band that used to be rather popular.
  Alfred: Why'd you stop?
  Arthur: Because you nearly gave me a heart attack, you little nipper.
  • Equally bad:
  Francis: He hates you, you say? Then why did he sound as if he was about to go into cardiac arrest on the phone?
• The first fight between Alfred and Arthur is pretty brutal.
  Alfred: Why should I listen to you? You're not my real dad!
  Arthur: I know I'm not, but I'm trying, Alfred. I'm trying to do my best to keep you and your brother healthy and happy, but-
  Alfred: You're doing a bad job!
  Arthur: ...Well, I'm sorry you feel that way. I suppose it's a good thing that we got this settled before the finalization of the adoption. I was silly for thinking I could ever be a good caretaker.
  Alfred: I didn't-
  Arthur: It's quite all right. I understand now. It's not your fault, dear boy.
  Alfred: I didn't mean it! You can't send us away!
  Arthur: But you boys aren't happy here.
  Alfred: I'm happy! I was just mad because of what happened today. You said before that things would be tough, but that they would get better...
  • After Arthur leaves, this thought from Alfred:
  He still just wanted a family... A real one.
• Francis's rather sudden decision not to help Arthur with the boys, after all, resulting in Arthur being alone at the absolute worst time.
• The cutaway where it's revealed that Alfred has grown up to be disillusioned and at odds with Arthur, going into the 'teenage' arc.
• Teen Alfred's attempt to reach out to Matthew, which is entirely rebuffed.
  • Later that day, Alfred storming out on Arthur, into the cold, and his conviction that Arthur hates him when he talks to Francis.
• This conversation between Alfred and Arthur, but more so, its Ironic Echo later.
  Arthur: It's going to be fine. Everything can be fixed, Alfred; there is always a way.
  Alfred: Everything?
  Arthur: Everything.
  Alfred: You're wrong. Some things can never be fixed.
  Arthur: It's all a matter of perspective, I suppose.
• What is there to be said besides: Arthur's first heart attack?
• The aforementioned Ironic Echo to the "everything can be fixed" conversation, after Arthur gives Alfred the photo album:
  Alfred: You were right. I love it, Arthur. I couldn't have asked for anything better. (hugs him) It's going to be all right. You're all right.
  Arthur: ...No, it's not all right.
  Alfred: Please, you once said that everything can be fixed.
  Arthur: I was wrong.
  Alfred: You're never wrong.
  Arthur: I'm afraid this is an exception.
  • This moment, too:
  "No, you'll see. I'll prove you wrong. I promise I'll prove you wrong." There he went making promises again, unsure of whether or not they could be kept.
• Arthur's second heart attack, and the fact that he has to stop working afterward.
• Alfred gets Arthur to dance with him when "Wonderwall" comes on the radio, but his words of comfort only serve to upset Arthur further.
  Alfred: You can do this. I believe in you. I remember all those times I was scared or hurt when I was little, but you were always around, telling me it would be all right... God, if it weren't for you - who knows where I'd be today.
  Arthur: You've turned into a wonderful adult.
  Alfred: Thanks to you.
  (Beat)
  Alfred: (as Arthur starts crying) A-Arthur, it's all right.
  Arthur: I can b-barely walk. I'm so sorry, Alfred. I'm so sorry that I couldn't persevere and-
  Alfred: Shh. You don't have to apologize for anything. You've already done more for me than I could ever repay you for. Don't get so worked up... You just focus on getting better.
  Arthur: But I won't be getting-
  Alfred: Don't say it. There's a good possibility that you will recover just fine. I'm almost a doctor now too, so you have to listen to my orders. I'm bettin' on you getting better.
  Arthur: Cheeky brat. I can override your recommendations with my experience.
  Alfred: I'm not doubting your obviously superior amount of knowledge. But you have to admit you're going to need some help from now on... Don't worry, I'll always see you as mean ol' Arthur who never let me walk around the house barefoot.
• The cutaway to Alfred, years into Arthur's illness, feeling hopeless and frightened.
  It was a daunting task - sparring with disease, even more so when the patient became too fatigued to fend for themselves against its wrath. It fed on weakness, clinging to the diminishing power of hope - gnawing away at the once stable infrastructure of the psyche.
• Alfred's visit with his biological father during Arthur's illness.
  Alfred's Father: Listen, we've both lost someone important to us, and if you're too much of a coward to admit that it's happening again-
  Alfred: Coward? I've been watching a dead man walking for five years! I've spent five years getting up in the morning only to be reminded of the fact that the person who turned my entire life around is slowly getting worse by the day! ...I can't do it anymore. But it's such a self-important thing for me to say... When does it stop and get better?
  Alfred's Father: It doesn't.