Arlins feet smacked the rain slicked pavement as she ran. Her breaths became shorter and more desperate as her racing heart beat rang in her ears. This wasn't the plan; she wasn't expecting the hunt to be after a Greater Demon. Arlin stopped and whipped around expecting to see Charlie right behind her; he wasn't. Then he turned the street corner, Arlin gave a sigh of relief but it was short lived when right behind Charlie was the Greater Demon.

"RUN!" Charlie yelled to Arlin. Her panicked breath began again as she turned and ran toward the institute. Best case scenario both her and Charlie could make it to the institute in time to shut the Demon out. Worst case, they would both die at the hands of the Greater Demon, or worse be tortured. Arlin didn't fear death or pain, she really didn't fear a lot of things; but at this moment she was scared as hell.

Arlin reached the steps of the institute and began to climb them. When she got halfway she looked back. Charlie had pulled out his last seraph blade and was facing the Demon. Arlins weapons had been lost at some point during the attack, she was defenseless. Charlie raised the blade, but the demon was much faster and in one fluid motion, swung its sharp talons across his chest. The force of the blow sent Charlie flying back, and landing on the steps with a sickening CRUNCH.

"NO!" Arlin screamed in terror and rage. The Demon laughed with a whiney cackle. Arlin ran and picked up Charlie's seraph blade and straight toward it. She raised the blade over her head and screaming at the top of her lungs she brought the blade down and let it go. The blade whistled toward the monster then with a thud buried itself in the Demons chest. It stopped laughing and looked down at the wound; it gave Arlin a murderous look then vanished into nothing.

Arlin let go of her breath and she suddenly remembered Charlie. She ran over to him, her feet barely touching the ground, and knelt down beside her Parabatai. His breaths were shaken and his pulse fading. Blood poured from the wounds on his chest.

"I'm going to get help." Arlin breathed as she tried to get up. But Charlie grabbed her hand.

"Stay," he whispered. His hand was cold and weak. Thunder rumbled overhead and the rain began to pour.

"You need help Charlie." Arlin tried to hide the desperation in her voice.

"Look at me Arlin," his voice was weak and shaken; "there's nothing to fix."

Arlin stared at him. His blonde hair was plastered on his head with a mixture of sweat, rain, and blood. Down across his chest were three gashes in which blood oozed from them. The institute steps in which she sat covered in blood and rain. Arlin felt the rain drip from her now soaking wet hair into her face.

"No, you're going to be ok I promise." The tears rolled into Arlins voice.

Charlie let out a slow painful sigh. "You know I've regretted becoming your Parabatai ever since the ceremony." He said.

Arlins chest suddenly became very heavy. "What… I… why?" she stuttered.

Charlie mouth slowly curved up into an almost painful looking smile. Arlin head was spinning, any second now she was expecting him to jump up and yell, "Just kidding!" just like when they were kids. And then she would round kick his side then storm away for making her worried, but he would always follow her and apologize with a hug.

"...Because I could never be anything more." He breathed.

"What?" Arlin replied confused even more.

"Arlin look at me," Charlie pleaded.

Arlin matched her green eyes with Charlie's brown ones. Charlie's hand grabbed the back of her neck and she slowly bent toward him until his lips touched hers. Arlin had never felt so much in her life as her tears slowly mixed with the taste of blood and rain.

"I love you, Arlina Dawnhallow." He whispered when he pulled away.

"I love you, Charles waymark." She replied through a tear filled voice.

Charlie's eyes fluttered closed as he took one last sharp inhale. Arlin felt for a pulse but there was nothing. Only the tightening of her lungs and heart as the bridge connecting the two as Parabatai was shattered. Broken among the blood and rain.