I await his blow, power drained to near empty. But it hits with a different type of force, one more damaging and life changing than even he expected.

An injured, wet cough echoes in my bones. I force my eyes open and I see her and him.

His mercury eyes snarl with anger, but on seeing my face, he grins villainously. "Weren't expecting that, were ya, princess?" He twists the blade, hidden in her chest, eliciting a whimper of pain. She's too strong to give him the pleasure of a scream.

"Black," I whisper, venomously begging. "Leave her be."

He glares at me, withdraws his dagger, only to trigger it to extend, and stabs her through.

She screams now, body falling forward as the blade slices through bone.

"Stop it!"

"And why'd I do that? Something tells me, my dear," he croons in his gravelly baritone, taking my dear friend's chin in his hand, "that this is hurting you just as much as it's hurting her. Maybe more," he chuckles.

Suddenly, he exclaims, pulling his hand back bloody. He curses, and lifting his blade, tosses my friend aside. She falls to a heap with a weak cry, and I'm at her side in an instant. Situating her against my lap, I notice her bloody lips. She smiles wickedly; brave little minx, even like this.

His bloody blade lifts my chin. "Shall we continue?"

My eyes ignite, and for the first time in my life, I feel absolute and completely encompassing hatred. I imagine gutting him, strangling him with his entrails, and setting him ablaze, listening to his death cries fading as I walk away in victory.

But the small burden I hold is more important.

"This is far from over!" I growl, opening our getaway on the wall behind me, pull her towards me, and fall into the portal's cool embrace.

With such low aura to pull from, I can't get us far from Marcus, but I can get us to relative safety. Half exhausted, I gently lay my friend down so I can look at her wounds.

"Raven…"

"Shh," I whisper, looking at her face for a moment. "It's going to be alright." I look back at the angry wound as it vomits up more blood. "I can fix this."

She lets out a soft laugh. "Of course you can."

My temperature is raising, the air is getting thinner. She's losing too much blood, and I don't have enough aura to heal her. I dig deep within myself, willing the last smidgen of my power to my fingertips; they glow dimly. "I can fix this," I breathe.

A soft, cool hand rests on my arm. "Rae," she whispers. I look at her; eyes wet, but caring, skin white as snow. "Let me go; it's ok."

I shake my head furiously, tears lining my eyes. "I can do this, Summer. I have to."

"Raven," she whispers, that air of leadership weaving its way in, "you're running on empty. Even if you could heal me, it wouldn't be enough. I'd still probably bleed out, and you'd die of exhaustion."

"I'll take that chance."

"I won't let you," she snaps, grabbing my hand. Tears are rolling down her face now, and I can tell she's in a lot of pain. "I can't let you…they can't lose both of us."

I swallow hard, anger and sorrow welling up.

"Raven," she whispers, weaving her fingers through mine, "you know better than most that everything has its season. A time to heal, a time to kill…a time to be born, a time to…"

"Please don't."

"A time to tear down, a time to build; a time to tear, a time to mend…I know that you left to keep them safe, but you can't keep running. Like it or not, they care about you, they love you. Please stop pushing them away."

She takes a deep breath, and as if reading my thoughts, continues. "I know it's hard, but you have to let them into your life. They need you, Rae."

"No, they need you. I'm no good at…that."

"You've done it before." She leans back, her face scrunching in agony. "Please tell them that I love them, that I always will. And that I'll be keeping my eyes on them."

"Summer, I can't do this. Don't leave me!"

"It's time to stop running, sis. Old things have passed away; now, move forward and live."

Her eyes close, her body falls heavy in my arms. She's gone.

My screams pierce the air.

Echoing the screams of the past, smaller voices exclaim in the present.

"Move out of the way, Zwei," the elder child yells to a small pup.

"Rawr!"

"Ahh!" the smaller exclaims, erupting into laughter as her attacker, the children's father, assails her with tickles. "Daddy, stop it!"

"I'm not Daddy," he says in a low, growly voice. "I am Alpha, King of the Grimm, and you are my prey!" He lowers his head, burying it into the crook of her neck, and elicits a raspberry and another peal of laughter.

"Yang, help me!"

"Don't worry, Ruby. I'll save you." The elder picks up a stick and rushes the pair. "Back, foul beast."

The pup leaps and grabs the end of the stick, starting an impromptu game of tug of war, resulting in more laughter and mild frustration on the would-be rescuer's part.

I risk a dim smile. My hiding place from the trees gives me the perfect view and the perfect cover. Despite Summer's wishes, I have yet to rejoin the land of the living. There are still too many battles to be fought.

Looking down, I can't help but think of her. Her daughter is her identical; quicksilver eyes, dark hair, and pale skin. Even their smiles are a perfect match.

And besides the blonde hair and lavender eyes, I know the elder girl will end up looking like me. The other features she inherited from her father, but even so, there's no denying my involvement.

"Cute little things, ain't they?"

I set my jaw and curse under my breath. The only person alive who can sneak up on me, and of course, he knows I don't want to see him.

"Thinking of joining them?"

I turn away from the spectacle, and walk from branch to branch, leaving them all behind.

"They could really use you, sis."

I ignore him, just like I always do. I can't go back. I'm not ready. Then again, will I ever be?

I arrive at her memorial, echoes whistling in the air. Kneeling in front of the cool stone, I place my fingertips to it lightly. Tears spring to my eyes; it still hurts after all these years.

"I miss you, sister."

Destiny is a curious thing; fate even curiouser. Fate had it that I'd meet her. Destiny demanded I love her.

Family isn't always related by blood, I've found. Family cries with you in hard times, helps you fight when it gets hard, laughs in the joyous moments with you. It's comfortable and familiar, someplace you feel you belong. And there's a love that transcends all normalcy.

Perhaps it is this love that will bring me back from the dead.

So soon may I follow,

When friendships decay,

And from Love's shining circle

The gems drop away.

When true hearts lie withered,

And fond ones are flown,

Oh! who would inhabit

This bleak world alone?