This story has taken me ages to write. Huge shout-out to RedBelle94 for her help and advice. She's been brilliant :-)

Chapter One

The lake was their favourite place.

The water was a lovely, deep shade of blue, just like something you'd find in Greece or Spain. Gorgeous brightly coloured flowers grew around the outside, and birds made their nests and built their families in the trees that hovered nearby. People used to come and ride their bikes or have a picnic, but lately the lake had grown quiet and the flowers had started to die. However, Iain and Lily still loved it and refused to miss out on an opportunity to visit.

Iain had been going since he was a child. He used to take Gem as a distraction from their mother's late night drinking. No matter what time it was, the two of them would pack a bag of toys and treats from the kitchen and they'd walk down to the lake and sit on the grass at the side. Their house wasn't far away and by the time they'd arrive home, their mum would have been crashed out on the sofa asleep and surrounded by empty bottles. The two usually slept in the same room when that happened, secretly planning their next trip to the lake.

Lily was different. She'd never been until she met Iain. She'd fallen in love with the place straight away though.

"It's a shame really, isn't it?" Lily said and hugged her knees to her chest as she watched the sun shine down onto the water. "It used to be such a beautiful place."

"It still is," Iain said. "I suppose as you grow older, everyone soon forgets about you. Besides, kids are more into their gadgets and video games these days, aren't they? I know Gem hasn't been here in years and she used to love it."

"It's wrong though," Lily said. "It shouldn't be the way. My grandmother, she was one of my most favourite people in the world, but my parents didn't think so. They called her boring, said she needed to be put into a home."

"That's awful," Iain sighed sympathetically. "I hope that doesn't happen to me when I'm old."

"It won't," Lily reassured him. "Gem will never forget about you, and I certainly won't."

There was a long pause, as the two of them continued to stare intensely at the beautiful scene in front of them.

"Do you think about the future much?" Lily asked. "Where you could be living, how you're going to die, stuff like that?"

Iain shrugged his shoulders awkwardly and replied, "not really sure. Miracles don't usually happen with me. I grew up on a rough estate, had an alcoholic mum, watched one of my best friends get blown to pieces, and..."

"Your life seems alright now though," Lily whispered gently.

"No," he sighed and shook his head. "I'm in a cheap, rough looking flat and...Things haven't been the same since Cal's death. The only good thing in my life is you."

A small smile spread across Lily's face. She slowly reached out and took a gentle hold of Iain's hand. Iain looked down and smiled with her, and their fingers locked. Lily rested her head against his shoulder and brought their hands up to kiss his knuckles.

"I wish I could die there," she said, nodding her head towards the lake.

"Yeah," Iain agreed and a small sigh escaped his lips. "Sinking in the depths."

Lily slowly lifted her head, gulped anxiously, and asked, "What do you mean?"

Iain didn't know what to say. He hadn't meant for that to slip out. He'd basically just told his girlfriend that he wanted to die. He hoped Lily hadn't heard him, but she was still watching him, waiting for an answer.

"It doesn't matter," he said and tried to shrug it off.

"Clearly it does though," Lily told him. "Can I ask you something?" Iain faintly nodded, dreading what was coming. "Do you...Do you feel as if there's a purpose for you? Because right now, you aren't giving off that vibe."

"Yeah, I do," he replied honestly. "You."

"The truth is," Lily said with a small sigh. "I don't know if I can carry on for much longer. Recently, I...I've not felt right, and I'm really struggling to feel happy. I'm happy when I'm around you, but that's it."

"How long have you felt like this for?" Iain asked her.

"A while." Lily shrugged her shoulders. "More so since Cal's death, but I guess I was feeling like it beforehand as well. I just sometimes think that if I feel like this, then I shouldn't really be here at all."

"I don't want you to take your own life, Lily," he said. "The only way I'll be okay with you dying is if I die alongside you."

"It'll take a miracle for that to happen," Lily chuckled and shook her head.

"Would it?" Iain asked.

Lily thought about that question for a second and remembered a story that she'd read in the paper a few years ago. The story had broken her and she hadn't fully understood it until that moment with Iain by the lake.

"There was this story once," Lily said. "A few years ago, about an elderly couple. This...This woman had been diagnosed with cancer, she was miserable and...Scared of leaving her husband. He was scared to, and...In the end...They decided to die together."

"What do you mean?" Iain asked. "Was he sick too?"

"No." Lily shook her head. "But they didn't want to be apart, so they made a pact to kill themselves together on the same day, and so they did. Their bodies were found the next day at the home that they'd owned since their twenties. It was heartbreaking."

"It sounds it," Iain said.

"It...It might...Sound crazy...Well...It does but..." Lily stuttered.

"Go on," Iain pushed her nervously.

He knew what she was implying though. He knew exactly what she meant. He just couldn't bring himself to say those words.

"What if we did...That?" She suggested quickly before she changed her mind. "If we want to die together, then...Let's die together."

"Are you serious?" Iain questioned her. "We...We can't, Lily."

"Why not?" Lily asked. "You said yourself that you were unhappy."

"I never said that," Iain sighed and rested his chin on his knees.

"You implied it," Lily said. "Iain, the only reason I'm alive right now is because of you and I'm pretty sure you feel the same way about me. If that's the case, then...What are we still doing here?"

Iain didn't say anything. He just continued to look at the view in front of him. It was beautiful and he hadn't felt that calm in a long time. Was it the view? Was it Lily's company, or was it seriously the thought of his death? He couldn't tell.

"I don't know what to do," Iain said.

"Just forget about it," Lily whispered. "It's stupid."

"No, I..." Iain sighed and looked up at the sky. "A...A part of me wants to, but I'm not sure."

Lily nodded and said, "Why don't we think about it then? It's a big decision and we don't have to rush into it, not if you don't want to. I want to be happy but I want you to be happy as well."

"I want you to be happy too," Iain said. "Thank you. I'll um...I'll think about it."

Lily nodded at him and said, "And so will I."

Thank you for reading and let me know what you think x