Prologue

Seamus gritted his teeth against the pain, too weak and too tired to fight it any longer but too feverishly awake to sleep it away. Sweat slicked his sandy hair to his forehead and dripped all down his back. He was coated in grease and sure he smelled awful, but Dean stayed by him day and night regardless. Sucking in a shuddering breath, he stared through half-lidded eyes at his lover. Dean was sleeping, his face tight and anxious, and Seamus felt a pang of guilt. He'd made sure that sadness and fear followed Dean even to sleep by being so foolish. He should never have kissed him, should never have made any advances at all, should never even have tried to be his friend... Seamus sobbed weakly, and Dean jolted awake.

"Shay," murmured Dean softly, his brown eyes filled with love and kindness and worry Seamus didn't deserve, "you're awake."

Seamus tried and failed to swallow. His throat muscles wouldn't cooperate; his entire body was shutting down, and he wouldn't last much longer. He couldn't even speak anymore. Dean tightened his grip on Seamus's fingers, bringing them up to his soft mouth to kiss gently. Seamus managed a smile, a smile for Dean, and turned his head slightly. A figure was standing in the corner, the most beautiful being Seamus had ever seen. He frowned; the being seemed familiar, and he wasn't entirely sure why. It shown with a soft, soothing light. The being smiled at him, and Seamus found himself capable of speaking-no, not quite speaking, but of conveying his thoughts to the being.

"You're here for me, aren't you?" asked Seamus, resigned. "You're here to take me and not to heal me, yeah?"

"Yes," replied the being. "I am sorry, Seamus Finnigan. This is the fate for which you were slated, and I am incapable of fighting these forces, as are you."

Seamus set his jaw.

"Can I have a few more moments, at least?" he begged the being. "Not for me. I've been selfish enough. It...it's for Dean."

The being frowned, concentrating, and it struck Seamus as to why the figure seemed so familiar. It looked like Dean. That explains the beautiful part, he thought, his gaze flicking briefly to Dean.

"I can allow you five minutes of renewed strength, Seamus Finnigan," acquiesced the being, "five minutes and nothing more."

"Thank you," he breathed.

"Do not waste your time thanking me," the being told him sharply. "Spend your last moments with your Dean."

Seamus nodded and drew in a deep, rattling breath, turning his head to look at Dean, who met his gaze steadily and unflinchingly. He mustered a weak smile. Dean smiled faintly back, squeezing Seamus's hand.

"I...I love you, Dean," rasped Seamus, feeling hot tears well up in his eyes.

Horror slackened Dean's expression, dread of what he knew was to come, but he said nothing. Seamus felt another awful pang, knowing Dean did this entirely for him.

"I love you too, Seamus," whispered Dean, sliding his arms around Seamus and holding him tightly. "I love you, I love you, I love you."

Seamus raised his trembling arms up to wrap around Dean. He was weak, but he would use the last ounce of his strength for this. Dean, shaking violently, pressed his lips to Seamus's, kissing him gently and with such sweet sadness that they both found themselves crying.

"Dean," coughed Seamus, gripping Dean tightly by the shoulders. "Dean."

"Seamus," managed Dean, trembling with the effort of holding back sobs.

"Promise...promise me something," he pleaded with Dean.

"Anything," responded Dean resolutely, his brown eyes shimmering with unshed tears. "Anything, always and forever."

"Promise me you won't waste away in that flat," commanded Seamus, his voice stronger than it had been in a year. "Promise me you won't shut yourself up and mope. Promise me you won't just mourn. Promise me you'll be happy, even if I'm not there. Promise me...promise me that, if you find someone you love, you won't hold out for my memory."

Dean sucked in a breath.

"I...I..." he stammered, paling. "Seamus, I love you. I couldn't ever love anyone else. You know that."

Seamus closed his eyes briefly, allowing himself to bask in the warm feeling that gave him.

"Yeah, well, you might find someone else," countered Seamus, though the mere thought of Dean with anyone other than himself hurt beyond anything. "You might, and by Merlin, I won't be the one stopping you from happiness. That'd be a slight to me name, Dean Thomas, and you know it."

Dean laughed through his tears, and Seamus grinned. For just a moment, it was as though everything was okay again.

"Fine, Seamus," he relented. "I'll promise, but only for you. Doesn't mean I'm going to pop on out there all fine and dandy, searching left and right for someone to replace you."

"You'd better not," answered Seamus indignantly.

Dean laughed again.

"See, no one could ever replace you," he sighed.

"Promise to stay loyal to you, too, wherever I'm going," continued Seamus. "Pretty sure I'm not going to find anyone as pretty as you in the wizardly afterlife."

Dean fluttered his long lashes, and Seamus pushed himself up to kiss his lover, already feeling the strength begin to leave him.

"Love you so much," Dean mumbled brokenly against Seamus's mouth.

"Love you so much, too," replied Seamus, his voice strained and weak. "So much."

With that, the being stepped to the side of the bed and took Seamus's hand, hauling him up and out of the bed. Seamus bit his lip, watching Dean hold his body and begin to cry, ragged sobs tearing out of him.

"No, no, no, no," sobbed Dean. "Seamus, I love you, don't leave, I love you, I love you, please, please..."

"Goodbye, Dean," whispered Seamus, closing his eyes and fading out of the world he'd known all his life.