AN: So, on tumblr, a certain artist in the fandom released another heartbreaking comic. You know. The artist of THAT comic. The comic that made "How's Laura?" a banned question. While waiting for it to be posted, I very quickly wrote this. I hope you enjoy.

Disclaimer: I do not own Carmilla. U by Xotex does.


"It's been a long time, Carmilla."

LaFontaine's words were harsh, their tone biting and unwelcoming to the girl who had just walked through the hospital door. Carmilla just shrugged; she deserved it all, knew that she deserved the glares and unhidden hatred that the others were sending her way.

Knew that the others had every right to hate her, after what she had done.

"For you, almost fifteen. For her…"

Carmilla had been gone way too long. Had avoided this place, avoided the woman who was waiting inside for her.

Had done everything she could to avoid Laura herself, but she couldn't anymore. She couldn't stand the thought that she'd never see Laura one last time, even though Laura, unknown to the others, had been the one to send her away.

She should have refused, should have fought back and demanded to stay by her side, but not once, in all the years they had been together, had she ever been able to tell Laura "no."

"How has she been?"

She already knew a general answer; Laura, just like the rest of them, was dying. Kirsch had made that much clear in the e-mail he had sent her, when Laura had been moved here. But hearing it spoken from someone else make it a little bit easier for her to understand.

"She's had her good days and bad," Perry said after a few moments, rolling her wheelchair closer to where LaFontaine was sitting, take their hand between her own. Her hatred, at least, was more contained, though whether it was because she had guessed at the reason behind her absence or because she was just being polite, Carmilla didn't know. "She's doing alright, at least today. She's sleeping, but she'll wake up if you go in."

Didn't know, couldn't know; she was just thankful that someone had answered her. Nodding, without waiting for the others to butt in and tell her just how horrible she was, Carmilla entered the room and closed the door behind her, leaving the two of them alone.

Even old, hair almost translucent and skin carved with the years, Laura was still the most beautiful woman she had ever seen.

"Hey, Cupcake," Carmilla said softly as she kneeled next to the bed, gently brushing her fingers against Laura's cheek, moving hair out of her face as her eyes fluttered open, blinking away the sleep that had kept them closed before. "Hey, sweetheart. I came back."

Reaching up to rub her eyes, for a long moment Laura just stared at her, examining her features, keeping silent as she watched the girl wait for some sort of answer. A scolding, for returning when she'd been asked not to. A plea for her to go, for her to leave and not be here to watch.

Happiness that they could be together, one last time, before she reached the end.

For a moment she began to hope as Laura reached out for her hand, interlocking their fingers together and squeezing. Whatever she said, it would still be worth it, worth the broken promise she had kept for so long, worth the "no" she would finally say when asked if she would leave, worth every moment of future pain they had left, so long as she was with her.

"Do I…know you?"

"…no."

The only no she ever told, and in the end? It wasn't worth it.