Author's Note: A sweet/sad little Songfic of Nathan explaining Marni and his life together (leaving out the things Shilo 'didn't need to know'. Set a year before the actual movie. The song is 'Terrible Things' by Mayday Parade. I really hope you guys like it.

By the time I was your age, I'd give anything
To fall in love truly, was all I could think
That's when I met your mother, the girl of my dreams
The most beautiful woman, that I'd ever seen

Shilo Wallace was 16. She was a slight, pale girl with dark doe eyes and a blood disease. Her father was a Surgeon. She didn't know her mother. Didn't know where she came from, who she was. She knew she was no longer living, knew what she looked like thanks to the photos in the house, but she wanted to know more- and she was going to ask, and not take no for an answer, for once.

"Dad?" Shilo asked softly as her father walked into her room, her pills in one hand, softly glowing a ghostly blue, and a glass of water in the other, condensation dripping off of it.

"Yes, Shi?" Nathan Wallace responded, calling Shilo by her nickname. He turned his gaze to his daughter. All that was left of his beautiful Marni. Sometimes, the likeness between them sent a pang of regret straight through his heart.

"What happened to my Mother?" She blurted, almost afraid to ask. When she was younger, her father had fervently avoided all questions on that subject. But she felt as if she truly needed to know.

Nathan's face paled, and he gently sat the pills and the water on Shilo's bedside table, pushing aside the plastic surrounding her bed to keep it sterile, and sitting on the edge of it, his hand placed on her knee.

"Oh, Shi... I knew it wouldn't be long before you asked again, and it's time I tell you- time you know. Just remember, we were young, Shi. And… so, so in love. All I wanted in the world was Marni- your mother. She was the most beautiful woman that I had ever seen." He trailed off for a moment, trying to keep his composure. Shilo was watching in amazement- he had never spoken so freely of her Mother.

She said, "Boy can I tell you a wonderful thing?
I can't help but notice, you're staring at me.
I know I shouldn't say this, but I really believe
I can tell by your eyes that you're in love with me"

"We fell in love so easily. She knew from the moment I laid my eyes on her, that I was in love. We were always together. She looked like you- but taller. Her eyes were a lighter brown. She was beautiful- and so are you." Nathan smiled, although his voice cracked. He swallowed hard a few times.

"Dad- you don't have to…" Shilo started. She had never seen her father so conflicted, or upset in any way. She didn't want to hurt him. He was always so strong. She used to think nothing could ever take her father down, not even a bullet. He was like that old superhero that she saw on reruns of Classic television.

"No, Shi, it's alright. Like I said, it's time you know, dear. There are some things you should understand. Just please try to comprehend, the world is full of such terrible things. What I'm about to tell you is a pretty story at first. In the end, it's nothing but life," Nathan spoke softly, his tone somber. Shilo nodded, unable to form any words. Nathan so fiercely kept all the bad away from Shilo... but some things couldn't be avoided. He knew eventually she would be asking, especially with the photos and Marni's body all in the house.

Now son, I'm only telling you this...
Because life, can do terrible things

Now most of the time, we'd had too much to drink
And we'd laugh at the stars and we'd share everything
Too young to notice, and too dumb to care
Love was a story, that couldn't compare

"Your Mother had someone else, at first. I thought I would never have a chance with such a beautiful, intelligent woman. The other man had more money and power than I did, and I felt I could never compare to such things. We talked, and joked, and from the first moment we spoke I knew I was in love, and thought I was out of luck. But somehow, she loved me back, and in the end… she was mine." He paused, smiling fondly, his eyes crinkling at the edges. A light misting of tears clouded his vision, and he reached behind his glasses and wiped them away.

"Dad, don't be silly, any woman would love you," Shilo said, trying to comfort him. She now knew exactly why he never dated anyone- despite him being available, wealthy and handsome. He had his one true love, and somehow, he lost her. He didn't want anyone else, and he didn't want to replace her. Shilo understood, to as much of an extent of a girl who knew nothing of friendship or romantic love could. Nathan seemed to ignore Shilo's comment, though on edge of his mouth quirked up into a halfhearted, semi-smile, before he began to speak again.

"We were often drinking, dancing, talking, and having fun. We would sit outside and see how many stars we could count… it was less dangerous, back then. It was a love like nothing else, a love that comes around only so often, if ever. She loved to talk, and to laugh. She was loyal to her friends and to me, and she never judged a soul. She had the same innocence about her as you do, but the innocence was shrouded in maturity."

I said, "Girl, can I tell you a wonderful thing?
I made you a present with paper and string.
Open with care now, I'm asking you, please.
You know that I love you, will you marry me?"

Nathan sighed. He stopped every so often to swallow the lump in his throat, before it rose up and caused him to cry. He had to continue, for Shilo. "So one evening, close to a year after we finally began seeing each other, I gave her a gift. It was simple, wrapped up in a small box. Marni opened it so carefully, so she wouldn't rip the paper, and she was so excited as she opened the box. She started crying, and her eyeliner was running down her cheeks... and I for a whole moment, I thought I had done something terrible. But she looked at me and she smiled, tears still running down her cheeks, and her shoulders were shaking with small sobs. I got on one knee, and I asked her to marry me while she held the ring in her hand, tucked away in the box."

Shilo couldn't help but smile at the fondness in her dad's voice. It was almost as if she could see it for herself, the entire scene, and how beautiful it surely was... and it made her want to cry. She never got to meet this woman, and she never would. Her father's memories were all she would ever have… and suddenly she knew why he didn't tell her anything before.

Feeling the loss of a person you never met- not to mention the person who birthed you- was difficult. It suddenly hit Shilo like a ton of bricks. She put her hand over Nathan's, where it still rested on her knee, and he looked thoughtfully at his daughter. Shilo gave a sad smile, and Nathan saw in her eyes that she understood why he had kept this from her.

Now son, I'm only telling you this...
Because life, can do terrible things
You'll learn, one day, I'll hope and I'll pray
That God, shows you differently

"Shi, please understand, this world is terrible. Life is terrible. It can hurt you so badly, and I never want you to get hurt. I only want the best for my little girl. I'll do anything to protect you, just as your Mother would. Just as I know she wants me to. Love will hurt you, and hope will hurt you, but in the end I hope Life will be nothing but good to you."

"I know, Daddy... I'm sure it will. I'm happy here, with you and the memories of Mom." Shilo said, and crawled up, hugging her father around the neck, and leaning on him as she had done when she was a child- something she hadn't done in nearly eight years.

"The rest of this is… difficult, Shi." Nathan warned. He wanted her to be prepared. He didn't want this story to damage her fragile confidence.

"I can handle it, Dad… it's something I've wondered for so long." Shilo responded automatically, and Nathan nodded, trudging onwards.

"We got married in a beautiful, simple ceremony. She looked so amazing in her white, silk and lace dress. So innocent. It brought tears to my eyes, and the second we kissed it was like falling in love all over again- but stronger. After the wedding, we drank and we danced and we ate. Then, we went home- to this house- and… well. You were conceived. We found out a few weeks later that Marni was expecting you. It was perfect. We were starting our own little family."

She said, "Boy can I tell you, a terrible thing?
It seems that I'm sick and I've only got weeks.
Please, don't be sad now, I really believe
You were the greatest thing that ever happened to me"

Nathan's face changed suddenly. His mouth twitched, and he brought his hands up and covered his face for a moment, sniffling just a little, but covering it by drawing in a great breath and sighing, rubbing his face and dislodging his glasses. He removed his hands and adjusted the glasses, before speaking again. The silence seemed to drone on, and Nathan's voice startled his daughter. "And then she became sick. So sick… and there was no cure. It was a blood disease, one she had been born with but never showed up until that moment. But I was determined. I did anything, everything just to save her. Everything, Shi, I promise you. I thought I had finally succeeded, but I didn't, and she only got sicker. One day, near the end, she looked at me and she said,

'Nathan, don't be sad, now. I really believe you were the greatest thing that ever happened to me. The world is just full of such terrible things. Take care of our baby, love her the same. Treat her as perfectly as you treated me.'

Those turned out to be her final words, Shi… I had no clue her life was so close to ending right at that moment. But not long later, I held you in my arms, and your mother was gone. I was determined to protect you, despite your mother's blood disease passing along." Nathan's voice was nearly silent now, tears rolling down his face. He looked older and far more exhausted than Shi had ever seen, and she didn't know what to do. Tears were filling up in her eyes, as well, but she tried to blink them away.

Slow, so slow
I fell to the ground, on my knees

So don't fall in love, there's just too much to lose
If given the choice, then, I'm begging you, choose
To walk away, walk away, don't let her get you.
I can't bear to see the same happen to you.

"So you see, Shi, why I'm trying so hard to keep you safe… because life is so full of such terrible things, and you only deserve the best."

Shilo nodded, smiling a bit sadly at her father. "I do, I understand, Daddy. Don't worry, I love you and I'm your little girl. I'll always be here and we can miss Mom together."

Nathan smiled at his daughter, and pulled her in for a hug, where she found she couldn't pretend not to be upset anymore, and burst out crying. The pain of never knowing her mom, and wishing she had, washed over her. And they stayed like that, hugging and crying.

Because life was never perfect, but at least they had each other.

Now son, I'm only telling you this...

A year later, Shilo sat on the bed, the plastic curtains ripped off and strewn about the floor. Eyeliner smeared her face. She now understood exactly how life could be terrible. She now understood everything. All she wanted was to go back to a year ago, naive and happy. Now she had nothing, and she missed everything.

...Because life, can do terrible things