Gabriel held Ananchel in his arms, slowly rocking her as she fell asleep. Once she was sleeping, he kissed her forehead and placed her in her crib and tucked her in, placing her stuffed fox beside her.

"I'm going to go find your daddy, Ana," he whispered, "Uncle Steve and Aunt Natasha and the others will take care of you while I'm gone. I'll be back soon, dear."

He teleported into the kitchen, leaving a note for Steve and Nat. Then he disappeared, trying to track down Jack's life signature.

He found it after a few minutes of searching in an abandoned part of town, hidden in the shadows of an alley. Gabriel immediately dropped to Jack's side.

"Jack. Jack, I'm here. It's me. It's Gabriel." He gingerly pulled Jack into his lap where he smiled weakly up at him.

"Hey, Gabe," Jack croaked out. Jack's smile dropped and he looked up at Gabriel. "I'm sorry."

Gabriel shook his head. "For what?"

"For not being there. For doubting myse-" He broke off in a fit of coughing.

Gabriel shushed him and brushed his hair from his face. "Shh, don't speak. Save your strength."

Jack shook his head and continued hoarsely, "No, Gabe. I need to talk. You and I both know that I won't make it out of this. No matter what you try. So I need you to promise me one thing."

"Of course. Anything."

"I need you to promise…that you won't lose hope and give up just because I'm not here. You need to be there for Ana and for yourself and everyone else in that tower."

Gabriel looked away. "But-"

"No buts," Jack said, coughing again. It took him longer to recover, but when he did, he put his hand on Gabriel's cheek. "I love you, Gabriel. Really I do. And I'm sorry that I lied to you." He coughed roughly. By now, Gabriel was trying his hardest not to cry. "I'm not going to be with you forever. But Ana will. So you have to promise me that you'll be there for her."

Gabriel nodded, kissing him lightly. "I promise, Jack. I love you too."

There was a moment of silence before Gabriel spoke up. "There's a special place up in Heaven for you, you hear?"

Jack let out a choked laugh. "Heaven? I don't deserve Heaven. With all that I've done, I don't deserve anything up there."

"Nonsense," Gabriel whispered, "I put in a good word for you and you'll be up there."

Jack had another coughing fit that left him gripping onto Gabriel's jacket. "Gabe, please…make it stop hurting."

Gabriel shook his head, tears rolling down his cheeks. "No. No if I do that, you'll die, Jack. I can't kill y-"

"Gabriel! Do it for me! Please!" Jack wailed, meeting his eyes. There was fear and pain in his eyes and Gabriel froze, nodding numbly.

"O-okay, Jack…for you. I love you." He leaned down to kiss him once more, putting his hand over his eyes.

There was a flash and Jack took his last breath, going limp in Gabriel's arms.

Gabriel buried his face in Jack's chest and held his body close to him. "I'm so sorry, Jackie. So sorry this had to happen. And I don't know if I can keep that promise…not without you here."

He started sobbing; agonizing wails echoing off the walls and heading off into the night. He couldn't believe he was actually gone, but couldn't deny what he held in his arms.

Gabriel didn't know how long he cried, but he knew that morning light shone into the alley when his tears started subsiding, voice gone hoarse hours ago. He wiped away his tears and looked down at the lifeless body of his fiancée. He knew he had to bury him, but didn't want to take the time to do so, so he snapped in a coffin and stood up stiffly, muscles sore from sitting in the same position all night.

He gently lay Jack in the coffin, sealed it tight and buried him at the abandoned cemetery down the road. He didn't stay long after marking the headstone, having mourned already. Instead he chose to go back to the tower, tearstained and tired.

He appeared outside of his and Ja-…his room and opened the door. He stood in the doorway for a few moments before closing audibly behind him and going to sit on the window ledge, just staring out, continuing to mourn the man he'd loved.