Author's Note: Okay, one more chapter after this! Please read and review.

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He had barely managed to apparate. His head swam as he appeared before the dark lord. No one else was there.

"Ssseverusss, you are late,"

Snape breathed heavily, kneeling out of weakness.

"My Lord, I had other issues...to attend to"

Voldemort stepped down from his throne. There was little light in the room, all Snape could see was Voldemort's pale face looking down at him.

"You are unwell,"

It was a simple statement to define such pain, such agony Snape was in.

"My injuries have not healed sufficiently yet,"

Voldemort knelt next to Snape, pressing a hand to his shoulder and pushing him onto the floor. The man cried out as his wound reopened. He could see through blurry vision Voldemort's grin.

"Your abdomen, it is infected,"

Snape could feel the sweat running down his forehead, whether from pain or fear he didn't know. The dark lord pressed a white finger to his wound drawing blood. Then to the teacher's horror, he licked it with his snake like tongue.

"My dear Severusss,"

He groaned as the dark lord lifted his body in his hands, holding the man against his chest. He tried not to be sick but the only person who ever held him like that was his mother. And Voldemort, of all people, so close to him. It made his stomach turn violently. He swallowed back bile, but Voldemort seemed to recognize the problem as he rolled the man onto his side. Snape felt the metallic taste of blood in his mouth. Voldemort's hand lay upon his fevered brow.

"To die so young,"

The dark lord whispered into his ear. He found himself gazing into the shark like face of his master. Voldemort withdrew his hand and pulled out a vial from his robes. He smiled cruelly then, his teeth showing almost as of he was going to devour the teacher.

"I could send you to St. Mungo's, they might be able to save you,"

He tossed the vial up in the air and caught it.

"But you deserve to die. I know you want it. This death, this is your reward for service,"

He tucked the vial in Snape's robes. His bony hand resting against Snape's ribs for a second.

"Don't fight it, let it claim you. I want your death,"

Voldemort cradled the man in his arms for a moment.

"Take this potion as you feel yourself draw your final breath,"

Snape blinked tiredly. Death was something he welcomed. Dumbledore wouldn't be happy about it though. Wouldn't be happy to lose his spy. Suddenly he was levitating and watched as the dark lord grew smaller in the distance. He glanced up to see Lucius in front, carefully levitating his friend.

"Oh Severus,"

He coughed blood.

"Luc-ius,"

His friend frowned at the blood.

"I've been instructed to take you wherever you wish to go,"

Snape whispered his childhood home and within another minute he was in Spinner's End. Lucius knelt by the couch he laid on.

"Please, let me die alone,"

The other man's eyes grew uncharacteristically watery.

"I've known you since you were a scrawny first year. And now,"

He couldn't continue the sentence. He tore his gaze away from Snape whose breaths were becoming shallower.

"Lucius,"

The blond reached out a hand to stroke Snape's cheek. He stood up, cane in one hand.

"Goodbye dear friend,"

Snape managed to nod as Malfoy left. Sirius would be wondering where he was. With a stifled moan, he apparated to Grimmauld.

It had been a little over an hour before he heard a thud outside the front door. Snape lay in a curled mass on his doorstep. With growing alarm he hefted Snape up, and inside to the nearest couch.

"I'm dying Black,"

Said man was busy getting the towel and washbowl.

"Don't be so dramatic Snivellus,"

He coughed up blood, Sirius looked up in alarm.

"I wish it was theatrics,"

Sirius undid the binding around the stomach, cringing at the messy infection. He fire called Albus, leaving him a message to come ASAP.

"We can take you to St. Mungo's,"

Snape wrapped his hand around Sirius's wrist.

"The Dark Lord wants my death. We can not prevent it,"

Sirius cleansed the wound as Snape stifled a groan.

"What if Dumbledore was to find you in Hogwarts and send you to the hospital?"

Snape laughed, "And what would happen when I was summoned again?"

Sirius wouldn't meet his gaze. Snape's fingers clenched at the seat cushions.

"He would torture me Black, perhaps even invade my mind, and this time it might work. My shields..."

He took a deep breath as the other man pinched the bandage into place.

"Why would you care anyways? You've always hated me,"

Sirius stood up, the bowl of cleansing potion red. He washed his hands off with a clean towel, fed up with Snape's attitude. If he wanted to die, so be it.

"You made me hate you! The way you'd hang out with those death eaters, the way you were always hexing us and pointed your big nose where it had no business,"

He turned around then, walking towards the bathroom sink. He heard the couch cushions groan under Snape's weight.

"That night in the shrieking shack, you tried to kill me!"

Sirius whipped around, his wand pointing at Snape.

"I wouldn't commit murder for you,"

Snape stood up slowly, one hand clutching onto the couch, the other hand holding his wand. A cruel smirk played on his face.

"No, everyone thinks you murdered Lily and James,"

That's when Sirius lost it. He barreled into Snape, knocking the man to the wood floor. He heard a crack from under him but ignored it. He punched the raven-haired man across the face, breathing heavily, trying to regain his control. Snape cried out under him. Sirius rolled off of Snape shakily. His mouth hung open as Snape lay on the floor, limbs twitching from the injuries.

Oh shit, he had just attacked a dying man. A new purple stain was growing under Snape's skin. Said man let out a breathy groan. He wasn't going to apologize not after what Snape said. To his surprise jut the opposite happened.

"Sirius...I'm sorry,"

Snape reached a shaking hand inside his robes to pull out the vial. The Marauder didn't say anything, he merely watched as Snape's trembling hands tried to bring the potion to his lips, but failed. With growing anxiety he snatched the potion and administered it to Snape. Dumbledore came through the door then, his voice calling out in the hallway. Snape closed his eyes and reopened them briefly, gazing up at the other man.

"The past,"

He lifted a hand to touch Sirius's shoulder.

"Is over,"

Albus raced into the room taking in the scene before him. Sirius trembled under Snape's touch. Snape's audible breaths were coming quicker. Sirius took the hand, still clinging to his sleeve and placed it next to Snape. Albus moved toward his spy, kneeling over him and feeling for a pulse. Black eyes met blue for a second.

"Albus,"

"Shhh, I am here my child,"

The gentle throb of his pulse got slower. Snape's features relaxed as Dumbledore fingered through his hair. And then Snape's eyes became unfocused and glassy and the panting stopped. The old man waived his hand over Snape's eyes, closing them for one final time.

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Author's Note: There will be one last chapter after this, so continue to watch. Thanks!