Maybe a kiss before I leave you this way

Your lips are so cold I don't know what else to say

I never wanted it to end this way my love my darling

Believe me when I say to you in love I think I'm falling here

No more tears

-'No More Tears', Ozzy Osbourne

Tira Williams sat atop one of Ostrheinsburg's many towers as rain fell heavily. She looked up at the sky as the rain fell. The rain made the illusion of tears coming down her face as she grasped the only thing left from her family- that being a pendant she found on Trace's remains after Draco defeated him. Tira let out a sigh as she thought of what her life might have been like under different circumstances. All her life she had taken the lives of others because that's what she was taught to do, but now she had accepted that her upbringing was wrong. She had a family now, a husband that loved her and two beautiful children, but even with all of this Tira could not cope with herself; she felt as though her existence was meaningless now.

.::~::.

She put out her hands as the rain fell, then she saw it the blood stains on her hands, then the visions of bloody corpses surrounded her, all with the fearful look they had right before she killed them on their faces. Tira then heard a sound behind her and turned to see the family that had adopted her standing behind her the woman, the man and the child, each soaked in blood. Tira fell to her knees. "What have I done? Why did I listen to them?" she cried.

Then she heard a familiar voice.

"Sister Tira, you know as well as I that your life is worthless; we come from the same mould, both made to kill- that's all we're good for!" said the voice.

Tira turned to see Trace standing behind her. "That's not true I won't listen to you!" cried Tira.

"You know it's true!" said Trace.

"No. No, no! It's not!" cried Tira. She closed her eyes and covered her ears, but still she could hear Traces voice.

"Your life is worthless, you're only purpose is to kill others; without that, you're nothing!" said Trace

"I... I hate you, Trace!" cried Tira.

"That's right, hate me! Hate me! Hate me!" laughed Trace.

Tira found herself in a shroud of darkness; she thought she was alone, but then she heard foots steps behind her; she turned and was stunned by what she saw.

.::~::.

It was a vision of her from a year ago, clad in green clothing, holding a blood-covered ring blade.

"What is this? You, an assassin? Absurd!" said the apparition.

"You… who are you?" demanded Tira.

"Why I'm you; a part you, that is. The part you cast aside to become a bleeding heart mother!" said the apparition with a smirk.

"What do you want of me?" asked Tira.

"I'm here to take back my rightful place!" said the apparition as her hands became claws and her eyes glowed red.

Tira was too stunned to move as the monster jumped at her, and knocked her to the ground.

"I'll rip out your heart!" said the apparition.

All Tira could do was try to hold her off. "Draco!? Somebody, anybody, help me!" cried Tira.

"No one will help you because they don't care about you!" said the apparition.

"It's not true, they do care!" cried Tira as tears came down her face.

"Die, you fool!" screamed the apparition as she raised her clawed hand to finish Tira off. Tira closed her eyes and prepared to die; she could still hear her brother's words but suddenly a light sparked in her soul- she saw Draco and her children's faces, and though of how happy she'd been since they had become a family.

.::~::.

Tira's eyes opened. "This isn't real, any of it! It's all just a lie! I am an assassin no more!" she yelled.

As she said those words the darkness was pierced by a bright light. The apparition released its grip over her and let out an inhuman cry as it melted away. Tira rose to her feet. She was back at the castle, the rain was gone, and the sun was shining brightly. Tira shrugged her head to dry her wet hair then she looked at the pendant again and heard Trace's faint voice, "You know I'm right..."

Tira threw the pendant to the ground and stomped it as she yelled "Bastard, you lie!" Tira caught her breath, and then smiled. "I will live my life the way I see fit now, because I'm free, thanks to him," she said as she turned to see Draco standing behind her.

"What are you doing out here, Tira?" he asked.

"Oh, nothing; just thinking," said Tira with a smile.

"About what?" asked Draco with a puzzled look on his face.

"Oh, it's nothing; come on, let's go in the castle, shall we?" said Tira.

Draco smiled; he could sense what had happened to her and that she had now made her choice to be free from the cage that had her trapped for so long. The good hearted girl that had been trapped inside the cruel assassin was finally free. Draco covered her with his cape, and the two went back into the castle, their love even stronger than before.