You're afraid and it feels like you're too tired to fight.

Even your heart don't know if you're still alive.

Man, you never felt so alone in this world tonight, and I, don't you know that I felt the same?

I've seen this storm, I've been through the rain. You've gotta know that I feel your pain.

Don't be afraid.

When you're on the edge, I will rescue you. When you need a friend, I'll be there for you…

I'm nobody's hero, but for you, I'd lay down my life.

Nobody's hero, but I'd tear down the stars from the sky,

If you would lean on me, baby, dream on me. You can bleed on me, just believe in me…

Nobody's hero…

Well, out on these streets, they're waiting for blind eyes to see.

They're waiting for our cuts to bleed. Out here they're waiting for you and me.

Well alright, alright, 'cause this time you know I ain't afraid to fight.

For you, I ain't afraid to die.

As long as you are by my side it will be alright.

When all faith is gone, I will pray for you…

Just keep holding on, I'll be there for you…

I'm nobody's hero.

A nurse poked her head into Elle's room.

"Sorry everybody, but visiting hours are over. You're going to have to come back tomorrow."

Elle smiled sadly.

"Stupid visiting hours," she muttered.

"I know, I know," the nurse said with a sympathetic smile. "Sorry. But rules are rules."

Claire yawned, trying not to disturb Noah, who was fast asleep in her lap.

"Wow, I had no idea it had gotten so late."

"Do you want me to take you home?" Peter asked.

She hesitated.

"Actually…" She glanced over at Elle and smiled sheepishly.

"You and Peter can both stay at our place if you'd like," Elle said with a smile.

Claire looked relieved. "I…thanks," she said, her face flushing. She glanced down at Noah. "I don't want to wake him up…"

Gabriel chuckled. "Don't worry about that. At his age, there isn't much you could do to wake him up. I've even brushed his teeth while he was sleeping before."

Claire wasn't inclined to believe him at first, but when she stood up with Noah still fast asleep in her lap and carried him to the door without him even batting an eyelid, she laughed and shook her head. "That's amazing," she said as she left the room.

Peter leaned over the hospital bed to kiss Elle on the forehead. Then he squeezed her hand warmly, nodded to Gabriel, and followed Claire out into the hallway.

"Gabriel," Elle said softly. "Before you go…I need to talk to you about something."

Peter walked alongside Claire slowly, a strange, sad smile on his face.

"What are you thinking about?" Claire asked, readjusting Noah in her arms so that he was positioned on her hip.

"Hm? Oh…nothing."

"Don't 'nothing' me, you. I know when you're thinking hard about something. So tell me."

He sighed and ran one hand through his hair. "Well…okay. I have to admit, when it first occurred to me that Elle might…I was scared. I was so scared of what might happen to Gabriel. And I was so mad at myself, because…because I know him, now, I know that he's a good person, he's trying to be a good person, but if Elle was to…I was afraid of what might happen. But then, I saw the two of you together, and I realized that it's going to be okay. No matter what happens, I realized that Gabriel's going to be all right, because…because he'll still have us."

Claire smiled and, unable to reach out and take his hand because of the child sleeping in her arms, leaned over and bumped her shoulder into him.

"You're right. But maybe it won't come to that—you never know. I mean, the doctors didn't seem very optimistic, but…Elle could still pull through. It's possible…isn't it?"

Peter put his arm around her shoulders and squeezed reassuringly.

But he didn't say anything.

"So what do you want to talk about?" Gabriel asked, lowering himself into a chair at Elle's bedside. "It better be important—you're going to get me in trouble with the nurses."

Elle smiled halfheartedly. "Gabriel…I need to ask you to do something for me. But you're not going to like it."

Gabriel frowned. "What is it?" he asked, his voice quiet.

Elle looked away for a moment.

"Can you promise me something?"

"That depends."

"I need you to just listen to me for a minute, and not interrupt—I need you to just keep quiet and listen to what I have to say. Can you promise me that?"

Gabriel was silent for a minute, his eyes narrowed, as if he was sure Elle was trying to trick him somehow. But then he nodded. "Okay. I promise."

Elle smiled.

"Thank you. I…you're not going to want to hear this, but I have to say it. I'm dying, Gabriel. I can feel it. I can feel my body starting to change, to…shut down. And I know what you're going to say, you're going to say that I'm strong, that I can beat this, forget what the doctors say about my chances. But this isn't me being afraid or pessimistic. This is me realizing…there's absolutely nothing that can stop it. I'm going to die. And unless I do something about it, it's going to be long, painful, and horrible. But there is something I can do. It's awful, and cruel, and horribly selfish, but…just this once, I'm going to be selfish, and ask you to do this for me, even though I know that it'll tear your heart out to do so…because Gabriel, I don't want to die, but more than that, I don't want to suffer."

Gabriel's face grew increasingly white as she spoke, and it was only because he had promised that he was able to keep quiet. When Elle was finished speaking, there was a short pause, and then Gabriel spoke.

"What are you asking me to do?"

Elle looked at him sadly.

"I need you to kill me."

Gabriel stood up suddenly, his quick movement knocking his chair to the floor with a loud, echoing clatter. "How can you ask me to do that?" he cried, his voice cracking. "Elle! You know—you know what I've done, what that's done to me! How can you even suggest—"

"Gabriel, don't…"

"Are you completely insane?"

"Gabriel, please, just stop."

She was crying. The sight of tears on her face defused every emotion that was running through Gabriel's body and he fell to his knees at her bedside.

"Baby, I know this is so hard for you to hear, and I would never ask you to do something like this, but I can't…I can't do this, Gabriel. I can't go through all of that. And I can't put all of you through that—do you really want little Noah to watch me fall apart that way? What do you think that will do to him? Gabriel, what would that do to you? I don't think you could survive it."

Gabriel shook his head. "And you think…me, killing you…do you really think that I could survive that?"

Elle smiled through her tears and touched the side of his face gently.

"I know you will. I know you will, because I'm going to make you promise. I know how hard it's been for you to come to terms with the things that you've done, but I've watched you do it, I've watched you overcome it and persevere, and that's how I know that you'll make it through this too. You're strong, Gabriel."

"Not that strong," he protested, shaking his head violently as tears spilled down his cheeks.

"Oh yes you are, baby. You're a hero. You can do anything."

He sobbed and buried his face in the bed. She put her arms around his shoulders and hugged him, rocking back and forth slowly.

"I'm so sorry, Gabriel, I wish I didn't have to put you through this…and if you really don't think you can, if you really don't, then…then I won't make you, but…Gabriel, please. Please, do this for me."

He let her hold him for a few minute longer while he wept. Then, his shoulders still shaking, he looked up at her, his eyes burning.

"All right. I'll do it."

Peter and Claire listened soberly as Elle explained everything to them, while Gabriel stood at the window, staring out at nothing. Jim and Doris had said their goodbyes, but had left the family alone out of respect and gone home to comfort each other in private. Noah bounced happily in his mother's lap, oblivious to the grave atmosphere that had fallen over the room.

Peter shook his head. "Elle…are you sure? I mean…really sure?"

She smiled. "Yes, Peter. I'm sorry, I know this seems crazy, but…I'm sure."

Claire sniffed, unable to keep tears from spilling down her cheeks. "But Elle, you can't…we only just…"

She reached out and squeezed Claire's hand warmly. "I wish we could have had more time together as friends, Claire, and I really am sorry about that…but I'm so glad to know that you're willing to be a part of this family now. My boys are going to need a strong woman to keep them in line."

Claire laughed bitterly and leaned over to hug Elle desperately, her shoulders shaking as she wept. Elle kissed her forehead and stroked her blonde hair soothingly, murmuring words of comfort in her ear. Claire clung to her for a minute before tearing away and sitting back in her chair, turning her face away as she continued to cry bitterly.

Peter was trying to be strong, but failing miserably. He smiled at Elle, his eyes red.

"I don't even know what to say," he murmured. "Elle…"

She held out her arms to him. "I know," she said. "Pete, I know."

They embraced. Noah, not completely unobservant, grew still as the eyes around him all filled with tears. When Peter sat back, he tugged impatiently at his mother's arm.

"Why cry?" he asked curiously.

The simple question spurred a fresh set of tears from the family. Elle pulled Noah into her arms and hugged him so tight that he squirmed to escape.

"Noah, baby, mommy has to go away."

"Trip?"

"No…no, she has to go for good. She can't come back, not from where she's going."

He looked up at her soberly for a moment and then hugged her again.

"Don't go."

Claire stifled a sob and Peter cleared his throat. Elle kissed Noah gently.

"I have to, baby. But I want you to make mommy a promise, okay? I need you to promise mommy that you're going to be good, and that you're going to take care of daddy."

Noah snuggled up against her and nodded. "Promise."

Claire took Noah in her lap and held on to him tightly as Gabriel came to kneel at Elle's side. They exchanged no words—everything there was to be said had been said already. He just kissed her, gently, tenderly, and she smiled. It was a smile of acceptance and happiness, peaceful and serene. Then Gabriel laid his hand over her heart.

It only took a small jolt of electricity to stop her heart from beating.

Elle's eyes closed.

She was gone.