"Christ Five, can't you make this hunk of junk go any faster!" Diego shouted to his brother. He was situated in the back of Five's van beside Dave who held Klaus's pained form in his arms. Klaus was thrashing in agony, his excruciating cries filling the small cabin of the cramped vehicle.

"I'm going as fast as I can, Diego! We are almost there! Try to keep him calm!" Five responded quickly over his shoulder before returning his focus to the road ahead, slamming his foot down harder against the gas pedal.

"Shh baby, you're okay. You're going to be okay." Dave tried to soothe him, attempting to calm his pain, and desperately try to make him feel comfortable, but his words fell on deaf ears.

Klaus was in complete and total distress; his swollen abdomen was inflicting an unimaginable amount of pain on his already severely weakened frame. His fever had spiked to a frightening level, and his skin was dripping with a thick sheen of sweat. Dave was rocking Klaus in his arms, cooing to him in a dire attempt to keep him calm, and to keep his mind off of his agony.

"Try to get him to slow his breathing down, he's on the verge of hyperventilating!" Vanya instructed. She was in the passenger seat of the van, her upper body twisted so she could keep an eye on her ailing brother. Allison and Luther were both massaging Klaus's calves, trying to comfort him as best as they could.

"Jesus," Diego brushed Klaus's curls away from his fever flushed face, the heat emanating from his skin was alarming, "he's burning up."

"Hurts," Klaus mumbled blearily through his panted gasps.

"I know, baby. It's going to be okay, we are almost to the hospital." Dave pressed his lips against his curls as he cradled him closer against his chest. Klaus was in so much discomfort, his agonized cries continued to fill the air. Dave tentatively laid his hand atop Klaus's swollen belly, earning a sharp gasp from his sickly fiancé.

"No, stop, please!" He flung his head back, a heart shattering cry leaving his lips as his weak hands grasped at Dave's, trying desperately to remove the pressure from his belly. He was too weak, though, he fumbled and couldn't firmly latch onto his hand. Dave realized how badly his actions hurt his love; he removed his hand quickly, afraid to inflict him with anymore pain. He cupped his palm to Klaus's face instead, gently stroking his tear-stained cheek with his thumb.

"I'm so sorry, baby. I'm so sorry," A tear slid down Dave's cheek as a soft cry escaped Klaus's trembling lips. He hated this, he hated seeing Klaus in so much pain. What was causing this to happen to his love? Dave just wanted to take his pain away, to make him comfortable. He couldn't bear to see him this way any longer, something had to be done. Klaus couldn't keep going on like this. "I love you so much, darlin. Just hold on, okay? We are almost there." Klaus nodded as he buried his exhausted face against Dave's strong chest.

Klaus was just in so much pain, but more than anything, he was scared. He'd never felt anything like this before. He didn't know what to do, or think. He was just so petrified. Why was this happening to him?

"We're here!" Five skidded the van to a stop in front of the emergency room entrance. He threw the van into park, before he turned to his family, "Bring him in now, I'll be right behind you!" He signaled for his siblings and Dave to exit the vehicle, then hurried off to find a parking spot.

Dave carried Klaus's trembling form in his strong yet gentle embrace and ran in through the entrance, followed by the entire Hargreeves clan, aside from Five. He approached the front desk, Klaus's pained weeping immediately caught the attention of the nurse. She hurried around the desk, grabbing a wheelchair on her way.

"Klaus?" Everyone at the hospital recognized him by this point, as he'd been undergoing his cancer treatments there for many months, "What happened, please, set him down!" She assisted Dave in setting Klaus's form into the chair. He gasped, the wheelchair an unwelcome shift in position compared to the warmth from his fiancés strong embrace.

"He's burning up, and his stomach is swollen! I don't know what to do, this has never happened before, please. Please, help him!" Dave pleaded through his own tears. The nurse nodded before rushing Klaus through the emergency doors and into the back to be seen. Five flashed into the room, meeting his siblings as they all took a seat in the waiting room.

"How is he, did they take him back yet?" He asked frantically before noticing Klaus wasn't there and taking a seat of his own across from Dave.

"They took him. We just need to wait now. God, I hate this. I just hope he's okay." Dave buried his face into his palms and his broad shoulders shook when he failed to conceal his sobs. It broke everyone's heart that this was happening to Klaus, it was hard to grasp the true severity of the entire situation. Dave always kept a brave face, he tried to never allow his true innermost fears to come to light or show his emotions outwardly like this. Seeing him cry, the siblings knew they had to try to console him. They all were terrified and needed someone to be there to comfort them. Diego rubbed Dave's back as Allison laid a comforting hand on his knee.

"He's going to be okay, Dave. You just need to keep faith."

Dave sat up in his chair with a nod at Allison's words. He wiped hastily at his tears before their sorrowful eyes met in shared concern for their loved one. He just prayed that her words were true.

Klaus was going to be okay, he had to be...

—-

Dave didn't know what to feel. He sat in his chair, eyes steadily watching the hands on the analog clock on the wall monotonously ticking away.

Five minutes, twenty minutes, an hour...

The sound of the clock was deafening, each tick was like the sonic boom of a bomb echoing through the waiting room and reverberating through his ears. It was all he could focus on.

TICK - TICK - TICK - TICK

The hands on the clock just kept ticking; time kept slipping away and yet there was still no change. Still no news on his love's condition. The seconds blurred into hours and yet it felt like time was standing still. It was as though each second that passed by was mocking him, and Dave couldn't take it any longer, he needed to know if Klaus was okay. Dave felt like he was stuck; trapped in a moment in time as the rest of the world hurriedly buzzed around him, leaving him behind in its wake. He hated this feeling; he hated the unknown.

What happened?

Why was Klaus's stomach so...distended?

So swollen?

What on earth would cause that? Was that a symptom from his radiation? The chemo? His cancer itself?

Was it completely unrelated? What was wrong with him, what could be done to take his pain away, bring Klaus comfort? Was there something, anything at all? There had to be something that could be done to relieve his love from all of this pain, this agony. He didn't deserve to feel this way, he deserved to be happy and enjoying his life with his siblings, with him.

He didn't deserve this...

Anytime Dave closed his eyes, he saw Klaus's pained expression. Anytime he opened them, he was reminded that his beautiful face wasn't there for him to see. Dave's heart clenched when he thought of his fiancé. He was in agony, and there was nothing he could do. He couldn't bear the sight of Klaus being that way. The thought of him being in that amount of pain.

He just couldn't...

Dave closed his eyes, slumping deeper into the uncomfortable chair he was sat in, his head leaning heavily against the back of it. He needed to compose himself, to take deep breaths and calm his nerves. He inhaled a deep breath and held it for a few moments before slowly exhaling through his nose. He repeated the process a few times before he felt a hand grasp onto his. Dave opened his eyes, quickly shifting into an upright position as his gaze met Allison's.

"You okay, Dave?" She looked at him thoughtfully with furrowed brows, her expression taught with worry. Dave could only shake his head as he clenched his eyes shut. He pressed his chin to his chest as he rubbed at his eyes with his free hand.

"I'm so scared, Ally. So fucking scared. My poor Klaus, I just want him to be okay." he whispered through his tears. Allison's heart broke for Dave. She understood his fears, and she loved that this man cared so deeply for her brother. She wrapped her arms around Dave, pulling him against her chest while she nuzzled her cheek against his shoulder.

"It's okay, Dave. I know, I'm scared too. He's going to be okay," Dave buried his face into her hair when his emotions overwhelmed him, hot tears streamed down his cheeks as his entire being shook with silent sobs, "Shh, shh I know, Dave, but Klaus? He's strong, so incredibly strong. If anyone can pull through this, it's him. He's going to be okay. He has to be."

—-

"Hargreeves?" The nurse peered out into the waiting room and smiled at Klaus's family, recognizing them immediately as they stood and approached her.

"Hello, please, follow me." She led them down the sterile hall and into a room where Klaus was lying asleep on the bed. He was hooked to all kinds of machines, the steady beat of his heart monitor and forced wisps of air from his oxygen cannula were the only sounds that filled the otherwise quiet room. Dave was at his side immediately, pulling his pale limp hand into his own. He smoothed his sweat soaked curls off of his slumbering face as he leaned down, placing a delicate kiss against his love's temple. His siblings joined Dave at Klaus's side, circling themselves around his bed and taking in his frail appearance.

"We are just waiting on some test results, please, sit and relax for a little while. The doctor should be in shortly."

"What caused the swelling? Do you know?" Diego asked as he peered to Klaus's distended abdomen and then back to the nurse.

"I'm afraid I do not have the answers for you, the doctor will. I am sorry, Klaus is in excellent hands. Dr. Thomas will answer all of your questions when he arrives." Diego nodded to the nurse as she left the room.

Dave crawled into the bed beside Klaus, careful not to disturb his slumber. He gently eased his frail frame against his chest and into his welcoming embrace. He desperately needed to hold him right now, he yearned for his love's touch. He closed his eyes, pressing his cheek against Klaus's curls as he hugged him against himself as delicately as he could.

"Jesus, he looks like shit." Diego started with a frown.

"His temperature feels a bit better, they must've given him something for it." Dave noted when his flesh didn't feel like it would melt away from his bones.

"I've never seen him look so bad before." Luther's lips were pressed into a thin line, his eyebrows knit together with worry.

"Me neither. This is...it's scary." Squeaked Vanya, her voice trembled as her words tumbled from her quivering lips.

Klaus groaned in his sleep, his hand darting to his painfully distended belly as his eyes fluttered and opened into weary slits.

"Shh shh baby, you're okay. You're in the hospital." Dave soothed him, pressing his lips to his curls as he grabbed his hands, pulling them away from his stomach. A soft whine burst through Klaus's lips as he screwed his eyes shut.

"Hurts so bad, Davey," he whimpered, his lips curling into a snarl from the pain.

"I know, darlin. I'm so sorry. We are just waiting on to come in and fix you right up. You're going to be okay." he kissed Klaus's curls, his lips lingered there for a long moment to just savor his presence and his scent.

"What happened, Klaus? Do you know?" Five inquired, taking in his brother's shuddering appearance. Klaus shook his head as he gasped in pain.

"No..j-just woke up with this p-pain." he groaned again when his pain intensified. He bit down on his lip in an attempt to distract himself from his agony, "God, please make it stop." he whispered through his tears.

"Maybe they can give you something for the pain—" Vanya went to suggest, but Klaus interrupted her.

"No! No, it'll go away. I don't want anything, please, I don't want any drugs." he shook his head back and forth frantically, he was desperate to stay sober, he didn't want to relapse now. He'd come so far, he didn't need the drugs. He could handle the pain.

"Shh baby, calm down, don't work yourself up." Dave cooed into Klaus's ear to soothe him as he ran his fingers through his hair, peppering his hairline with soft kisses. Klaus eventually relaxed, his body going limp as he succumbed to exhaustion once more, his eyes slipping shut as he once again fell into unconsciousness.

"I...I didn't mean to freak him out. I just thought it could help him feel better. He deserves some relief." Vanya's eyes were wide with worry. Dave smiled at her sadly.

"No, it's okay. Don't take it too much to heart. You meant well. He's just adamant about staying sober. I think I'm to blame for that," Dave looked down sadly at Klaus's pale face. He ran his fingers through his hair as he clutched him closer to his chest. "I pushed him to quit using. It was my idea; I told him he needed to stop pumping his body full of that poison."

"That's good though, Dave. We've tried to get him to stop for years. Klaus has always been a stubborn bastard. No matter how much we begged, pleaded with him to stop, he never would. No matter how many times he'd overdose, find himself in the hospital with his stomach pumped, or how many times he wound up in rehab just to get out and sprint right back to the habit that got him there in the first place, he never listened. You should be proud of yourself for finally getting through that thick skull of his." Diego comforted, laying a reassuring hand on his shoulder.

"But now he won't accept the help! I think he's trying not to disappoint me, but this is different— So much different!"

"It's okay, Dave. I'm just so happy my brother finally has someone who loves him as much as you do. He's never been treated with such kindness and love his entire life, I thank whatever powers in the world have brought you two together; whether it be fate, or God. You're exactly what my brother has always needed, always deserved. Do not feel upset about getting him to stop using; at least you gave enough of a damn to try. Had he never stopped, the drugs may have masked his symptoms, maybe we wouldn't have learned he had cancer. There's always a reason for everything. Give him time. If his pain is strong enough, and we encourage and guide him the way he needs, I think he will accept the medication when he is ready. We shouldn't force him into it, if he truly wants to stay away from it. I know him, he's stubborn as a mule; more-so even, but he isn't dumb. If he needs the medication, he will eventually accept it."

Dave nodded at Diego with a sad smile as the other man squeezed his shoulder. There was a knock at the door before it opened, revealing Klaus's oncologist Dr. Thomas. He entered the room, closing the door behind him as he took a seat on his stool holding Klaus's chart in his hands. He smiled quickly at the family in the room before pulling his glasses from his pocket and situating them on his face. He licked the tip of his finger, then peeled the pages of Klaus's chart apart, flipping through the pages.

"Hello again, everyone. My, Klaus has certainly been having quite the journey, hasn't he?" he stated, his tone somber as he shot a crooked smile to Dave, and then Klaus's siblings.

"Why is his stomach like that?" Luther asked immediately, not wanting to beat around the bush any longer. They'd been patiently awaiting answers for so long. He took a step forward and laid his hand over Klaus's knee gently giving it a reassuring squeeze. The doctor sighed, adjusting the glasses on his face before addressing Luther's question.

"Well, as you all know, Klaus came in with an alarmingly high fever and abdominal swelling. We ran multiple tests on him; bloodwork, CT scan, MRI, ultrasound. The swelling is from an accumulation of fluid in his peritoneal cavity in his abdomen."

"Fluid in his abdomen? What would cause that? Is that a normal symptom for his cancer?" Allison questioned, her eyebrows furrowed in concern. The doctor looked back at his clipboard as he nodded slowly.

"Yes, unfortunately, it can be. Usually this condition; ascites, is what it's called, doesn't occur until the end of life stages of more advanced pancreatic cancer."

"Well, why does he have it then? Klaus is in stage three, he doesn't have advanced pancreatic cancer." Five glared forward, awaiting the answer. The doctor laid his clipboard down in his lap as he rolled his stool closer to Klaus's bed before he looked around the room to each person.

"I'm terribly sorry," he began, "according to Klaus's latest bloodwork, CT and MRI, all of the results were conclusive. I took every precaution I could and had them sent to a second radiologist for a re-read; a second opinion. The answer was still the same."

Dr. Thomas paused as the siblings all stared at him expectantly. Dave scrutinized the doctor, eyes narrowed with concern.

"The chemo and radiation therapy have had no effect on Klaus's tumors. It appears—it appears the tumors have once again spread. Klaus has a new growth on his liver, as well as on his right lung. I am so incredibly sorry, we have done everything we could have possibly done for Klaus. His cancer has advanced to stage four. It's..it's terminal at this point, there's nothing more that can be done."

An overwhelming silence filled the room; an agonizingly painful sensation filling everyone's chest.

Klaus's cancer advanced to stage four...

It's terminal, there's nothing more that can be done...

That can't fucking be!

"No..no y-you're wrong, run the tests again." Dave demanded, eyes blown wide and filled with tears.

"I'm so sorry, Dave. I know how difficult—"

"No! It can't be, it just can't! We have done everything we were supposed to! We caught it early, we started him on the chemotherapy as soon as we found out, we let him suffer from the physical torment the radiation therapy brought him. We never missed a treatment, we followed everything as close as we could. We only ever wavered on anything when we were forced to because of his aplastic anemia. He's supposed to get better! He's supposed to pull out of this like everything else in his life, he's supposed to live! You're wrong! Run the tests again, they're wrong, they have to be! This can't be! This can't fucking be!"

A sob burst through Dave's lips, hot tears of utter despair seeping down his cheeks as his shoulders hitched with sobs. He couldn't contain his emotions, he couldn't accept this news. He couldn't wrap his head around the idea that this was it—Klaus, his fiancé, the love of his life, his absolute heart and soul is dying and there's nothing to be done to stop it from happening.

Dave couldn't breathe, his chest felt like it was collapsing; constricting around his lungs and crushing his heart. He felt nauseous, he felt like he was going to pass out; he felt as though he himself was going to die alongside his love. Allison threw her arms around Dave, her own tears soaking into the collar of his shirt.

"Breathe Dave, breathe, we need to stay strong for Klaus, he needs us." She pleaded through her sobs.

Everyone was struggling to cope with the news of Klaus's fate...

Vanya was shuddering in Five's embrace, his face buried in her shoulder as they both trembled with fear.

Luther was on his knees kneeling beside Klaus's bed, he was clutching Klaus's hand within his own trembling fingers. His tear streaked eyes were glued to his brother's slumbering form. He couldn't bring himself to look away, too afraid that Klaus would just disappear.

Diego was hunched over Klaus, he had his brother's face cupped in his hands, his thumbs were gently caressing his pale hollowed cheeks. His lips were trembling as he kept sniffling back his tears. He couldn't bear knowing this was it, he couldn't stand knowing he would be losing his brother.

He couldn't dare say goodbye...

The doctor gave everyone some time to cope with the news. He'd grown extremely close to Klaus and his family over the course of his treatment. Dr. Thomas had been Klaus's oncologist for six months; he'd grown rather fond of this family, and admired their support for Klaus. He, too, was rooting for him, he was so hopeful they'd caught it in time. He felt their devastation, too.

"I recommend we immediately stop the chemotherapy and radiation treatments. Allow Klaus some comfort and peace for whatever time he has left." Luther gasped for a breath as he looked to the doctor.

"How long?" he started, running his sleeve across his eyes to dry his tears, "How long does he have, until he—" he choked on his breath as a sob burst from his lips, unable to finish the question. Dr. Thomas nodded, looking into Luther's eyes.

"It could be anywhere from a few weeks, to a few months. Judging by how aggressive his cancer is; how fast it's progressed, even throughout his rigorous treatment," he paused, folding his arms across his lap, "I'd estimate Klaus has two to four months time left. I am deeply, deeply sorry. I wish there was more that I could do. Klaus is a remarkable, strong and brave young man." laid his palm over Klaus's ankle, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"We can drain his ascitis to help relieve some of his discomfort. It may return, although, there's no telling when it may occur. We can address it at that time and further assess treatment then." Luther stood up, still clutching his brother's hand. He couldn't let him go.

"If he stops the chemo and radiation, and we drain the fluid, will Klaus be comfortable? Will his pain go away?" Dr. Thomas adjusted the clipboard in his lap. He pushed his stool back and rose to his feet as he turned to address Luther's question.

"That should bring him a great deal of relief, yes," Everyone sighed with the knowledge that Klaus would be in less discomfort.

"However," The doctor continued, "Klaus is in the end of life stages of his illness. He may find temporary relief from his symptoms at first, but stage four pancreatic cancer can be extremely painful; we could prescribe him pain medication to help dull his pain, however, if my memory serves me right then I know Klaus is a recovering addict. I know this is a difficult decision, and I don't want to force him into anything he doesn't want, but, I highly recommend he accept the medication."

—-

The doctor drained Klaus's ascites from his abdomen; his entire family watched the procedure. He instructed Dave to ensure Klaus stayed perfectly still for the duration of the procedure, and informed him it could take anywhere from twenty to thirty minutes to complete.

The doctor prepped the skin on Klaus's belly; it had to be cleansed and sterilized before he could begin. He injected the area with a local anesthetic to numb the injection site. Once he was certain the area was numb, he slowly eased the Paracentesis needle into Klaus's abdomen. The needle was connected to a long thin tubing that lead into some kind of a vacuum pressurized contained. It didn't take long for the container to begin filling with the pale yellow fluid.

The doctor checked to make sure Klaus was hooked to an IV to ensure he was retaining his fluids to prevent low blood pressure from occurring, or his body going into shock.

"Alright, I'll be back in fifteen minutes or so to check on the progress. I'll need to monitor his vitals for an hour once the procedure is complete, otherwise, he will be free to return home."

Dave cradled Klaus's still body in his lap as he absorbed his love's appearance. Klaus looked so tiny, so frail in his arms. Dave stroked his fingers through Klaus's hair, he knew the act always brought Klaus such comfort. He certainly needed all the comfort he could get right now.

The siblings all circled around the bed, their hands all on Dave or Klaus in support. No one could speak; the fear and grief they all shared pounded through their vacant chest cavities—surely, their hearts had burst, ripped out of their chests, leaving them barren and cold. They were all numb. The well of their tears had long since run dry, leaving behind puffy bloodshot eyes. They were all still in shock.

And Klaus? He didn't even know yet, he had no idea of the truth - no knowledge of the fact that he was dying. How would he handle this news? How would they even tell him?

A soft groan emanated from Klaus's lips, his eyes pinching tight before opening into slits. His glossy pupils darted around the room, observing the people surrounding him.

"Guys," his voice was soft, barely above a whisper, "were you crying? Why are your faces all red and puffy?" he pinched his eyes shut, a short pained gasp departed his lips as his hands reached for his belly. Diego and Five grabbed onto his hands to halt the motion.

"Easy, Klaus. You have to stay still." Instructed Luther, he was rubbing Klaus's shoulder to comfort him.

"W-what? Why?" Klaus's eyes opened again and scanned down to his stomach, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion when he spotted the tubing. His gaze followed the tube to the container with his abdominal fluid inside. His eyes widened as he scrunched his nose in disgust at the sight of the fluid.

"You had ascites, Klaus. It's fluid buildup in your abdomen. It's what was causing you so much pain. They're draining it. It should make you feel better." Informed Vanya, she was running her hand up and down his leg. Klaus closed his eyes and eased back into Dave's embrace.

"Well, that's a relief," Klaus's eyes fluttered as he began to fall asleep again, he was just so tired, but something about the somber energy in the room and the deafening silence tugged at his mind, making it impossible for him to relax.

Something wasn't right...

"Guys, what's wrong?" Dave's body tensed beneath him at the question. Klaus tried to turn to face him but steady hands kept him still.

"Baby, you..I..." Stammered Dave, tears pricking his eyes once more.

"What baby, what is it? Is everything okay?" Klaus's voice was soft and pleading, he knew there was something wrong.

"Nothing is okay, baby.." Dave attempted to stifle his sobs, but he couldn't. He wasn't ready to say the words to Klaus, he wasn't ready to break his heart, "baby, you—I don't even know how to say it.."

"What? Say what? Baby, you're scaring me.." Klaus's own eyes were beginning to fill with tears. Dave pressed his lips to Klaus's brow. He pulled away, tears freely trickling down his face as he cupped Klaus's cheek in his unsteady hand. Klaus wrapped his fingers around Dave's wrist, his eyebrows furrowing in fear.

"It's my cancer, isn't it?" he asked feebly, his words cracking with each syllable. Dave closed his eyes as he nodded, a quick sob bursting out of his chest.

"I-I'm so sorry baby, it's—"

"Terminal?" Klaus finished, lips pinched into a tight line.

"It's progressed to stage four, Klaus. They found a new tumor on your liver and your lungs," Luther informed, seeing how much Dave was struggling just to compose himself, let alone find the courage to break his love's heart. Luther knew he needed to take his place as number one and deliver the gut wrenching news to his brother himself, "they want you to stop chemo and radiation immediately. To, uh..to make you more comfortable." he finished, his words growing quieter and less certain as they fractured off into silence.

"Oh.." Klaus didn't know what to say, or how to feel, or react to this news.

He's...dying?

He knew that was always a possibility ever since his diagnosis, but now the news took him by surprise. Learning that it was official, that he was going to die.

How was he supposed to feel?

"Well, at least I can say I gave it my best shot. Just wish my efforts would have paid off," he closed his eyes and leaned heavily against Dave, never releasing his wrists. A heavy quiet filled the room for a long moment before a loud gasp broke the silence, "I'm so sorry, Dave." Klaus wailed, his chest heaving for breaths.

"Baby, no, you have nothing to be sorry about. You are so strong, Klaus. You've been so brave, I'm so unbelievably proud of you, baby. I'm so sorry, I wish I could have saved you from this, you don't deserve this! I'm so sorry, baby." Dave buried his face into Klaus's shoulder, his tears soaking his hospital gown. Klaus wrapped his fingers around the back of Dave's neck with one hand, and interlocked their fingers together against his chest with the other, pulling him as close to himself as he could. He needed to hold him, to be held by him. They were both shuddering with fear, already overwhelmed with the inevitability of loss.

"I'm so sorry I won't be able to be here for you, Dave. I'm sorry I made you leave your timeline just to come here and watch me die. I'm so fucking sorry, baby. I love you so much, I don't want to leave you, I don't want to leave any of you! I don't want to say goodbye, I'm not ready!" Klaus wailed, his breaths coming in short ragged gasps through his pained sobs.

"Shh, take deep breaths, baby. It's not your fault, please stop apologizing. I'm so thankful I was here for you, that I am here for you. I'm so incredibly lucky to have met you, darlin. I wish we never had to say goodbye, I don't want to lose you. You're my whole world. I'm so sorry, I love you, baby. I'll be here for you until..until.." Dave's voice cracked as more sobs wracked his form.

The two lovers held onto each other, allowing their despair to soak their cheeks as their hearts shattered within their chests. They weren't ready to part; their story had only just begun. They still had so many wonderful things in life to experience together.

Now they may never even get the chance to say their vows to one another...

They were overwhelmed with a harrowing sense of loss, and they couldn't bear it.

Klaus took a deep breath before opening his eyes and longingly looking at his siblings, he had something incredibly important to say.

"Promise me," he began, his voice unsteady and filled with anguish, yet firm and commanding attention, "promise me that you'll all watch over Dave, keep him safe once I'm gone. You're all that he'll have. And..and promise me that you'll all continue to be there to support one another the way you've been there for me."

Klaus closed his eyes as he softly shifted his head, laying it against Dave's chest, deepening their contact and hold on one another, he needed his touch to ground him.

"Don't let things go back to the way they were before. Don't...don't go your separate ways, don't turn your cheek to one another. Continue to be there for each other, guide each other. Don't only gather for weddings or funerals," he opened his weary eyes again, although he was growing rather tired.

He couldn't talk for much longer...

"Have family game nights, and random karaoke parties. Treat each other to dinner - even if Luther's cooking could be considered attempted murder for food poisoning." his trembling lips quirked into a subtle smile as his siblings laughed at his words, "always dance like nobody's watching, but know that I'll always be there, silently criticizing every horrible move Diego teaches you." They all laughed again as tears freely fell from their anguished eyes.

"And please—remember me, for me. Not for this." he gestured to his sickly withered frame.

"Oh, Klaus," Allison latched onto his hand, "of course we will. We will be there for each other—that includes Dave. Whether he likes it or not, he's one of us now. We are all family. You don't have to worry about any of that, I promise you, we will make you proud. And we will always remember you as our beautiful, hilarious, insanely stylish," a sad chuckle sifted through Klaus's quivering lips, "wonderful, strong and unimaginably brave little brother." Klaus's eyes clenched shut, a wide smile spread across his face as a soft laugh graced his lips.

"I love you all so fucking much." he whispered, his energy quickly fading,

"We love you, Klaus." Allison smiled at him as she cupped his cheek, wiping his tears. Dave kissed his temple as he held him even tighter, savoring his presence while he could.

"God, I'm going to miss you all so much." Klaus whispered as his energy faded and he succumbed to sleep. Soft cries continued to fill the small room, no one could believe this was happening. They were losing him, Klaus was dying, he was fading.

And they couldn't save him...

They shouldn't be having these conversations, they shouldn't need to make these promises, these acts should have just always been carried out. It shouldn't take the loss of Klaus to bring everyone together like this. They all had so many feelings and emotions swirling within their chests; fear, sadness, hopelessness, loss...

They weren't ready for what was inevitably to come. They never would be, never could be.

They should never need to be...

The silence once again overtook them, until the sound of Allison's prayer filled the room.

"Lord, today we have a special prayer to submit to you. We pray for Klaus today in regard to his sickness, and also because of our fear. We humbly ask that you perform a miracle. For he is our world, and his presence in our lives is the greatest gift to us. We pray that he becomes a living miracle. We also pray that you safeguard our dearest Klaus and guide him safely through every experience he is to face in his life. Thank you for the grace to pray, we humbly ask that you please, answer our prayers, and offer our beautiful Klaus your protection. Amen."

"Amen."