When Klaus awoke he noticed he wasn't in his bedroom, but rather still bundled within the ever encompassing warmth of his husband's arms; they were laying on the sofa in front of the fireplace within their living room. Klaus curled himself closer against Dave, pressing his cheek against his husband's broad chest, just enjoying the sound of his heartbeat resonating within his ear.

His husband...

Klaus still couldn't believe that his dream had finally become his reality. He was floored that he and Dave were actually married. That he; Klaus Hargreeves, the degenerate of the Hargreeves name had found someone to love and be loved by. Not with an ugly objective, not with cruel intentions, but with honest, pure and always kind love. If he was being honest with himself, Klaus still wasn't certain that he deserved Dave's love.

He'd always been this beacon of hope, like a lighthouses beam of light cutting through the darkness in his heart and illuminating his world. Dave made him feel not so worthless, and like he was actually worthy of something. Dave always was certain to make sure Klaus never felt unwanted, or unloved, or unnecessary; but rather that he was so much more than enough.

Even now; Dave never allowed Klaus to feel like he was less than anyone, mediocre, or unwanted. Nor would he ever let him feel weak, or insignificant.

Klaus was sick - no, scratch that, he was dying, and Dave could have used that as an excuse to leave, find someone new to pour his love and affection into instead of wasting it on the already undeserving man before him, now less than deserving as his love was heading towards a dead end road with no outlet.

Klaus wouldn't have blamed him, Dave deserved so much better than him, he always had. And yet there he was, still sticking by his side, always unwavering, and always making Klaus feel so desirable; so incredibly loved.

So much so that the cavern in Klaus's chest ached from the feeling of it all. Years of torment, abuse, screwing around just for a bed to sleep in, some form of a meal in his belly, or drugs in his veins had led Klaus to believe he would never get the chance to experience the true meaning of love.

But Dave opened his eyes—introduced Klaus to a world he could have never imagined was possible, or even slightly attainable. Certainly not with his track record. When he told Dave about his rather colorful past, he knew in his battered heart that the emotions he'd been feeling towards this beautiful man wouldn't matter; that this façade of love would wither, and the walls he'd built up around his heart would crumble away as he learned the truth. Klaus was disgusting, always had been, he deserved for Dave to turn his cheek and leave, or hell, he deserved him to lash out and hit him like any other man ever had.

So it of course was an earth shattering moment when Dave did none of those things, but instead seemed to somehow gravitate closer to Klaus, wanted to understand him better, and he'd be damned, but he actually wanted to help, wanted to be there in ways no other man (or any other person in general) ever had.

Dave was a miracle in his own right, the man deserved an award for the amount of patience and perseverance he'd shown. Especially now.

Klaus groaned as a sharp pain in his belly made itself undeniably present. His body shook, a chill running down his spine as the pain became overwhelming. His shaky hand snaked over his belly, clutching into the fabric of his sweater as the pain tore through him once more, causing tears to pool to his eyes. He only wished that the pain would stop. Fuck, it just hurt so badly.

A soul crushing pained cry left Klaus's throat, guttural and heart breaking, he couldn't hold back what he was feeling. He wrenched his eyes closed, deepening his touch against Dave's warm, slumbering frame. He didn't want to disturb his rest, he looked so content and comfortable.

Klaus's breaths grew heavier, labored with the pain in his abdomen. He knew it was just his ascitis flaring again, he knew it had returned, and was of course deciding now to show it's hideous nature. The familiar uncomfortable feeling in his chest fluttered at that moment, simply furthering his pain and discomfort along with it. The world around him seemed to become more dim, the glow of the fireplace fading from his view. He was beginning to feel faint...

Maybe he should just close his eyes and go back to sleep...

"Baby? Are you alright?" Dave's hands found their way to his face, cupping it and tilting it towards his field of vision to take in his appearance. A stuttered breath left his lips as another white hot flare of pain emanated within his chest.

"Klaus?" His words sounded distant, like he was miles away and not in fact wrapped around him in that moment. Stars danced in his vision, bright and blinding in the dimly lit room.

"Baby?" He felt his limbs slacken, like a marionette doll who's strings had been snipped as his eyes fluttered, threatening to close. He barely registered the next fleeting moments, all he knew was that he was being lifted and carried elsewhere within the academy. The echoing, rushing sound of footsteps falling against the stairwell in a hurried pace; hard soled shoes against dated, rickety wooden floors.

Next he knew he was waking up again in his bedroom, a cold compress on his head, and Dave looming over him with a concerned expression. Klaus's eyes fluttered before snapping shut, as the pain tore through him once again. He felt hands on his body, against his cheek, adjusting the cloth on his head. Everything just seemed so foggy.

"You're burning up, baby." His words were so soft, Klaus couldn't tell if it was just the nature of Dave's tone, or if his hearing was playing tricks on him. He just felt so weak, "Maybe we pushed you too far yesterday. I'm so sorry, darlin. That was so careless of me, I should've taken your wellbeing into consideration. I'm so sorry." Klaus could hear the despair in his tone. As weary as he may have been in that moment, he couldn't allow Dave to feel that way.

"M'fine, baby, no. Don't say that." His words come out mumbled, undefined and weak. Why did he feel like this?

He grasped for Dave's arm, unsteady hands finding his wrist and clutched onto it as strong as he could. He felt lightheaded—dizzy, like he was a dreidel after it'd spun itself into oblivion. His breaths came out raspy and weak; just like him.

"Are you feeling okay, baby?" Klaus groaned pitifully as the painful flutter within his heart accompanied by his abdominal pain surged through him once more. He felt Dave's hands cupping his face, his neck, pressing delicately against his chest. "Jesus Christ, baby, you're so hot."

"Th'nk you." Klaus felt himself mutter jokingly, trying yet failing to soften the mood, but he wasn't even sure if the words came out at all. He felt so fuzzy, was he even awake?

"Diego! Luther!" Klaus heard the faint calling of his siblings' names before his eyes fluttered, and everything faded to black.

—-

The steady beeping of a heart monitor, the familiar comforting sensation of fingers running through his hair and a forehead pressed against his own was what finally tore Klaus from his slumber. He opened his eyes, vision blurred with fatigue and groaned as he tried to gather his bearings.

"Baby, you're awake. Oh, thank god." Dave's voice was shaky, had he been crying?

"Dave," Klaus's voice was weak, scratchy and his throat felt so dry. He blinked his eyes and peered around the room attempting to take in his surroundings.

Klaus realized he was in the infirmary. An IV in his arm, oxygen cannula within his nostrils, and hooked to a heart monitor with an oximeter on his finger. Everything felt so foreign to him, like he was having an out of body experience.

"How long was I out? What happened?" Klaus finally rasped as his thoughts began to clear. Dave straightened, his fingers pausing mid stroke within his curls as he hastily wiped at his eyes with his free hand. He sniffled, taking in a deep breath before finally addressing the question.

"You, uh, you were running a really high fever, darlin. You were really out of it. You passed out and then—" He paused, his lips began to tremble as a fresh onslaught of tears began to fall from his eyes. "You've been sleeping for a while, Klaus."

"A while? How long of a while?" His eyes fluttered, his vision threatening to blur again.

"Two days, baby. You've been asleep for two days. Your fever was so high, Grace said your body needed the rest - but it was so scary, baby. I was so scared. This is all my fault, I shouldn't have pushed you so hard, I overloaded you and I hurt you—"

"Baby, no. Please - please don't say that. Never apologize for that." He paused to gasp for breath, swallowing back the arid feeling in his throat. Dave handed him a water bottle, assisting him in sitting up and pressed it to his lips so he could drink. Klaus smiled at him and nodded in appreciation.

"That was the most beautiful day of my life, baby. Please, don't feel sorry for that. I'm just so happy I got the opportunity to experience it. It was perfect in every sense of the word." Dave went to protest but Klaus just wrapped his hand around his, gripping it as tight as his weak fingers could muster, "I mean it, baby. I'm just so thankful. Thank you, really. Thank you for making me the luckiest man on this planet. Thank you for loving me; for marrying me. For being there for me, and with me through everything. I love you so much." Klaus closed his eyes as a torrent of pain tore through his abdomen, and a hiss escaped his lips.

"Are you okay?" Dave asked as the muscles of his body went tense. He leaned forward to brush his hand over Klaus's flushed cheek. Another wave of pain, stronger, made itself known. Klaus gasped, his hands darting to his swollen belly, clutching the sheet draped over him as another pained cry burst from within his chest. He clenched his eyes shut, willing the pain to leave. God, why wouldn't it go away.

"Breathe, baby." Dave instructed, Klaus hadn't even noticed he'd been holding his breath. He gasped, the sound unsteady and pained as a cry rippled through his teeth. His stomach hurt so badly, the pain was so strong, he didn't remember it being this bad the last time.

Dave glanced down to Klaus's swollen abdomen. His eyebrows furrowed with concern as he gently inched his hand towards it. His palm paused in the air, hovering above his stomach, almost too afraid to touch as he remembered how badly it hurt when he tried to do-so last time, but another pained cry from his husband was all he needed to hear to know he had to try anything to attempt to soothe his pain.

Dave laid his palm flat against Klaus's belly, as delicately as he could, earning a pained cry from his love. Klaus's head shook side to side as he gasped again.

"No. No, please - please it hurts." Klaus cried, his face red and blotchy from his pain and failure to remember to breathe. Dave hesitated, considering if he should remove his hand, but ultimately he decided against it. Instead, he softly stroked his stomach, rubbing it like his mother used to rub his belly when he had a tummy ache when he was a small boy. He remembered how it always soothed him, he only hoped it would soothe his love now. Klaus gasped at first, his hands finding Dave's as he weakly tried to stop him, to alleviate the pressure from his uncomfortably swollen abdomen, but he was just too weak.

After the initial pain of it wore off, Klaus's tense muscles began to relax against Dave's touch. He was trying so hard to make him feel better, and it was amazingly, and thankfully starting to work. Klaus took in a sharp inhale of air, as he further relaxed onto the cot, his breaths coming in quick gasps while he let out the occasional pained cry.

Klaus exhaled a whimper, not from pain, but from despair as he tilted his gaze towards Dave's. Tears were tumbling down his cheeks, his lips quivering as he gazed into his husband's eyes. Dave's own eyes were filled with tears, but his lips were quirked into a reassuring smile.

"It's okay, baby. You're okay." Klaus closed his eyes as another cry broke past his teeth.

He wasn't okay...

Nothing was okay...

He would never be okay...

Dave pulled Klaus closer as his shoulders began to quake with sobs and he just pressed him tightly against his chest. Klaus's sobs strengthened, turning into heart wrenching cries. Dave's tears began to tumble steadily down his own face. He hated this; he hated how much pain his love was in, he hated how sad he was, how distraught, how scared.

Dave climbed onto the cot beside his husband, cradling his quaking frame against his own and he just held him there. He pressed his lips against Klaus's hairline, peppering a trail of delicate kisses in his wake as he tried everything he could to console him.

Both men were terrified. Klaus was fading, his health deteriorating at such a steady pace neither man expected it to go by so quickly. They clung onto each other, each of their heartbreaking sobs filling the air within the infirmary as they held one another, savoring the others touch for as long as they could. Neither man ever wanted to let go, never wanted to need to ever say goodbye. Eventually they both succumbed to exhaustion, falling asleep within each other's loving arms.

—-

Klaus woke up when the pain in his belly returned. He tried to ignore it, tried to close his eyes and curl back up beside Dave and sleep this awful feeling away, but he just couldn't. He needed to get up, needed to stretch, needed to walk it off. He needed some air.

Careful as to not disturb his slumbering husband, Klaus shimmied himself out of Dave's embrace and sat up. He stifled a groan when the change in position shot an agonizing pain through his belly. He sat on the edge of the thin mattress, clutching his stomach as he took a few deep breaths to try to will the pain away. He looked down to his arms, admiring the IV and all of the wires hooked to his body and wasted no time in ripping them all off. Klaus winced at the needle tugging out of his vein, a small dribble of blood trickled over his arm and past his elbow, but he ignored it as he stood on unsteady legs to turn off the machine. Klaus stood there, clinging onto the screen for a moment to steady himself, taking a few more deep breaths before he removed the oxygen cannula from his nostrils.

He silently made his way towards the door, his bare feet softly patting against the cold marbled floors. He wrapped his arms around himself as he slowly made his way towards the back exit.

"Klaus, where are you going?" Ben asked his brother, following his every step down the corridor.

"I-I just need to clear my head." Klaus opened the doors that lead to the courtyard and stepped outside.

"Klaus, I don't think this is a good idea."

Klaus pressed forward, ignoring Ben as he walked straight through him. Dead grass crunched beneath the soles of his bare feet as he made his way to the tall oak tree, pressing his back against it, heaving for air.

He hadn't realized this would be such a trek. The snow had apparently melted within the two days he was asleep, but it was still rather brisk outside. He cursed himself for forgetting to put on shoes or a coat. A chill ran down his spine, his arms sprouting goosebumps as he wrapped them around his trembling frame.

"Klaus it's freezing, go back inside."

A sharp pain tore through him, causing him to hiss out in pain. Klaus's hands darted to his belly, his fists clenching in his shirt. The pain was so strong, he needed to sit down, he needed to focus on his breathing. Klaus slid himself down the trunk of the tree until he was seated against the cool damp ground. Another pain tore through him, causing Klaus to clench his eyes shut as he gasped, pressing the back of his head against the bark.

"Are you going to be able to get back up?" Ben asked his ailing brother, concern etched across his worried features. Klaus groaned, a single eyelid opening into a slit to peer toward his brother.

"Haven't really thought that far ahead yet, Benny." He groaned, once again closing his eyes as another pain flared. God he was in so much pain. Ben looked at his ailing brother sadly, watching him struggling to take each breathe. He hated this, Klaus shouldn't be out here. Not like this.

"Klaus, you're too weak to be out here, you need to listen to your body." Klaus exhaled a hollow laugh before another pain grabbed his attention. He gasped again as he looked to Ben with tears in his eyes.

"I've never listened to anyone my whole life, Benny. Why start now, especially to myself." He tried to relax, tried to calm his unsteady breaths as his eyes softened, meeting his brother's attentive gaze, "What's it like, Benny..."

Klaus's voice was broken, soft, and just barely above a whisper.

"What's what like?" Ben's face was stoic, eyes furrowed in concern. What was his brother talking about? Klaus's eyes opened into slits as he addressed his brother with tear filled sorrowful eyes.

"Being dead."

Ben's expression immediately softened, he swore that if he had a heart it would have stopped beating at his brother's question. He tilted his head, closing the gap between himself and Klaus as he slid down the tree beside him and looked him deep in his eyes.

"Klaus - no, don't - don't talk like that—"

"Like what, Ben? I'm just preparing myself for what's to come." Ben opened his mouth to speak but couldn't seem to find the words. What could he truly say?

"Klaus, no, please - just—" He cut himself off as Klaus shifted his gaze to his brother, a morose smile lifting the corners of his lips.

"Ben, it's okay...you don't have to put on a brave face. It's—" He closed his eyes as tears fell down his cheeks. "It's okay, Benny. I know what's going to happen is inevitable, it's just..." He paused to gasp for air, the painful flutter in his chest stealing his breath from his weakened lungs.

Ben leaned closer to him, his hand pressing through his brother's knee in a futile attempt to comfort him. Klaus whimpered as his eyes opened into slits and he admitted the terrifying truth.

"I'm not ready." Klaus finally whispered. He wasn't ready to leave, wasn't ready to die, wasn't ready to say goodbye. He never truly would be...

"Klaus—"

A severe pain tore through Klaus's abdomen causing the sickly man to cry out in pain. He clenched his belly in his hands, trying desperately to gasp for air, to push that terrible feeling down, but he just couldn't. It was so strong; too strong, it hurt so badly. Klaus couldn't sit up any longer, he needed to lay down, he needed to rest. Klaus slowly eased his exhausted frame down until he was laying flat on his back against the cold ground beneath him; the dead and chilled blades of grass tickling his flushed cheeks. He needed to try to forget the awful searing pain in his belly. Suddenly soft flurries of snow descended, fluttering and landing delicately atop Klaus's prone and weary frame.

"Get up, Klaus, go inside, please."

"I can't.." Klaus whimpered, curling his arms impossibly tighter against himself as a pained groan pressed through his lips. "I can't, I don't have the strength. I'm so tired Ben...so tired.."

Klaus's eyelashes fluttered, threatening to close, he was just so weak. Ben peered into the sky watching the small crystalline flakes of snow drift slowly down and land upon his brother's trembling frame.

"Klaus, I know you're tired, but you need to go inside. You'll freeze if you stay out here. Get up, Klaus. Please!"

"M's-sorry, Benny...I can't, I—" Klaus whimpered, rolling onto his side and clenching his fist against his swollen belly when a torrent of pain ripped through him. He gasped, his breath visibly filling the frigid air before him as he struggled for his next breath. Klaus couldn't take anymore of this. He was so tired, so uncomfortable, he was just in so much pain.

"Please, please get up. You can do it! What if—if I could just—maybe if we—"

"I can't Ben. I don't - I don't have the strength." Klaus's eyelashes fluttered, allowing his tears to free fall down his hollowed cheeks. Ben knelt beside his brother; he laid a hand over his shoulder wishing, pleading with whoever was out there to please, just give him the strength to help him.

"Come on, Klaus. Get up. I'm so sorry, I promise I never intend to hurt you, but I have to do something. I can't—" Ben paused, wiping at his own tears as he looked down to his brother. Klaus was so pale, especially now in comparison to the snow that was falling all around him. He looked to small, so fragile, so weak. "I can't let you just lay down and die out here."

Ben's eyebrows furrowed as he concentrated. How had he done this before; he'd been able to tap into Klaus's powers to touch him once, he had to be able to do it again. He knew it was hard for Klaus, hard on his body and could potentially cause him harm, but dammit he had to do something, anything at all. He couldn't just sit back and watch his brother freeze to death in the snow alone. Ben searched deep within himself for their connection and when he was fairly certain he'd found it—he tugged.

Klaus's hands barely sparked in a soft haze of blue light as Ben's hands finally made contact.

"I've got you," Ben pulled Klaus's nearly unconscious body into his arms and began to stand. "I've got you, I'm taking you inside, you're going to be okay—"

Ben barely made it to his feet before Klaus cried out as an immense discomfort overwhelmed him. It was unbearable, a hot pain tearing through his swollen abdomen and stealing the oxygen from his lungs.

"S-stop, please—" Klaus cried, his shaking intensifying as he pleaded. "Please, put me down. I can't—it hurts, I'm begging you, please—"

Suddenly the connection broke and Klaus's frame crumbled to the ground landing in a pitiful heap. He cried, his entire being in so much agony.

"I'm sorry," Ben began kneeling beside Klaus, his hand falling through his brother's flesh. "I only wanted to help. If I could have just gotten you inside—"

"It's okay, Benny," Klaus whispered through his labored breaths. "I know, and it's okay - I'm so sorry..." A stray tear tumbled down his pale cheeks. Klaus's eyelids felt so heavy, they slowly began to drift closed as his meager amount of energy faded away.

"Klaus? No. No, wake up, Klaus. Open your eyes," Ben watched in horror as Klaus's eyes fell closed, his head lulling slack against the snow coated ground, "please! Wake up, Klaus! I'm begging you, please!"

Ben lost track of time as he watched over Klaus in horror. The sun slowly began to peak through the dreary clouds above them; its delicate early morning rays barely illuminating the now faintly pink tinted sky. The snow blanketed Klaus's unconscious frame in a thin layer of white. Ben couldn't control his tears; seeing his brother like this just wasn't right. He should've done more, he should have gotten him inside while he had the connection. He shouldn't have allowed this to happen.

Thankfully not too much time had passed when the sound of the academy's door opening alerted Ben. He glanced behind himself towards the sound and he swore his heart fluttered in his chest.

"Five?"

Five exited the academy and peered around the courtyard, his eyes finally landing on the heap of Klaus's unconscious form beneath his favorite tree. Suddenly a blue flash deposited the boy before his brother. Five knelt down, concern heavily etched across his features as he took Klaus's face within his hands.

"Klaus," Klaus's weary eyes barely peeled open at the sound of his brother's voice, "you're freezing, what the hell are you doing out here?"

Klaus's body was riddled by severe chills, every inch of him trembling hard. He struggled to breathe, the air seemingly frozen within his damaged lungs.

"F-Five?" He croaked between his chattering teeth.

"Are you trying to give yourself hypothermia?" Five wiped snowflakes off of his brother's cheeks, using his thumbs to remove the frozen clumps of ice from Klaus's long eyelashes. Klaus groaned, his unsteady hands clutching at his belly.

"I just—wanted some fresh air—" Klaus clenched his teeth at his pain. Five pulled Klaus's frigid body into his lap, cradling him against his chest. Taking in his brother's appearance, Fives features contorted into a saddened frown, he couldn't believe how pale Klaus was. His skin was nearly translucent, every vein and blood vessel visible through his pallid complexion. He looked so much like a ghost it frightened him. Five watched as Klaus continued to clutch at his belly, his obvious pain so clearly evident on his face. He needed to get him inside. He pulled Klaus closer, tucking his arm beneath his knees and rose to his feet, earning a pitiful groan from his ailing sibling. Five couldn't believe how frail Klaus had truly become. It was easy to carry him; his six foot tall brother who had always been so full of life, of wonder and such a brilliant light now fit so easily within his own tiny thirteen year old arms. It wasn't right, he shouldn't be this way. Five had to bite back his tears as the reality of just how sick Klaus truly had become made itself so painfully obvious.

"I'm taking you to the infirmary, Klaus. You need—"

"No!"

"What?" Fives eyes widened at his brother's strong denial of his actions. "Klaus, you're freezing. Mom should take a look at you—"

"No. Just-just take me to Dave, please. I just want Dave.." Klaus weakly begged through chattering teeth.

"Dave was in the infirmary, Klaus, remember?" Ben looked at his brother's weary expression with terrified eyes. "You were in the infirmary with Dave, Klaus—Klaus?" Klaus was so tired, so distraught and so incredibly weak his mind was in a fuzz. He couldn't think straight, couldn't remember where he was now let alone where Dave had been. He needed to get inside, he needed to warm his chilled bones.

"Please—please, just take me to Dave," Klaus cried out in pain, his fists clenched against his swollen belly as tears tumbled over his hollowed cheeks. "I just want Dave, please.. please.."

Five frowned, his eyebrows knitting together with a deep concern for his brother. Five could feel the chill of Klaus's flesh against his own, he desperately needed medical attention.

"Fine," He stated, earning his brother's weary gaze to trail to his steady eyes. "I'll bring you to Dave." Klaus's trembling lips curled into the subtlest of smiles.

"Thank you." He whispered, his body going slack against Five's narrow chest, instant relief flooding his soul knowing that soon, he would be wrapped in his husband's loving arms.

Five watched his brothers' tired eyes drift closed before they were enveloped in a blue light that quickly blinked them inside of the academy. Klaus could instantly feel the temperature difference; a warmth rushed against his freezing cold skin, he only hoped it would succeed in chasing his chills away. He felt the stiff fabric of the sheets beneath his body as he was settled down onto a bed; an uncomfortable cot. This wasn't his bedroom like he'd begged. Klaus's eyes peeled open, taking in his surroundings. It was the infirmary, no Dave in sight. Just Five, Ben, and the dreadful machines he detested the most in his life.

"Five - no, please. Please just take me to Dave."

"I'm sorry, I can't Klaus, you need medical attention."

"Five, please—" Klaus's words filled a dead static air as Five disappeared in a flash of blue.

Klaus groaned, another pain tearing through his abdomen. Why? Why wouldn't he just take him to Dave? Was that so much to ask? He was in pain, he was tired, and cold, he just wanted his husband. His chills intensified, his body shivering ferociously against the hard uncomfortable mat of the cot. His breathing became more labored, his lungs struggling to process the warmth of the new air surrounding him.

"This is for the best Klaus, look at you," Ben's face fell at his brother's frail appearance. He'd never seen Klaus look so sickly until this very moment. "You're not well."

"I've not been well for a long time, Ben." Klaus muttered through his chattering teeth. He groaned, a pitiful cry escaping his chapped lips as an immense pain tore through him. God, when would this pain end?

Klaus continued to shiver against the hard mat in the infirmary for an indeterminate amount of time, he was just so cold and his chills only seemed to intensify his immense pain. He groaned, his frozen fingers clinging to his swollen belly trying desperately to fight the pain away. He didn't know how much more of this he could take, he just wanted Dave. Why couldn't he just have his husband's comforting embrace?

The doors to the infirmary opened and in piled all of Klaus's family, including Dave.

"Klaus!" Dave darted to his side, instantly pulling his deathly pale and trembling frame into his warm steady arms. "Darlin, what were you thinking, you're freezing." Klaus's weary eyes fluttered open, a strained smile tugging at the corners of his gray lips. Dave cupped Klaus's cheek in his warm palm, his brows furrowing at the chill of his skin. Klaus wrapped his frozen fingers around Dave's wrist, his pulse vibrating against his numb fingertips.

"You know I don't think, babe." Dave exhaled a pitiful laugh as a tear rolled down his cheek. He hugged Klaus's form tighter against his broad chest while he buried his lips against his snow dampened curls, pulling the sheet over his uncontrollably shaking figure. Klaus groaned from his pain, curling himself tighter within the blankets while wrapping his arms around Dave, nuzzling his frozen nose into the exposed skin of his husband's warm neck.

"I love you so much baby, I was so worried," Dave began, running his palm up and down Klaus's back trying to use friction to warm his chilled body, "I woke up and you were gone. I looked everywhere for you, baby. When you weren't in our room I woke everyone to look for you. Thank god Five found you."

"You can't do that, Klaus," Luther stated sternly, he didn't want to be brash, but he needed to make himself clear, "We didn't know where you were, or how long you were missing."

"Klaus," Diego interjected, "you're too sick to just go outside like that, bro." His tone was soft, his features taut with worry.

"You could have died, Klaus." Vanya's voice was wobbly and scared. She hastily wiped at her own tears when they began to fall. Allison laid her hand over her shoulder to console her.

"We were all terrified Klaus; we were worried sick about you. Thank god you're okay." Allison blinked her tears back from her eyes, she wouldn't allow them to fall.

"Don't be a selfish idiot, Klaus," Five spat, "Had I not come outside when I did—you could have—I thought you were—" Five stopped speaking as his voice broke, he clenched his eyes closed to hide his own fear. He'd found his brother dead once, he couldn't bear to do it again. When he saw Klaus lying like that; curled up and unconscious on the cold, hard ground, a blanket of snow covering his weakened frame, he was so sure...

Klaus's grip tightened against Dave as more pain tore through his abdominal cavity, a whimper leaving his lips.

"M's-sorry." Klaus whispered through gritted teeth. He hissed, a hard shudder racking his frame. Dave kissed his temple, holding him closer.

"We need to warm you up, baby." Dave peered down to look at Klaus's pale features, he looked like death. He was shaking so hard.

"Klaus, darling," Grace approached his side, laying her perfect hand against his trembling shoulder. "Let me get a good look at you, dear. Can you look at me? I need to check your vitals—"

"No. No, please. I want to go to my room," Klaus clung to Dave tighter, refusing to face his mother, "Dave, please, please just take me to bed. Let's go upstairs. I'm cold, and so tired - please—" Klaus begged through his tears and pained unsteady breaths. Dave's eyebrows furrowed as he cupped Klaus's nearly frozen cheek in his palm.

"Baby, no. Let Grace look at you. Please, be reasonable—"

"Dave," Grace interrupted, "why don't you take him upstairs, I can treat him there. Body warmth is the best for him now anyways, dear."

Dave nodded while he quickly scooped Klaus's feeble body into his arms. Klaus groaned at the shift in position, but clutched his numb fingers into Dave's shirt as he cuddled himself impossibly closer against his husband's warmth. Dave whisked him upstairs, quickly entering their bedroom where he wasted no time in settling Klaus's still trembling frame down on their bed. Dave rummaged through their drawers, plucking out a dry pair of comfortable pajama pants and promptly undressed Klaus from his snow dampened clothes, before slipping the pants onto his decrepit frame. He didn't replace his shirt, however. Instead, he removed his own shirt before shimmying himself onto the bed beside his love, pressing his body against his own to bestow his own body heat upon his ailing husband.

Klaus whimpered, a fresh wave of pain gripping his intestines as he buried his face against Dave's chest. Dave hugged him tighter, bundling them both beneath their multiple blankets on their bed. Dave couldn't believe how cold Klaus was; the chill from his skin sent a trail of goosebumps down his arms. A knock came from their door before opening, Luther nodded at Dave as he entered the bedroom.

"Mom will be up shortly, Klaus," he informed his sickly brother with a sad smile, "she wanted me to bring you this."

He draped a weighted blanket over top of the two men on the bed and plugged it into the outlet on their wall; it was a heated blanket. Dave smiled, thanking Luther. Luther returned the gesture before glancing at his brother's horribly pale and sickly form. He frowned, laying a hand over his shoulder earning an exhausted glance from Klaus.

"Feel better, okay?" Luther smiled, as Klaus nodded once in thanks before clenching his eyes closed once more. Luther nodded before leaving the room, sending one more sorrowful glance at his brother as he closed the door.

Klaus groaned, pressing his cheek against Dave's shoulder, his body quaking hard even surrounded by all of this heat. He was breathing heavily and humming in pain. Dave just tightened his grip on him, pressing his lips to his temple, relishing having him back safely in his arms.

"God, you're so cold, how long were you out there, baby?" Dave raked his fingers through Klaus's still damp curls, pressing him ever closer against his chest. Klaus hummed, a soft whimper escaping his lips as he weakly tried to look into his husband's worried blue gaze.

"C-can't remember. Not long, I don't think?" Honestly, Klaus couldn't remember. Most of his night had been one giant blur, he vaguely remembered getting to their bedroom. He was just so cold and tired, he didn't have the energy to even attempt to decipher his night or think straight. Dave nodded, pressing his lips to Klaus's curls once more.

Grace came into the bedroom to check on him. She checked his vitals, his temperature; which was alarmingly low, Klaus had been right on the cusp of entering hypothermia. He was extremely lucky he hadn't. During his examination his breathing was far too raspy for Grace's liking, so she hooked Klaus up to his oxygen tank to make his life a little easier. She also connected him back to an IV, all of his shivering stole vital nutrients from his body, he needed urgent assistance to get it back. She smoothed his curls, bending down to kiss his cheek before informing them she would be in periodically to check on him. Dave assured her he would watch over him in the meantime, ensure he got the rest he needed, and impart him with his added warmth. Grace smiled, thanking Dave and telling Klaus she loved him before leaving the married couple alone.

Klaus continued to hum in pain up until he drifted to sleep, his chills slowly but surely faded until his body relaxed; truly relaxed against Dave's warm chest. Dave clutched Klaus's frail body in his strong arms, gently rocking him, kissing him, just holding him and cherishing every precious moment he could savor his presence against his chest. Dave sniffled, hot tears trailing his cheeks as he watched his husband sleep. He was happy he was finally here, he was safe, he was warm and he was with him. His heart fluttered at the terrifying thoughts that he couldn't quite shake from his mind, though.

Klaus was so sick, he was so weak. He was fading, and quick. Dave didn't ever want to lose his love, but he knew deep in his heart that their impending departure was quickly approaching, and he couldn't bear the idea. He couldn't handle the truth.

He wasn't ready to say goodbye...

Not now, not tomorrow, not ever.

Dave would never be ready to lose his love. The pain settled deep within his agonized heart as his sorrow lulled him to sleep, with his husbands slowly but surely fading heartbeat thumping against his own.