~Disclaimer: I don't own these sweet and innocent characters that we've all come to shape and mold like clay... but, as always, they don't belong to me. Just have fun reading and enjoy the moment.

~*~

He looked up at the roof top. There was nothing there. But the snow that would have normally formed in a rounded shape on top, was crushed, like someone had sat there. Sage breathed heavily, completely flabbergasted. "What the hell is going on? Who is up there?!" Sage said to himself. Waiting about 2 seconds more, he pulled his head inside and closed the window, then locked it. He turned around and headed for the bed while pulling a hand through his messy locks.

Then he saw him.

It was Rowen.

Sage flipped. He fell onto his feet, bumped his head on the wall, and started to scream.

Rowen bit his lip and tried to get Sage to be quiet. He motioned his hands over his mouth and tried to shush him. To Rowen's surprise, it worked.

Sage looked into Rowen's eyes with tears streaming down his cheeks, "R-Rowen?" He squeaked, "is... is that really you?" Sage reached a hand out to try and touch Rowen's face as he sat down next to him.

Rowen nodded. He grabbed Sage's hand and pressed it hard against the side of his face and cried. "I'm so sorry, Sage. I'm sorry!"

"What happened to you?" Sage asked, the hint of fear and confusion bubbling in his throat. "Please, Rowen! Tell me what happened!"

Rowen took a deep breath. "Sage... I don't know."

Sage's eyes filled with tears again. "Rowen, I don't know what to do with myself anymore! Please stay with me! Stay with me forever!"

Rowen bit down on his trembling lip and didn't say anything for a long time. Then he matched his face with Sage's and shone his crystal blue eyes into a pair of clear violet ones, "Sage, I love you." He leaned forward, gently pushing his nose against Sage's. He looked up at Sage's eyes once before completely contacting his lips with Sage's baby soft ones.

Sage immediately broke down, wailing into Rowen's mouth. He broke away and covered his eyes with his quivering hands.

Rowen moved closer to him and wrapped his long arms around Sage's body. He bent his head down next to Sage and pressed his lips against his ear. "Sage," Rowen started, whispering, "I'm perfectly fine. Please don't weep for me. I love you too much, you know I hate seeing you like this."

Sage tried to calm down. He took a deep broken breath and removed his hands from his face. "Ro, I love you too, but... why?" he replied in a soft voice.

Rowen licked his bottom lip, "Because someone has to watch out for you." Rowen forced a small smile on his lips, "And that someone happens to be me." Rowen kissed Sage gently, but Sage shivered, quickly breaking their lip-lock.

"Why are you so cold?" Sage asked, touching his lips, feeling for frost-bite.

Rowen sighed, "Sage, do I really have to tell you?"

Sage looked down, "... No."

Rowen took another deep breath, "Sage, please... don't be depressed. I'm always here, always. I will never-ever leave your side." Rowen paused and brought his lips against Sage's cheek. "You're my baby."

Sage could feel that tingle in his nose when he knew he was going to cry. "You promise?" he rasped.

"I promise." Rowen then brought his arm around to Sage's back and his other under Sage's legs and he picked him up, carrying him over to the bed. Once there, he gently laid Sage down and pulled the covers over him. "Now, please, get some sleep. You're ruining your beauty," Rowen smiled, tucking one of Sage's wild locks behind his ear.

Sage closed his eyes. "Rowen, please stay here until I fall asleep."

"It's done," Rowen replied, walking around the bed and getting in next to him. He wrapped his arms around Sage's back and pressed his cold forehead against Sage's. Sage hunched his shoulders and inched himself closer to Rowen's chest, seeking comfort.

"I love you too, Rowen."

-~-~*~-~-

Sage yawned, waking himself up. He rolled over and reached for Rowen, but when his arm hit the bed, he realized that he wasn't there. Sage sat up, "Was that all a dream?" He scanned the bedroom. There was nothing that would've hinted last night. The covers were only messed up where Sage was sleeping. The window was still locked.

Sage sighed and got out of bed. He started to walk out the door, but then he stepped on something fuzzy. He looked down and found a feather attached to his foot.

Sage gawked, "Rowen? Maybe it wasn't a dream!" he smiled to himself and walked quickly into the bathroom.

About half an hour later, Sage came out clean and dry for the day. He waltzed downstairs and into the kitchen, heading straight to the refrigerator.

Cye arched an eyebrow, "Are you alright, Sage?" he asked, noticing his perkiness.

Sage hummed as he poured himself a glass of orange juice. "Mmm-hmm."

Cye turned his worried look over to Ryo who returned him the same glance.

"What's going on, Sage?"

He stopped humming to take a gulp of his drink, "Nothing. I'm just in a better mood today."

"Well that's obvious," Ryo retorted, waving a hand in the as if to emphasize his point. "What the hell? Are you on drugs or something? How are you happy?"

Sage snorted, "No, I'm not on drugs!" Sage paused to finish his juice. "Sorry that I'm happy that Rowen's alright."

Ryo and Cye exchanged startled looks, "What was that about Rowen?!"

"I talked to him last night. He said he's fine."

Cye walked over to Sage and put his hand on Sage's forehead, "Are you feeling alright? Because you sure don't sound alright."

Sage raised his eyebrow, "I'm fine, Cye." With that said, he left the room, walking towards the front door.

"Do you think something clicked in his head?" Ryo asked, running a hand through his hair.

Cye sighed in worry, "I hope he hasn't lost it..."

-~-~*~-~-

After dinner, Sage cleaned his plate and set in the sink. He took a deep breath and headed outside.

Cye looked at Ryo and nodded his head over to Sage's direction. Ryo bit the inside of his cheek and followed Sage out to the front porch. He got out there and found Sage seated on the porch stairs, his head cupped in his hands.

"Sage, are you sure you're okay?" Ryo started, sitting himself next to his friend.

Sage nodded harshly, "Yes, I'm fine. How many times to I have to tell you guys? I'm fine, I'm fine, I'm fine!"

Ryo sighed quickly, "Sage, I'm just worried, okay? You were saying that you talked to Rowen, but he's dead." Ryo paused to catch himself. "No one can change that."

"That doesn't mean that he can't be okay!" Sage shot back. "You know those feathers that we keep finding?"

Ryo pursed his lips together, "Lemme guess, Rowen's an angel-"

"God dammit, Ryo!" Sage stood up and stared him in the face, "Why don't you guys just believe me! I saw him last night, I know I did! I'm not crazy!"

"Well, that's really hard to believe because in everyone else's opinion, we think you've lost it-"

Sage groaned, "I'm not! Do you want proof!? HERE'S your fucking proof!" Sage reached in his pocket and ripped out the feather that he found on the floor in his bedroom, "That was in my room this morning!"

Ryo had to bit his lip to keep from laughing, "Sage, that's not proof. We have feather pillows, it probably came from that-"

"NO it didn't!" he screamed. "This one is different!" He tried to shove it into Ryo's hands, but Ryo just pushed his hands away.

"Sage, you've fucking lost it! Just because Rowen isn't here anymore, it doesn't give you ANY reason to lose yourself! You're crazy!"

Sage stared hard into Ryo's tiger blue eyes, clenching his fists so hard that his knuckles were white, "Ryo," he stated, softy, "I'm not crazy. Rowen is still here and I still love him-"

"Sage," Ryo sighed angrily, "No. I'm not going to let you-" Ryo stopped, crying out as Sage gave a quick punch.

Ryo doubled over and grabbed his jaw, cursing. "Sage!"

Sage bit his bottom lip as tears ran down his face, "Ryo, leave me the fuck alone. I'm NOT crazy and I'm NOT going to take anymore of your bullshit!" Sage waited for an answer.

Ryo slowly stood up and wiped the blood from him lip. With tears in his eyes, he said, "Sage, I'm not trying to hurt you. I'm trying to help you. You've let yourself get way over your head. I'm worried sick."

Sage let one sob climb out from his throat, "I can't deal with this right now," he whispered. Then he slowly turned on one heel and walked down the driveway towards his path to the lake.

Ryo wiped a icy tear from his cheek and turned to head up to the house. But right as he turned, something gleaming on the ground caught his attention. He turned and walked towards it, then picked it up. It was the feather Sage tried to give him. As Ryo twirled it between his fingers, it caught light, reflecting a spectrum of colors. Ryo gasped, "Was Sage right?"

-~-~*~-~-

Sage wept all the way to the lake. He dragged his feet in the heavy snow, pulling his coat around his body tighter and whispered his lover's name through his cracked lips.

He looked up at the dock and noticed a weird shaped shadow. Wondering to himself, he walked closer to it, then realized what it was.

Rowen was sitting on the edge of the dock, his long legs pulled to his chest. There was a sharp wind that was cutting around, causing his unruly blue hair to fly. Enormous white wings flowed off his back, whisking odd amounts of feathers into the air. As the wind blew, his wings looked more like liquid, so white and so smooth.

"Rowen?" Sage called, slightly above a whisper.

Rowen jerked upon hearing his name. He stood up and ruffled himself, looking at Sage who stood at the beginning of the dock. His lips formed a smile. "Sage."

Sage slowly walked down towards him, his face of confusion interchangeable. When he got within arm's length, Sage stopped, "Why do you have..." he paused and outstretched his arm, running his fingers through Rowen's feathers, "wings?"

Rowen smiled and took a step into Sage, wrapping them around both their bodies. He stroked the side of Sage's tear-wet face and leaned to kiss him softly.

"Are you... an angel?" Sage whispered, breaking their kiss.

Rowen nodded gently, wiping the tears from Sage's face, "Don't be mad at Ryo, love."

Sage creased his brow, "How do you know I'm mad at him?"

Rowen couldn't help the little chuckle that escaped from his throat. "He doesn't understand and probably never will. I don't even know if Ryo and Cye and Kento are ready to understand."

"But I'm not crazy!" Sage cried, "You're here, you're right in front of me, touching me! You're real, Rowen! Why can't you tell Ryo or Cye!?"

Rowen shushed him, "Sage, I can't do that right now."

Sage pushed away from Rowen walking towards the end of the dock, "Why not?" he asked.

"I thought you and me would have something special... something no one else can posses."

Sage turned and looked at Rowen. His wings were fluttering in the cold heavy wind, his blue hair whipping the sides of his face. But his eyes. There was something about his eyes that made Sage believe that he was still alive. There was still that hint of life in them, that clear sparkle. "But everyone thinks I've gone mad..."

Rowen pulled Sage to him, "Then don't tell them about me!" he exclaimed.

Sage looked deep into Rowen's eyes, his beautiful crystal sapphire eyes, "Rowen,"

"Yes?"

Sage put his hand against Rowen's cheek and studied his face, "You're still alive, aren't you?"

Rowen frowned, "Sage-"

Sage left his arms and headed towards the end of the dock again, this time looking down at the ice. "Rowen, I don't want to be without you."

Rowen walked up behind him. "What are you talking about?"

"I want to be with you forever..."

"Sage! Don't!" But before Rowen could grab him, Sage plundered back into the water's depths.