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Note: I actually liked this chapter! Thanks for all the reviews!

'About what, exactly?'

Dumbledore studied him steadily over his half-moon glasses. The golden object twinkling slightly giving the impression the eyes were as bright, while in truth they were dead with anxiety, sorrow and if bright at all, only with unshed tears. He took a deep breath to regain his composure before he began the war of wills.

'Severus you're dying.'

Dumbledore stated. The words had slipped from the bottom of his heart, even as he had been struggling to find the right way of beggining. Snape's lips curled in an unnatural sneer, his eyes suddenly bright. The old man closed his eyes for a brief moment at yet another stab of the sword of sorrow went through him. He had been expecting this reaction but that did not diminish the pain.

'Why so serious Professor?'

Snape questioned with a grim smile. He was going to be set free. He had never felt more elated, more content and relieved. Life had finally decided to have mercy on him and was prepared to release him. He had simply to wait, wait until Death came to take him away forever.

'Severus please. You must fight this. Madam Pomfrey says you just need rest, lots of sleep and...well, the treatment you refused the other day.'

The young man just gazed at him through half-closed eyelids. An almost pitying look, but one filled with content. Dumbledore felt his breath coming with difficulty as he realised Snape was clearly experiencing the closest he had ever come to happiness...but it was heart-wrenching to see that what brought that usually mirthful emotion was the thought of his own death.

'I plead to you Headmaster... Finally my life is in my own hands. I can depart without commiting a deed I am not worthy for. These kind of opportunities do not usually present themselves more than once and I will not waste it.'

He replied calmly, though the sadness in Dumbledore's blue eyes made his words taste like poison. He was poisoning the ocean, turning it into the black sea of darkness he was drowning in. Panick shot through him, he could not befoul the water! It would be corrupting the old man's soul. And if he was lost then all were doomed to the same fate. He was already responsible of so much hurt...he could not defile the only pure that could save them all. Yes, he would die and it was for the best.

Albus remained silent, a horrible hole seeming to suck everything inside him. Leaving nothing but a terribly dark void. Despair. His heart protested weakly, tears of blood dripping from it's wounds, straying down into the well of misery in the deepest part of his soul.

'You have yet much to live for.'

Snape narrowed his eyes and surpressed a snort.

'I was not aware of such.' he responded, with mock-surprise, 'More torture and pain, hatred and evil memories? Days darker than those I have already lived? I have been wishing and hoping for this release, this final mercy. Leave me free Albus. I beg you.'

Tears sprang to both their eyes. Dumbledore's face contracted in pain, Sorrow slashing his heart into thin threads, the well of Misery over-flowing, even as Despair threatened to end it all by leaving nothing but insanity. His hand seemed to move of it's own accord as it reached to caress the young man's cheek. Severus tensed immediately, a vein pulsing rapidly in his jaw. Dumbledore did not withdraw his hand. To withdraw would be to accept failure. He had failed in many aspects of his life. One of his greatest, failing to see the peculiar household Snape had lived in for years, he could not fail again. He could not lose him. Let Severus lose himself.

'My poor child...' Dumbledore murmured softly, watching as Snape closed his eyes, whether because of pain or sadness was impossible to tell.

'What about the Light my dear? There is still hope. Yes, for I do believe in hope. Hope is everything. Even you hoped for death. Hope now Severus. But hope for Light and Life. You can still know happiness my child. Shut your past into a chest and bury it beneath the earth, trample on the Darkness while you relish the sun shining in your beautiful garden of roses.'

Pools of ink shone with tears in the white sheet of paper.

'The sun has never spared a ray of light to my garden and everything is dead.' .

'Perhaps it was clouded by pain, anger and hate. But it may yet shine.'

'What then? A mock of life. Yet another prank, made a fool of again. To be shown happiness only to have it taken away. For the sun must always bow and leave when the night approaches.'

'But there would be no life if there was no sun.'

'There are creatures of the night. Creatures of darkness.'

'But they could not live were if not but for those of the Light.'

'Ah, you say it yourself Professor. Those of the Light serve nothing but to feed the Darkness.'

'But the sun always shines in the morning, it makes things grow. And the sun has always shone, has always given Life.'

'Yet even when the sun shines it casts shadows, and some are doomed to living in the darkness while those around them play in the Light.'

''They would need but take a step and the Light would reach them.'

'Then the sun would burn them or blind them in a false sense of safety making them stumble upon the thorns.'

'If they were cut there would be no fear.'

'But the ones who did that service would be scratched and hurt.'

'Then one small sting will teach the child not to stray across the path of thorns again and then guide the others that came.'

'It is not so. The ones who guide watch from the shadows, sacrificing themselves.'

'And simple equality? Night and Day, thorns and flowers.'

'That is but a dream. I was cast into a basement without reason and now must crawl in the dark. Like many others who slither on the floor towards an abyss without realising it.'

Dumbledore shook his head slowly as he watched the young man. The conversation could go on forever, for there was no real answer. But there was only one choice to be taken now.

'You stand on the final step of the stairs Severus. Either you stumble back and fall forever into the darkness, or you take a step foward and emerge into the Light.'

'I could not see and erred my last move, I placed my foot wrongly and now I waver. There are no walls to lean onto, not even a candle to guide me and I will fall.'

'But there is a voice calling through the darkness, trying to reach you. You need but listen to it carefully and you will find a helping hand that will pull you up.'

Dumbledore withdrew his hand and held it in the air, fingers wet from the tears that had strayed down to meet his fingers, waiting with baited breath and hoping.
Severus gazed at the old man, at the overflowing blue ocean of his eyes with it's twinkling bright stars, and the extended hand. He lifted his own hand slowly, hesitant. To fall back or step up. To fall back into darkness or emerge into the light. A pale bony hand closed over an old wrinkled one. Albus grasped it tightly and pulled the man into a loving embrace, tears of joy blurring his sight as his childsobbed weakly on his chest.

Note: Thoughts are ever so contradictory. I've found I agree more with Snape than with Dumbledore-all this angst is affecting me. Lol. No, really. Well, hope you enjoyed it and please review!