He stayed silent as she ran her hand through his graying auburn hair. It was nearly quiet in the hospital, except for the faint noise of healers talking with each other. Remus had been her for a week, and the woman beside him had never left.

Amber eyes locked with hers tiredly. The werewolf knew that this would be the night. People like him never lived long anyway. Besides. With in a week, Anya would be back with her husband, all thoughts of the dying Lycan faded forever from her mind.

Part of Remus wondered how it might have been. If all those years ago, he had let himself love her, let himself unleash the wolf. It didn't matter. The same year Anya had professed her undying lover for the lad, she had turned to Kai Charlton. She was with him to this day.

It wasn't surprising Anya had stopped loving him. Who would love a disgusting animal like him? But Remus' heart had never forgotten his first and only love. He tried to forget, honest! But his heart always conquered. So for twenty-five long years, he had pushed his feelings back, choosing instead to savor the time he had with her.

Twenty-five years since Anya had met Kai. Twenty-eight years since Remus had fallen in love with her. He should have known it would never work. Known that he would amount to nothing in Anyankta's eyes. But she was an angel. And monsters could never have Angels. Not one's like Anya Delioncour.

That's why, when Anya finally admitted she wanted to be with him, he pushed her away. Remus would never let his wolven side damage his angel! No matter how much he truly wanted it. Which he did, more than anything.

So now, as he lay dying, Remus Lupin couldn't help but wonder. 'What would have happened if I hadn't resisted?' He knew what would happen immediately. He would have raped her, claimed her as his own. Leaving a surprisingly intricate scar on his angel's perfect skin.

But after that? Would she have stayed? Or would Anya have left him, alone. Unable to create life with anyone, even a wolf.

Most likely, it would have been the former. Why else would she be here, if she hadn't planned on holding true to her word?

Many many years ago, Anya had made a vow never to desert him. But why was she here? That had been twenty-five years ago. Anya was married, with a son. Didn't her husband care that she was this close to a werewolf, who had sort of been her ex boyfriend? Unless he had been told about the vow. Besides. With out the vow, Anya never would have come of her own free will. Right?

That's what the lycanthrope had told himself. It would make the fact that he was dying easier on them both. Right? Wrong. It was making it harder.

"Anya?" The man's voice was soft, shaking. Blue eyes locked with his amber orbs.

"Yes?"

"Why are you here?"

Anya looked confused. Why wouldn't she be here? Oh yes... he seemed to think she was only there because of that old promise. "I don't know..." This was a lie.

Remus' face fell from the look of hope he had. Instead, his face was suddenly full of pain and he let out an unearthly howl. The thirty-seven year old infront of him, sighed. "Remmy... I hate to say this... but it will be all over soon."

Remmy? Had she called him Remmy? The auburn male wasn't sure. The darkness was taking over. The room was slowly going black. "Anya..." He whispered out once more.

Anya looked ready to cry. Remus wasn't going to last another ten minutes. She could feel it. It was almost as if the angel of death was right behind her, preparing for the kill. "Remus... I...I... I love you." She seemed to be having trouble speaking. Though whether it was because of the tears threatening to fall, or just her guiltiness at saying such a thing to a man not her husband, Remus would never be sure.

The next thing the weakened man knew, her soft pale lips were on his. "I should have done this twenty years ago... Remus I love you. Kai is great, and I couldn't live without him. But you were my first and only /true/ love." Her hand tightened its hold on his icy one. "Don't leave me."

The words formed at Remus's dry, cracked lips. "I love you Anya..." Almost as soon as the words were whispered, his eyes closed, breathing stopped, and hand went slack.