Artemis looked over at Butler, and was suprised to see a tear leak out of his former bodygaurd's eye. He looked away, pretending he didn't see, but he was still worried. Butler never cried. The burly man pushed the door to the hospital open, and a lady in a white uniform greeted them.

"Hello. May I help you?" Artemis could only imagine what she was really thinking. Butler spoke to her first.

"We are here to visit a girl by the name of Juliet Butler."

"What is your relation to the patient?"

"I'm her brother, and this -" He looked at Artemis, hesitant, "- is a close family friend."

"Room 309. Up three stories, and along the hall to your right."

"Thank you."

The two friends walked along in silence, each wondering what the other was thinking. When they reached room 309, Butler insisted on going in first. THey walked in quietly, in case Juliet was asleep. She wasn't, and when she saw them, she smiled weaky, and tried to sit up. Butler rushed over to help his sister up. Artemis simply stodd in a corner, unsure of what to do. He just looked at the girl, barely daring to believe she was his own age. She looked much more beaten, more frail. The traditional jade ring no longer hung in her hair, instead her long, no longer glossy, hair was loose around her like a shawl. Juliet felt the boy's gaze, and blushed. A hint of color also reached Artemis' pale cheeks. He looked out the window, but it was diffucult, because there was none.

Some dry conversation passed, all the standard stuff "How are you?" "How's the food?" "Anyting interseting happen here?" "Why is there a stuffed giraffe in the corner?" All the regualr stuff, untill Juliet took a deep breath and said, "Dom, I need to tell you something important."

"What is it?"

"I don't think I'm going to ever see the red raven." Butler gasped. Artemis had no idea what was going on.

"Don't say that, Juliet! Of course you will. I promiced, didn't I? You will, I'll make sure of it. Once you get out of here." Juliet gave Butler a look.

"I don't think I'll make it out of here, Domovi. I;m getting waejer, I can feel it. Just look at the charts." She pointed to the clipboards at the foot of her bed. Atremis beat Butler to them, but he could only take a quick look at it, the tears came too soon. He handed it off to Butler, who could not look at it too long either. He took one look at the graoh on the first page, showing the red line of Juliet's health declining fast. The heading was the scariest part.

Patient: JULIET BUTLER

Illness: LUKIMEA

Condition: FATAL

"Juliet, if it's the last thing I do, I promice you will see the red raven."

"Promice?"

"I promice."

Later...

"What was that all about?"

"What was what about?" Bulet asked, pretending to be clueless. It did not suit him.

"You know. What's the red raven?"

"Ah. That. It's a long story." They both got into the car. Well, limo to be exact, but you get the point.

"It's a long drive. Please explain."

"Well, it started when we were both at Madam Ko's." Began Butler. "While we were both there, Juliet couldn't sleep more ofter than not. SHe kept having nightmares. So, I got her to sleep by telling her stories right before she went to sleep." Artemis laughed. "What?"

"You just never showed any interest in fairy tales before, that's all."

"I didn't tell fairy tales. I made up a story about a raven the color of blood. At the end of each story-telling 'session,' I promiced her that I would take her to see one before she or I died."

"And now..."

If she really will not be able to get out of her room to see one, we will bring one to her." Butler said assertivly. Artemis thought it best not to argue with him.

"Where do we start?"