"Thanks for coming, Rhyme."

The young Bito frowned at the defeated, exhausted tone of the older teen as he led her into the living room. Her frown grew deeper as she lay eyes on the body on the couch.

A body was all she saw. The thing that occupied the cushions wasn't Joshua. It was too pale and sickly, too defeated and dying. This wasn't the 'boy' she'd fallen in love with. This was an empty shell. The Joshua she knew was off somewhere, in a world far from his cacoon, talking, giggling, and smirking, singing in his joy of being truly alive and one with his district. Free and untarnished.

"Joshua..." Her soft voice cracked as she fell to her knees on the floor by the couch. "Where have you gone?"

She gently pushed away ash-blond strands from the body's face, tucking them behind his ear. She grasped his hand in both of hers and gasped at how cold it was, and how stiff it was becoming. The life truly was fleeing from the Composer, as if he were retreating to find a different vessel in which to house his indomitable spirit.

"But...you can't leave us." The girl sniffled "Waste not, want not. Don't waste your life...please don't, Joshua! Please..."

She drew him close to her chest, sliding the weightless form off the couch gently so she could cradle him. She took his head in her hands, supporting his neck.

"Can you hear my Song? You once said it soothed you...made you happy. You listened to it and said it calmed your stress...hear it now...joining with the city. I'm here, Joshua! I'm here...tell me you can hear me."

Tears ran down the younger Bito's face, and she closed her eyes and just held the Composer closer, her heart breaking, pleas escaping her lips like trickles of a river. She didn't know who these Higher Beings were that had done this to her friend, but she screwed her face up and begged them with her whole Soul, "Please...please spare him!"

His fate is sealed, one who he cherished. It cannot be reversed.

"But surely" the girl sniffled to the Voice that had answered "It can be revised. Must he face erasure? Surely you, as powerful as you are, can devise a better solution, a more favorable outcome."

We did not intend to execute Shibuya's Composer. We would indeed have sought a better solution.

"Then why don't you?" Rhyme said, rubbing the remaining tears off her face, a look of determination starting to form as she stroked limp, ash-blond locks soothingly as she felt the body in her arms finally beginning to stir.

Hanekoma stood dumbstruck as he witnessed the young Bito...actually trying to reason with High Councilman Seraph. He knew it was a futile effort, but the Angel was amazed at the girl's tenacity. He was even more surprised when Neku glared at the sky and growled

"She has a point. If you're so high and mighty, then you can fix this mess. You said yourself this wasn't an execution. So spare him before it becomes one!"

Seraph was silent, then said lowly We can only change Yoshiya's fate...at a cost.

"A cost?" Neku growled "What cost?"

It must be something genuine. Something one would never give up under normal circumstances. For Yoshiya Kiryu to live, a fee must be paid to replace his own.

Rhyme looked at the form she cradled in her arms, a tear falling to land on a pale, sunken cheek. Joshua was dying. There was no hope for him...unless someone was willing to give something up so he would survive. He had given up on existing, that much was plain. The girl closed her eyes tightly and shook her head in defiance before taking a deep breath and drawing the ash-blond head into her chest, resting her chin in his fluffy locks as she made her descision.

"Then...let him be spared."

She then conveyed her conditions mentally, for if she said them verbally, Neku and Mister H would definitely have stopped her. Seraph listened, and then said

Your fee is acceptable. We hear your plea, and will spare Yoshiya from the grip of erasure. However, his previous punishment, that being the halving of power and strength, as well as the removal of his true form sans his wings, will continue to be in effect until the designated time. You paid a hefty price, Rhyme Bito. Why do you think he was worth such a sacrifice?

"The hell did you do, Rhyme?!" Neku growled "Beat is going to kill-"

"He doesn't deserve to die." Rhyme said softly "Especially when...he's finally become whole again. I want to see him happy...he's worth it."

We must call up Sanae Hanekoma for the process to begin, as he is Yoshiya's Producer and closest ally.

Hanekoma narrowed his eyes "Fine by me." He said icily "I have questions that need answers. Immediately, Seraph!"

Then come up, Sanae Hanekoma.

TWEWYTWEWYTWEWYTWEWYTWEWY

"I begged you. On my knees...for you to spare his life, Seraph! You told me his fate was sealed. I even offered to become Fallen again, but still you refused to change fate. Pardon my tenacity but...What the HELL!"

He stood in his true form, wings outstretched and tattered still as they fanned behind him, shuddering in his rage and confusion as he looked upon the High Councilman behind his table of justice with a renewed spark in his eyes, and clenched his teeth, gripping the witness table until it nearly shattered under the pressure.

The glowing form of his superior cocked his head,

"Would you rather I had granted that request, and Yoshiya scorn you later for negating his sacrifice to get you cleared of that status? It seems you already disappointed him by foolishly taking a step that was hardly nessesary, Sanae." Seraph pointed to the mangled wings with a glowing finger.

"I offered to do anything. You still rejected it! You know I would have even offered myself in his place!"

"Again, an action that would have hurt the one you hold so dear deeply, as that is what he did for you. Any action you offered, Sanae, would have cruished Yoshiya totally, for he spared you by taking on punishments meant for you. We even put him in a state of temporary erasure as part of his debt. He made it clear that he wouldn't accept repayment. However, there is another reason We accepted Rhyme Bito's offer over your own."

Sanae narrowed his eyes "Didn't peg any of you to be the sentimental type."

Seraph chuckled, folding his wings and shrugging grandly

"In the matters of the most powerful force in existence, Hanekoma...even We are but pawns in a larger game. The girl restored Yoshiya to his full Soul State, and now, she selflessly saved his existence. We cannot ignore such a blatantly selfless act, especially from one who used to be a Noise, and by all means erased as well. She owes Yoshiya her life, and is selflessly repaying that debt because of the most powerful force in the universe."

"She loves him." Hanekoma sighed "That's why you granted her request to spare his life. Again, I didn't expect this from any of you. I broke because of these events. You know this."

"Your Soul will be repaired, as will your wings. After all, how do expect to surpoass me as you are, Sanae Hanekoma?" Seraph winked and smirked.

Sanae smirked right back, his old spark returning slowly as he raised his hand in a shrug pose "Well, that may be a long time off still, old man. If you're serious about sparing J, I may stay Producer indefinitely. You never know, right?"

Seraph chuckled, a sound that reverberated off the wallsof the grand room. He folded his arms and gestured to a seat opposite his desk.

"Sit, Hanekoma. There is much to be done, and you must be the one to do it."

Hanekoma sat, sighing and cracking his knuckles.

"Right. Let's begin shall we?"

AN: I couldn't do it. I just couldn't do it...call it cowardice, call it whatever you want. I couldn't kill off Joshua...

Perhaps in an AU...but not canonicly...