Tatsumi held Scheele tightly against his chest. He was afraid that if he loosened his grip, she too would disappear. He couldn't bear the thought of forever wondering this world alone, he wouldn't let that happen, he couldn't. For a long time they simply stayed clinging to each other, as if frozen in place. The entire world remained silent giving these two souls a moment of respite.

"I'm sorry." Scheele's quiet voice pierced the silence that had enshrouded them. He was shocked to realize that her small body was shaking with sobs as tears streamed down her face. "I didn't mean to die. I didn't want to leave you." she whispered in between deep breaths. Slowly, Tatsumi loosened his embrace so he could see her face; the agony that etched across it shocked him. She refused to meet his eyes as she kept her arms wrapped tightly around herself, struggling to control her tears.

Tatsumi pulled Scheele into his arms; he desperately searched for words that would comfort his friend, his mentor. He couldn't imagine how long Scheele had been forced to battle with these horrible doubts. Each of Scheele's sobs tore at Tatsumi's heart; he realized that even in the afterlife there was still so much sorrow.

"It's okay. It's okay." Tatsumi didn't even realize that he was speaking, at some point he had just started muttering mindless words of comfort. "It's okay. It's okay."

Eventually, Scheele lifted her head and met Tatsumi's eyes; tears still stained her face, but she was no longer sobbing uncontrollably. Scheele slowly shook her head, she didn't believe his words. "I was supposed to protect you." Scheele's voice was still so very quiet, but her words cut deep into Tatsumi's soul, "I promised."

Tatsumi took a deep breath to steady himself; he knew had to try and help his friend, but what could he say to save her? Tatsumi closed his eyes, hoping that the words would come to him. And then, he remembered a kiss. He remembered a pink-haired girl. Tatsumi found the words he was searching for. "Thank you."

Tatsumi felt Scheele shift in his arms. He gently released her from his embrace. She pulled back, and finally met his eyes. "But I... I didn't do enough. I just wanted to protect you, protect everyone." Despair still lingered deep in her eyes, threatening to consume her at any moment.

"You saved Mine." Without her sacrifice, Mine would have died that day. He never would have been able to truly get to know Mine. He never would have experienced a happiness so much greater than any pain. He never would have fallen in love. "I can never repay what you did for me."

Scheele seemed unable to accept his words. She had thought that Tatsumi would have been furious for leaving him, for leaving all of them. In her mind, she had failed everyone she ever loved. She had been unable to make her parents proud. She had been unable to save her first true friend. And then she had failed Night Raid, her family. She didn't deserve happiness. She hadn't even been able to face anyone from her life yet. She had just wandered this frozen plane, searching for solace. Scheele pushed away from Tatsumi; she stood on shaky feet and backed away. "No! No! I couldn't save her! She died! I should have been there! I should have been there!" As Scheele finally vented the pain she had kept hidden inside of herself, the world she had created began to mirror her inner turmoil. One of the massive frozen pillars shattered with a deafening boom. Huge pieces of ice fell upon the frozen lake and punched giant holes through its surface, revealing the water that had been lurking beneath. Cracks formed along the ice, spreading too fast to keep track of. All the while Scheele stood in the middle of all this destruction, continuing to scream, desperately trying to free herself from the guilt, from the pain.

Tatsumi struggled to his feet as the ground started shifting beneath him. He tried to move towards her, but a crack appeared before him, splitting apart the ice and sending him and Scheele adrift on two separate ice floes. Tatsumi hurriedly backpedaled away from the edge. He looked over the edge and saw the freezing water forming a vortex, threatening to drag everything in. Tatsumi tore his gaze away from the hypnotic destruction and searched for Scheele. He finally saw her 20 meters away, on her knees as she cradled her head in her hands. Tatsumi knew he had to get to her. He looked one final time at the widening gap that separated them, steeled himself, backed up a few feet, and then went sprinting towards Scheele. As he reached the edge of his ice floe, he jumped with all his might.

But he fell short.

Tatsumi slammed into Sheele's ice floe a few feet too low to grab the edge. His body was thrown backwards and he landed in the vortex of freezing water. Tatsumi felt the water grab onto his body and force him deeper and deeper beneath the waves. His body was tossed and turned until he could no longer tell where the surface was. Tatsumi wasn't sure if he could drown, but he sure as hell didn't want to find out. His lungs didn't cry out for air, but being tossed around so violently was starting to terrify him. How long would he be stuck in this vortex? If he couldn't drown he could spend an eternity trapped in this whirlpool. Tatsumi couldn't decide what would be worst, dying again or forever being tossed around underwater. Just as panic started to flood his mind, Tatsumi felt a hand on his back, pulling him towards the surface. As he was pulled the vortex started to slow until it eventually died away. Tatsumi twisted his neck to see he who was pulling him; he could just barely see that it was Scheele doggedly dragging him towards the surface.

They finally breached the surface and Tatsumi heaved air into his lungs. He didn't really need to, but it was a reaction that was ingrained into his being. As he started to calm down he realized that the entire frozen landscape had melted. In its place was a beautiful tropical paradise, the kind he had only seen when he had been teleported with Esdeath. Scheele still held onto his collar and was dragging him towards the shore. She finally stopped when their feet brushed sand.

As soon as they could stand upon a newly formed beach, Scheele pulled Tatsumi into her arms. "Thank goodness you're okay. I was so worried about you." Tatsumi smiled to himself. Of course Scheele would completely forget her own pain as soon as she saw someone else in trouble. Scheele held Tatsumi out at arm's length and looked him over for any bruises.

"I'm fine." Tatsumi smiled at Scheele and she finally returned it, though her smile was weak and unsure.

"I'm glad I could be of some help." Her smile died away and Scheele started walking backwards, once more creating distance between them.

Tatsumi lightly grabbed onto her arm. "Stop that right now! You devoted your whole life to helping others!" Tatsumi put all the conviction he felt into his words. He would make her realize that her life had been meaningful.

Scheele seemed to not believe his words, although at least she was still holding his gaze. Tatsumi looked deep into her eyes as he said, "You changed my life. You saved me from despair. You saved Mine's life! There are countless people alive right now because of you! And you still think you accomplished nothing?!"

Tears came back into Scheele's eyes "But Mine still died! I didn't do enough!" She screamed.

Tatsumi firmly held onto her shoulders and forced her to look at him. He had to make her realize all the good she had done. "No one gets saved forever!" He shouted as painful memories flooded his mind. So many of his friends had died. So very many. "You have to fight for every minute of every day and each extra moment you get is a victory! You fight until you find someone worth fighting for! Someone who you would give everything for, just so they get to see another tomorrow! You gave Mine more time! You gave Mine your time! Can you not see how much that means to me?!" Tatsumi's eyes blurred and he realized that he was crying. "Every time that I got to hold Mine's hand, or hear her laugh, or see her smile; I thanked you!" His words were finally starting to get through to Scheele. Her tears came much less frequently, and see seemed to be holding her breath as she listened to his words. Tatsumi chest heaved with exertion. He had put so much of himself into his words; there was nothing more he could say except, "Thank you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart and with everything I am." His final words came out as a whisper and with nothing else to say, he let his head drop and just cried.

A soft hand wiped some of the tears off his face. Tatsumi lifted his head and saw that Scheele was now looking at him with a gentle smile. Her eyes were no longer so full of pain. Tatsumi could see that the hurt still lingered, but it no longer consumed her. "You're welcome." She whispered.

Even as she said those words, she started to become out of focus. The whole world was becoming blurry and started to fade. "You're welcome." Scheele continued to whisper, but now it was getting harder to hear her. Tatsumi tried to hold onto her, but his hand passed right through her. He realized that she wasn't disappearing, he was! Tatsumi started to panic, but he realized that this new world was trying to tell him something. He still had others to see. Tatsumi calmed his mind and allowed everything to slowly fade away. Right before everything faded completely, Tatsumi could just hear Scheele's voice and see her talking to someone her had never seen before. It was a girl with brown hair in two tight buns. Somehow this made him happy; he realized that Scheele would be okay.

Tatsumi turned away from the fading world and faced a new one that was slowly coming into focus. He would see Scheele again, when they were both ready. But for now, another old friend awaited him.

And he could already hear that friend's deep laugh.

A/N: I have returned! Thanks everyone for reading. Sorry about that cliffhanger, but not really because I did it again this chapter. I decided that I would try something new and stick my author's notes on the end of the chapters instead of before. I feel like it allows people to get to the story faster and if they don't want to read my rambling they don't have to! Everybody Wins! If you like it the other way just send me a message. It's all the same to me.

Well I hope you guys enjoyed this new chapter. By now you probably realize that I am going by order of death for each chapter. I am really happy about how this chapter came out, I planned it much MUCH differently but somehow this chapter just sort of wrote itself. I hope you gusy think I am giving these phenomenal characters justice. If anyone doesn't realise who that girl at the end was, rewatch episode 5. Some of you might see the heavy Last of Us influence, what a great game. I have a LoU story in the workshop, it might see the light one day. Anyway, I did keep my promise and updated sooner, but not by much. I will try to update the next chapter even faster, but LIFE.

For those of you eagerly waiting for Mine's chapter, I assure you that I am too, but it will be a little while so stay tuned.

I want to thank everyone for their continued support! "From the bottom of my heart and with everything I am, thank you."

Also, so I don't get sued. I own nothing! Hear that great corporation in the sky! None of this is mine! I claim zero ownership! Also the cover image is by StrikeBoss on Deviant Art. He is really talented and I urge you guys to give him some love.

Talk to you next time!