[A/N] *hides in distant forest from fangirls* also, I will probably write a finale to tie things together. If people forgive me for this, that is.

Fakir-

All he wanted to do was rescue his beloved.

"AHIRU! ARE YOU HERE?"

Ahiru started at the sudden familiar voice. "Fakir? Am I…dead?"

"We might all be dead." Pique said dryly. "Who knows?"

"Ahiru!" His face was at the bars of the cell, and Ahiru leapt from where she sat.

"FAKIR!"

"Look, we don't have much time." He whispered breathlessly, yet his words came with conviction and strength. "It was only by pretending to be someone else that I could make it in here, much less talk to you. But they've accused you of murdering me, right?"

Ahiru nodded, overcome by emotion.

"So if I show up at your trial, the problem is solved. You can't have murdered someone who's already alive. I will not let them convict you of something you didn't do. Understand?"

"Of course they can! That's the point of trial by jury!" Lillie screeched from in the cell.

"Is that Lillie?" Fakir asked, his eyes narrowed.

"Yes. Actually, there's six of us in here. A lot of people went crazy after the story ended. But Fakir, I thought you were…"

"Hush. Yes, I know, you idiot. But I'm not dead, as you can see."

"I'm so sorry…"

"No, I shouldn't have done what I did. It's all my fault. Did you…did you read what I'd written?"

"Yes…"

"Then you know what I've never been able to tell you."

"He's eaten duck meat! Oh, the horror of when the person you trusted could have the gall to eat one of your kindred! RUN, AHIRU!" Lillie screamed.

"Are you kidding? I don't even eat any meat anymore, not even eggs!" Fakir retorted. "Ahiru, ignore your silly friend."

"I know. Fakir, I…"

"It doesn't matter if you don't love me back. What matters is that we're both here, safe. I've got to go, Ahiru. Don't you worry."

And then he was gone, leaving Ahiru with the vital words on the tip of her tongue. She turned around to the faces of her friends. "He's…he's alive!? But why?"

"That's a terrible question to ask." Rue said. "With that going, you might as well have killed him."

"Shut up!" Ahiru returned, only wanting to talk about Fakir's alive state.

"Drosselmeyer did say that most of his characters were dead. Maybe he decided that he couldn't continue the story without his direct descendant being alive." Pique said thoughtfully.

"This is what I think." Edel told them. "It doesn't outright say that Fakir died, does it? It simply says that he was willing to give up everything. Maybe it was a part of Drosselmeyer's latest tragedy, that Fakir wouldn't truly be dead. He would simply appear dead."

"But he would wake up right after Ahiru had been tried, found guilty, and sentenced to death. Perhaps he would run as fast as he could to see her, but find her right as she was about to be hanged. The moment before she dies, they catch each other's gaze, and then the life would sputter out of her. It sounds very Drosselmeyer-like to me." Lillie said happily.

"That's horrible!" Hermia exclaimed.

"But now that he couldn't finish his story, it was left more to chance when Fakir was roused from his coma." Edel continued Lillie's imaginings. "I think that's what happened."

"You were very lucky." Rue said wistfully.

"It's all right! Most of the characters are still dead, so it's still a tragedy!" Lillie announced.

Silence.

"We know." Pique said. "We know."

Ahiru was left with the terrible feeling of ominous foreshadowing settling like heavy stones in her heart.

Ahiru sat up straight in the cot, her hair luminous in the moonlight as it spilled down her back. All was still save for her wide, searching eyes, and she could hear the thud of her heart in the darkness.

These deathly stirrings in her heart, the chills down her spine, or the quaking of her shoulders…none could be quieted.

Fakir...

Unbidden, her hands reached out in front of her into the night, searching for him. She desperately needed his stoic presence, for she didn't think she could bear another moment without him.

"Oh." Ahiru whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks, as her heart broke once more. "Oh, Fakir. It was just...a dream."