And so the rest of the day came and went with Shirou and his young house-guest unable to put out in the open the feelings welling up in their hearts. In Illya's case, the emotion choking her heart was one of deep love, as per Sakura's warning she had suddenly become worried that some other girl had already won Shirou's heart or, even worse in her mind, that he may reject for any one of a thousand reasons that had suddenly sprung to mind on her walk home from the ice cream parlor. Perhaps, Illya imagined out of paranoia, Shirou would think she looked to young, though she was actually older then her precious older brother, or that he simply couldn't love someone who did such horrible things to him in the past, though he seemed to have forgiven her for that by now. It was all to much for the young homunculus to bear. Thus, unable to process all that she was thinking and feeling, Illya proceeded to bed without her older brother. Sorting out all of this could wait for the next day's morning, she imagined.

Meanwhile, Shirou was having issues of his own. Though not of a romantic nature, his mental state lay just as frazzled and hurried as Illya's did. Rin had revealed that Illya could very well die within a year, a fact that Shirou would do anything to prevent. Though that was also the problem of the moment, there was nothing he could do to prevent his younger sister's impending death. Striken with much the same feelings he had experienced when Saber lay near death due to a lack of mana, Shirou's heroic ideals clashed with his complete inability to do anything to help a friend in need. Rin had suggested he play along with Illya's little crush for now, that he pretend to be her "boyfriend" for the time until something could be done to ease her condition. Hanging his head with a sigh, Shirou's stature spoke volumes about his opinion on Rin's plan. Still obsessing over the loss of a certain blond servant six months ago, there was little room in Shirou's heart for another at the present. Even so, he thought, there was no need to attach romantic feelings attached to Illya for this plan to work, as her place in his life as his cute, yet very annoying, little sister was enough to sway Shirou to Rin's side on the matter. And, with hand on heart, Shirou swore aloud his intention to see this through to the end. "Saber,..." he muttered in a low tone. "I hope you will forgive me for what I'm about to do. As it is all for a good cause, I swear." Holding those words to his heart, Shirou to proceeded to clean up the manor for the night before heading to bed. Arriving his his bed room, Shirou was shocked to see Illya sleeping in the place he had designated for her on the first day of this seemingly endless weekend. He knew that if she was feeling well she would have been in his bed by now, awaiting her chance to snuggle against him in as tight an embrace as her small arms would allow. Assuming her separate sleeping position was a result of what Rin had discussed with him, Shirou slid into his own bed, ready to enjoy a night of sleep free of having a small girl wrapped around him.

_

The morning came as it usually did, with Illya sleeping in and Shirou making her favorite breakfast of eggs and toast. Though, today was different from other days in that the usual liveliness that radiated from the Emiya-household's dining room table was strangely absent. Even upon Illya awaking from her night's rest, her typical energy seemed drained by something. Rather then drilling her elder brother about the morning's meal she seemed content to sit at her place at the table and watch Kaleido Ruby for the time being. Shirou very well knew the cause of Illya's silent vigil before the television, she was clearly nervous about what would likely become a confession. A confession of her own feelings for Shirou, how she wished she he would "become hers" and such things. She had uttered those words long ago when she had captured Shirou during the Grail War, but their meaning was different now. There was no war to be fought and no advantage to be gained from forcing herself upon Shirou. Her feelings now were pure, or at least as pure as they could be. She only wished to feel the warmth of being around Shirou as much as she could and hear those magic words that she had imagined Saber had been so lucky to hear during her time with Shirou as master and servant. The anxiety caused by finally garnering the resolved to speak what her heart desired but to still be bound by the prospect of a denial of her own feelings, this was what had caused Illya's current feelings of unrest.

Soon after the loud and colorful anime had finished it's run upon the Emiya household's television, the morning meal was also complete. Setting a a plate of eggs, toast, and sausage before Illya, Shirou smiled. As he wanted Illya to feel as comfortable as possible as to coax her confession, Shirou did everything in his power to lighten the mood surrounding the dinner table. Silently, Illya probed at her mean for several minutes before, for the first time this morning, loosing several words from her small mouth. "Big brother..." Illya said in as cute a manner as she could muster. "C...an I tell you something, it's important." Shirou knew what was coming next and readied himself for the incoming onslaught of emotion he assumed would flow forth from his pale-skinned house guest.

Shirou smiled with his head cocked slightly to the side before speaking, it was an action meant to set Illya's heart of ease. And, judging by the look of relief on Illya's face, it was working. "Of course, Illya-chan. You can tell me anything." Now, even Shirou's heart began to beat at a fevered pace. He knew that this little question would spin into something much bigger, a commitment to keep Illya happy and content until the day something could be done to save her from her inevitable fate. It was a familiar feeling, echoing a similar promise he had main to another person close to him in the past. Shirou quickly shook such thoughts from his head, what he felt for Saber and Illya were two completely different types of love, or at least he thought they were... While Shirou was lost in his own mind, Illya finally mustered up the courage to spit out the words she had been holding in for what seemed like forever to the small homunculus.

With a hurried pace that caused her words to run together, Illya finally spoke her true feelings for Shirou aloud. "I love you big brother! Will you please be my boyfriend?" Shirou's will nearly broke in two upon hearing such words. Though he had done everything in his power to prepare for this moment, having gone through all possible scenarios in his mind, and meditating to steel his heart against the floodgate of feelings tha her words may have invoked. In the end, though, all his preparation had proved useless in the face of Illya's confession. The last time had heard those words were coming from the mouth of Saber, his former servant and the lover he had wished upon so many stars he could still be with. To hear them coming from another girl, even if it was someone he knew as well as Illya, dredged up old emotions he had buried upon Saber's departure.

Overwhelmed by the memories and emotions of the past overrunning his body, Shirou simply could not find words to answer Illya's frantic plea. Instead, summoning up enough power to move under the weight of his past and memory, Shirou slowly walked to Illya's side and wrapped his arms around the small girl who had been at his side for the better part of three days now. Even if his feelings for Illya weren't the same as though she held for him in turn, he simply could not abandon a friend in her hour of need. If spending time with her, making her feel wanted and special, and going out like they had to the gamecenter was all it would take to make Illya happy, then he simply could not refuse Illya's humble request. Illya in turn needed no words to realize Shirou's answer to her plea, as the warmth of his embrace and the tears rolling down his face could mean little else but that he had answered her prayers. Crying in turn, Illya had not been this happy since she had first met her beloved older brother in the park so many months ago. Shirou, in many ways, was the only family Illya had left. After all, no one else had treated her with so much kindness since her mother and father had both left her nearly a decade ago. It was only natural that she found herself drawn to Shirou in such a powerful way. The pair's embrace lasted for several minutes, as both parties tried their best to sort out emotions that had laid buried for so long. Then, as all that remained of the waterfall's worth of tears they had collectively shed were stains upon their faces, Shirou broke the embrace to speak, as his mind was finally clear on the subject at hand."

"I can't promise you much, Illya-chan. But, I will remain by your side as long as you wish me to. It is the least I can do for someone so close to me." Those words were the culmination of all of Shirou's feelings and meant far more then their sparse length implied. Illya, had no words to respond in kind, instead decided to tackle her older brother with all her strength, forcing him to the ground where she quickly placed several kisses upon Shirou's red cheeks. Though the circumstances were complicated and Illya's fate still up in the air, for now both Shirou and Illya had found a small bit of peace in their lives.

There we go everyone! Illya finally confessed to Shirou and everything has worked out for the best, even if Shirou doesn't feel the same way about Illya as she does about him. Next chapter, which will likely be the last one, will be about Rin's attempt to find a way to save Illya, while Shirou does his best to pretend to be her boyfriend!

Thanks for the reviews and favorites everyone. You guys are great!