A/N: Ah, Christmastime. Not exactly depressing, is it? TOO BAD! You seem to love angst, Tori, so this your Christmas present. It's about one of the saddest things I could think of. Merry Christmas!

Disclaimer: I'm not a man. So I definitely don't own anything, except for the slight AU-ness.

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This could not be happening to him. He thought everything would go perfect in his life, but boy, was he wrong. Because almost a year ago, the love of his life had been diagnosed with cancer and given a year to live.

He was heartbroken when he heard the news, but she had seemed almost…at peace. Even so, he never missed a visit, and was constantly by her side. He knew all of her nurses by name in 3 weeks flat. He had become desperate enough to suggest healing magic, but she had quickly vetoed the idea. It was her time, she said. So let he let the idea go.

Even when she chose to live her life out of the hospital after a month of confinement, he let it go. It was her dying wish, pretty much. He said nothing about it. This shortened her time dramatically, but he began realizing that something was seriously wrong when she couldn't walk up the stairs. With a month of time on Earth, she was moved back to the hospital.

*:*:*

He knew something was wrong when he got the call. Sadie, though they were siblings, never, ever contacted him in any way. That's how he knew. She was dying.

"Time?" he said into the phone. Sadie's voice came over the phone, quiet, sad, and raspy.

"She wants you here." So he hangs up and doesn't bother to try to seem normal. A portal is summoned, and he's gone.

*:*:*

"Zia," he whispers softly, at her side, stroking her hair, kissing her head.

"Carter," she can't even talk with strength. "Do me a favor, ok? Move on."

"How could I possibly…?"

"I don't care how. Promise me, alright?"

"Of course. But only for you." By now, tears are trickling down his cheeks. He could care less, though. This is the love of his life here, dying. Crying is not a big deal.

They wait a few more hours. She evades death well, but after, he would see no point. Because on December 22, 2011 at 4:48 p.m., Zia Rashid died.

A/N: Well, that wasn't depressing, or anything. It actually made me cry…and I wrote it…The bottom line: 1) I hate cancer, and 2) Merry Christmas, Tori! Sorry it was depressing…Anyways, R&R!