A/N: Here's your warning. There's character death here. (Like you didn't see it coming) Also some cursing. Don't take it personally.

Also: There will be some 'alternate ending' chapters. I had multiple ideas for how to end this and, although this is the OFFICIAL ending, there are others that will be coming.


Lilly couldn't stop crying. She'd been trying to since the moment they'd gotten into the van. Howard was situated in the driver's seat and he hadn't said a word since they'd left the zoo. Lilly was in the backseat with Vince, his head in her lap. He'd already started to show signs of distress. He was clammy and soaked with sweat.

"Your tears are going to make my hair frizz." Vince was already weakening. His voice had fallen to a flat and lifeless tone.

His words only made Lilly sob harder. She'd already condemned him to death in her mind and she was becoming hysterical with grief. Howard glanced back at her in the rear-view mirror. His chest ached with worry and fear, not only for Vince but for Lilly as well. He knew she would blame herself for what happened and he had no idea how she was going to react.

"Hold on, Vince. Okay?" Lilly managed to get out an encouraging sentence or two between sobs.

Vince's head lolled on Lilly's lap and she put a hand on either cheek, "Vince?"

He didn't respond. Lilly started to panic, "Vince! Vince, wake up!" She shook him as hard as she could in that awkward position but to no avail.

"Shit! Howard! He's not waking up." She shook him again and began to cry hysterically, "Vince, damnit! Wake up!"

Howard glanced at them again in the mirror before reaching back with his left hand and grabbing Lilly's, "We're nearly there." He squeezed her hand supportively, though he was having a hard time convincing himself that there was hope.

Lilly held his hand desperately for the rest of the journey to the Nabootique. Occasionally, she'd brush away Vince's fringe and whisper to him tearfully, "You can't die. You're Vince Noir, Rock and Roll Star. Death is no match for you."

By the time they got to the Nabootique, Lilly felt like they'd been driving for hours. Howard came around to the sliding door and reached in. He picked up Vince gingerly as though he were a child. Gently, he took him inside and up the stairs, into his bedroom.

"He's still got a good pulse." Howard laid Vince on his bed, the brightly colored sheets making Vince look paler than he already was.

Lilly had only been in Vince's room once before. He'd shown her all of his clothes and his Numan collection, which was still in the corner of the room. Looking around only made Lilly's insides hurt more.

Howard turned, shaken from the trip upstairs, and motioned to the door, "I'm going to go get Naboo. He'll know how to fix things."

Lilly nodded and sat down next to Vince's bed, gently taking his hand in hers and holding on. Hoping the connection would foster some life into him.

Howard banged on Naboo's bedroom door as hard as he could, "Naboo! I need you! Now!"

Bollo was the one to open the door, "What happen at zoo? You get Bainbridge good?"

"Vince is hurt. I need Naboo." Howard tried to see around Bollo's huge, hairy head.

Naboo pushed past Bollo, "I was just about to have a nap. What do you want?"

"Vince is sick. Bainbridge injected him with something. I don't know. You have to help!" Howard was becoming hysterical now.

Naboo held up both of his hands, "Relax, Howard. I'm sure we can do something."

Howard nodded nervously and led them to Vince's bedroom, where Lilly was still sitting and holding Vince's hand.

"I see you managed to save her." Naboo sounded bitter and Lilly recoiled, but she refused to let go of Vince. They had a bit of a stare down before Naboo approached the bed.

"Do you know what he was injected with?"

Lilly shook her head, "He wouldn't tell me. He just said that, once he got it right, it would be able to cure any disease."

"Doesn't look like much of a cure-all to me." Naboo checked Vince's pulse and then his aura, "He's really sick. You need to leave me alone with him for a bit. Let me focus."

Howard and Bollo nodded and left the room but Lilly was more than reluctant to leave.

"It's okay. I'll help him." Naboo put his hand on top of Lilly's and – for just a moment – showed his softer side.

Lilly nodded tearfully and got up to leave, "If he dies…"

Naboo turned to look at her, "I know."

Howard was sitting silently on the couch. Lilly sat down next to him, but gave him some space.

"Bollo's put the kettle on." He didn't look at her, just kept staring at the same spot on the wall.

Lilly looked over to Howard, "Howard, I don't know what –"

"Don't say anything." His tone was clipped and Lilly thought it was better to take his advice, so she kept her mouth shut.

An hour passed, then two. No sounds came from Vince's room. Howard didn't know which was better, the looming silence or the alternative. Would it be better if Vince was screaming? He thought it might. That way, he'd know his best friend was still alive.

After three hours of torture, Naboo stepped out of Vince's bedroom and shouted, "Howard! You'd better come in here."

Howard shot off the couch like a rocket, heading for Vince's room at a cantor. Lilly could only look over the back of the couch and hope the news was good.

Naboo shut the door behind Howard, "This is organic, Howard. It's not magical or shamanistic."

"No…" Howard knew where this was going, "No, you have to do something. You're Naboo. You always fix things at the last minute."

"I'm sorry, Howard. I can't fix this. He was doomed from the start." Naboo looked up sadly at Howard and Howard turned a vicious glare on him.

"No, no, no. I don't believe you! There has to be something you can do!"

Naboo shook his head, "I can wake him up, if you'd like to say goodbye."

Howard broke down, "No! This isn't happening! You can't let him die!"

Naboo took that as a yes and moved toward Vince. He put a hand on each of his temples and closed his eyes. Vince's eyes slowly opened and he groaned.

"I was having a good dream. Gary Numan…"

Howard knelt down by Vince's bed, his tears staining the duvet, "Vince?"

"Hey, Howard." Vince sounded tired and unwell. It broke Howard's heart.

"Hey, Little Man." Howard tried not to lose control and fall into a heap of sobs, but it was tempting.

Vince's face screwed up, "I don't feel well, Howard. Did I eat another one of your records?"

Howard laughed sadly, "No Vince, not this time."

"Oh, that's good." Vince's eyes started to drift closed.

Howard reached out and grabbed his shoulder, "Vince, wait! Vince!"

Vince came back, eyes barely focused, "I'm tired, Howard. I'll just have a little sleepy."

"Before you do," Howard sniffled, "I want you to know that I love –" He couldn't finish the sentence. The lump in his throat was too large.

Vince chuckled, "I love you too, Howard. I always have." Vince sighed and closed his eyes, "Always loved you."

Howard's heart ached and he let his head fall onto Vince's shoulder. He cried harder than he'd ever cried before. His sunshine kid was gone.

Naboo let go and moved away, giving Howard his time alone with Vince. He shut the door behind him and looked to Lilly, who was now standing facing Vince's room and leaning on the couch, her arms crossed over her chest. He shook his head, looked at the floor, and walked back to his bedroom.

At first, Lilly didn't understand what was happening but then she heard Howard's sobs from Vince's room and knew. She collapsed onto the floor in a heap of grief and sorrow. She screamed at nothing until her throat was raw. She'd killed Vince Noir. It was all her fault.

When Howard came out of Vince's room it was late. Lilly was still on the floor, curled up. She'd cried herself to sleep. Howard looked down at her and ran a hand through his hair. He wanted to blame her, but he knew it wasn't her fault. He knew he would need her more than anything in the next few weeks, months even.

He gently shook her awake, "Lilly?"

At first, she looked at him like she didn't recognize who he was. Then, all of the sudden, she grabbed his shirt in her fists and pulled him to her, sobbing into his chest. Howard didn't think he had any tears left to cry, but he did. He cried them into Lilly's soft brown hair.

After a few minutes, they both collected themselves off the floor, "You can have my bed, if you like."

Lilly, who was still grasping Howard's shirt, shook her head, "I can't –"

He held her to him for a moment before making up his mind. The old rules didn't apply anymore, not with Lilly anyway.

"Come on." He picked her up and carried her into his room – causing aching flashbacks to the events earlier in the day. Gently, he laid her in the bed and got in next to her, pulling her close and burying his nose into her hair. He could feel her shaking and he held her as tightly as he could, mustering strength seemingly out of nowhere.

They fell asleep for a while; together in grief and sorrow.

Lilly disappeared soon after that. Howard had gone to make arrangements for Vince's funeral and, when he got home, she was gone. He'd searched the whole flat for a note and ended up collapsing in Vince's bedroom, exhausted and pained.

He'd saved a seat for Lilly at the funeral, hoping she'd see the notice in the newspaper and come. She didn't, and he was left to clean up on his own. Lilly Emerson had left his life just as quickly as she'd entered it, that afternoon only a few weeks ago.

The airplane ride was long and quiet. It left a sour feeling in Lilly's stomach. Disembarking in Los Angeles, she looked down at the crumpled photo in her hand. It was a photo of her and Howard, taken just days after their meeting, in the flat above the Nabootique. Roughly, she crumpled the photo in her fist and threw it in a nearby trashcan.