"Soul!" I shouted, trying to get to my boyfriend.

"Kylie, no!" Rye said, grabbing me. Though it was obvious I didn't stand a chance against this...thing, I didn't care. In a blind rage I changed my arm to a blade and tried cutting Rye until he realized I wasn't going to be held back, but he just held on longer. Soul...Abel began walking off while everyone stood watching, not attacking. Eventually, I stopped struggling against Rye, and he brought me into a hug. I cried on his chest, insulting him with every swear word I knew. Rye just held me, not saying a thing, his arms bleeding in numerous places.

The next day

Riley

I looked at all of the bandages on my arms and sighed. I was so used to protecting people and succeeding that someone trying to save me and ending up possessed by some messed-up Weapon emotionally destroyed me.

The phone rang, and it took me a long time to notice it.

"Hello?" I asked.

"Hello Riley." Soul's hollow voice said.

"Where the he-"

"Don't act so uncool, Riley. I want to make a deal." Abel said.

"What deal?" I asked.

"You have more energy than this 'Soul' kid does. He's already lost several pounds." Abel said. "I want you as a host."

"Not unless Soul goes free, back to the DWMA." I said.

"Of course. I'll let you drive Soul back to Death City and then I'll possess you. Don't worry. It's not painful. I show images of your perfect world. For instance, Soul's perfect world is with Kylie. It's a serene day-" I cut Abel off.

"Where do you want me to go?" I asked.

"Do you remember the bridge you killed Eruka on?" Abel asked.

"Yes."

"I'm here right now." Abel said. "Come soon."

And, just like that, I was breaking a promise to Maka. I was sacrificing myself to save someone else. But I was going to come back from this. Or, at least, bring Abel down with me. I walked into Kylie's room, where she was sleeping. I wrote a quick note that said only a few words: 'Tell Maka I'm sorry. Call Grandpa Murphy.' And I set out to London, nothing but the clothes on my back and a sorry excuse for a plan.

Hours later

Abel stood on the bridge, wearing a suit like he was when I first saw him.

"You should wear a bigger coat. Soul'll get cold." I said.

"Soul can't get hypothermia when I'm in his body. It's not unlike stasis." Abel said. "Are you sure about this?"

"Aye. Would I be here if I wasn't certain?" I asked.

Abel chuckled darkly. "You wouldn't be here if you were certain."

"Does it matter? You get what you want, Kylie gets Soul back. Win-win." I said.

"There are more than two sides to this." Abel said, taking a step towards me, snow crunching underfoot. "You'll lose. Maka will lose. Your Mother will lose."

"How do you know about them?" I asked.

"I know everything Soul knows." Abel said. "Are you ready for the change?"

"Not until Soul is back in Death City." I said. "That was the deal."

"Yeah. It was and is." Abel said. The scythe-Cain-materialized and fell into the snow, and Soul changed back into the normal, though he wasn't conscious. I caught him before he fell and picked up Cain, feeling the evil emanating from the Weapon as I walked to the car.

Outside of the house.

I'd laid Soul beside Kylie in bed, then left. I was standing outside, waiting for Cain to take me over. The sun was rising in the sky.

'Maybe it's the last sunset I'll ever see,' I thought. I felt a small pain in the back of my head and knew I was losing control.

"You're taking your sweet time, aren't you?" I asked.

'No need to rush.' Cain said inside of my head.

My fingers went numb as Kylie and Soul walked out of the door, looking a bit freaked out.

"Rye..." Kylie said as my eyes changed blue and my hair changed black.

"Goodbye." I said, my skin turning cold and pale. In my last moments, I regretted not being able to see Kylie grow up. I regretted not having children. I regretted not trying to marry Maka, even if we were young. I regretted not spending more time with my Ma. But regrets are nothing when you lose everything.