Some say the world will end in fire,

Some say, in ice.

From what I've tasted of desire,

I hold with those who favor fire.

But if it had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate,

To say that for destruction, ice

Is also great,

And would suffice.

Emily restlessly tossed and turned, her tired eyes watching the digital clock that rested on her side table as the moments ticked by. Beside her, she felt the heat emanating from Mello as he slept fitfully for the first time in days, something that broke Emily's heart as she thought of what the next day held.

This time tomorrow...Mello won't be breathing. He'll be gone. Going, going, gone. Just like Beyond. Emily thought this ruefully, biting her lip and hoping that she didn't start crying. Not now, with Mello close enough to hear her or at least somehow know that she was weeping...but she couldn't help it. She wanted to cry so bad whenever she thought of how, after tomorrow, Mello would be dead somewhere far away from her, somewhere where she'd be unable to comfort or at least hold him as he breathed his last.

Emily took a deep breath, hoping to keep herself from crying as she balled her hands into fists while she hugged herself, still biting her lip. Glancing over at Mello as he slept, unaware of her anguish, she had to smile a little, even if the smile was bitter and pitying. She felt her heart tearing, but she was just starting not to care. She knew by now that even if her heart was broken into small splinters, she could-and would- love Mello to the last breath.

What she didn't know-and sincerely didn't want to know- was if you could actually die of a broken heart.

Emily's stomach lurched and she let out a gasp, suddenly feeling sick as she thought this over. She found herself in the bathroom, leaning over the toilet, her knuckles white as she gripped the sides of the porcelain white bowl. She didn't remember when she ran into the bathroom, but she was glad that she had as she gave into her sickness, sighing as she finished retching. Emily sat back on her heels, wondering if her slight illness was really being caused by heart-sickness, and not another reason. She thought back to the night she had given her virginity away, wondering if there was a slight chance that she...that she...

That she was possibly pregnant.

Emily gaped at the thought, shaking her head, as if to deny it, but there was the possibility, there was a possible life here at stake. Emily smiled sadly, imagining the child that could be growing inside of her and how beautiful it would be, how smart it would be. How lonely and fatherless it would be when Mello was gone.

She shook her head at herself, scolding herself for thinking ahead too much. She didn't want Mello to die knowing that he had left a child behind that he never got to see. Emily directed her thoughts to another subject, trying not to think anymore on the fact that her world, the world that revolved loving Mello, was ending or the thought of her potential child.

She thought back to that night with Mello- all of her times with Mello, actually, but this night stuck out to her as the most sacred. He had actually told her that he loved her that night. She thought on how they had clung to each other, how their whole world had seemingly warped and changed that night. She had always been shy with Mello; Emily realized that as she reviewed her memories of her and Mello, but now...it was as if that feeling had disappeared, had completely gone. That feeling of shyness was now replaced by the realization that she knew Mello now, as another natural being in her universe, someone she knew and understood. And now Mello knew her in a way that no one else would. She promised herself that silently. They were bonded as one- when Mello would die as the sacrificial lamb, so would she...but only on the inside, where it mattered. That was how strong their bond was. She was sure that Mello, her dearest friend, her lover and confident, felt the same way as well.

They were together for life...even though Mello's life was running out.

Emily smiled bitterly as she checked the time again, and saw that it was time for her to get ready for the day.

Mello slowly woke up as he heard Emily get up, his eyes following her form as she quietly slipped out of the room. He smirked, sitting up and stretching, glancing at the time. 5:46 a.m. He shrugged his shoulders as he laid back down, thinking of how restless he should be, since he would be...would be...gone in only a few short hours. He sighed, wondering. What if...I didn't have to die? What if I could just live through today, not go through with my plans, stay with Emily until Near wraps up the Kira case, so that we can finally come out of hiding and live a normal life? What if...?

No.

There was no "What if...?"S for Mello. His path was unquestionable- he had to follow his path for once in his life. Mello nodded to himself before he looked up to see Emily fidgeting in the doorway. They smiled fretfully at each other as Emily crossed the room and sat down next to Mello, involuntarily leaning her head on his shoulder, feeling his fingers curl around her hand. Emily smiled ruefully, realizing that they had started sitting in this manner ever since she had found out about Mello's plans to die.

"Are you ready?" For me to die, to live without me, to live thinking about me every day?

"I guess..." If I have to let you go, I guess I'm ready, but I may hold onto you until the last possible moment.

"You guess?" It's o.k. Emily, I understand- you don't want to stand by, feeling helpless, as you watch me die.

"Mhmmm." I know you understand my thoughts on this Mello, I know you do...I just don't want to say goodbye.

"...O.K...I love you, Death." If I could just save you from hurting before I go, I'd die happy, just knowing that.

"...! I-I love you, too, Mello." If I could just keep you happy, I'll be satisfied. You were-and always will be- my first love.

Emily and Mello sat in the silence for a moment longer, taking comfort in the silence and the reassuring presence of each other, knowing that the next time moments of solace were felt between them; Mello wouldn't be able to fully enjoy it. Emily allowed her eyes to close, allowed her fingers to curl around his and she let herself think about all the good times (and maybe not so good times) they had shared. She let out a quiet sigh of surrender as she kept thinking, wondering if Mello was thinking the same- she sensed that he was as he squeezed her hand affectionately.

She looked up at him as she opened her mouth to say something, but she quickly closed it as she realized what she had been about to say. Sighing, she stood, kissing Mello on his forehead as she tried to smile, whispering, "It's time to get ready..." Mello nodded as he looked her straight in the eyes, standing and pulling her against him as he kissed her. The condemned man's final goodbye. As they parted, Mello allowed himself to smile as he looked at Emily, who had let tears fall during their kiss. He chuckled, muttering, "Don't cry for me, Emmy." "Too late." She whispered back, smiling and wondering what he meant by that as she grabbed her clothes and headed for the shower.

As she twisted the warm water off, Emily heard the front door slam, and she knew that Mello had walked out the door and soon to his death. She sighed, regretting the fact that she hadn't told Mello what was really bothering her, but she couldn't-wouldn't- tell him that she was scared. Why was that? Because she didn't want to hold him back? Or was it because she didn't totally trust Mello not to react in a dangerous way? He might get even more reckless than he already was. Try to be a hero, try to be even more heroic than he already was trying to be. That was his real nature, wasn't it? Mello WAS heroic, but Emily knew that heroes easily ended up hurt, or dead. Emily held back tears as she finished getting ready, and left, trying not to think anymore on it.

Later that day...

"Shi Takashima?" Emily's head snapped up as she looked up from the newscast script she had just been reading, trying to get her mind off of her dilemma by immersing herself in work. "Yes, sir?" She asked her supervisor, looking around her and wondering where her coworkers were before she saw them gathered around the TV. She froze in her seat when she saw the newscast.

It was telling about Lady Takada's kidnapping...and how she was dead. But that wasn't what made Emily want to cry, no...

It was that her kidnapper didn't succeed on his mission...and paid the price with his life.

No...No...This can't be right... She had known that Mello would probably be killed but…but…

"You want me to go to the scene and report on Lady Takada's death, don't you?" She numbly asked the man, biting her lip as he nodded. She nodded as well as she stood and hurriedly grabbed her coat and called her cameraman, telling him o their assignment as they now sped through Tokyo's streets, rushing to see the damage...

There was at least three other news stations already there when they arrived, but Emily didn't care as she saw the scene. Everything seemed to be on fire, the warmth almost seeming to lick at her face, almost welcoming her to hell as she remember another time there had been a building on fire and Mello involved- except, this time, no one would be rescued.

She stared at the destruction, disbelief and horror washing over her as she saw the flames flicker and rage, consuming any proof, any hope, that Mello could still be alive as snowflakes started to fall, dancing, to the earth. Inside of her head, she was screaming out in despair and anguish.

'Some say the world will end in fire,

Some say, in ice...'

She wanted to run to Mello, to find him, to make sure, but no. she still had to report, people were waiting to know...

No.

There was only one thing for her to do. She had no other choice in the universe. She had to go to him. Now! No matter what the risk was to herself. She almost started to run, to obey her desire, but the flames roared and kept her back, helpless and seemingly alone within the crowd of firefighters, news reporters and Takada's guard.

'From what I've tasted of desire,

I hold with those who favor fire.'

Her world narrowed to exclude everything but Mello as she now spotted him. She could now see his dark form sprawled on the ground at least ten feet away, his strong limbs burnt, and yet his face seemed untouched, unhurt. Was it possible that he had survived? Oh, Mihael, I love you...

She practically ran over to Mello's body, kneeling down next to him, pulling him up onto her lap, looking down at him, wincing and shuddering. She didn't care that her cameraman -and everybody else- was looking at her strange. They didn't know. Emily waved her fingers in front of his unseeing eyes. She muttered his name over and over as the snow kept gently falling, watching snowflakes stick in Mello's hair as they fell.

'But if it had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate...'

Emily leaned over Mello, trying to find a pulse. She felt no rise and fall of his chest, heard no heartbeat. Oh Mello...why?

Emily didn't look up as she realized that cameras were trained on her, didn't make a sound as she heard whispers and murmurs from the crowd. She was too scared to pay attention to the outside world. It was so weird to hear no sound. So awful. Impossible. It can't have actually happened.

"Mello, please. Be alive!" She whispered, holding back tears with all of her weakening strength as she felt her heart starting to break. "Remember what we said? Remember, Mel? We're together forever..." She knew that he was gone. She knew, but the concept kept slipping out of her grasp.

This can't be happening. He can't be gone! He'd only been alive just hours ago. So strong, so brave, so handsome, so determined. She could almost still see his smile, his cocky demeanor, and his eyes. She could still her him saying her name...

"No! No! No! I won't accept this!" She wanted to scream. She desired to, but she didn't. "Please say goodbye...at least that. Mello...why? WHY?" Emily bit her lip, finally looking up at the camera and faking a smile as she finally brought herself to speak. "Lady Kioymi Takada, the Kira spokeswoman for the past year, was kidnapped and killed today under mysterious circumstances. Her kidnapper, who I am holding, lead Takki's guard on a high speed pursuit after pretending to be a way for her to get to safety after a bomb was thrown at her this morning. The police have not identified him yet and his cause of death has also been unidentified. This is Shi Takashima reporting." The cameraman smiled reassuringly at her, giving her thumbs up as she finished, Emily feeling as if she had been lying throughout the whole thing...

She smiled back the best she could, wondering if anyone could see that she, too, had died. Inside. Where it mattered. Her heart was breaking savagely, twisting and turning, lacerating and crushing into tiny pieces. She whimpered quietly, glancing up at Halle as she felt a coat being draped around her shoulders. She bit her lip, holding back tears. She and Mello were supposed to be forever. 'We were made for each other'. This couldn't be the end. It just couldn't happen.

Could it?

Could it?

That was when Emily remembered what her mother had told her all those years ago about snowflakes as she looked at them now as they swirled around her... that snowflakes were kisses from your loved ones in heaven. Kiss the snowflakes, Emmy. Her mother had whispered, holding her up to the sky. Return the kisses and love.

Emily did, kissing first a snowflake and then Mello's cold lips, smiling bitterly. Her own lips trembled as she closed her eyes and winced.

'That for destruction, ice

Is also great,

And would suffice.'

Emily bent her head down and finally began crying.