Humphrey's POV

I pulled into Kate's driveway slowly, putting the truck in park and then turning it off. I took another look at my hands afterwards. They were still covered in blood, even after the questioning that didn't go outside the parking lot. I was still shaking as I dreaded what came next, even though the worst of it was already over. Slowly and shakily I got out of the car with tears still in my eyes as I made my way over to Kate's house. I didn't know how I was gonna do this but I had to. Why us? Why when we did nothing but good and try to live our lives? What did we do to deserve any of this? First Angel, now… I think I'm gonna be sick.

I got to the door and knocked three times, a bit of blood got on the door after I knocked. Still shaking I waited, I waited for the poor soul to open up and of course… It was Kate. she opened the door with a smile and looked absolutely stunning as always. No doubt she was ready to celebrate what was finally a good fortune… but little did she know…

"Finally you guys are…" she started but her smile quickly faded as she saw my state and blood all over me. She looked down at my hands as they were extended out slightly and then back at me. "Where's…" she began. I had to do this now.

"K…Kate… I… I don't know how to-" I started but stopped as I realized I had nothing. Kate began to back up into the house as she began putting the pieces together.

"Whose blood is that?" she asked.

"I don't know what happened… he just… someone…" I started but again had nothing. Kate backed up until she hit a wall. I walked over to her as I wanted to hug her to comfort her but couldn't due to the blood still on my hands.

"No… no no no no no" Kate started whimpering. Tears began to fill my eyes as I broke the news to her.

"Kate… he… he loved you so much…" I said. Kate began crying herself as she tried to keep getting away from the situation.

"No no no no… NOOOOOOOOO!" she screamed, grabbing the attention of everyone in the house. Kate started crying hysterically as Lilly ran from the living room and down the hall over to us. Eve and Winston came down the stairs to see what was going on.

"What is happening? Is that…" Eve asked as she looked at my hands. Her and Winston were stopped at the bottom of the stairs as Lilly stood to the left of Kate who couldn't get herself together.

"It's… I… Rick is…" I tried to say but choked on my own tears and emotions.

"Oh my God" Eve said, covering her mouth. My attention went from her though to Kate who was now a mess, trying not to fall on the floor.

"K-Kate… Rick he… he's with Angel now… there together again" I said with everything I had which wasn't much. It ended up coming out as a shaky whisper. Kate looked up at me and screamed again.

"NO!" she screamed, pushing me. "He can't be! She's dead… he can't be with Angel because she's dead… HE CAN'T BE WITH HER BECAUSE SHE'S DEAD! SHE'S DEAD! Noooo'' Kate screamed before sobbing even more no's. Her voice became short as she ran out of breath halfway through, but still she pushed it out.

"Kate honey" Eve said, walking over to Kate to comfort her. She only got so close though before she too was pushed away.

"He isn't gone… HE ISNT GONE!" she screamed at me. Me and her made eye contact now as she kept on crying. I said nothing as we stared at each other. It wasn't until a few seconds after that when Kate bolted up the steps, pushing past her dad.

"What… what happened?" Lilly asked with tears in her own voice. I looked over from the stairs to she that she was in fact also crying.

"Someone… someone killed him… I didn't see who it was" I explained as best as I could. Eve walked over to me and held my wrist.

"Come on… let's wash this off" she said, referring to the blood on my hands. She was trying to hide it but I could tell that she too was really upset.

"Humphrey… is Rick really gone?" Lilly asked, stopping me and Eve for a moment.

"I… I'm sorry Lilly'' I said. Lilly seemed struck as I said what I said. I didn't get to see the rest though as Eve walked me to the kitchen though. I was glad… I didn't want to see anymore.

Kate's POV

I thought that we had been through the worst of it. That there was nothing that was worse than what we had already been forced to go through. But not only had I just gotten the news that we had lost another family member… but also the love of my life… I felt like I had been through heartache when Angel passed… but nothing… NOTHING compared to this. It was constant. A never ending pain in my chest that would not stop. Is this what Rick felt when Angel passed? It had to have been. I thought I was helping when I stayed with him, but nothing could have helped when you were in this much pain.

I lay down on my bed facing the window. Screaming and crying. Gritting my teeth every time another wave of pain crashed into my heart. I sat holding it as tears kept on flowing. Why was it so sudden? No warning, nothing. He was here one moment, and then he was gone. We had gotten a step into our future, only for not even a day to go by before it all came crashing down. My pillow was soaked with tears as I lay there with an oncoming headache. Not that any of that was even on my radar for problems I had to worry about. I hadn't cried this hard since I was a pup, I don't even know why I cried back then but… I was hysterical. Not even able to catch my own shaky breaths as I gasped for air in between wails. So much death… what could have happened? Why was there so much blood? What did my poor lover go through during his final moments? And why wasn't I there with him? I made him a promise. I would never leave his side, and here I was when he needed me most… again, just like last time. Except now it was so bad that apparently he was no longer there.

I remembered that night when I found him bleeding out by the old silo. My heart was racing that he wouldn't make it due to all the blood loss. I remember every second feeling like an hour as I waited to hear the news whether or not he was gonna be okay. But now… there was no hope… he was gone… the love of my life was gone, and there was nothing I could do about it. Another wave of pain in my heart came on strong as I held on to my chest and screamed once more as even more tears flowed.

I shut my eyes tight as I remembered my happy place… down on the boardwalk, the cold wind blowing, and the night time making the lights of the city behind us look breathtaking as we looked out into the dark ocean, listening to the waves crash against the shore with only his body heat to keep me warm as our tails intertwined… us… him… I began breaking down again as I realized he wasn't here anymore. He was gone…

I heard three gentle knocks at my door which I didn't even bother to acknowledge. It was only when my door creaked open slightly and my cries had died down to shaky breaths and sniffs that I heard my own dad's voice.

"Kate? Sweet heart? Are you…" he began but clearly didn't think this far. It was clear that he wanted to check up on me, and quite possibly calm me down, but there was no point, and he clearly didn't know how to even begin approaching his own objective.

"I… I wanna be alone right now dad" I managed to squeeze out of myself quickly.

"Kate… I know it has to be rough but…" he began but again stopped himself.

"Dad please… just leave me be" I said. He sighed before shutting the door, leaving me by myself… by myself… Rick wasn't coming back… what was I gonna do without him? As more thoughts entered my mind I began to cry hard again for multiple hours, until the sun began to set around six o'clock. By then I had cried all I could but my body was still trying, with even more oncoming heart aches that were so unbearable that I no longer wanted to live. I wanted to leave here and go where Rick was, joining him and being happy forever. I didn't want to be here alone… I wanted the love of my life back.

My room became dark, reminding me of Rick's house after we lost Angel. How eerie the house got as the sun went down. Slowly but surely making the room pitch black as we refused to turn even a single light on. I looked up slightly to see out my window. Indeed the sun was setting, offering a dark blue with orange on the horizon. Another heartache came as again I reminded myself that Rick wasn't coming home… he wanted to… he wanted to be with me… we were never gonna be together again… a tear fell down my face as I whined. Was he up there right now? Looking down at me? Feeling the same heartache I was because knowing him, he would want to come down and comfort me, and he would do it no effort with just the simple touch of his warm, soft hand. His warm presence wasn't here though… it was only me… I was on my own.

I remembered what he said to me that night when we were talking bout death… if something happens to me… I don't want you to be sad… I want you to move on, find someone else… don't linger on the past… well guess what… that wasn't going to happen. It never was. That was one promise that I would never keep. Just the one I said after that. Where we would pass and be reunited once more, and he would be the first person I ran to. Even though we spoke this afternoon, it already felt as though it had been years since I last saw him. I wanted to see him again, hold him, tell him how much I loved him and that everything would be alright, and that I was still here…

Again I gritted my teeth as I shut my eyes tight. Another wave of pain came and lingered before finally moving on. It hurt too much, I just wanted to die… I wanted to die and reunite with my lover… opening my eyes I looked out the window again. The same sky color was there just dimmer. The sun would soon set and I would be stuck again with the loss of a loved one, but this time no one to take care of… no one to hold… no wonder Rick wasn't his best back then… this is unbearable, but he held in there… for me… I have no idea how he did it but he did and he did it better than I ever could have. I missed him… and I wanted him back! Who? Who did it? Who took him from me?

Three more light knocks knocked at my door, snapping me out of my own thoughts. It opened and I expected to hear my mom but I didn't…

"Kate?" I heard Lilly call lightly.

"Go away Lilly… I don't wanna be bothered right now" I mumbled. Lilly instead of granting my request. Sighed and opened my door wider, coming in and walking over to the bed. She sat on the edge and placed a hand on me, making me flinch as I felt weak and vulnerable from all the crying I had done earlier.

"We're all gonna miss him… I just… I can't believe it… even now… we just lost Angel and…" she started but stopped. My eye darted over to her and I was ready to scream at her to get out but didn't. Instead I let my own anger build up inside me, praying that she would leave soon so I didn't blow up on her. I just had to be quiet.

"Kate I… I knew Rick a long time… even when he was a pup… and believe me… you made the last months of his life so happy…" she explained as she herself began crying again. I could tell when she entered that she had already been crying but since then she had apparently calmed down enough to come in here to talk with me. "I'd never seen him as happy as you made him… and I'm sure that wherever he is right now… he's grateful… he was so happy to finally hold the girl of his dreams… I just thought you should know that…" Lilly explained. I felt another tear roll down my face before she gave me two light pats and went to get up and leave. I had something to say though as I felt guilt setting in.

"The… the last months" I cracked, making her turn around at the door to listen. "I spent so long trying to… to find someone t-to love and… he had been here so many t-times in the p-past and I… I never noticed him… I never gave him the time he deserved… those months should have been years… instead I put him through so much heartache… and tears… and sadness… I didn't deserve him… I didn't deserve him, but I love him" I said as tears started flowing again. Lilly walked over and sat down again, leaning over to hug me but I met her halfway and sat up, hugging her back as she too began to cry.

"I love him too," she sobbed. I had not yet thought about it until she said it. He had loved me for years before I even noticed him, but he was to nervous to talk with me and when he did I never paid him any mind, like a fucking stupid bitch. I was so stupid. I never deserved him, he deserved the world and more and he got my disgusting ass. I had never felt more disgusted with myself than I did right at this very moment.

"I was so stupid… I was so fucking stupid" I sobbed as Lilly continued to hold me.

"Kate no… you cant think like that…" Lilly replied.

"No… he gave me everything, he brought me out of darkness… and into light… he gave me love… everything I ever could have wanted… and I just noticed him for a few months" I cried.

"Kate… those months… were the best months of his life… I don't think he cared that you noticed him when you did… just the fact that you did at all. He was so grateful for that, trust me… he loved you" Lilly explained, but no matter how much she did, I still hated myself.

"I love him… I love him… I want him back" I cried.

"I know… I know, we all want him back" Lilly said. I tightened my grip on her and kept on crying, as yet another heartache came.

"I don't want to live without him… I want to be with him… I cant… I cant" I yelled as the pain grew more and more. Lilly broke the hug and looked right into my eyes with the most stern expression I had ever seen on her.

"Kate… no… we already lost too much… Do you think that's what Rick wants for you? To end it all just to be with him? You know it wouldn't be" Lilly explained. I grew silent as tears kept flowing.

"I… I know… he told me what he wanted me to do… he wanted me to move on… but I wont… I wont…" I repeated. Lilly shook her head and then hugged me again.

"Please Kate… don't let me lose my sister" she said. I didn't reply to her because I didn't want to make her that promise. I just hugged her tightly again as I sobbed until finally the sun had set and the upstairs of the house grew dark, leaving us only with our thoughts and loss just like before. Eventually Lilly did break the hug and looked at me again, I on the other hand tried everything I could to look down and away from her.

"Kate… do you want me to stay here for the night?" she asked. I shook my head.

"No… I just wanna be alone" I said.

"Are you sure?" she asked. I nodded as I sniffed. She sighed and hugged me one more time before standing up. "Well… if you need me then you know where to find me" she said as she walked to the door.

I said nothing as she left, shutting the door behind her. I sat there in silence for some time before finally laying back down. I felt lonely as I reached for my neck and began playing with my locket. I lifted it off my chest and flipped it open, showing the picture of him. I felt my lips quiver before I began to sob again. I wanted him back, I would give anything I just wanted him back. I turned to my right to the empty side of the bed which was his. He wouldn't be here tonight to cuddle me, keep me warm… make me feel loved and safe… he wouldn't be here. Instead I was by myself alone, cold, and heartbroken…

I held onto the locket as I kept it close to my heart as I laid down. I wanted to be as close to him as I could. I closed my eyes and continued sobbing as I gritted my teeth again, bracing for the next oncoming heartache. I wanted him back, I would give anything ANYTHING… I couldn't live without him… how could I? As I held the locket close, keeping my eyes shut as I sobbed I braced for the sleepless and cold night ahead of me as I found myself back at square one.