This is the last chapter of the series. Thank you so much for reading. I'm so emotionally attatched to this story, and to the characters, specially Remington. It's hard to put it to bed, but this is how I've always wanted it to end and I'm gonna stick to it.

Trigger warning.

Emerson feels sick with fear and sadness. He can't believe what's happening to him. He can't come to terms with any of it. It can't be real. How can it be real?

Remington looks up from what he's doing when Andy comes into the room. He smiles. "You look nice," he compliments, "have fun."

"Thank you," Andy responds, smiling in return. "I will. See you later. Gimme a call if you need anything, okay?"

"Okay."

After Andy leaves for the photoshoot, Remington decides he's going to start working on brand new songs for his new-found solo music career. He sits at the piano with a notebook and plays around with different chords and chord progressions, singing quietly over the top until he finds a melody he likes, and from there, writes the words and expands on the chords. He notes down the skeleton of the song and plays through a few times, until he's happy with it and decides he'll carry on working on it tomorrow. Remington calls the song Start Again, smiling at the name and closing the notebook.

Emerson knew he should have gone sooner. Right when the signs of something being wrong; he should have gone then. But he didn't. He was too busy ruining his brother's life. He wonders what Remington would think if he saw him now. Unrecognizable, perhaps.

Andy meets his band mates outside the photography studio, locking his car. The five of them head inside for the shoot.

Just four hours, Emerson recalls, four hours left. He has so much to do in just four small hours. The first thing on his list is to find Remington, to see his face, to hear his voice, to know he's alive. He knocks on the door and waits. And it opens and he smiles.

Remington doesn't smile back. He hardly even recognises the man before him. "Emerson?"

"Hi," the younger says. He sounds different.

The boy frowns. "What're you doing here?"

"I came to see you," Emerson says, "before I go."

"Before you go where?" Remington asks, not understanding. "I thought you hated me."

Emerson shakes his head. He's reduced almost to tears. "So did I, but I was wrong. I'm so sorry. I know I should've said it a lot time ago. But I'm sorry. For everything I did to you. You're not a whore and I love you and I know you didn't cheat on Andy."

He sounds different. Remington doesn't like it. "Are you okay?" He asks, because he feels like that's the right thing to do.

"Fine," Emerson answers, "are you okay? I've been worried."

"I've been worse. Why're you so thin? You're thinnner than me."

The drummer can see Remington trying to piece it together, to work out what's really going on here. He hopes Remington figures it out because he doesn't want to say it. "How's Andy? How's Sebastian? Are they okay?"

"They're fine, Em. Why do you look so-I don't know-weak?"

Emerson sighs. It's true. He is weak. He's all skin and bone and he knows it. "They're fine. That's good. What're you doing for Christmas?"

"Same as last year. Why?"

"Just wondering." He coughs. "Don't get me anything, okay?"

Remington frowns. "Why not?"

"Just-it would be wasted on me."

"What's going on, Em?"

The younger looks away. "Nothing, Rem, it's nothing. I'm glad you're okay."

"You're acting weird."

Emerson shrugs. "Am I?"

Remington nods. "Yes. And you don't look right."

"Don't worry about it," Emerson urges, "I love you, okay? Don't forget it."

"Okay? Seriously, what's going on? Are you dying or something?" It's a joke at first, but then Emerson doesn't deny it and Remington nearly collapses at the realization.

"It's okay," Emerson says quickly, "I promise. It's okay. Don't think about it. You can't. Just know I love you and I'm so sorry for what I put you through and I deserve this."

"No..."

"It's okay," he repeats.

It's like all the air in the world isn't enough for him to breathe. "No," Remington whispers.

"You deserve to be happy, Remington. You deserve to be loved and to smile and to know your worth. Please know that you're so so special."

"This is a nightmare," Remington mumbles, trying to convince himself that this isn't really happening.

"Tell Andy I'm sorry, too. He's an angel." Emerson turns to walk away. "Good bye, Remington. I'll see you later," he says, and steps down the drive and disappears out of sight. Remington stands there in shock for a few moments before he sinks to the ground in tears. It's a nightmare. It has to be a nightmare.

Sebastian is surprised to open the door to his little brother, and even more surprised when he sees how different the man looks. "Emerson?" He asks, just like Remington did.

"I'm sorry," Emerson says, "for everything. I know I ruined Palaye. I'm sorry."

"What? Are you okay? You look like you're about to collapse."

"Please don't think about me, Sebastian. It's okay."

"You're scaring me. What's going on?"

"It came back," Emerson says. "I've got four hours."

"The cancer? The cancer came back?"

Emerson silently nods.

"Oh my god. Four hours? Fucking hell, really?"

Again, a nod.

"Fuck. I'm so sorry. Oh my God. That's awful. I don't know what to say. Do you wanna come in? I can put on a movie and we can just forget about everything."

"No, I need to do some things. Just please look after Remington and yourself, okay?"

"Of course. We'll be okay."

Emerson turns to leave.

"Wait," Sebastian says,"give me a hug."

The brothers hug like it's the last time they ever will. They both know it is.

"I love you," Sebastian says, "I'm so sorry. I'm so fucking sorry. This isn't fair at all. None of this is fair."

"It's okay. I deserve it. See you later."

Sebastian watches him walk away.

Okay so I couldn't see what i was writing at some points bcos I kept crying oopsies.  Thank you so fucking much for reading!!!! I love you so much!