I'm not joking when I say that I cried while writing this. A lot. Hell, I started crying over this when I was going over it in my head! My point is, good luck. And prepare your heart and possibly tissues. I feel like it's a bit rushed cuz... I wrote this instead of sleeping--but that's not the point! My point is, enjoy.

When it happened he couldn't bring himself to be mad at her.

A new Promise was formed, and after a long time Norman had hesitantly went with Emma's plan, they saved Phil and the rest of their family along with all the kids from the plantation, they made an alliance with the demons after finding Mujika, Emma and her family were finally getting the future, the life they had always wanted—had always dreamed of.

Well... At her family was at the very least.

After many trials, Ray and Emma were able to seal a new Promise. But, like most things, there was a price to pay. And the duo argued for what felt like forever as to who would have to pay that price. In the end Ray had finally gotten Emma to agree with him that he would do it. So he when he was walking to fulfill his new fate it surprised and broke his heart when he saw Emma sprint in such a swift pace right by him. And before he could even protest to what she was doing, she had paid the price. When she turned back to look at him with a smile, Ray wanted to scream at her. He wanted to ask why she would do this? What was it that made her think that this was a good idea? Was she really so, so, naïve to do this?

But in the end he couldn't do it. His voice—and breath—hitched in his throat, and his face went into a mixture of anger and anguish. And Ray would never forget the words she said, they were engraved into his heart, his memory forever.

"I'm sorry." She said "But I won't let anyone else die because of my selfish wishes."

When they returned, they slowly told their family of what would happen by the next month. Don and Gilda were the first to find out actually. Their eyes widen—but Gilda's had widen more than Don's. And when she walked over to Emma, her looked like she was going to trip multiple times, repeating 'No way...' over and over again. And when she reached Emma she threw her arms around Emma's neck, and buried her face letting out a cry. And when they told Norman, the look he had—oh God, the regret, and guilt he had that shined in his eyes. And just like back at the house, he pulled the pair close and hugged them; he hugged as tight as he did that day, maybe even tighter...

A week or two after they returned, they had successfully rescued Phil—Phil was alive!!—and the rest of their family. But their happiness was short lived when they realized that they needed to tell them...

Emma refused for Ray to tell them. She wanted to be the one to tell their family of her choice. The younger children would burst into tears and run to Emma's side. Phil and Sherry had stared at her for a few minutes until he weakly called out her name and ran towards her, wrapping his arms around her legs and Sherry doing the same. When Emma told the older kids—Lani, Thoma, Anna and Nat had reacted in a similar way, first they stared at her with wide eyes. Saying that it couldn't be true, no way, and then the tears they would be holding fell and they ran to her side, their arms embracing her as Anna and Nat buried this faces in her neck. While Thoma and Lani clinged onto her shirt and cried into it. No matter whom it was, or how they reacted. Emma always did the same thing each and every time. She smiled; her smile and gaze filled with love as she embraced them back or ran her fingers through their hair. Like as if it didn't bother her, like as if her body wasn't growing weaker and weaker with each and every day.

And, somehow a month had passed by right before everyone's eyes. How? How could so much time pass so quickly? How could Emma stand there and smile while each and every day she drew closer to death? How? How could she be so strong?

One day, half-way through the month her legs went out. She was walking behind Gilda and Don, Ray was behind her when he noticed that she was starting to walk a little slower. Like as if she was having trouble moving her legs. And then all of a sudden, she was on the ground. In a split second, she lost the ability to walk. And yet, yet! All she did was blink one, twice, and when she noticed that Ray was kneeling in front of her with wide eyes, eyes filled with fear and sadness all she did was smile. And again Ray thought how? How can she just sit there and smile despite knowing that she won't ever be able to walk again? How?

Emma was given a wheelchair that day, and sometimes she would refuse to use and would want Ray or Norman to give her a piggy-back ride. It would mostly be Ray; Norman couldn't always bring himself to look at her in such a pained state.

Only a few days after that Don, Gilda, Anna, Nat and few of Norman's men went in search of Mujika and Sonju. Though she never said it out loud, Ray knew that she wished to see them again.

They returned only about two weeks after they left. Don and Gilda had told the pair about what they had done and Emma's current state. And when Mujika had burst through the door to Emma's room, she was breathing heavily and anyone could tell that she was worried. She left out a gasp when she saw Emma. Though she wasn't standing, she could tell that the human child got taller. Her body had matured slightly, and her hair was just a tiny bit longer, not much but just a bit. But what shocked her the most was how pale her skin color had gotten, how some of the color of her hair seemed to have been drained just a tiny bit. Yet her eyes shined bright, and she smiled like as if Mujika was an old friend that she hadn't seen in a few weeks. And when they hugged, she wondered how a person's smile could look so bright and warm, yet their body feels so, so cold?

On her last week, Emma spent most of her time outside. On a balcony in the house she and her family lived in, in Norman's hideout. Sometimes she would have Ray wheel her out and place her next to a porch swing that he would sit on. And the two would sit there for hours until the sun had set. Out of the six days they did this, Norman joined them for three of them. And the trio would just sit there, not speaking a word to each other. And if they did speak it was always Emma who spoke first. Recalling memories of when they were kids or of Isabella. Sometimes her and Ray would tell Norman about Yuugo and Lucas, the two adults who became the father figures in their life. And one day Emma had said, "I wish you could've met them. Though I'm sure it would've taken you some time to warm up to Yuugo. I know you would've loved them just as much as we did—do."

And then the day came.

Emma had gotten up extra early to spend her last day with her family. She played with the younger kids, talked with the older ones, had one last trio conversation with Ray and Norman, told Mujika everything her and Ray had been through, and when she noticed that the sun was starting to set she asked Ray to take her out to the balcony one last time. And with shaking hands he grabbed the handles and did as she asked. When he placed her chair next to the swing she stopped him by grabbing his sleeve, tugging at it with puffed out cheeks like a baby. And he couldn't help to smile at her as she reached out her arms and motioned for him to pick her up. He did so as she snuggled her face into his neck.

"Thanks for always staying with me during this part of the day."

Her voice came out calm, hushed it had been coming out that way for a while now. And her words made Ray freeze just for a second. Swallowing a lump in his throat and quickly moving again until he was helping her sit in the swing as he shook his head.

"I liked—loved coming out here with you, especially when Norman joined us."

Memories of the three flew through his eyes in a flash and he smiled as he sat down next to Emma. And for a while neither of them says anything; they just stare at the sun as it sets.

"I..."

The sound of Emma's voice causes Ray to turn to his right—to her. He sees how she gazes at the sun and how even now; she still has a smile on her face.

"I had a lot of fun with everybody today—no. Not just today, or this week or this month. I've had so much fun with everyone all my life." She says, and Ray feels something hitch up his throat but he swallows it. He refuses to cry, at least not yet. He bites the inside of his cheek and lets Emma continue talking.

"I can't wait until you all arrive in the human world. Even if I'm not there, but we talked about it so many times, and it's finally happening. I'm so, so happy for you all."

Ray bites his cheek even harder as he feels his breathing starting to become slightly ragged, but he tries his best to keep his poker face.

"There's..."

She starts talking but then stops for a second and after a few seconds she starts again.

"There's so much I wanted to tell you when we were alone. So much... I wanted to tell our family. But I could never find the words to get them out."

Her head suddenly turns in a slow motion to her right.

"Gilda, Norman, Mujika, everyone, it's okay to come out."

Slowly everyone makes their way from their hiding place behind the door, to everywhere around Emma. The sight of seeing her entire family right by her side for one last time brings a smile to her lips.

Ray looks over back at the sun and bites his lip. 'It's almost time...' He thinks. He pushes himself up from the swing and in front of Emma.

"Come on Emma, let's go lay you down." It's something he's said to her everyday this month. When it was time for her to rest from the day's activities. Only this time would be the last, and her rest would be permanent...

Emma looked at him and suddenly looked at her lap, her eyes being covered by her bangs as she shook her head no. Ray was a bit surprised by her action; he kneeled down in front of her and called her name.

"Emma."

Seconds passed. And she didn't reply, until.

"Hey, Ray?" Her voice came out quiet and Ray hummed in reply.

"Yeah?"

Emma took in a deep breath, and then she spoke.

"You know, a while ago you told me not to keep my true emotions bottled up, to not hold them in. Because they'll end up overflowing and burst open at the worst time. I know this may be the worst time but"—

It broke Ray's heart when he realized where this was going.

"Is it okay... To not hold them in anymore? Am I—can I be selfish just one last time? Is it okay for me to be selfish after everything? Am I even allowed to be selfish right now? Can I—be weak for just once?"

Her voice started to crack halfway through talking. And Ray's breathing felt ragged, and he shut his eyes tight as he looked at the ground. And when he looked back up he was no longer trying to hide his sadness. He had a smile on his face but it was obvious he was on the verge of ugly sobs. And as he looked at Emma he nodded his head.

"Yeah, it's okay."

Emma slowly nodded her head, her gaze still on her lap.

"Good, because I"—

He could tell her breathing was ragged also.

"I'm..."

Her shoulders started to shake.

"I'm scared..."

At first it came out in a whisper. But upon saying it Emma felt the wall inside her break. And everything just started flowing out like water rushing out of a broken dam. And she looked up at Ray—at everyone. And there was no denying the fact that those were tears streaming down her cheeks like a waterfall.

"I'm so scared!" She shouted and took in a breath.

"I don't want to die!!" She shouted as she used every inch of her remaining strength to throw her body off the swing. Her voice cracked and Ray caught her in his arms as she wrapped hers around his waist. She buries her face in his chest as she lets out multiple cries, and her grip on Ray is so tight that he's positive that the slap she gave him on the night of his birthday wasn't this bad. He takes in a deep breath as he feels warm arms wrap around him, looking up to his left with teary eyes, he sees Norman staring down at the both with a sad smile on his face as tears also slide down his cheeks.

Ray lets out ragged breaths as he looks back down at Emma.

"I know it's selfish" She continues "but I want to live! I don't want to die! Not yet! I want to make more memories with you and Norman, and all of our family! I want to see Anna, Nat, Lani, Thoma, Carol, Phil, Sherry—everyone, I want to see them grow up!! I want to become an adult and stay by you and Norman's sides!!"

Her crying gets louder with every second and Ray holds her even tighter, his lips brushing the top of her head as Norman pulls the two even closer. And suddenly the air is filled with sounds of crying.

"I want to live just a bit longer... Just a bit...! I want to see the human world with you all! I want—I wanted to go to school with you two and be like regular kids! I want you to get mad at me, scowl me, tease me, laugh with me, smile with me—I don't care what it is, just as long as I get more time with everyone! I want to make more memories with all of you!"

Even with all the aching in his chest, Ray brought a smile to his lips. And though it pained—Oh God, it hurt him so much—to say these words, he said them.

"Hey Emma." His voiced cracked at the last part but he continued. "You—You're going to Yuugo and Lucas, along with Conny, and Susan, and Hao, Michelle, and Olivia—everyone. Maybe even Mama. And, you'll get to meet Yuugo and Lucas's family, they talked about them so much, just like how we talk about them to Norman so much. So—so—"

He couldn't finish talking, his voice was cracking and his breathing was becoming even more ragged. He shut his eyes and tried to calm his breathing. He felt Emma turn her turn her head to face the sunset once more. And he and Norman did the same; the sun was almost gone, along with her...

"Hey, everyone?"

Her eyes started to feel heavy, and her body felt so tired. She felt like she could sleep for such a long time.

"I love you all..."

She could feel her grip becoming weaker, but she used all of her strength to hold onto Ray's shirt.

"Thank you..."

She managed to bring a smile to her lips one last time. Tears were still falling down on her cheeks as she slowly started to close her eyes. Ray thought that the worst feeling he ever experienced was how helpless and useless he felt when he saw Emma get stabbed that day. But it wasn't.

The worst feeling he had ever felt was when he felt her breathing go from ragged, to soft, to light, until it just stopped completely.