"Wait, please, my dearest Harper," Elijah's voice trembled with a mixture of urgency and tenderness, the words hanging in the air as if he feared they would shatter everything if he didn't say them just right. "Allow me to finish."

Harper, feeling the weight of his words pressing down on her chest, slowly moved out of his embrace. She wrapped her arms around herself as if trying to shield herself from the raw emotion she knew was coming. "Don't give me hope, Elijah," she whispered, her voice tight, laced with a fear she couldn't mask. "Please, I can't take that. I already know Vampirism isn't a cure, but..." Her voice faltered, and she shook her head, the reality of her situation sinking deeper. She didn't want to entertain the idea of false hope, not again. The thought that there might be something—anything—that could save her was almost unbearable.

Elijah took a hesitant step forward, his eyes pleading, desperate for her to hear him out. He could see the way she was withdrawing from him, her body language telling him everything he feared. "I know, love," he said softly, almost painfully. "But please, please let me finish. My siblings... they've come up with something. It's not a cure, but it's a way to—"

Harper shook her head, the sob that escaped her chest as raw as the emotion she was holding back. She could feel the walls of her heart crumbling, but she couldn't allow herself to give in. "Please, Elijah," she begged, her voice breaking. "I don't want to live in a world where I'm just waiting for something that may never come. I can't do this. Please don't make me spend the rest of my life hoping for more time." Tears streamed down her face, the weight of her plea so heavy that it threatened to drown them both.

Elijah couldn't stand the pain in her eyes, couldn't bear to see her so broken. Without another word, he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly as if he could shield her from everything that hurt. She collapsed against him, her head resting on his chest, her sobs muffled by the warmth of his embrace.

"Love," he whispered, his voice barely audible. "There is a way. There is, but..."

Harper pulled back slightly, just enough to look up at him, her eyes wide with fear and confusion. "But what, Elijah?" she asked, her voice still thick with emotion. "What is it?" She had never seen him so desperate before, and the unknown in his words made her heart race with a mixture of hope and dread.

"The proposition," Elijah continued slowly, taking a deep breath to steady his own shaking heart, "is something you might find hard to believe."

Harper blinked, a bitter chuckle escaping her lips despite the tears still streaming down her face. The sound was bittersweet, filled with the sharp edge of irony. "Elijah," she said, her voice steadying as she pulled away just enough to face him. "I've learned about the supernatural in these last few months. At this point, I think I've come to terms with the fact that nothing will ever be too unbelievable for me. Just... tell me."

Her attempt to lighten the moment only deepened the sorrow in Elijah's heart. Her laughter, though fleeting, was a reminder of how strong she was, even in the face of such suffering. He felt a small sense of relief that she could still find some amusement despite the darkness that hung over them, but the weight of his next words was still immense.

"I can put you into a slumber," Elijah began, his voice thick with emotion. "A deep sleep, one that will freeze your body in its current state. You'll be preserved like you're sleeping for just a night. When you wake up, it'll be as if no time has passed."

Harper's heart skipped a beat, her breath catching as she processed what he had just said. For a moment, everything around her seemed to be still. She studied Elijah's face, searching for any sign of deception, but all she found was sincerity, love, and pain. He was offering her something—something that could buy her more time, more life. But at what cost?

"So, basically," Harper began, her voice tinged with both amusement and disbelief, "this would be like a Snow White situation? My illness is the poison, and the slumber will keep it from killing me?"

Elijah nodded slowly, relief washing over him that she seemed to understand. "Yes, in a way, love," he answered, his voice steady but filled with apprehension.

Harper took a deep breath, her mind racing with the implications. "But... no," she interrupted him, her face paling as the gravity of the situation hit her. "I can't do that to you, Elijah. If I understand this correctly, the slumber will feel like a single night to me. But what about you? How long will I be asleep? How long will you have to wait?"

Her hand reached up to clasp his, her fingers trembling as the enormity of the decision loomed over them. "I can't ask you to wait for me, not like that. You deserve a life, Elijah, not one spent waiting for me to wake up. I couldn't do that to you."

Elijah's heart shattered at her words, his chest tightening with an almost unbearable weight. "Harper, please," he whispered, his voice strained with emotion. "Losing you would be like losing the very air I breathe. I can't imagine a world where you're not here with me. I will wait for you, no matter how long it takes. I would wait for centuries if I had to. Please... I don't care how long it takes. I just don't want to lose you."

Tears welled up in Elijah's eyes, the vulnerability in his gaze so raw and unguarded that it took Harper's breath away. She had never seen him like this before—so completely undone by love and fear. The sight of his tears, something so rare and painful, broke her heart. She had always seen Elijah as strong and stoic, but now, in this moment, he was as fragile as she felt.

"Elijah..." Harper whispered, her voice shaking as she reached up to gently touch his cheek, her fingers brushing away the tears that had escaped his eyes. "It could take years, darling. It could take decades, maybe even centuries. I couldn't ask you to endure that. I couldn't—"

"Years, hundreds, thousands," Elijah interrupted, his grip tightening on her face as he leaned his forehead against hers. "I would wait, Harper. I would wait forever. I don't care how long it takes. I will do everything in my power to find a way to save you. Please, let me do this. Let me try."

Harper closed her eyes, feeling the weight of his love pressing against her heart. She had never been good at asking for things, and never wanted to be a burden on anyone, especially not Elijah. But here he was, asking for her to trust him, to let him do whatever it took to save her, to give them more time together.

"Fine," she whispered, her voice barely audible as she gave in. "I'll do it. I'll take the slumber."

Tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke the words, the weight of the decision sinking in. She felt selfish, but she also felt a desperate need to stay with him, to live for him. She wanted to be there with him, for him, just as he had been there for her.

"I'll do it," she repeated, her voice stronger now, even as the tears fell. She knew this was the only way she could give Elijah what he had been asking for—to give him the time they both so desperately needed.

Elijah's relief was palpable, but so was the sadness in his eyes. He kissed her forehead gently, his hands shaking as he held her. "Thank you, my love," he whispered. "Thank you for giving me this chance. I will never stop fighting for you. I promise you that."

And in that moment, as their hearts beat in sync, they both understood the sacrifice they were making. But for the chance to live together, to have just one more moment, it was a sacrifice they were willing to make.

Elijah held Harper close, the weight of her decision still settling between them, heavy but filled with a fragile sense of hope. He didn't want to lose her, not now, not ever. But her willingness to trust him, to place herself in his hands, was the greatest gift he could ever receive. Even though she had agreed, he could feel the tension in her body, the lingering doubt in her eyes as she stared at him.

"Harper," Elijah whispered, his voice thick with emotion as he gently cupped her face in his hands. "Are you sure? If you change your mind—"

"No," she interrupted, her voice steady despite the tears that continued to fall. "I'm sure, Elijah. I want to be with you for as long as I can. I don't want to waste any more time. I'm doing this for you, for us."

Her words, soft yet resolute, pierced his heart like a dagger, but he knew she was right. This was the only way. The thought of her enduring any more pain, of watching her slip away bit by bit, was too much to bear. This was their last chance—he had to make it count.

"Then we'll do it," he said with finality, his voice unwavering. "I'll stay by your side, Harper, through this and beyond. You will never be alone."

Harper nodded, her body trembling slightly in his arms, but she didn't pull away. Instead, she held onto him tighter, as though trying to anchor herself to him before the inevitable took place.

"I love you so much, Elijah," she whispered, her voice barely audible, yet carrying the weight of everything they had shared.

Elijah's heart swelled with love and pain. "And I love you, more than you'll ever know."

They stayed like that for a long while, neither of them speaking, just holding onto each other. Time seemed to stretch out, the world beyond their shared moment fading away as they existed in a bubble of warmth and sorrow. Elijah knew that once this slumber took place, the future would be uncertain. He would wait, no matter how long it took, but that didn't make the pain any easier to bear. The idea of seeing her fade from his life, even temporarily, felt like an unbearable loss.

But Harper had made her choice, and he would respect it. He would carry the weight of it, just as he had always carried the weight of their love. They had faced so much together—tragedy, loss, betrayal—and yet, here they were, still standing side by side. He would not falter now.

"Are you ready?" he asked softly, his voice thick with emotion.

Harper looked up at him, her eyes searching his, looking for the strength to go through with this. She nodded slowly, her eyes filled with a quiet resolve. "Yes," she said, her voice steady now. "Let's do this."

With a heavy heart, Elijah gently tilted her chin upward, his eyes locking with hers. He could see the fear, the love, the sadness all mixed together, but there was also a glimmer of hope. She was doing this not just for him, but for herself as well.

He whispered an incantation, his voice low and steady, the magic of his words vibrating through the air. Harper's body relaxed in his arms as the spell took hold, her eyelids fluttering as her breath slowed, her pulse becoming barely noticeable. Elijah felt a pang of sadness in his chest, but he forced himself to be strong. He watched as she slipped into the slumber, her face softening as though she were simply drifting off to sleep, her pain momentarily forgotten.

When the last traces of her consciousness faded, Elijah held her close, his arms wrapped around her tightly, as though he could keep her anchored in the present. His mind raced with thoughts of what lay ahead—how long she would remain asleep, and whether or not Freya's efforts would yield results.

But for now, in this moment, he simply allowed himself to breathe, to be with her. He would keep his promise. He would wait for her, no matter the cost.

As he stood there, holding her, the weight of the world pressing down on his shoulders, he whispered one final vow. "I will find a way, Harper. I will bring you back. I promise you."

The silence that followed was deafening. The weight of the promise he had just made hung in the air, as tangible as the love he felt for her. He would not rest until he found a way to save her, to bring her back to him. And no matter how long it took, he would wait for her, just as he had always done.

In the stillness of the room, with Harper in his arms and the world outside still turning, Elijah knew that this was not the end. It was simply the beginning of a new chapter—one that would be filled with endless waiting, but also with hope. And as long as he had that hope, he would never give up on her.