It had been weeks, and Aphmau still couldn't walk, the baby had paralyzed her from the waist down. At least for now, but she was slowly improving. And baby Ái was growing very quickly, she seemed to have inherited her fathers height, and was almost as tall as her sister.

Aurora was sharp for her age, as she was near two now, and could sometimes have an entire conversation with her parents. Though she only knew what half of the words meant.

She could still talk to Impact and Luna, but that ability was starting to fade. Sometimes she could only hear half of what they were saying to her.

Ái however, could translate for her, if she knew how, but at the moment she was asleep. Her soot colored hair, that had only grown in patches, warming her head.

Aphmau wanted nothing more than to be up and about, but she had lost all feeling in her legs. And it was starting to wear her down.

And Aaron, he was out of the house more often now, Ghouls had started to come everyday, and with more and more coming.

He had started to wear his armor even when he went to bed. And hardly ever slept, he was becoming crankier by the day, but never took it out on his family. Just on the ghouls.

"Aaron.... you need to rest, you haven't slept in two days." Aphmau tried to coax him back into bed, but failed as he walked outside, totally ignoring her.

She didn't blame him, with the new baby, her condition, and the increasing amount of ghouls in the area. She knew it was taking its toll on him, even if she needed him with her.

Aaron sat on the roof watching over their edge of the world. He had heard what his wife had said, but he couldn't rest easy knowing that he could have his whole family killed in his sleep.

He promised himself that he would always make time for her. And he would, they would have all the time in the world after he dealt with the ghoul problem.

He felt his side of the wedding ring on his finger. And subconsciously. He put it in his pocket.

He then put it back on instantly, he felt cold without it, and he sighed at his second of emotional turmoil.

He stood up after seeing nothing. And went back inside, sitting next to his wife and sighing.

"I'm going to figure out what's making the ghouls migrate." He said with such a tone of finality he knew she couldn't argue.

But it didn't stop her from trying.

"What about the kids, you know I can't take care of them on my own." She didn't sound like she wanted to stop him, more like she wanted him to have a plan before he went.

"You have Garroth and Laurance. I'm taking Impact with me, but you'll have Luna as well. But I thought you would try to stop me?" He sounded tired and done. But he could only rest when he knew his family was okay.

"Oh no, I know I can't stop you." She chuckled knowingly and kissed him on the cheek."You're to stubborn for that. But I want to make sure you think this all of the way through. That way, you'll come back home in one piece." She finished, caressing his hand and sighing.

"Aaron, I don't think I'll be able to walk again..." She said this in a matter of factly tone, like she had already excepted this as fact.

"No! Don't say that! You'll be able to walk soon, I'm just disappointed I won't be their to see it..." He looked at her right in the eyes, and they suddenly understood each other.

"Your going to die out there... aren't you?" She asked, tears already forming at her eyes.

"Yes...... I will die. It was a high probability from the start...." He had seen it, seen himself die a hundred times, and a hundred different ways. But this was his final journey.

"No....... Please......there has to be another way." She felt the tears fall from her face. And it hit her wedding band, the golden metal shining brighter than ever.

He caught them, and with a his own choked voice and tear stained eyes, said:

"There's not. There never was....."

She embraced him and sobbed into his back, and she felt him cry silently into her shoulder.

"Aaron, don't go out there..... I can't lose you........ I can't do this on my own." She was sobbing, and she felt Aaron heave as he tried to hold back his own tears.

"Yes you can. I know you can. I met and married you for a reason..... we all have to go sometime. This just happens to be mine....." He broke, tears streaming down his face. His voice broken.

"No....... No I can't, please..... don't go....."

He smiled a broken smile, kissed her passionately, as it was the last thing he would do.

"I believe in you, I'll never truly be gone. I'll always be with you....... no matter what." He slowly and gently slipped out of her grasp.

He felt empty now, and as he looked around his home for the final time. He went over to Aurora who was awake. And had heard everything.

"Daddy..... don't leave...... I'll miss you." She had tears in her eyes as well, even though she didn't fully understand what was going on. She did understand that dead, meant never seeing him again.

"I'll miss you to Light, I'll miss you too...." He embraced her and never wanted to leave his daughter arms. He was crying again, his tears falling on Aurora's black hair.

Ái looked up at her father and giggled, Aaron knew she wouldn't remember him. But she would hear his story. And how he gave up his life so she could live a better one.

"I'll miss you too...." He kissed her on the forehead, looked back at Aphmau one last time.

She was crying, and not looking at him. With one last ounce of strength. He hovered his hand over the doorknob. And felt his tears fall on his hands.

With his rifle over his shoulder. And a dagger in his pocket. He opened the door, and shut it behind him.

He felt his legs leave him at the door. He didn't want to move any further. He wanted with all of his heart to run back inside and hug Aphmau and his children until the end of time.

But he couldn't.

He knew what he had to do. And he walked away into the wasteland. His head high, and he ran in the direction he knew he was supposed to go.

He welcomed death, like an old friend.