Astronomy Tower

'What do you think it does to me? I love you completely, i love my brother, but i cannot be like you and every time i see you, it breaks my heart.' I close my eyes, not wanting to see him...not wanting to see him holding the wand that could hurt me.

"Then you understand why I must do this. I can't take it any more." His hand was shaking and he closed his eyes.

Please, I can't do this!


Death, don't do whatever it is you're about to do. Don't lose your chica like that.

I walk up to him and kiss him gently before stepping back. 'I do understand. Its fine.'

He dropped his wand and clenched his teeth. "I can't- I'm sorry."

'Why? It...it would be easier for all of us if you did. You and crouch could finally just belong to what you believed in. You wouldnt have to fight with me again...'

"I can't hurt you. I love you too much to do it." He laughed weakly. "I'm weak." His grip on his wand tightened. "Why do you do this to me? Make me unable to do that which I should be able to do without hesitation?"

'you shouldnt be able to hurt without a thought, thats the thing. Death, it should hurt you to hurt others beause you are human. Im not doing anything to you...'

"Yes you are!" He pointed his wand at her again. "I was raised to be able to hurt -to kill- people without hesitation. What happens to them should never affect me. But you? You get into my head, you make me feel things I've never felt. I can't hurt you." He swallowed his fury and confusion. "You're just a girl."

'Im a girl that has given you trust and trusted you with her heart. with her. Death...' I shake my head, a tear slipping out. 'I get that this terrifies you and that every time i turn, i seem to hurt you. But i never meant for this...but you know something? I woudnt change anything. I would never change the fact that I love yu, even though you are everything that I do not like.'

"That doesn't change the fact that every time you go against your brother, against people like us, it hurts. I'm a person, too. Despite popular belief I can hurt. It tears me apart to know that I will always be fighting you because we believe, so strongly, in different things. This can't work out River!" He gestured between them. "We can't work."

I flinch. 'Dont...please dont say that.' I choke out. 'please...'

"It's the truth River! We can't hide from the truth forever!" He felt his grip on his sanity slipping from his grasp quicker than he'd like. He was on the verge of breaking.

'its not the truth! its not! you cant.....please dont leave me...'

"I can't keep living like this River. I feel at odds with you all the time. It's better to cut things off now than to let it fester for ten, twenty years."

'it wont fester...i love you, death' I was freeely crying now, not caring about the world around us- my world with the boy in frnt of me was crashing and burning, and taking me with it.

"Yes it will!" he roared. "Maybe not in you, but in me! I won't be able to look at you or myself again."

I flinch again, backing away, almost curling into myself.

"This is exactly what I should be able to do without hesitation." He gestured around them. "I should be able to hurt you in the worst way imaginable and it shouldn't affect me." He laughed shortly. "Why does it effect me so?" he asked, almost to himself.

'Because you have a heart...'

He shook his head in denial. "No." He turned to leave and spoke over his shoulder to her. "I have to go. Next time we meet, we meet at enemies."

'death, please..' i stumble towards him, grabbing hold of his arm 'please...'

"No, River." He gently eased her hand from his arm. "Unless one of us changes our loyalties I won't continue this relationship." He had to resist the urge to bring her into his arms one last time. He just had to.

'if you leave me...you wont have anyone to come back to.' i meant if- iwouldnt survive it

"I know..." he muttered and began walking away. Away from maybe the best thing that's ever happened to him.

'no..."  i scream, my legs giving way beneath md. i sit in the middle of the ruined school, the battle field an image of what i felt like inside.