Kael sat on the bed beside Gabrielle, watching her sleep. Sighing, he tilted his head up to the ceiling and stared at the small silver and gold stars Gabrielle had adorned it with not too long ago. He remembered walking in on her and Edge on the bed that night, pointing at the stars despite their falsity. But they were real in her eyes, and perhaps they were the only things that had been real, simply because they were always there.

"What are you thinking?" Gabrielle's sleep addled voice called out to Kael and begged an answer.

"The stars." He replied with a half-truth.

"You think about them too?" Her voice was more alert but barred the roughness of the wound on her neck that was almost healed over. Kael smiled down at her and nodded. Gabrielle sat up beside him, resting her head on his chest and looking up at the mock sky. "You know we never had a star…"

"So pick one. We might not have much time…"

"Don't say that. We'll have as much time as we need. I'm not going anywhere." He sighed, and she raised her head from his chest and shot a questioning glance at him.

"Love, I am."

"No…no, Kael, you have to stay here….why would you go?"

"I've been thinking, Gabby and there's…" He took a deep breath as if to still his nerves. "There's no place for me here." Gabrielle made a small noise of protest, but Kael continued. "You belong with Christian, or with Edge, whomever you choose. I just complicate things."

"Kael, they didn't take care of me...they can’t, not like you do! You can't go…I love you too much…"

"You don't...not in the way that you love them. Just listen to me." He put his hands on her now tear-streaked face, brushing the salty wetness away with his thumbs. "Don't cry…Please don't. I have to leave…I know you don't understand now, but you will, and you'll thank me for it after. Anyway, we've still got one night before I leave…don't spend it crying." She sniffled quietly and looked up into his clear blue eyes.

"Then how should I spend it?" She asked him, pouting like a child. He lowered his eyes for an instant to hide the desire before answering.

"With me, love…I think you know what I mean…" Gabrielle glared up at him with mock anger.

"You're so arrogant. What makes you think I even want you now?"

"You know you love it…" Gabrielle sighed, and nodded.

"Yeah…I'm gonna miss you Kael." He put a finger to her lips, quieting her.

"Shh. Don't think about that now." Kael whispered, removing his fingers to grace her lips with his in what engaged their last evening together.