It wouldn't rain.

It was the one fact in which she focused on.

It just wouldn't rain.

The fire had long since gone out. The ambulance had left, but there were no sirens, there was no rush...

Elizabeth hugged her knees to her chest, clasping the necklace, staring at the subway token twirling 'round and 'round. Bobbie's arms were wrapped around her, tears were streaming down the woman's face. Taggert was kneeling in front of her.

"We need this for forensics."

She stared at him, unmoving. He tried to pry the chain out of her hand, carefully and gently. His voice was soothing and comforting, but she held on tight.

"Elizabeth-"

She let out a scream of anguish. Her cry shocked everyone around her. Bobbie jumped, her eyes wide in surprise. Taggert, in complete shock, fell back on his hands.

Elizabeh buried her face in her hands as quiet sobs escaped her throat. But there were no tears, just like there was no rain...

He dried his eyes and fixed his shirt, trying to compose himself. How did he tell her? How did he tell that sweet, little girl about her brother? Nikolas stared at the door of the kitchen. He had read her a book, one that Lucky had loved reading to her, in hopes that she would fall asleep. She wasn't sleepy though, she had told him, and she settled down to color in one of her coloring books.

Half of the pages had been colored in already. Princesses and castles and beautiful scenery had come to life.

"Lucky did this one."

Nikolas had whirled around. "What, Lesley-Lu?"

She pointed proudly to a picture of a knight in gray armor.

"Lucky," she repeated.

Nikolas stared at the picture as tears sprung in his eyes. "Yes, Lu-Lu, it's very pretty."

She didn't hear the absent manner in which he spoke, as she turned to a fresh page and began to fill in between the bold lines. Nikolas had stood and walked into the kitchen, drying his eyes, trying to keep the tears from spilling out. He still couldn't believe it, his brother...

Walking back into the living room, he was astonished to see Laura sitting on the couch, with Lesley-Lu in her lap. Tears glistened on her cheeks as Lu-Lu lay her head down by her mother's heart. He forced a smile as he caught the last of Laura's words.

Laura looked up, her face twisted with torment. And he walked over and held his mother.

"Not my son, please not Lucky."

The tears wouldn't go away as the thoughts kept repeating themselves through his mind.

There, in the darkness of Kelly's, did the tears fall. Memories washed over him, and he clutched the counter tightly.

"Lucky," he sobbed.

The door opened. Luke looked up, his expression twisted with relief and misery.

"Barbara..." He reached out a hand to her. She ran to him and hugged him close as he cried onto her shoulder. "I loved him, I loved him."

Bobbie closed her eyes and caressed his back. "And he loved you."

"Elizabeth, may I come in?" Silence followed the call. "Elizabeth?"

Elizabeth stared at the wall as the door to her room opened.

"Elizabeth?"

"What Gram?"

"Would you like to come downstairs, honey? I just made some hot tea-"

"No Gram." She inturrupted in monotone. "I'm not thirsty."

"Well how about something nice and hot to eat?"

Audrey saw the slight shake of her granddaughter's head.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" Audrey asked, feeling helpless.

Elizabeth raised her eyes to look at the picture of her and a smiling boy.

Bring Lucky back, she thought. But outloud she only said, "no thanks."

Audrey nodded and gazed around the room. Pictures of Elizabeth and her boyfriend were hung up in the mirror. A scarf that he had bought her was draped over a chair, and the repeat button on her CD player was flashing. Audrey sighed.

I'm here, Sweetie, she thought. Turning around, she walked out of the room and closed the door gently behind her.

Elizabeth clutched the chain tightly in her hand and closed her eyes, listening as Lucky's voice filled the room.

Emily hurried up the sidewalk, brushing her stray tears away. Walking up the porch steps, she approached the door and took a moment to compose herself. She didn't need to knock, however, as the door opened by itself.

"She's upstairs, Emily, thanks for coming over."

Emily smiled at Mrs. Hardy and hurried up the stairs to see Elizabeth.

"Liz?" She knocked on the door. A moment later, it opened.

"I'm so sorry, Liz." She reached out to embrace her friend.

"It can't be real, Em." Elizabeth whispered. "He can't be gone, he can't be."

Emily pulled away and led Liz into the room. "I know that it's hard..."

"I loved him, Emily. We promised to be together forever. We were going to move to New York so that I could go to art school. We were going to share an apartment and, and-" she broke off and let out a sob.

"I know how it is to lose someone you love." Emily tried to comfort. "My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer, and I stayed with her while she was dying. It was the hardest thing I've ever done and it was so scary. It hurt for so long afterwards. I broke off from everyone. I wouldn't go to school, I would constantly be screaming at the Quartermaine's. Lucky was actually the one who got me to laugh again."

Elizabeth forced a smile. "He has that affect on people, doesn't he?"

Emily nodded and blinked back the tears. "It took a lot of time to heal. And although the days seemed long and I felt as though I would never get better, time fixed all of that. I went back to school and I began to feel close to the Quartermaine's. And I knew that it was okay because my mom was still with me." She gestured to her heart as she spoke. "she's still here, and with me in my memories."

Elizabeth shook her head. "I know that it's true Em," she said softly, "but it's just so hard to believe right now."

Emily nodded and reached over to hug her friend. "I know it is."

"So, you got there, huh Lucky?" Nikolas smiled at the sky as he shoved his hands in his pockets. "An angel came down from Heaven to take you up there," he repeated what Laura had said to Lesley-Lu earlier and smiled as tears appeared in his eyes.

"Well, bro, they're really lucky to have you up there." He held up a hand to the sky, "no pun intended."

Walking over to the swing on the porch, he sat down and stared at the sunset.

"I never said it. I thought about it all the time, I admited it to Emily, but I never once said it to you. I was glad to have you for a brother, for a friend." He gazed at the darkening clouds as the tears spilled from his eyes. "I love you, Lucky."

The area was deserted. No cars were parked along the streets, and no one was out for an evening stroll.

Elizabeth stared up at the building, hugging her arms to keep away the chill. It was all ashes now, the motorcycle shop. Barely anything was left. It has burned for a awhile, the paper had said. It took a long time for the firemen to get it out. Too long for anyone to have a chance to escape.

No one knew what had started it, or how the tragedy could have been prevented. But Elizabeth knew. She stared up at the building, anger appearing in her eyes.

"You weren't supposed to die!" She screamed suddenly. "Why didn't you get out of there why didn't you know?"

Her chin quivered as tears clouded her eyes.

"Why did you leave me, Lucky? We were supposed to be together forever. If only they had gotten it out in time, if only..."

She stared up at the sky, her eyes narrowing. If only it had rained... "Dammit, why didn't it rain!" She yelled. "You're supposed to protect him! He wasn't supposed to die!"

She dropped to the ground, staring up at the darkening sky. "I love you, Lucky."

Clutching the chain in her hand, tears spilled down her cheeks.

And only then did the rain begin to fall.