Artemis sat down in the dark living room. His suit rubbed against the piano bench below him. Shadows cast heavily against his parlor. His fingers tingled against the grand piano's keys. He shifted, leaning closer to the twilight instrument. Black and white keys called to him. Slim, nimble and practiced fingers explored the space. The first light key rung in the air. It brought its friends, filling the cold air with a beautiful melody.

"If I die young,

Bury me in satin,

Bring me down on a bed of roses." His voice treaded light with the song, Emotion laced the words as he sang. He remembered the time he had died. the fiery orange roses had housed his remaining spirit. the memories were vivid in his mind.

"sink me in a river at dawn." he recalled in the eleven wonders, gagging at water as it ran heavily down his throat. he remembered holly and her quick actions that day.

"and sing me away with the words of a love song." The first time he had ever been called 'big brother was called to mind. he remembered the twins' beaming smiles. his heart had swelled with pride at his little brothers that day. the blonde and midnight heads ended up asleep in his lap. he had been caring for them when his parents left for town. Myles and Beckett had babbled back and forth that day, arguing in the language of infants. before Myles had growled and pouted, repeating 'big brothwer!' over and over in his lithe arms. he had been amazed at the small life. and ever after, he had taken the title very seriously.

he remembered after he had inherited the clone, as well. how his brother's screamed and cried, claiming him to be an impostor. they cried for him that day and many more. it had taken the entire day to convince the four year old's that it was in fact him.

"Lord make me a rainbow,

ill shine down on my mother,

she'll know i'm safe with you when she stands under my colors

and oh,

life aint always what you think it ought to be, no

ain't even grey but she burys her baby,"

mother already has, he thought darkly in a forlorn mood.

"the sharp knife of a short life." his mother, mad with depression. his father gone. he had never felt so lonely. such anguish pain and heartbreak. his soul felt like it was being ripped. he had never felt so scared and fragile.

"I've had just enough time." a lie. he never got time when he needed it. so many things gone wrong on so many occasions. all he had ever caused was pain.

"If i die young,

bury me in satin

bring me down on a bed of roses,

sink me in the river at dawn...

and send me away with the words of a love song..." he was dying. pain radiated his body. he whimpered. he felt himself being collected in a pair of strong arms. and his first kiss had literally made sparks fly. not to mention save his life. and what did he do to her? he lied, used blackmail. for his own gain/

"the sharp knife of a short life,

i'd have just enough time.

"ill be wearing white, when i come into your kingdom.

i'm as green as the ring on my little cold finger,

I've never known the loving of a woman.

but it sure felt nice when she was holding my hand." bittersweet times he and holly had intertwined fingers came back to him. like, perhaps, one leaning over the dying other.

"there's a girl here in town, sais she'll love me forever.

but who could have thought forever could be severed by the sharp knife of a short life."

I've seem death too many times to say that i couldn't.

he heard holly screams as abbots blade descended on her. he heard her final sounds in life. as she lay bleeding, no longer with the wakeful world. he remembered her when he sacrificed himself to close the gate. how she struggled in the manservant's grip. wanting to help him. how heartbroken she looked. he remembered when their minds were one, back in hybras. how they were completely and utterly in complete understanding of the other. how she would come by after electro-shock treatment and talk to him. how she would sooth him and whisper sweet nothings.

'best friends, bonded by trauma.'

" A penny for my thought, oh no

i'll sell them for a dollar." the evel schemes. the dark days. the crooked path he walked.

they used to be worth a lot more than a dollar. thousands, usually.

"there worth so much more after i'm a gonner." I've already died, so what is my worth?

"then maybe you'll hear the words iv'e been saying,

funny when your dead how people start listening." listening to me has been proven a bad idea, he thought guiltily. London. hybras. the fowl siege. the berksker gate.

"if i die young,

bury me in satin,

bring me down on a bed of roses,

sink me in the river at dawn,

and send me away with the words of a love song.

the sharp knife of a short life,

well i've had just enough time.

if i die young

bury me in satin...

... lay me down..."

pale fingers stilled on black and white. the room seemed to have been flooded with more shadows, making light retreat. he bowed his great head, breathing deeply. the song still rung in his ears. the memory's flung in his head.

he had failed to do his task. protect his family. protect his friends. let them forever have minds at ease. no matter how hard he had to work to get it that way. and he would make sure to be there to ease their worry's for more years to come. he reflected the countless times he had nearly died. the times he almost left his family.

and for the first time in a very long time, crystal tears elegantly rolled down his cheeks as he cried.

alrightie! this song is If I Die Young it is a cover but i can't remember what its called. this was, if you guessed it. post series. this is actually right after he gets all his memories back, assuming they take him to the manor. and he relizes how dangerous all the crap he did was.