A/N: If you didn't catch it the first time, ENDING SPOILERS! ...Now that that's out of the way, have some completely un-beta'd (I was just dying to post this) goodness.

We're not going to make it. I know.

I've got cuts and scratches and broken bones and so does everyone else, and we're bleeding to death. We've all accepted it, I think, even Cinque, who was bawling her eyes out earlier. I thought it was scary, at first, but now, with us all in a heap and holding hands and just breathing, it's not so hard to face.

I'm dying. I'm dying.

Ace is singing.

It's a song I've heard before, but never often. It's a haunting song, but full of hope. He always sings this song to us when we're feeling down, or when someone we know gets hurt or dies, like Kura… Kurasame. Although I don't know if he counts; I mean, he was our teacher, but I don't remember it at all. It's really weird to mourn someone you can't remember.

It's completely silent, as in I-can-hear-the-dust-settling silent, except for Ace's voice. He has a nice voice, really, and it's a shame he hardly ever sings. He's singing the song quietly and softly like a lullaby, and usually I'd say it's calming but right now it just sounds sad.

The sunlight is filtered, and coming in at an angle, and it makes everything look soft and rounded and warm. Ace, too – in this light, he looks fifteen.

"You sing… really well, you know."

I say it quietly, part because my voice is going all weak and rattling because I'm—yeah, I'm dying, huh. And part because I'm afraid if I talk too loud Ace'll stop.

I think he heard me anyway, though, because he looks my way and smiles this really really sad smile I've never seen him smile before. It makes me want to cry and I hate it. He shouldn't have to look that way, not at me, not at anyone. I wanna tell him not to look so sad but my voice isn't working anymore.

It's getting hard to stay sitting up, so now I'm slumping against someone's shoulder but can't feel it. It's strange, but oddly familiar. All my scratches and stuff stopped stinging and just feel kind of weird and raw, and my fingers and feet and are getting all cold and numb, but even that feels sort of familiar. My sight is going fuzzy but my hearing's still fine, and I can hear Ace singing, "迷子の足音消えた代わりに祈りの唄を…" 1and I keep thinking I've done this before, and the feeling of déjà vu's so strong that I think maybe this is just a dream, since I can't feel any pain anymore. I wanna pinch myself just to see, but when I try I don't know if my fingers even twitch.

I'm tired now, really tired. I don't want to think anymore. My eyelids closed without me noticing, or my vision is gone now, because everything is black, but I can still hear great, isn't that weird? But I kinda wish my hearing would fade away too, because now I can hear Ace's voice hitch a little, like he's crying, and I want to get up and hug him or something but I'm just too tired.

"…そこで炎になるのだろう…"2

Ace, you should sing more, you know that? You're really good. You could make a living off that, instead of fighting and all. Start a band. Trey and King and Jack, that's what they wanted to do when we were little – maybe you could team up with them.

"…続く者の灯火に." 3

Ace… Ace, don't cry. We just need to rest a bit. We'll be back in no time. Why don't… why don't you keep watch? I'm gonna… just sleep now. Alright?

…Good-night.

1 "The footsteps of the lost child cease to be heard, replaced only by that song of prayer…"

2 "…The song soon becomes that burning lamp…

3"…guiding on that wandering traveler."

A/N: The narrator was left intentionally vague, but if you happen to be curious, I wrote this with Cater in mind.

Also, I don't speak Japanese, so characterization may be off. FML.