Author's Note: Well, I had originally planned to write a sappy Valentine's Day love story. Yet, the idea to write a slightly less traditional tragic Valentine's story wormed it's way into my mind, and it seemed much more appealing. So, this is what I came up with. I sorta had it planned out - the beginning, at least. I made the rest up as I wrote, like I usually do. :P I love how it turned out, though. It made me cry while I was writing it. D: It's so depressing...

But I love depressing stories the most, so it's all good. :3 Aaanyways, here's another one-shot with Matt and Emma. I did actually write this on Valentine's Day, but I didn't realize I hadn't put it up here until today :P Sorry! I hope you like it nonetheless.

I started a short little sequel one-shot, too, because I was in an angsty mood, but that was a while ago. I dunno when I'll finish it, but I shall try.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for Emma and the story itself.

The night was deathly quiet. The wind didn't breathe so much as a whisper. No creature stirred. The snow fell in utter silence outside, though it fell heavily, and even in stillness, the air carried a biting chill. Despite the fact that it was twilight, no light graced the cold earth, for dark clouds, laden with snow, smothered the heavens.

Through the frosted window, somber blue eyes watched the frozen flakes drift downward. It was February, and yet it was colder than it had been all winter. The frigid season had sucked all of the warmth from the world, and it took his warmth, too.

Months had passed since the strange ailment befell his closest friend. She became fragile, utterly exhausted and drained. It came on so abruptly and without warning or reason, catching them all off guard. The doctors couldn't find an explanation for it; they told her she only had four months to live if they couldn't find the cause in time. Even if they did, there was no guarantee.

Hell, even he couldn't figure out what was wrong with her, and he was a hundred times smarter than the doctors.

Yet, somehow, being the naive optimist he was, he found a scrap of hope in his heart to hold onto. He insisted that everything would be fine, that they would figure out a way to save her. He managed to convince himself - or part of himself, at least.

But every last ounce of that hope was shattered when she took a drastic turn for the worse two and a half weeks ago. She couldn't even walk anymore. She was confined to bed, barely able to keep down any food. Even speaking was becoming a struggle for her.

Part of him knew it was hopeless from the very start. It cautioned him, but he got his hopes up anyways, over and over again. And over and over again, his hopes were crushed. He just couldn't do it anymore. He couldn't handle losing her…

A gentle hand on his shoulder pulled Matt from his dreary contemplation. Wiping a stray tear from his cheek, he turned his head to see Jason standing behind him.

"I'm goin' to bed," the older boy told him softly. "Ellie's already asleep in my room, but Grams will be up a while longer if you need anything."

Matt only nodded half-heartedly in response. Was it that late already? He glanced out the window to find that darkness had indeed fallen. The deck of the barge was pitch-black. He'd been lost in his musing for longer than he thought.

Jason watched him with a concerned expression. "You okay?"

To this, Matt gave a slight negative shake of his head, though he didn't turn to look at his friend. Jason gave his shoulder a comforting squeeze before exiting the room, knowing that there was nothing he could do to help his heartbroken comrade.

After several long minutes, Matt sighed softly and pushed himself to his feet, turning away from the window. His eyes swept over his surroundings, though he didn't truly see anything. There wasn't much to look at, anyway. The room was small, adorned only with a single bed, a nightstand bearing a timeworn lamp, and a small dresser with a mirror attached to its surface.

He wandered over to the bed and gazed down at its lone occupant. The familiar knot rose in his throat, and he took Emma's hand in his. She was cold to the touch, and her breaths were no less shallow.

Kneeling beside her bed, Matt simply stayed there and held her hand, attempting to quell some of the sorrow that gripped his heart. His head hung and his frame sagged, and tears were stinging at the back of his eyes again.

"Why?" He whispered, his voice hoarse. He hardly talked anymore, except to Emma when she was awake. "Why do you want her?"

He was addressing no one in particular. He just needed to know, though even if by some miracle he did receive an answer, it wouldn't satisfy him. In his mind, there was no reason for such a cruel act. Screw fate. He loved her. And now she was being taken from him.

"It's not fair." He choked on his words as tears threatened to spill down his cheeks. "It's not fair…"

"Nothing is ever fair."

Matt's head snapped up at the faint voice, and he stared into neon-green eyes. God, he loved those eyes so much…

"Why?" He murmured again, desperate for an answer.

Emma smiled, though it was frail and tired, as was her voice. "Life would be pretty dull if everything was perfect."

A tear rolled down Matt's cheek. "Life would be meaningless without you."

Emma's smile faded. "You'd better not do anything stupid if I die."

Matt flinched at the last word. He couldn't bear to hear it, much less think about it.

Emma squeezed his hand as best she could with her failing strength. "Your family and friends love you just as much as I do. They need you. This world needs you."

"I need you."

"Matt…" Bright green eyes pleaded with him. "Promise me."

He couldn't deny her anything, and he knew it. She knew it, too.

"I promise," he whispered.

The smile returned. It warmed his mourning heart, even if only slightly. Emma struggled to lift her free hand. Seeing this, he took it with his own and helped her, pressing her slender fingers lightly against his cheek. With her thumb, she brushed away the tear that lingered there, holding his forlorn gaze with her own loving one.

"I'm terrified," Matt admitted in a shaky tone. "I…I don't know what I would do if you…" He trailed off, unable to force the rest of that sentence from his throat.

"I'm scared too," Emma murmured, "but there's nothing you or I or anyone can do."

She cupped his cheek with her hand, and he rested his hand on hers. These subtle touches and movements were her way of asking for his undivided attention, as he learned in the time he spent with her. So close to her…but no longer…

"Matt." He stared into her eyes - those lovely eyes. Even in her sickly state, so fragile and listless, her eyes remained ever bright, full of dreams and visions of an enchanted land he knew not of before he met her. "Everything's going to be fine." He blinked, bewildered by her statement. Even she couldn't still believe that... "I don't know if I'll make it or how long I have, but…" She paused as if catching her breath. Matt almost told her to stop talking, to save her energy, but he longed for her sweet voice so much it ached. Not that she would've listened to him anyway. "Death isn't the end. It's the beginning. It's a new adventure, a new world, a new mystery just waiting to be explored."

"But…I want to go with you." Matt held her hand tighter, though he was gentle. "I want to be with you, forever."

"It's not goodbye – not indefinitely. We'll meet again in the afterlife, whatever it may hold. And then we can spend the eternity of Time together without fear of losing one another." She smiled again, vivid green eyes full of love and hope. "I'll wait for you, no matter how long it takes. But will you do the same for me? Will you live out your days fully and happily until we can be together again?"

"I'll try," Matt vowed. "I'll try for you."

"I know that's the best you can do."

She closed her eyes, fatigue overtaking her desire to spend what may very well be her last moments with her love. Matt immediately found himself missing the beautiful green orbs, but he knew she was tired. He gently laid her hand back by her side, though he did not relinquish his grip on it.

"Matt…" she muttered after a few moments of silence, her voice barely audible.

"Yes?" He replied instantly, turning his attention to her.

"Will you sing for me?"

A soft smile crossed his face for the first time in a long while. He knew what song she wanted to hear.

"Of course."

Carefully, he climbed onto the bed beside her, not caring that he hardly had any room. Wrapping his arms ever so tenderly around her, he began humming a mellow tune, and soon started to sing softly.

"Alas my love you do me wrong
To cast me off discourteously
For I have loved you so long
Delighting in thy company

"Greensleeves was all my joy
And Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my Lady Greensleeves

"I have been ready at thy hand
To grant whatever you would crave
I have both wagered life and land
Your love and good will for to have

"Greensleeves was all my joy
And Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my Lady Greensleeves

"I brought the kerchers to thy head
They were wrought fine and gallantly
I kept thee both at board and bed
Which cost my purse well favouredly

"Greensleeves was all my joy
And Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my Lady Greensleeves

"Greensleeves, now farewell, adieu
God I pray to prosper thee
For I am still thy lover true
Come once again and love me

"Greensleeves was all my joy
And Greensleeves was my delight
Greensleeves was my heart of gold
And who but my Lady Greensleeves"

Matt continued humming the melody until Emma's breaths grew deep and steady as she drifted into peaceful slumber. He listened to her faint breathing, fearing that each one would be the last. Blinking back more tears, he pressed closer to her, warming her cold body with his, and rested his chin on her head, careful not to wake her.

The room grew silent again, leaving the boy no choice but to wander back into a state of dismal contemplation. Memories of the blissful moments he and his girlfriend had shared in their time together flashed through his mind. Though the reminiscence was heartwarming, it was overshadowed by the realization that they would never be able to share such times again.

His heart sunk further into the agonizing sorrow. It was tearing him to pieces, tormenting him, killing him slowly, painfully. He was losing the inner battle, losing himself, everything he loved. He didn't know how much longer he could hold on. He was giving up, despite his desperate struggle to cling to the last threads that were his family and friends.

He couldn't leave them; he couldn't bring himself to put them through the same anguish that was destroying him. But he couldn't live without her. He just couldn't.

He couldn't…

A moan of wind from outside brought him out of his reverie. It was the only sound in the still night – a wretched keen, tragic and forlorn, crying out its despair to whoever cared to listen.

His gaze was drawn to the small clock that rested on the nightstand by the bedside. It was six minutes past midnight. He had lost himself in his thoughts yet again.

With a pang, he realized what day it was – the fourteenth day in the month of February.

It was St. Valentine's Day.

His focus drifted back to his valentine lying in his arms. This date had been nagging at his mind for the past week. He wanted to do something special for his girl. This was the first Valentine's that they would spend together, and now it seemed it would also be their last.

A foreboding feeling was rising in his gut, and he couldn't understand it. He was suddenly overwhelmed by the desire to be with his mate, his love. He was afraid if he waited until daylight, it would be too late…

He shook the dreadful thought away. No, it had only been a little over three months since Emma had received her deadline from the doctors.

All the same, he decided to act now. He sat up and brought his hands up in front of him, concentrating deeply on the air above his palms. In a matter of seconds, frost began forming, glittering in the dim lamplight. With much difficulty, he managed to form the crystals into the desired shape.

It was several minutes before he had coaxed the ice particles into a single, solid rose. The stem was smooth but for the slightly rounded thorns and two unfurled leaves. The petals were individually crafted and draped the rose in beautiful layers.

He put as much detail as he possibly could into the sculpted ice, intent on making it perfect. Once satisfied, he allowed the flower to drop gently into his hands. It was cool and smooth against his flesh, gleaming brilliantly even in the softly lit room.

Turning to the slumbering form beside him, he gently shook her shoulder. "Emma."

The demon girl opened her eyes, blinking sleepily, and gazed up at him.

"Hm?" She replied in a voice that was even weaker than before. Fatigue was showing through her ordinarily lively eyes, but he tried not to think about it.

"Sorry to wake you," Matt apologized, "but…I wanted to give you something…"

He took the girl's hand and placed the rose in her palm. Her eyes widened at the sight of it, awed by its glimmering splendor.

"Happy Valentine's Day, my love," Matt whispered affectionately.

He leaned down and kissed her tenderly, still holding her hand with the rose. Emma returned the loving gesture, delighted tears brimming in her closed eyes.

They shared a long, passionate kiss, and Matt never wanted it to end. But it did, and far from happily as a final breath passed through Emma's lips, and the glistening rose of ice slipped from her hand.

Matt caught the flower and brought the limp hand to his cheek, clutching it tightly. He stared down at his love with a mix of disbelief and distress. Salty tears escaped his eyes and slipped down his face. He laid Emma's hand on her chest along with the rose and caressed her cheek, trembling.

"I'll wait for you," he murmured, already missing those lovely green eyes, that enchanting voice. "I love you…my valentine…"

He placed another loving kiss on her cold lips. Shudders of grief racked his body, and his heart screamed out in unbelievable torment. She was gone from his world, and the land was desolate.

She was gone…

His spirit finally shattered, and he buried his head into her chest and cried his heart out.