Kurt was lying in bed, sweat pouring down the side of his face. His fragile frame was wracked with explosive coughs, resulting in small droplets of ruby pooling into the corners of his mouth. Blaine dabbed the blood from his lips with a wet rag, and wiped the tears from his eyes.

"Blaine," Kurt whispered, voice coarse. "What do you think happens when you die?"

Blaine sat hunched over in his chair, exhausted from endless days by Kurt's side. He was dying, there was no doubt about it, but Blaine wouldn't give up.

"We're born again." The thought of Kurt's soul being forever gone from this world was devastating, he couldn't even imagine it. Reincarnation was the only way.

Kurt smiled, a weak sad smile that both broke and warmed Blaine's heart simultaneously. "Do you think I could come back as a bird?

"Of course I do." Blaine took one of his hands and held it to his face. He could see Kurt becoming weaker by the second. Another cough took hold of him, resulting in a larger pool of blood dripping down his face.

It was coming.

"Promise me.." Kurt began, mumbling from his lack of energy.

Blaine shook his head and tears began streaming down his face. No, no he couldn't leave him.

"Blaine, promise me. Promise me that you'll find me in our other life."

His pulse began to slow and Blaine's whole body was shaking. Sobs ripped through him one after the other. He couldn't help Kurt. All he could do was watch him die.

"Promise me..." One last whisper before Blaine felt Kurt's grip loosen. His eyes stared blankly into space and his chest remained still. There was no familiar thumping in his chest.

Blaine crawled onto the bed, pulling Kurt's limp body to his chest, rocking him back and forth as he tried to hold in his silent screams.

"I promise."