Thomas carried Yuri along the beach her face against his. Their foreheads touched fondly.

" Why didn't you tell me?" Thomas asked, watching her black hair blow around her.

" I'm sorry, Thomas." Yuri whispered. Her voice was tired and soft, and she felt tears slide silently down her cheeks." I don't want to die, Thomas."

Thomas lay Yuri down carefully and sat down next to her on a large rock. Her skirt fluttered around her feet and the sun blinded her slightly on the windy December day.

" I don't either, Yuri." Thomas said, wiping her tears away.

" Thomas, I know I won't be able to live long," Yuri said quietly." Let our hearts connect forever. No matter what happens, I'll always be there for you. No matter what happens, our hearts will always be together, ok?"

Thomas looked at her fondly, his platinum hair whipping out behind him. He nodded and placed his hands behind him on the cold rock.

" Look at the ocean, it's violent today." He said.

" Yes, I love the ocean. It's sometimes calm, but other times so violent and unsure, just like our love." She turned to Thomas." Thomas, my heart will never leave you." She closed her eyes, and so did he. They both leaned forward in unison, and kissed very gently. Thomas placed his hand on Yuri's cold face and put his fingers through her layer of soft black hair like a comb. They kissed in front of the roaring ocean under the pale sunset.

" Thomas, can you sing me a lullaby?" Yuri said quietly. They were back at school in Thomas's dormitory. Yuri was laying Thomas's arms, because she didn't want to go back to the hospital. Thomas had been with her every second. Aaron Spiel had called Mrs. Kowan. Even though Yuri objected against it, Mr. Spiel insisted that her mother be with her.

" I don't know any lullabies, Yuri, but I have a poem. It's called 'Together'. Here is how it goes: I'll hold your hand and help you stand,

when you need me.

I'll truly love you and be your eyes,

When you are blind.

I'll help you find your way and be your compass,

When you are lost.

I'll keep you warm and be your blanket,

When you are cold.

But I believe when we're together,

We can accomplish whatever.

We will hold hands,

Side-by-side,

With nothing to worry about,

And nothing to hide.

We can be together,

Just me and you forever."

" That is a beautiful poem, Thomas." Yuri murmured sleepily, her eyelids felt heavy. She put her head onto his shoulder and murmured." Can you do all that for me?"

Thomas kissed her on the cheek." Of course I can. I would do anything for you. Remember, our hearts are connected." He hugged her tightly.

" I'll remember…" Yuri's voice trailed off and she fell into a deep slumber.

" Yuri!" Mrs. Kowan burst through the door and ran up to her daughter, a duffel bag clinging limply out of her hand. She studied her daughter. Yuri looked so pale, so weak and fragile. She stroked her daughter's face and hugged her tightly.

" Hi, Mother." Yuri said. Mrs. Kowan began to sob." Mother, what's wrong?"

" Oh, my dear, what happened?" Mrs. Kowan said. Yuri felt pain shoot through her body and her body felt cold.

" It's alright, Mother." Yuri managed to choke out. Her muscles were weakening again.

" Yuri look at you. You've grown so much more skinnier!" her mother put her arms around Yuri, but turned to Thomas." Thomas, dear. Thank you for taking care of my little girl." She said, tears in her eyes. Thomas nodded.

" Yuri, you should go back to the hospital. You will take the operation." Mrs. Kowan insisted. Thomas and Mrs. Kowan escorted her to the hospital, where they filled in the papers for the operation.

" Mrs. Kowan, go and rest for a while. I'll take care of Yuri." Thomas offered. The lady smiled wanly.

" Alright, I'll go wait outside while you two chat." She said, patting his shoulder.

Thomas sat down next to Yuri, and she grabbed his hand.

" Thomas, I'm scared. I don't want to have surgery." She said, as her eyes looked frightened. Thomas took her in his arms and gave her a kiss on the cheek." I'll be right next to you, Yuri. Don't worry." He said gently.

" I'm afraid of dying." Yuri confessed." Everyone thinks I'm so noble and brave. But nobody understands how scared I am inside. I don't want to die." She began to tremble slightly. Thomas hugged her tighter.

" Everything will be OK." He soothed.

He hugged her for a long time, until she spoke." Thomas, go. Go get some rest." She said.

Thomas smiled and nodded. Yuri noticed dark shadows under his blue eyes. He did not harden his platinum hair with gel today. Yuri watched him leave, and her heart began to hammer with fear. She was so scared, she was so afraid of death. She sat up and put her head against her knees, crying into the dark. She felt so lonely, so lost…

The door to the ward opened and Emily stepped in. She was crying as well.

" You called Thomas, Emily. Thank you." Yuri said through her sobs. Emily nodded and hesitantly hugged Yuri." I'm so sorry!" she whispered.

Yuri hugged her back." Emily, I'm so scared. I don't want to have operation. I don't want to!"

Emily held Yuri's head gently." Yuri, be brave, not for me. Not for Thomas, but for yourself." She encouraged. Both girls wept out their long time sorrow. For how long, neither knew, but it made them both feel better.

"Thomas, Mrs. Kowan, Emily, Yuri's conditions has worsened." Dr. Brown said." There is no hope, and she can't have the operation anymore. We have arranged for your last visits." He walked away to his office. Mrs. Kowan fell back onto the bench tears flooding down her cheeks. Emily gasped and Thomas shook his head before turning on his heels and racing out of the hospital. He ran with all his might until he stumbled and couldn't run anymore. He put his hands on the fountain in front of him and stared at his reflection. They were so close to extending Yuri's life span. Now she was going to die. He could not keep his promise and be with her forever. Thomas threw back his head and shouted into the December night sky.

Mrs. Kowan and Emily sat by Yuri's bedside. The air was filled with misery, and even the weather was mourning. The wind howled and it began to rain, what seemed like the tears of god.

" Yuri, please wake up," Mrs. Kowan sobbed." Mother is sorry, I owe you so much. I wasn't able to protect you, just like I couldn't protect Simon and you father. Why am I so useless"

"Mrs. Kowan, I beg you to stop being this way." Emily said." Yuri doesn't need us to sob over her right now. She needs encouragement."

"You're right, Emily." Mrs. Kowan said. She turned back to Yuri." Yuri, look at all who love you so much. Look around. Open your eyes, sit up, and look around. We all love you so much, please wake up!" But despite all their talk, Yuri remained motionless and lifeless.

It was seven o'clock in the morning in the ward. Nobody except the patient was in the ward. The clock struck seven and the patient's fingers moved very slightly. Her eyelids twitched and fluttered open, like a butterfly spreading it's wings. Yuri sat up very slowly. The last time she was conscious she coughed blood and couldn't breathe. But now her breath was back. She got up slowly and walked along the hallway, and for some reason she was happy about the eerie silence and peacefulness. The hallways were empty and Yuri went down to the beach. She bent down before the rock she had sat with Thomas on and took out a piece of chalk. Very slowly, because her hand shook from weakness, Yuri wrote the words: Yuri and Thomas Forever. Then, she sat down on the rock to gaze at the churning ocean.

"Dr. Brown, where is Yuri?" Thomas demanded. The doctor turned, startled. "She's not in the ward?" "No, I went to the ward, but it was empty." Thomas replied, beginning to panic. He turned to go search for Yuri, but Dr. Brown grabbed his arm. "She truly loves you." The doctor said." You never knew how much. That time you got shot, it was she who gave you part of her liver. She did it even though she knew that if she did it, her life span would shorten. She saved you, not me. Go find her."

Thomas swung free of the doctor, shocked. So it was Yuri who had saved him. If I weren't for Yuri, he would be dead. If it weren't for him, Yuri would be able to live longer today. It was his fault. Thomas bolted out the hospital gates toward the beach, where he assumed she was. And he was right. Far away on a rock, a figure in blue was seated. He ran up to her and froze three feet away from her. She turned and gazed back at him. They stared at each other for a moment, then, Thomas, for the first time in his life, started to cry. He ran up and hugged Yuri. He kissed her cheek and her forehead, the tears he had been holding back his whole life spilled.

"Yuri, why did you have to save me?" Thomas cried, tears streaming down his pale face." I'm so sorry!" Yuri lay in his embrace." Don't be. Thomas,if I hadn't saved you, my happiness wouldn't have lasted." She said, silent tears pouring down her face. He hugged her like he could never let go, as she lay on his lap. Yuri felt suddenly immense pain penetrate her body and she flinched. Her energy was all drained out and her lips were colorless and dry.

" I love you, Thomas." She whispered. "I love you, Yuri." Thomas said. He could feel her energy drain and he knew she was dying. More tears leaked out of his eyes.

" Remember the time when we first met? You were really mean to me." Yuri said.

Thomas nodded." Remember when you kissed me by accident, and "when our eyes first met, and when we first broke up."

" When we first kissed." Yuri's voice got softer as she spoke. Thomas held her tighter.

" Thomas, remember the poem I read to you?" I remember every word."

" Can you read it with me?" Yuri asked. Thomas nodded, tears flooding his eyes again. Yuri smiled and began to clap as she chanted. Thomas joined in:

Love is a legend, love is a story.

Love is a feeling, an experience, and a memory.

It's something I can't see,

It's something just for two.

Yet I feel so special,

When I'm with you.

Through storm and fire,

I feel the strong desire.

Down cliffs and rivers,

So we can be together,

Up mountains and hills,

Just me and you forever."

They stopped together. Yuri's arms felt heavy, and she managed a soft laugh as she struggled to keep her eyes open.

" Thomas, now let's read your poem:

I'll hold your hand and help you stand,

when you need me.

I'll truly love you and be your eyes,

When you are blind.

I'll help you find your way and be your compass,

When you are lost.

I'll keep you warm and be your blanket,

When you are cold."

Yuri's voice trailed off. And she struggled to finish the poem.

"But I believe when we're together,

We can accomplish whatever.

We will hold hands…

Side-by-side…

With… nothing… to… worry about…"

Yuri stopped clapping and chanting. Her hands fell onto her lap and her head rolled to the side and against Thomas's shoulder. Thomas felt tears penetrate his eyes but he did not stop. He continued chanting and clapping and finished the poem.

And nothing to hide.

"We can be together,

Just me and you forever."

Thomas looked down at Yuri, but she had died. He felt pain strike the middle of his heart and cupped her head in his hands. " Yuri, I'll be your compass and blanket! I'll be your anything! Yuri, please don't go! Yuri!!!" he held her head and shouted, more tears streaming down his cheeks. A huge wave crashed against the rock and the letters: Yuri and Thomas Forever was washed away by that wave, along with Yuri's life.

Yuri Kowan died on December 14th, exactly two years after her brother's death.

Thomas stood by the ocean. It was three months after Yuri's death. He glared at the ocean, tears now falling unashamedly down his cheeks. He had promised Yuri they would be together forever, and he had decided that if she couldn't stay with him, he would go to her. He took a step into the cold ocean…and another…and another…

Epilogue:

Three years later Emily Radley and her husband Thomas Vacur watched their infant son crawl in his play pen. Thomas was saved by Emily, but he had lost his memory when he tried to drown.

Emily gazed at her happy family. She was filled with joy at what was given to her today, and she would never forget Yuri Kowan, the girl who gave her all she had today. Far away, they heard an orchestra playing the song of love. Yuri Kowan, you will always be Thomas's girl…Thomas's memory…Thomas's love…his princess…his angel…and Thomas's universe.