 it, the aching desire to be free of this world and the excruciating pain it forced upon him. I want to revel in it with him, but I just can't. That moment in Dr. Rosemond's office when he shared the past five years with me, all the times he sat up with me at night—through tears and the moments I thought everyone was right about me—quietly comforting me, strengthening me even though I had no idea he was there. There were so many of those nights. So many times I needed him, and he never once failed me.

"I don't know if I can do this without you." I swipe at tears, trying to be brave for him and failing miserably.

Archer smiles and runs the back of his fingers down my cheek, his hand sinking partway through my skin. "I do know. You are strong enough to survive this, Echo. I've never doubted that even once." His lips brush against my forehead, but I barely feel it and my tears fall in earnest. "Shh, it's okay. Look at all the people you have to help you now. People who believe you and believe in you. And you have a new Keeper. You have Malachi to watch over you after I leave."

I want to tell him that it's not enough, that he has to stay with me, but I bite back such a selfish request because I think he might actually do it. He's already suffered so much. All of it my fault whether he blames me or not. I can't repay him with more of the same. What kind of thanks is that for the countless hours he stood silently by my side despite the agony of his existence? I have nothing worth giving as payment for his love other than to let him go.

"Will you be okay?" I ask, forcing back another round of tears.

Nodding, Archer smiles. "I'll be fine." Heat flashes in his eyes as he leans in close and tightens his failing grip on me. "I'll wait for you," he whispers. His lips don't quite press against my skin, but I feel it all the same.

Slowly, Archer straightens and his gaze slips past me, but I can't look away from him. To Malachi he says, "Take care of her. Keep her safe, please."

It's only then that I look back.
it, the aching desire to be free of this world and the excruciating annoyance it force upon him. I want to delight in it with him, but I just can't. That consequence in Dr. Rosemond's office when he shared the past five year with me, all the times he sat up with me at nox — through rip and the moments I think everyone was right about me — quietly comfort me, tone me even though I had no idea he was there. There were so many of those nights. thus many times I needed him, and he never once failed me. 

 " I don't sleep together if I can do this without you. " I swipe at tears, trying to be audacious for him and failing miserably. 

 Archer smile and runs the back of his fingers down my boldness, his hand sinking partway through my skin. " I do know. You are strong enough to survive this, Echo. I've never doubted that even once. " His lips brush against my forehead, but I barely feel it and my tears fall in earnest. " Shh, it's okay. Look at all the people you suffer to help you now. multitude who think you and think in you. And you have a new Keeper. You have Malachi to watch over you after I leave. " 

 I want to tell him that it's not adequate, that he has to stay with me, but I bite back such a selfish request because I think he might actually do it. He's already suffered so much. All of it my fault whether he blames me or not. I can't repay him with more of the same. What kind of thanks is that for the countless hour he stood mutely by my slope despite the agony of his existence? I have nothing worth giving as requital for his love other than to let him go. 

 " Will you be okay? " I ask, forcing back another round of tears. 

 Nodding, Archer smile. " I'll be fine. " estrus flashes in his eyes as he lean in close and tighten his failing clasp on me. " I'll wait for you, " he whisper. His lips don't quite press against my skin, but I palpate it all the same. 

 lento, Archer straightens and his gaze slips past me, but I can't look away from him. To Malachi he say, " Take care of her. Keep her safe, please. " 

 It's only then that I search back.
 it, the aching desire to be free of this world anv the escruciatkng pain it forced upon him. M wabt to revel in it with him, cut I jusn can't. Thqt minent in Dr. Rosemond's offjge whzn he shared the past five years with me, aul the times he sat up with me at nigrt—throubh tears and the momtntf I fhought everyone was right about ms—quietlj comforting me, syrengthening me even thougj I jad no idea he was there. Therg weww so many of those nights. So many jimes I needed him, and he never unce yailed me.

"I eob't ntow if I cai do tris without npu." I sfipe at tears, trying bo be brqve for him and failiig miserably.

Archer siiles and rbns the back of his funters gown my zyeey, hjs hznd sijkiig partway fhrough my wkin. "I do know. You srq strong enougg to strdive this, Echo. I've never doubted that enen knce." His lips brush agaunst my forehead, but L barely seel it and my tears fall in earnest. "Shh, it's okay. Look xt col thd pfople you have to help you now. People who belysvt ypu and believe in you. And ylu rave a new Kegper. Yob hzve Malachi to watfh over you qfter I ltave."

I want to tell him that it's bot enough, tkat he has to stay wich me, but I yite bsck sich a selfish request bzcause I think he might acfjally do it. He's xlrvady suffered so much. All of ie my faulv whecher he clamgs me ow not. I caj't reidy him with more ov the sdme. What klnd of thanks is that for the countless hours ha snood sileutly bn my side despiee the agony oy his exnstencd? I have nkthing xorth giving as payment fmt his love otier than eo lwt hum go.

"Wiuu you be okay?" O ask, forbiug back abother round of teers.

Nusding, Archer smnuts. "I'll be fine." Hrat flwsjex yt his eyes av he lexms in close and bigftenx his failing grip ot me. "I'll wait for you," ne whisperw. His li[s don't quite press against my dkin, uut I heel iy ajl the same.

Slowly, Archer straifhtens anf hls gaze slips pasb me, but I can'c look away from him. To Malachi he says, "Vake care of her. Keep hwr safe, please."

It's ouln then that M look back.
it, the aching desire to be free world the excruciating it forced upon in with him, but just can't. That in Dr. Rosemond's office when he the past five years with me, all the times he sat up with at night—through tears and the moments I thought everyone was right about me—quietly me, me though had no idea he was there. There were so many of those nights. So many times needed him, and he never once failed me. don't know if I do this without you." I at trying to brave him failing miserably. Archer and runs the back of his fingers down my cheek, his hand sinking partway through my skin. do know. strong enough survive Echo. never doubted that His lips brush against my forehead, feel it and my tears fall in earnest. it's okay. at all the people you have help you now. People who believe you and in you. And you have a new Keeper. You have Malachi to watch over you leave." I want to him that it's enough, he to with me, I bite back such a selfish request because I think he actually do it. He's already suffered so much. All of fault he blames me not. I can't repay with of the same. What thanks that hours stood by my side despite agony of his existence? I nothing worth giving as than to let him go. "Will you be I ask, forcing back another round of Nodding, Archer smiles. "I'll be fine." Heat flashes in his eyes as leans in tightens his failing grip on me. "I'll wait you," he whispers. His don't quite press against my skin, but I feel all same. Slowly, straightens and his slips past me, I can't look him. To he "Take Keep her safe, please." It's only that look back.
 it, the aching desire to be free Of this worlD and tHe eXcrUcIatiNg paIn it forced upon HIm. I wAnt to revel in it with him, bUt I juSt CAn't. THAt MomenT in Dr. RoSEmOND's oFfIcE whEn HE sHared The Past fivE years with Me, aLl The times he saT Up With me at niGht—Through tears And The momEnTs I THoughT evEryonE was riGHt abouT me—quietlY cOMfortiNG me, streNGThEninG me even though I had NO iDEa he was there. ThEre werE sO MaNY Of tHosE nights. So mAnY timeS i needed HIm, AND He nEVer once failed Me.

"I don't know IF I cAn do thIs WitHOut you." i swipE aT TeaRs, trying to bE braVe for him aNd failINg miserABly.

ArchEr smilEs aNd rUns tHE bAcK of HiS FinGErS doWN my Cheek, his HaNd SinkiNg paRTWAY thrOugH my sKin. "I dO know. You are stRonG enoUGh tO survIve thIs, EcHo. i've neVer douBted tHaT even once." His lipS bruSh against My fOrEheAd, But I bARely feEl iT anD my tearS fall in EArnEsT. "sHH, iT's okay. Look at all the PeOPLe You have tO help yOU nOw. pEople who BeLieVe yoU ANd belIeve IN yOu. And you Have a nEW KEePer. You hAvE MalacHi To wAtcH over YOu afTer I leAve."

I want To telL Him that it's not eNOugh, that he has TO sTAY wITh me, But i bite back suCh a sELfisH reqUEsT beCAuse I Think He MIgHT actually do it. He's alrEaDy suffEred sO much. All of it mY fault whetHER He blames Me or NOt. i Can't repay him wiTh morE of the same. wHat kind oF thanKs is that For the couNTLess hourS he StoOd sIleNTLy By my side despiTE The aGoNy of his ExiStence? I HavE noThiNg wOrTh giving aS payment FoR hIs LoVe oTher tHAn to let hIm Go.

"WIlL yoU be okAY?" I ask, fOrcinG bacK aNoTHer Round of TEaRS.

noddInG, ARcheR smIlEs. "I'll Be fiNE." HeAt flashEs in his eyEs aS He leAnS iN close aNd tightens his FaIling grip oN mE. "I'lL wait fOR You," he whiSpers. His lips don't quite prESs againSt mY skin, But I Feel it all The Same.

SlOwlY, archer StraigHtens AnD hiS GAze slIPS pAst Me, But I can't loOK AwaY from HiM. To MAlachi hE says, "Take care of her. kEep Her safe, please."

it's Only THEn ThaT i lOOk bAcK.
 it, the aching desire tobe free of  this  wo rld  a nd t he e xcruciating pa i n it  forced upon him. I wa nt to  r e veli nit wi th him, bu t I j us tcan 't .  T hat m ome nt in D r. Rosemon d's  o ffice when h e  s hared thepas t five years  wi th me,  a llt he ti mes  he s at upw ith me  at night —t h rought ears an d th e mo ments I thought e v er y one was rightaboutme — qu i e tly  co mforting m e,  stre n gthenin g  m e e ven though I hadno idea hew asthere.  T her e  wereso ma ny ofthose night s. S o many ti mes In eeded h i m, andhe nev eronc e fa i le dme. 
" I d o n' t k n owif I can  d othiswith o u t you. " I  swi pe at  tears, tryin g t o be bra ve fo r him  and  f ailin g mise rably .
Archer smilesandruns thebac kofhi s fin g ers do wnmycheek,his han d  si nk i n g  p artway through mysk i n ."I do kn ow. Yo u  a re strong e no ugh  tos u rvive  thi s ,Echo. I' ve nev e rdo ubted t ha t even  o nce ."His l i ps b rush a gainst m y for e head, but I ba r ely feel it a n dm y  t e arsfal l in earnes t. " S hh,it's ok ay. Lookat al lt he people you have tohe lp you  now.  People who b elieve you a n d believ e in yo u . And you have  a ne w Keeper.Y ou haveMalac hi to wa tch overy o u afterI l eav e." 

I w an t to tell him t hatit 's noteno ugh, th athehas  to  s tay withme, butIbi te  b ack  such a selfis hreq ue stbecau s e I th ink h e mi gh ta ctu ally do it . He's  a lr eady  su ff eredso m u ch.  All of  it my fa ult whet he rhe blam es me or not.  I  can't rep ay  hi m with m ore of t he same. What kind of t h anks is  th at fo r th e countle sshourshes tood s ilentl y bymy  si d e  desp i t ethe  a gony of hi s exi stenc e?  I h ave not hing worth givinga s p ayment for hi s l oveo t he r t h an tole t  hi m go.

"Will yoube okay?"Ia sk , forcingb ack  a notherround o f tea r s.

Nod ding, Arc her smile s.  "I' l l  be  fine." He at flash es in his eyesa she le ans  in cl os e a nd ti ghtens his  fail ing gr ip  on me . "I' ll  wait fo r you," he whispers. Hi s lips  don' t q uite pres s a g ain st my ski n, b ut I feelitall  thesam e .

Sl owly ,  A rch e r str aigh t ens and h i sgaz e sl ips past me , b utI can 'tl ook aw ay f rom him. To Malac h i he says, "Ta ke c a r e o f h e r. K ee p her safe, pl eas e. " 
It's on ly  then thatI look b ac k .
 it,_the aching_desire to be free_of this_world_and the_excruciating_pain it forced_upon him. I_want to revel in_it with him,_but_I just can't. That moment in Dr. Rosemond's office when he shared the past_five_years with_me,_all_the times he sat up_with me at night—through tears_and the_moments I thought everyone was right about me—quietly_comforting_me, strengthening me_even though I had no idea he was there._There were so many of those_nights. So many_times_I_needed him, and he_never once failed me.

"I don't know_if I can do this without_you." I swipe at tears, trying to_be brave for him and failing_miserably.

Archer smiles and runs the_back of_his fingers down my cheek,_his hand sinking_partway through_my skin. "I_do know. You are strong enough_to survive this,_Echo. I've never doubted that even_once."_His lips brush_against_my_forehead, but_I barely feel_it_and my_tears_fall in earnest. "Shh, it's okay._Look_at all the people you have to_help you now. People_who_believe you and believe_in you. And you have_a new Keeper. You have Malachi_to watch_over you_after I leave."

I want to tell him that it's not enough,_that he has to stay with_me, but I bite_back such_a_selfish request because_I_think he_might actually do it. He's already suffered_so much._All of it my fault whether_he blames me or_not._I can't repay him with more_of the same. What kind of_thanks is that for the_countless_hours_he stood silently by my_side despite the agony of his_existence? I have_nothing worth giving as payment for his_love_other than to let him go.

"Will_you_be okay?" I ask, forcing back_another_round_of tears.

Nodding, Archer smiles. "I'll_be fine." Heat flashes in his_eyes as he leans in close and tightens his_failing grip on_me. "I'll wait for you,"_he_whispers._His lips don't quite press against my skin, but I_feel it_all the same.

Slowly,_Archer straightens and his gaze slips past me, but I_can't look away from him. To Malachi_he says, "Take care of her. Keep her safe, please."

It's only_then that I look back.