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“Something tells me we—” Mack starts to speak but I release a choked sob and he stops.

“If Luther wants to come, you should let him,” I whisper. “Let him feel like he’s trying.”

Mack glances down at me, then nods. “Well, all right. Sounds like a plan.”

But even as Mack’s cheerful tone swells from his chest, and Snow nuzzles his arm for affection, the silence descends again. Luther sees it. He knows. We all know; he won’t make it in time.

He clears his throat, and this time he does take a swig of whiskey. “I’ll book the flight. Then I'll call back.”

Mack nods. “Talk to you soon.”

Luther holds his gaze for a moment. “Rhone…” His voice is softer than I’ve ever heard it. His eyes moisten, and he squeezes the whiskey bottle so tightly I feel like it might crack.

“Soon,” Mack says. “Get your flight sorted. Then we’ll talk.”

Is he trying to tell Luther they’ll have a tearful goodbye later? Does he have things he wants to say to him alone? Without the rest of us here?

Sam has moved around to the other side of the bed and sunk down into a chair. He is staring vacantly at his own hands. They twitch, as if he's fighting the urge to shift. Then he screws them up tight, and closes his eyes.

When the screen goes dark, and Luther hangs up, Tanner finally speaks. “I’ll do what I can to make you comfortable.” He stands, and squeezes Mack’s shoulder. Mack winces, and a jolt of pain shoots right to my heart.

I can’t do this… I try to reach Kole. But he still seems as if he’s not really there. I can’t say goodbye to them. I can’t lose them.

The sudden urge to cuddle into Snow and feel his warmth and his softness against my skin is overwhelming. I let go of Mack’s hand and wrap my arms around Snow’s neck. He makes a gentle sound that’s almost a purr and leans into me. His heartbeat is slower than normal. His movements are slower, too, as he turns around and returns to the foot of the bed.

As the reality of our situation settles over the room like a suffocating fog, I feel a desperate need to escape. I turn to Mack, my voice barely above a whisper. “Can we go to the roof? Just the three of us? I want to see the stars with you.”

Mack’s eyes soften, a flicker of understanding passing between us. He nods, and we help each other to our feet. Tanner and Sam watch silently as we make our way to the door, Snow padding along beside us, his steps heavy and labored.

The climb to the roof is slow, each step a reminder of the precious time slipping away. But as we emerge into the cool night air, a sense of peace washes over me. The stars stretch out above us, an infinite canvas of twinkling lights, oblivious to the sorrow that swirls in the air around us.

We settle down, Mack’s arm around my shoulders, Snow’s head resting on my lap. For a moment, we simply breathe, allowing the quiet to envelop us, a fragile sanctuary from the pain that awaits us below.

I lean into him, savoring his warmth, the steady beat of his heart. There are so many things I want to say, too many, not enough time.

Tears sting my eyes, and I bury my face in Snow’s fur, breathing in his familiar scent. “I don't want our story to end,” I whisper, my voice cracking. “I can’t lose you, either of you.”

Snow whines softly, nuzzling closer, as if he, too, feels the weight of our impending goodbye. Mack’s grip tightens around me, his own tears glistening in the starlight. “Our story will never end, Nova. When you look up at the stars, know that I’ll always be with you, watching over you, loving you from afar.”

“That’s not enough.” I kiss him deeply, salty tears bleeding between our lips.

“I know.” He wipes my cheeks. “I’m sorry. If I could stay with you…” He sighs heavily. “You know I’d do anything to stay with you, Little Star.”

“You changed my life.”

He meets my eyes and smiles. “You changed your own life, Nova. I’m just so proud I was here to watch it happen.” He takes my hand and kisses my knuckles. “I would stand in your shadow forever, watching you eclipse the sun.”

“The sun has no warmth without you.”

“It’ll feel like that for a while.” He strokes my neck, the spot below my ear that makes me lean into him. “But you have the others. They will make you whole again.”

A sob blooms in my chest. “I can’t…”

“Shhhh.” He pulls me close. “Let’s just watch the stars. We still have some time.”

We still have some time.

But it will never be enough.