Insides churning and the same irritable scratchiness of the throat Promise tried to control the cough. Melanie, her baby girl was finally asleep. Angel lay resting in the bed looking like an angel with the baby. Both sported the same nose and dimples. Except. Angel wasn't her father. There was no way. It seemed to have worked out, but now, there was just no way that little girl belonged to the two of them. Sighing Promise arose and exited the room shutting the door behind her then began to cough. Ushering herself into the bathroom and shutting the door she looked at her hands. They were misted with a light red substance. That had been occurring for some time now, but Angel had yet to find out and Promise was doing everything possible to hide the fact something was seriously wrong.

Two weeks later with Promise's condition only worsening she began to show the fact she was sick. She didn't expect Angel to confront her about it though.

Angel was laying down the baby in the middle of the bed and he almost dropped the girl when a fit of coughing broke the silence. Quickly laying the baby down he ran into the bathroom to see Promise spit into the toilet and flush it and then sink down to the floor her face pale and sweaty with a drop of blood on her chin. Angel quickly made a wiping motion with his arm across his chin which she mimcked and wiped away the spot.

"Promise are you okay?" he asked cautiously as he looked at her his eyes wide. Promise nodded.

"I'm just sick. That's all." She insisted. Angel didn't push it any further. He knew she would just deny everything else.

This went on for weeks. Promise became sick enough that she couldn't take care of her own baby. Empire and Conspiracy began to relieve Angel of his fatherly duties and helped take care of the ill-struck girl. Nothing seemed like it was right. Promise began to withdrawal from socializing with them and she would just rant on about the man she used to love. That's all she talked about. The man she loved whom had left. Empire tried to comfort her to the best of his ability, but Promise refused his efforts and pushed him away, shunning him all together as his visits began to few. Conspiracy Kazchak took his place in watching the baby and Promise.

Conspiracy was on his way to another night of baby sitting, both mother and daughter, when an unexpected visitor stopped by. Ian, an old lodger stood in the lobby asking around for Promise. Con just looked at him and then rubbed the back of his neck. Contemplating whether or not this was her dream guy. Finally giving in he nodded and gave him instructions to the place then left to meet up with Courage, Empire and Angel.

Ian slowly approached the old wooden door and knocked. Rasping coughing filled the silent hallway as Promise made her way to the door to answer it. When she opened the door her heart soared, and her insides burned, Ian stood there before her. She blushed and quickly let him in.

"What are you doing here?" she asked him quickly. He looked at her.

"I was in town, and I wanted to come and see you." He said looking at her.

"You wanted to see me?" Promise said not believing him at all.

Ian nodded and Promise blushed and quickly excused herself to go and check on the baby while Ian took a seat on the couch. She leaned against the door and closed her eyes a smile spreading on her face. She left the room shutting the door behind her. Ian stood up to meet her and kissed her softly. Promise brought her arms around Ian's next returning the kiss and trying to hold back the smile.

"It's been a long day." Yawned Ian sitting back down. Promise sat to, looking at him adoringly.

"Where are you sleeping?" she inquired playing with the end of her shirt.

"I don't know yet." He said with a slight smile. Promise shrugged and grinned a bit.

"You can stay here if you want, sleep on the couch, we have extra pillows or something around here." She said not looking at him.

"Thanks…" smiled Ian kissing her gently again.

Promise slept soundly that night knowing that if she really was going to get sicker and die, she would die happy. All because Ian came back to see her.

Empire, Con, Courage, Angel and Charity all sat in a group at a table at t local bar eating something and getting a drink. When Promise came up, the conversation began to grow into a small yelling fight and resulted in all of them going to check on Promise, each wary and nervous about the ending result of the fight.

Baby crying from being woken up, Empire quickly tends to her while Con, and Charity looks for Promise. The bathroom door open a crack let them see her hand where she was laying down. Charity quickly rushed in and dropped to the floor next to Promise's paling body and bloodstained hands and mouth. Con left quickly and made Empire and Angel go back to the Lodging house, not ready to let them see her.

"You gonna be okay?" asked Charity. Promise nodded.

"Just a little cough that’s all." Said Promise coughing more into her hand then wiping it onto her pants, while Charity watched her frowning.

"You should get into bed." suggested Charity. Promise shook her head. "Why not? Your sick." She insisted.

"I keep throwing up." She said sitting up and getting sick into the toilet.
Charity watched quietly as tears began to trace her cheeks.

"You have to go see a doctor." Said Charity shaking her head.

"I have to take care of my baby." She said her stubborn streak coming through.

"No, Angel will take care of her." She said not bothering to hold back tears.

"No, she's my baby, I will take care of her." Said Promise coughing more.

"Promise, please!" she yelled. Promise started to cry and shook her head.

"No, I want my baby!" Charity pulled her into a hug and held onto her.

Promise just started to cry harder and tried not to cough on her.

"You were my best friend Charity." She sobbed into her shoulder.

"I was, and still am." Said Charity back to her trying to offer some reassurance.

"I am so sorry." Promise whispered.

"Everything will be okay." Charity promise knowing that she wouldn't be able to keep it. They sat in silence for a few moments before the reality began to set in for Promise.

"I am going to die, I don’t' want to die." She whispered her voice shaking. Charity shook her head. The front door opened and Con, Empire and a doctor entered the bathroom.

"Excuse me miss." He said to Charity as he went over to Promise.

Charity slowly backed away, crying while looking over at the doctor. Empire came in quietly and gathered Charity in his arms and holds on to her fighting back tears of his own.

While the doctor examined her he kept a frown on his face then stands up motioning to Con. Where he proceeded to whispers to Con quietly*

Con screamed at the doctor, "No. You're wrong! It's not to late!"

Charity and Empire just clung to each other taking everything in.

"She's going to be okay..." said Charity quietly. Promise started to cough and wheeze and the doctor shook his head.

"I'm sorry Ma'am." He said.

Charity shook her head. "You have to do something."

"I can't." he said sighing. "I'm sorry."

"No! Please, please you have to." she yelled dissolving into a crying mess.

Empire held onto her trying to soothe her. "Shh. Charity...it's okay."

Promise stopped wheezing and coughing then relaxed, as blood trickled out of the corner of her mouth.

"She's going to die." Said Con paling even more then before, if that was even possible.

Empire looked at Con and then Promise and choked back sobs.

"I'm sorry." Sighed the doctor wiping his brow.

Charity tried to talk. "How...How…long does she have?

The doctor shook his head. "Not long."

Angel burst into the bathroom and almost literally flies to Promise and grabs her "No. Promise." he sobbed. "Don't leave me."

Charity shook her head disbelieving everything.

Promise slowly closed her eyes and took one last breath and fells limp in Angel's arms. Not a sound was uttered that following few minutes as they all knew that the weight on Promise's shoulders had been lifted.