The room was filled with light when Zac opened his eyes.
Beside him Zoe hadent stirred, she still lay in his arms, with her head on his chest. She was a peacefull sight, but haunting. The locket he had given her only the day before seemed the only thing that was not pale, and seemingly fadded. She looked so tiny...like she was a little baby again.

Watching her, he couldnt understand how some thing so beautifull and preciouse could be so close to lost. In his heart he almost wanted her to stay the way she was. Obliviouse, and at peace, but at the same time, he new she wasn't finished.

While doctors stood out side her door telling his family not to expect her to wake up, Zac new she would.

Being alone with her for a while was a blessing to him. The family had been told, he senced it, but still they had let him sleep, pationt in knowing HE would wake, then they could have their time with her.
Not that it mattered, what could they say? They would always be afraid she couldn't hear them, and at the same time, afraid she could.

It was a mix of strange and terrorfighing feelings, he was devistated, while somber,
He couldn't grasp what he had heard. In his own way, he diddnt need to because he would probable never face it.
If she was to die tomorrow, he would still beleive she was coming back, or that she would be there when he woke like she was today.
There was no closure strong enough to stop him from beleiving she would never die. And even if she did, he would never beleive it was over.

Zoe wasn't finshed, he new it, she had so much left to give to people, she had yet to shine all her light into peoples lives like Zac new she needed too, people needed her too, they diddn't know it yet, but Zoe Hanson was more than one song that touched a world over night, she was the worlds angel, and soon they would be touched by her again.

Quitly Taylor looked around the door, On seeing his brother was awake he stepped in.

"Hey..." He said as he walked towards the bed. "Awake huh?" Zac nodded.

"Yeah, just now..."For a moment Zac paused.

"So... do you know then...?" Taylor looked at his white brother.

"You know about...?"It hadent occured to anyone that Zac could have known, he had slept for hours, and no one had the heart to wake him with this news.

"I heard mum talk to the doctor last night..."Pulling him self up, Zac gently lay Zoe back onto her pillow, avoiding the tubes and wires attacted to her.

"Oh...Im sorry man....that must have been a horrable way to find out..."

"Yeah, you could say that..." Zac wispered as he covered his face with his hands.

"Zac, its not hopeless yah know...the doctor said there are a heep of new drugs they could try..."

"Oh, what Taylor, their gunna use her as a guiny pig?" Zac suddenly yelled "Good lotta use that will do! Do you realy want to see those son of a bitch's pumping our baby sister full of 'experamentel drugs'!? She's our sister Tay! Fuck, she's only 15!" Taylor almost fell over, he had never seen Zac get so angry in his life, but now with his face still burried in his hands he cried.

"Jesus...dont do this...she was born in this hospital, dont let her die here..." He sobbed. Taylor Stood back from his brother, lost. It had been years since he had seen Zac cry, he had grown out of it in his teens, and now it was a well known fact in their family that to Zac, crying was defeat.
He hid this side of him self from almost everyone, so now as he cried, Taylor diddn't know what to do. He wanted Zac to be comforted, but couldn't find the part of himself to do so, it had never occured to him to need to be affectionate to his brother like that, Zac had a wall of invisable emosion firmly held up against anyone but his closest companion, Zoe.

It seemed almost ironic, that the wall colapsed over the only person who could pass it. But with the wall came a key, and only Zoe held it, she was the only one who new how to help Zac when he needed to be helped, she was the only one who could get into that part of Zacs heart, which for Taylor ment he diddnt know if Zac wanted to be consoled, or left alone.
But over himself, he followed his instink and put his arms around his quivering brother.
Surprised, Zac looked up, but forgetting his pride, he took the offering of comfort, and sunk into his own misery for a moment, before reganing his strength, and almost shamefully pushing past Taylor and his family that stood out side the room, and headed to the bathroom without a word to anyone else.

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Night had fallen hours before, but Zac couldn't get to sleep. His family had left, home to bed they had told him. It was an honest answer, they needed to rest, they had stayed all day with Zoe, so of course it was only fair that they got to leave at the end of the day.
Zac however could think of no cruler punishment than to have to leave his sister alone in the white, cold room, in which she could wake at any moment.

It had been a long day, endless it had seemed. The world was new and shocking to Zac, he saw people in a new light, nurse's, who had always been people he admired, were now no more than annoying distractions, and doctors were the evil beings, content with reminding him of his sisters empending sickness, and all the possabilitys. Even his family were unwanted at the moment, he could bear them being away for a while.

All the thoughts and feelings washed over him in wave after wave of anger and confuson. He drifted into a world of dreams, half asleep, while the other half of him was still firmly locked in reality.

He almost diddnt notise the movment beside him, or the feeling of some one tenderly brushing the hair from his face.

As he realised someone touching him, he opened his eyes to find Zoe smiling down at him.

"Hey Zacy...um, were are we?" She laughed softly, looking around the room.

"Zoe...?"He wispered as he sat up, taking her sholders and pulling her into his arms.

"The one and only..." She laughed again, but this time confused by his reaction.

"You...your awake...oh thank god..." He hugged her again, this time so tight that she had to push him off her.

"What are you talking about...are you going mad or some thing...? Or maybe im going mad..."She trailed of, completly baffeled to how she had gotten to this place, and why Zac was acting so strange.

"Zoe... you have been in a coma for the last two days, they thought you wern't going to wake up!" She steared at him, not understanding what was going on.

"I...I couldnt have been asleep that long....I dont know how I got here, but I want to go home now Zac..." Bitting her lip she realised her fear."You have to be joking Zac...I couldnt have..."

"Zoe Im seriouse, you were out cold! Dont you remember? You fainted, and you wouldn't wake up so we called the ambulence, and..."

"Zac you are mad!" She said grinning. He steared at her.

"You dont beleive me do you...?" He asked softly.

"Nope, how could I be in a coma for two days, what could have happend to do that...!?"

"Zoe...Im telling you the truth..." Then she beleived him, Zac wouldnt lye about some thing like this, he just wouldn't, but now she was sceared, how did she get here? Why...?

"Zoe...did you...I mean...have you been sick alot latly..? Like, when you fainted you were screaming like you were in pain, and the docters think this has happened before, and that maybe you hid it or some thing..." some thing changed in her face.

"No Zacy, I havent..."She was lying, it was obviouse because she looked away, knowing her could tell by her eyes.

"Zo, come on, you have to tell me..." She looked at him now, stearing at his face she realised he had been crying. Zac diddn't cry, so why now? It sceared her because Zac was the strong one, the one who always stayed calm in the most seriouse of situations. Guilt flooded over her, she had brocken him, she had hurt him. Now she wanted more than any thing to lye, because for at lest then she could spear him a little longer, but it was a lye she couldn't face herself, some how she new it had already gone to far, she was terrorfied by it, it wasn't some thing she could hide any more, the pain was constantly getting worse and lasting longer, but did they know?

' They must, Iv been in hospital, they are bound to have run tests, so they must know that some things wrong...I only wish I new what...' She thought slowly, turning away from Zac again.

"Come on Zoe, I know some things been going on..." Putting his hand under her chin he turned her to face him again.

"I...I get tierd...and I have bad days some times..." She said finely.

"What do you mean, 'bad days'? Like what...?"

"Like...I have days I cant do much because Im so tierd, so I have to stay in bed...I just tell mum I have a flu or some thing...but its been getting worse latly, I get this pain too, its bad some times, but most times its bearable..."She steared at him as some thing dawned on her.

"You wont tell anyone though will you Zac...?" She took his hand as a plea, if her parents found out they would worry, she diddn't want that...

"They know Zoe..."He wispered.

"What do you mean they know....how could they know...Zac?"

"Zoe...do you have any idea why you have been sick?"

"No, and im not sick Zac...im just..."

"Zoe...You are sick..."

"Wha...what do you mean..." It was so hard, harder than he could have dreamed, but he diddn't want her to hear this from a doctor, he diddn't want her to hear this at all, but she had to be told, and he wouldn't let it be by anyone but him. So he had to face her, and the fact that once he did it was finel, he couldn't protect her from this, no one could...

"They did some tests Zo, and..." He stopped, sceared to say it...

"You have Cancer...Lukemia..."She diddnt move, her face froze and her eyes died. There was nothing he could say to make it better this time, this was the worst part for him...he couldn't help her.

"Oh my god..." She wispered after a long silence "Im...I cant Zac....I ....Im not... I cant be dieing...Im not ready to die Zac...Oh god...oh god dont let me die Zac..."Zac hid his tears from her by holding her in his arms as she sobbed, he could feel her whole body quiver as she did.

"Oh please dont let me die Zacy...I dont want to die..." She begged betwen sobbs. He tightened his grip on her small body...

"Your not going to die Zoe...Theres no way Im going to let you die..."

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"When I grow up Zacy Im gunna be a princess!" Zoe said, grinning proudly, while playing with her long pink dress that was to be this years heloween costume.

"Yeah? When you are can I be a knight?" Zac asked, picking her up, and balancing her on his hip. She laughed.

"Nope, your going to be the prince!" She informed him, while rapping her little arms around his neck...

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It was a bitter-sweet memory that ment alot more now, beacuse it was strangly ironic. Such a honestly innocent dream may never even have a chance to be fufilled...