Cadence had been forced to take the airlines, since there was not another airplane at the Kansas City headquarters that could have made the journey any faster. She'd had to switch planes in New York to board her Aer Lingus flight to Kerry Airport. All-in-all, it had taken her significantly longer to make the trip, which included getting through customs and a layover in New York City. Considering Aaron had been able to fly there directly in less than half of the time, she was fairly certain that his lengthy head start would be problematic.But she wasn't willing to give up.

"Can you walk?" Cadence asked again, changing the subject back to the topic at hand, fully knowing she could carry him if she needed to."I think so," Aaron said, leaning back so that she could get up. She helped him and wrapped her arm around his waist, his arm around her shoulders."Okay?" she asked as they began their decent.

As much as her friends didn't want Cadence to cut them off again, they seemed to understand, and she said her goodbyes. She leaned over and felt Aaron’s forehead. He still felt warm, but not as clammy. His breathing seemed fairly shallow, however, which concerned her. She kissed his forehead, and he stirred just a little bit. "Aaron?" she whispered into his ear. She got no response, however, and she scooted back into the chair, left in her own solitary thoughts with only the sounds of the insects outside to keep her company.Eventually, their cries brought her outside. The heavens were a

Cadence convinced Aaron to stay in Ireland for another full day, and he spent the time telling her tales from his early days as a Guardian, showing her the majestic heights of the Twelve Bens, and even took her to see the breathtaking Cliffs of Moher. Cadence breathed it all in, relishing the opportunity to spend so much uninterrupted time with him, to experience the places he considered to be so meaningful.The flight back was equally impressive from where she sat in the passenger seat. There was something incredibly sexy about watching him take command of the airplane. "Do you want to fly fo

Cadence stopped talking and stared into her sister's hazel eyes. After a long pause, still holding her gaze, she simply said, "Yes." She watched Cassidy's porcelain face begin to crack, starting with a single tear, which splintered into a rivulet of sobs over the course of several seconds as the realization set in. "I'm so sorry, Cassidy," Cadence said, pulling her sister into her arms."How is this possible?" Cassidy asked in disbelief, her head still buried. "I just talked to him, like, last week. He was here... right here... on this couch, giving me a hard time about how short my cheerleadi