Jumping up, Joseph ran to the door and opened it to see his friend out of breath. "What is it, Christopher? Has Lance been found?"

Nodding his head and catching his breath, Christopher answered, "Y...yes Jose...Joseph. He...he is here..."

Gasping, Joseph said a silent prayer of thanks. "Where is he...where is my angel?" Joseph inquired. "Have James and Rebecca been told?"

Lowering his eyes, Christopher nodded. "He...he is in his chambers. Hurry and get dressed." His voice was monotone, and he played with the hem of his cuffs; something Joseph knew Christopher only did when there was something that was truely upsetting him.

"What is it, Christopher....what are you not telling me?" Joseph whispered, afraid to hear what his friend would reveal.

Shaking his head, Christopher repeated, his voice remaining monotone, "Get dressed Joseph." With that, he turned and walked down the hallway to Lance's bedchamber and waited outside the closed door.

Joseph quickly dressed and hurried outside Lance's chambers. He was instantly frightened when he saw Chistopher talking with the doctor, who had been summoned. "Wha...what is it? What is going on?"

The doctor looked up at Joseph and bowed slightly. "Good morning M'lord," he began. "I wish I could tell you that all is good with Lord Lance, but..." He trailed off, not qhite knowing how to phrase what he needed to say.

"But...but what?" Joseph demanded.

Searching for just the right words to explain what Lord Joseph would be face to face with as soon as he walked itno his husband's bed chamber, the doctor replied, somewhat scared, "M'lord, I will put this as easily as I can for you." Taking in a deep breath, he went on. "Lord Lance was found early this morning, outside in the snow and rain. He had been without shelter and warm clothes for an unknown length of time. When I was called by Lord Christopher, I rushed here as fast as I could." Looking up at Lord Joseph, the doctor spoke the unthinkable for the tall lord. "He has a very high fever M'lord; and his body is weak and tired, so much so that he..." Taking another deep breath, he said the last ten words as fast as he could. "I beleive Lord Lance will not make it through tonight."

The doctor's words were like a knife in Joseph's heart. Shaking his head in disbelief Joseph buried his head in his hands and sobbed. "Thi...this cannot be. I...I...cannot lose him."

Lightly touching his shoulder, the doctor added, "M'lord, if we are to save Lord Lance, we first need to get his fever down, and then to break it. But while his fever is high, the medicines I have will only enhance the fever and help to quicken his passing."

"Then...then do what you must...but please...please do not let my...my angel die."

Bowing slightly again, the doctor turned and placed a hand on the doorknob behind him. "I will do my best M'lord of course. Do...do you wish to see him?"

His body shaking, Joseph nodded, scared of what he would find. Nodding and stepping aside, the doctor turned the knob and opened the door for Joseph. The room was dark, except for a few candles that cast an eery glow. Lance's bed chambers seemed different now that Joseph and Christopher walked in. It seemed, cold; not like before, when it was full of warmth and happiness.

Slowly walking up to the bed, Joseph gasped at the sight of his beloved, lying still, his eyes closed. He was extremely pale and wrapped in all the big heavy blankets made him look so small. Tears streamed down Joseph's face as he sat next to Lance and tenderly took his hand. "An...Angel...please wake up," he sobbed, the pain evident in his voice. "I...I love you so much...please...please do not leave me."

Christopher turned to the doctor, who remained by the door. Nodding his head slightly, he asked that the doctor leave the room, so that Joseph and Lance could be together. Gently placing his hand on Joseph's shoulder, Christopher squeezed gently. "I will be right outside," he whispered. "Should you need anything."

Jospeh nodded listlessly, his eyes never leaving his young husband. Presently he was aware of voices in the hallway. Turning he saw James and Rebecca being ushered in. Upon the sight of their youngest child, Rebecca burst into tears.

Standing, offering his chair to Rebecca, but not releasing Lance's hand, Joseph sat gently on the bed, next to Lance. "Rebecca," he whispered. "I am so sorry. I...I do not know what I can say to ease your tears."

"My...my ba...baby," Rebecca sobbed brokenly, tenderly touching Lance's face, silently willing him to come back to them.

Looking up at James, tears in his eyes, Joseph silently apologized for what had been down to their son.

As if he knew what was on his mind, James put a hand on Jospeh's shoulder. "Do not blame youself, M'lord," he whispered in a shaky voice. "You are not at fault for this."

Shaking his head, Joseph looked up at James and Rebecca. "I should have sent them out last night. Not waiting until the storm broke. I should have sent..." Before he could finish his statement, a new wave of hot tears overcame the strong appearing lord, reducing him to nothing but sobs and heartache.

Her heart breaking for Jospeh, Rebecca slipped her hand in his as she said a silent prayer. Looking up at her, Joseph saw that she was lipping a prayer. Bowing his head slightly, he tried to control his tears long enough for him to not disturb her prayer.

Finishing her prayer, Rebecca looked at her ill son, her face growing more and more fearful. "Lansten?" she whispered to him. "Lansten...please come back to us...please."

Lance remained as still as he was. His breath was shallow and somewhat labored. His eyes did not move, showing no signs that he was dreaming. His hands did not twitch, and his voice did not call out softly for Joseph, or his mother and father. He just lay there, as if he were sleeping soundly, not fighting a battle for his life.

Presently the doctor came into the room to check on Lance. His face was grim as he looked at Joseph and shook his head. "His fever has broken, but it is still a little high. I will administer the medicine but...I cannot guarantee anything. If the medicine does not take affect then...then I do not hold out any hope that Lord Lance will survive the night."

"Ho...how long before we...we know if the medicine worked?" Joseph asked in a quiet voice, quite different from his usual forceful voice.

"We will know within two to four hours," the doctor replied quietly.

"May we stay with him until then?" asked the eldest lord. "I think I can speak for us all when I say we would like to be here in the room when Lance awakes."

"As you wish, M'lord," the doctor replied, walking out of the room quietly.

Sighing and holding Lance's hand lightly, Joseph wipped his husband's forehead with a cool cloth. "He will wake up," he whispered. "He just has to wake up."

After a little time had passed the doctor came back into the room. Examining Lance, he turned to Joseph, a grave look on his face.

Reading the doctor's expression like a book, Joseph began shaking his head, the tears again falling. "No...please, say the medicine worked. That he will be alright. Please?" The thought of loosing his precious Lance was starting to make Joseph ill with worry, but he was not about to let on that he was feeling weak, just by being in the same room.

Putting a hand on Joseph's shoulder, the doctor shook his head. "It has not taken effect. I...I am sorry, M'lord...but I do not expect Lord Lance to survive the night. It may be best if his parents were present so you could prepare to say your good-byes."

The tears now cascading down his cheeks, Joseph let out a heart wrenching wail, scaring everyone in the room, but not bringing Lance back from his fateful rest. Edward came running when he heard Joseph shout; and with a simple nod of the doctor's head, the head servant gently lifted Joseph to his feet and escorted him from the room to compose himself before saying his final good-byes to his young husband.

Christopher came running down the hall, Blake following at the sound of Joseph's shout. "Wha...what happened?" the dark-haired lord asked. But one look at the doctor told him the worst. "The medicine, it worked did it not?"

Repeating the words again, softer this time for Lord Christopher and Blake only to hear, the doctor gave his condolences. "I know he was good friend to you both. I wish there was more I could do."

"Chri...Christopher...Lo...Lord Lance...he...he is not going to...to die, is he?" Blake whispered, his eyes filling with tears. His former charge had been so good and kind to him.

Looking down at his young husband-to-be, Christopher kissed Blake's forehead before taking him in his arms. "I am sorry Blake," was all he managed to say before his voice faded to tears.

"No...no...please Christopher...not Lo...Lord Lance...please," Blake sobbed. "He cannot die...he cannot."

"M'lord," James spoke as he stood and helped his wife to stand as well. "Rebecca and I...we need to get some air. Would...would you stay with our son? We do not want him unattended in his fin..." James could not bring himself to speak the last few words. He only looked up with pleading eyes at Christopher. "Please M'lord? Stay by his side?"

"I will, James," Christopher agreed.

Nodding and helping Rebecca to the door, James smiled sincerly at Lord Christopher. "Thank you M'lord," he whispered. Seeing Blake, much in the same state as his wife, James offered to take Blake with them, to get some fresh air. "If you wish M'lord," James spoke, not knowing that Blake was not yet a noble.

"Yes, that would be very good, James," Christopher replied.

Again nodding, James held his other arm out for Blake to take and led them from the room. Once he was alone, Lord Christopher walked quietly over to where Rebecca had been sitting, keeping watch over her son. Taking hold of his hand, Christopher tried his best to not let the tears slip into his voice. "Lance," he spoke softly. "We know that you are going to a far better place soon. Just know that...that I am honored to have known such a fine young man."

The sound of soft knocking startled Christopher. He turned to see Jason standing there with tears in his eyes as well. "I...I heard about Lord Lance," he whispered. "I came to pay my respects. Edward said it was okay."

Squeezing Lance's cold hand gently, Christopher looked at his friend, memorizing his every feature. Closing his eyes once he was through, Christphoer stood and made his way to the door. Before exiting, he whispered, "Take as much time as you need Jason. Should you need something, please come find me and leave Lord Joseph alone for now. I...I will be in my bedchambers if I am needed." Before the tears again fell, Christopher hurried out of the room and down the hall to his chambers. When he was alone within the walls, he sat in a chair by the fire and drew his knees up as the tears began spilling over.

Jason slowly walked up to the bed, his brown eyes filling with tears at the sight of Lance, lying so still. "I...I did not know you long, but you were always a kind and gentle person. It is no wonder Midnight is so gentle and easy to take care of."

Lance lay there quietly, his hands cold to the touch. If he heard what Jason was saying, he did not make any movement to let the stable hand know. His breath continued to be shallow and labored as the minutes passed by.

"I...I promise you that Midnight will be well taken care of, M'lord...al...always," Jason whispered, as he turned and left the room.

Blake was walking down the hall, back from his walk with James and Rebecca. He could not bare to see them in so much pain because of his unwillingness to put aside his fear and tell someone what he had heard. Seeing Jason hurrying down the hall, Blake wondered if anyone was still in Lance's bed chamber. Cautiously peering in, he saw that Lance was alone. Stepping in, a thought entered his mind. A thought that told him he would be alone with Lance until someone else came in. He would be an easy target should Lord Justin or Lord Joshua wander by and decide to teach him another lesson. But, he had to apologize to Lance for his fears. So, swallowing his fears for the moment, he walked slowly into the room and sat next to the bed; lightly taking his ex-charge's hand in his while gazing at the soft face that lay before him.

"M...M'lord," Blake whispered softly. "M...M'lord please...I beg you to forgive me. If I had not been so afr...afraid...you would still be...I...I am so sorry, M'lord...I will never forgive myself..." the young lord-to-be whispered, breaking down. Suddenly he felt arms envelope him and turned to see Christopher.

"Blake," Christopher whispered. "I thought you were with James and Rebecca?"

Looking up, tears streamming down his face, Blake shook his head. "I...I was...but I...I ha..had to com...come and see Lord Lance. I...I had to apologize for being to so we...weak and not telling any...anyone what I knew."

"Oh Blake," Christopher whispered, new tears forming in his brown eyes. "Being scared is not being weak. It is understandable that you were scared of what might happen to you. But, Angel, you told us what happened. That, by far, shows how strong you are in just telling us."

"Bu...but it was too late...Lord Lance is...is..."

Placing a finger on Blake's lips, Christopher shook his head. "He is still with us. Until then, think only that he wake and come back to us. Think of nothing else. We must have faith that he will come back Blake. We must have faith." The tears lacing Christopher's voice made what he said hard to believe, but yet the shine in his eyes helped to counteract his voice. "We just have to believe Blake."

"I...I wan...want to, Christopher," Blake sobbed. "It...is just that...M'lord would not be in the condition he is in if I had spoken before now."

"We do not know that Blake. He very well could have wanted to come back to Herfordshire, without Justin and Joshua going for him. He may very well have been stuck out in the weather. None of this is your fault."

"Bu...but M'lord...he...he..."

"Is going to be just fine," Christopher interupted. The tears that were brimming his eyes now fell slowly as he looked over Blake's shoulder down at Lance. "He will be just fine," he repeated, his voice obviously choked with emotions.

"I...I hope you are right, Christopher," Blake whispered, as his tears slowly began to subside.

Smiling bravely for his husband-to-be, Christopher took hold of Blake's hand and was going to walk over to sit next to Lance, when he heard Joshua and Justin enter the room. Narrowing his eyes at the two, Christopher acknowledged them, tightening his hand in Blake's.

"We came to pay our last respects to the fallen lord," Joshua explained, motioning towards the sleeping Lance.

"Fallen lord indeed," Christopher muttered, as he looked at Lance, lying still, his breathing increasingly labored. "We shall return soon, Lance," he whispered as he and Blake left to get Lance's parents. They had prolonged the task for as long as they could, but the time had come for them to visit their son...possibly for the last time.

Watching the two leave the room, Joshua and Justin smiled at each other, then moved to sit on either side of the bed. "It is quiet a reliefe," Joshua started. "That you will no longer be a thorn in our sides, dear Farmboy. I wish we could say that we will miss you and be telling the truth."

"I quite agree," Justin whispered. Outwardly, he was relishing the thought of things returning to the way they were. But inside, he could not help feeling a small pang of guilt. While it was true he hated Lance and was glad to see him out of the way, he felt guilty about his role in what had happened. The chain of events had been set in motion and neither Justin nor Justin could stop it.

Looking up at Justin, Joshua saw the look of uncertinty in his blue eyes. "My love," he whispered. "There is nothing to worry about. They will never find out the truth. There is nothing that will lead them back to us." Standing and walking around the bed, Joshua took hold of Justin's hands in his. "We are in the clear my love. Soon, things will be back to the way they used to be before he came."

"I...I hope you are right, Joshua," Justin whispered shakily. "I could not bear to be apart from you. I love you so much."

Leaning down, Joshua places kisses around Justin's face. "I love you too my sweet Justin. We will be fine. No one knows about what we did."

Moments after the two broke their embrace, James and Rebecca walked into their son's room quietly. The tears that had subside a little began to stream down Rebecca's face at the sight of her precious son lying near death.

James held Rebecca tightly, so she would not collapse under the heavy weight of emotions. Tears too were streaming down his face as he looked on at his only child. "Lansten," he whispered ever so quietly.

Rebecca walked up to the bed and timidly took her son's hand. "Lansten? Lansten...sweetheart...please...wake up. Please do not leave me. I cannot bear the thought of even one moment with out you, my son. Please come back to us."

Joshua and Justin moved out of the way to give Lance's parents room. Seeing how devastated Rebecca and James were slowly began to tear at Justin's heart. Overcome with guilt and shame, he ran out of the room crying.

"Justin!" Joshua called after him, racing from the room as well, leaving James and Rebecca alone with their son.

"Ja...James, he is going to get bet...better is he not?" Rebecca asked her husband, growing more and more frightened by the look on his face. "James please...tell me our baby is going to get better."

Knowing in his heart that the truth would devastate her, James nodded and smiled as bravely as he could. "Of course he will Rebecca. Lansten is a fighter. He will get better."

Rebecca nodded, looking from James to her son. "Lansten we are here, my son. You will get better...you have to."

Rebecca and James sat vigual over Lance until many hours passed. Finally, Joseph emerged from his bed chambers and had composed himself enough, to where he thought he would be able to say his farewells to his husband. Walking strongly towards Lance's bedchambers, he knocked lightly, letting whoever was sitting with Lance to know of his enterance.

"M'lord," James whispered, seeing Joseph enter the room. The tall dark-haired lord gasped at the sight of his husband whose face had begun to lose its color. It was painfully clear that he would not make it. The mere thought of life without his precious angel caused Joseph to break down once again, his gut-wrenching sobs filling the room.

The doctor came to check on Lance and shook his head. Leaving the room, he returned shortly with Christopher and Blake. "The end is near," the doctor solemly stated. "It will only be a matter of time now."

"No," Joseph cried. "Walking around the bed, so that Rebecca could continue holding her son's hand, he took hold of Lance other hand, squeezing tightly. "Angel," he said, his voice racked with tears. "I know you can hear me, though you are asleep. This is not your time, please Lance, do not leave me. I...I...I can not face a day without you my love. You are the air I breath, the sunlight that kisses my cheek every dawn, the gentle wind that cools me at night. Do you not see that you are my world Lance? Without you, I cannot continue to live another day." When he got no visiable response from his angel, other then one final breath, Joseph realized that it was too late. That he had no choice but to accept the inevitable. Looking upon Lance, he reached up and gently pushed his hair back from his forehead. Standing, but not releasing the grip he had on Lance's hand, Joseph leaned down and dropped a light kiss. With tears falling from his closed eyes, Joseph whispered, "Wait for me my angel. I will join you again. I promise."