Lizzie seemed determined. Her tear-stained cheeks and watery eyes were set in a stern face as she wrapped her arms around herself.

I looked out the window to see my mother and John speaking to an older woman. I rolled my eyes as my head throbbed once again.

I swayed my body as the music thundered through my headphones. I wasn't really big on K-Pop, but I gave it a shot since everyone else was and now I was addicted.

Lip syncing the lyrics, I pretended I was the star of a concert and I shut out the world around me.

Before I could give my audience a real show I felt a force on the back of my head that caused my headphones to fall.

"Ouch!" I yelped as I turned to face the intruder that had ruined my performance.

My eyes met with my grandmother who was giving me a sweet smile and holding a batch of cookies. I glared at her and shook my head.

"Don't act like you didn't just try to knock me out," I said.

"I have no idea what you are talking about, dear." She said with a warm grin.

Everyone thought old people were nice for some reason but I knew the truth. On the outside, my grandmother was peachy, sweet, and warm, but I knew the truth.

She was as wicked as they came but I adored her. She was one of my favorite people in the world and when I became old I wanted to be just like her.

"Sure." I teased as I walked to my bed.

"I brought you cookies." She said as she laid a tray onto my bed. I glanced at the mountain of chocolate chip cookies and then back at her.

"Who is going to eat all that?"

"You, of course."

"I'm going to get fat grandma." I groaned.

She raised a brow at me as she looked at me from head to toe. "Going to?"

I smiled as I began to remember the old woman. My sweetest enemy...is what I used to call her. She was the shadiest old woman I had ever had the pleasure of being related to.

She seemed to be looking rather well and I hoped it would remain that way. I was probably going to see her soon anyway. She is 71 and I'm sure she has a long life ahead of her...but she's crazy. With her occasional rock climbing and bungee jumping, I'd give her another few years.

I brought my attention back to Liz to see her still with her arms wrapped around herself and crying. I reached my hand to put it over hers and she smiled sadly.

"You have to leave," I said, knowing she couldn't hear me. I wrapped my hand around hers tightly and began walking to the door.

"No!" She screamed as she tried to pull her hand away but it was no use. I was always much stronger than she and I would make her leave by force if I needed to.

I pulled her to the door and reached out to open it. I knew that as soon as I stepped out of my room I would have to begin using my actual limited strength but I had no other choice.

I opened the door and Lizzie held on to the door frame to stop me.

"Please!" She begged.

It broke my heart to see her this way. I took a step out of the door and felt my body become suddenly heavy. I recognized the sudden fatigue but I fought it.

I used whatever strength I had to pull Liz out of the room and drag her down the hall. She fought the air the entire way in an attempt to fight me but she couldn't touch me.

I got to the stairs and forced her down with me, careful not to let her fall. She was screaming and tears fell down her face as she tried to grab the stair railing.

Once we got to the bottom, my body began convulsing as my legs began to tire. Every step felt torturous but I pushed through it.

At this point, Lizzie was on the floor kicking and fighting as I pulled her down the long corridor.

We finally made it to the front door and I was almost ready to pass out as I fought for consciousness.

I felt my fingers begin slipping through her and I cried out. Every muscle in my body was aching and it felt like needles were pressing into me.

Finally being able to slip out of my grasp, Lizzie took a step away from me. I screamed in pain as I gathered up scraps of my energy and grabbed her face into my hands.

She tried to move away but I laid my forehead against her and she stopped fighting as we cried together.

"I have to leave?" She asked in a hoarse voice.

I nodded against her forehead and felt my body burn with each passing second.

"Will you be here when I get back?"

I moved my head from side to side to say no and she sobbed once again as she sniffled.

"So this is goodbye?" She asked.

It was, for now. One day I would see her again. Hopefully not for a seriously long time but I'd see her again. In terms of literal goodbyes, this was one but I felt as though her question meant more.

With my last time seeing her on this earth being now, I decided to leave her with a gift of hope. A hope that we would one day meet again.

I nodded my head slowly and a sad smile appeared on her lips.

"I love you." She said. "So much. I'll miss you for the rest of my life, Liyah."

I responded to her by taking a deep breath and pressing a kiss against her forehead, as a final departing memento.

After that, my hands fell through her body and I fell to the ground. I struggled to breathe as I sat on the wooden floor and I looked up at Lizzie who was now wiping her tears.

"If I have a daughter, I'll name her after you." She said with a soft laugh.

I laughed weakly through teary eyes and she took a deep breath. She turned to leave but halted and dashed back to the corridor to go upstairs.

I sighed in defeat. I had done all of this for nothing.

A moment later to my surprise she came back with my teddy in hand. Unbeknownst to her she walked right through me and laid her hand on the door.

She turned back to the living room once again and took a look around. "Please protect mom." She said.

I will.

"See you soon, Aaliyah." She whispered.

Absolutely not.

Before I could have more of a reaction to her words she opened the door and walked out of the house. With her departure, came my exhaustion. My eyes swept the living room and in the kitchen window, I saw the hooded man.

No.

I fought but failed to keep myself awake and drifted off into an involuntary slumber.

I woke up and yawned as I rubbed my eyes. Remembering what I saw before I slept, I panicked and stood up from the floor.

The house was completely dark and it felt cold. I didn't know how long I was asleep but it was now dark outside.

I stood up on shaky legs and walked to turn on a light but before I could, a hand reached out for mine.

"Don't."