Piper's head was spinning. Her ears were ringing. Everything around her slowed down as she fell. She looked down at the blood and the three holes that were formed in her stomach. Her breathing became fast as her friends ran toward her.

"Piper!" Aris' voice became loud and clear once he got closer. "Piper, you're bleeding..."

"Here, I can stop the wounds!" Sonya said, taking her coat off and trying to press all three bullet holes.

"There's no...there's no use..." Piper breathed out. "I'm dying."

"No, Piper, we'll help you!" Aris protested, his voice cracking. "Let us help you!"

"I won't make it." She coughed, the pain hitting her hard.

"Don't talk like that," Lillie told her. "You'll be fine."

But Piper wasn't fine. She was far from it. The seconds went by and she could feel the life slowly draining out of her. As much as she didn't want it to come down to this, she knew things had a way of showing up unexpectedly. If anything, WICKED taught her that.

Piper saw Maeve turn around and gasp. "Newt's gone."

Everyone had sad looks on their faces. Piper huffed a sigh, even though it hurt to do so. "See? You can't save everyone."

"But we're going to save you, Piper," Aris said in a firm tone. "I promise."

"I'm dying," she repeated. "There's nothing else you can do."

Aris shook his head in disbelief, tears coming down. "No, you can't give up! Please, don't give up!"

Piper took his hand and gripped it tightly. "I knew we'd lose people in this battle with WICKED, no matter how hard we tried to save everyone. We lost our friends in the Glen, in the Scorch, and now in the Last City." She paused and looked at the rest of her friends as they began to cry as well. "We'd all be naïve to think that we would all survive."

"But you're strong," Beth commented. "As much as I couldn't stand you from the moment you showed up at the Glen, you don't deserve this."

Piper couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. "We can't pick who lives and who dies, Beth."

As she felt herself get worse, her friends surrounded her with tearful faces, putting their hands on top of her own. She pictured all of them for the first time when she arrived in the Box, all eyes on her when Beth grabbed her out. Only that time, she was confused, but still very much alive.

"Does it hurt?" Sonya asked.

"A little," Piper admitted. "But it'll stop soon." She coughed some more, a few tears falling down her face. "Listen, I want you guys to head for the Berg."

"What? No, we're not leaving you!" Lillie protested, with tears falling down her face.

"You guys have a chance to leave." She began to pant. "Please. Go to the Safe Haven like Vince talked about. Now's your chance."

All of them gave each other sorrowful looks, then turned back to Piper. She already knew the decision to leave her behind was hard, but it had to be done.

"We'll miss you, Piper," Maeve said.

"I know," she replied. "But we'll see each other again soon."

With that, Maeve was the first to leave as she gave me one final hug.

Beth was next, even her face was wet from crying. "Goodbye, stick."

Piper smiled a bit. "Goodbye, crackface."

Sonya was the third. She hugged her for a while, knowing she had to let go sooner or later. Once she did, it took every fiber of her being to finally head off.

Lillie stared at Piper for a brief moment, and Piper could see the pain in her eyes. "You were my first friend in the Glen, you know. I'm glad that someone talked to me, even when I didn't talk back."

"Well, you were always a good listener," Piper pointed out.

She smiled back and gripped Piper's hand tight, then went for the embrace. "I really hope that the other side is beautiful."

"It'll be nice, I'm sure."

She pulled away and nodded. "Goodbye, Piper. Thank you for being my friend." With that, she was no longer in Piper's sight.

Finally, Aris was the only one left.

"You should leave, too," Piper told him.

"I'm not doing that. I can't let you die alone."

Piper sniffled, the pain coming back. "You know, you were right all along."

"Right about what?"

She took a deep breath. "I was able to love this version of you. I knew we wouldn't work, but I felt something toward you, anyway. It was something that came to me over time, and now I know for certain. So, Aris, I love you. I have for a whi--" A cough came over her, the pain coming full force once again.

"Piper, it's okay," he told her in a faint voice.

"Aris, if you really do love me, then you'll respect my choice and you'll go with the others."

The crying was about to happen again as Aris wiped his tears. "But you'll be alone."

"I won't be for long," she assured him. "Go to the Safe Haven. Be safe and free, away from all of this."

So with some reluctance and sadness, Aris gave her one last peck on the lips. "I won't forget you," he whispered.

"Good."

As the final embrace came to her, Piper couldn't help but feel the lump in her throat once Aris let her go. He stood up and walked away, and she was hoping for both their sakes he wouldn't turn around.

Piper then took out her walkie, groaning, and turned it on. "Harriet, it's Piper. I don't know if you can hear me, but I've been..." She trailed off, composing herself. "I'm dying, Harriet. I just want to thank you for being a strong leader, in and out of the Glen. You never gave up on us." She paused, catching her breath. "Enjoy the Safe Haven. Goodbye."

After waiting for a response for almost a minute, Piper threw the walkie, knowing she no longer needed it.

With her body slowly giving out, she felt a calmness in the atmosphere. She attempted to look around, but all she could see was a white light in her view. Then, two figures came her way, heading toward me. They looked familiar, but She couldn't figure out who they were until they were right in front of her.

"Rachel?" Piper whispered, staring at the red head.

"Hey, Piper," she replied.

"We didn't think it'd come to this," the brunette, who Piper finally recognized as Esther, spoke up beside her.

"It's been one hell of a fight for me," Piper said.

"And now you can let go," Esther whispered.

"You can come with us," Rachel added.

"To where?" Piper asked, feeling herself getting weaker.

"A Safe Haven," they answered at the same time.

As Piper began to get cold, the feeling of peace came over me. It was then she finally released herself, drifting toward the light.

~~~~~~~

A/N: Well, RIP Piper.

I can't believe I wrote this in one sitting.

I hope I wrote out her death in the best way possible. It was very difficult to do so, but I hope it was okay.

Song above is Goodbye by John Paesano.

Comment, vote, the epilogue is next.

-A