"What?" Amy wasn't sure that she heard her best friend right.

"I won't be coming back to Dover. Something...happened down here."

"You'll be back later in the year, right?"

"I don't know when I'll be back, Amy."

She closed her eyes tightly as she sat down on her bed. She wouldn't cry. She couldn't cry, not so Brett could hear. Why has he waited so long to tell me this?

Her distraught melted away to be replaced by anger "Why?! You can at least give me an explanation as to why you're leaving me alone in this hell hole!" Tears started to run down her face.

"Calm down, Amy-chan. I'm sorry that I haven't made any kind of contact in the last few weeks. It's just...something happened...and..."

Amy paused in her tears to wait for Brett's explanation. He seemed rather upset. "What happened? You know that you can tell me. We've never kept secrets from each other so don't even think of starting now."

"I didn't plan on it!" he screamed into the phone. Another uncomfortable silence broke their conversation.

Amy cleared her tears from her eyes and tried to keep a calm voice. "I didn't mean to come off angry, it's just...I want to know why my knight in shining armor is staying away from me when I need him the most."

A very strained and tired sigh escaped Brett's mouth. "It's about my aunt. She's really sick...and..."

A concerned tone took over her voice. "And what?"

"She's dying."

A gasp escaped Amy's mouth. She felt really bad about how she acted before. How could she have been so inconsiderate. "She's...dying?"

A whimper escaped Brett's mouth. "Yeah..."

"Brett..."

She didn't know what to say. It was hard to comfort him over the phone. A few comforting words would help but it wouldn't be enough. If he had been with her, like it had always been, she would have given him a big hug and help him through his tragedy. But he was miles and miles away and couldn't be seen.

"You don't have to say anything, Amy-chan. I know how you feel and I can already guess what you have to say. I know that you'll try to help me through this to the best of your ability but it will be hard considering that I'm way down here and your up there."

A little laugh escaped her throat. "You were always one for reading my mind."

Her partner laughed too. "You're just easy to get a read on."

"But why do you have to stay there? Why can't your aunt move up here with you and your mom?"

A serious tone took over Brett's voice once again. "She very ill and isn't able to travel. I've been taking care of her the last few weeks before the test results came back. But she keeps on getting sicker and sicker and..." He paused for a moment. "I just want to be with her when she leaves."

Amy nodded. "I understand. You'll come and visit though, won't you?"

"You know you can't keep me away! You'll have to build a fort with a moat around it to keep me out, and who knows if that will hold."

She giggled at Brett's reassuring voice. "Silly Brett. Just remember to write me, whenever you get a free chance. I can guess that things have been very hectic but just drop me a line every once in a while, okay?"

"Yes, 'mam. And you better keep me informed on what's going on up in Dover. I want to know everything so you better carry a notebook around with you," he teased.

"Ha...ha. I will, only if you supply the notebook!" she stated.

"Ouch. That was a low blow."

The two shared a laugh and talked about Amy's day and what fun things Brett had done in the last three weeks. Their conversation went on for an hour before her mom screamed up the stairs that it was time for her to get off the phone.

"I gotta go, Brett. I'm glad that you called."

"Me too. Hey Amy?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you promise me something?"

She was unsure of where Brett was going. "Um...sure."

"Promise me that you'll have a great year, despite that I'm gone and not there to cheer you up. Just be the happy person I know you to be, alright?"

Tears came to Amy's eyes. "You know I will."

Even though she couldn't see his face, she knew Brett was smiling. "And another thing before I go-please, for the love of god, stay out of trouble! You always have a knack of biting off more than you can chew!" The two of the burst out laughing again.

"I'm really going to miss you."

"Don't worry. I'll try to get back as fast as I can. Just think of me as your knight off on a quest to face his demons."

Another threatening scream came up the stairs from Amy's mother.

"Goodbye, Brett. Hopefully I'll see you soon."

"You know it. Talk to you later, Amy-chan, and goodbye."