Zo� got bored coloring on the floor with her Blue�s Clues coloring book. She looked up and saw Zac sitting on the couch by the window, just the same as he had been an hour ago. He never smiled anymore, and he barely ever spoke. He hadn�t been himself since Taylor had died, and no one could blame him. Taylor had taken a little piece of all of them with him, but he seemed to have taken a rather large part of Zac. Zo� couldn�t help but wonder why her big brother was always so sad � a child�s mind works that way. She put down her crayons and got up; she climbed up onto Zac�s lap. He looked at her � she had eyes just like Taylor. She looked out the window as if expecting someone.

�When is Taywer coming back?� She asked. He guessed a four year old wouldn�t quite understand how death works: it�s permanent. �I miss him.�

�He�s not coming back, Zo�.� He said quietly and sadly.

�Why?�

�He had to go away� with God.� She looked like she understood, a little. What she didn�t like was that Zac was so sad.

�Mommy said he went to Heaven.� She said, looking out the window again. She was quiet for a few moments. She looked at Zac again. �Did Taywer go to Heaven?�

�Yeah,� he replied quietly. �He went to Heaven.� She could be very smart sometimes, smarter than a four year old should be. She saw the tears in her big brother�s eyes, and watched them roll down his cheeks. She understood now� She reached up with one little hand, and wiped away his tears.

�Don�t cry.� She said, but her own eyes were filling with tears. �Is it OK to cry?� He nodded. �I wish Taywer was still here� I miss him lots.� She said; her little face had become so full of sadness.

�I miss him, too.� Zac said, wiping the tears gently from her small cheeks with the pad of his thumb.

�He�s never coming back?� She was so sad now, and it was breaking his heart. He took her little hand in his and shook his head slowly.

�No,� he whispered. She started to cry, and he hugged her. She put her head on his shoulder, her tears dripping onto his tee shirt, and his tears dripping into her blonde curls.

�I want him to sing to me�� she cried quietly. Zac knew that Taylor used to sing to her when she was upset, or when she had a nightmare, or to help her fall asleep.

�I wish I could bring him back,� he said quietly, rubbing her back gently.

�Can you, Zac?� She asked him, her head still on his shoulder. She was wiping her tears; she knew it hurt inside because Taylor was gone, but she really didn�t understand why.

�If I�m gone when you wake up� please don�t cry.� He sang quietly. �If I�m gone when you wake up� it�s not goodbye. Don�t look back at this time� as a time of heartbreak and distress. Remember me� remember me�� This was incredibly hard, but he kept singing quietly for her sake.

�Don�t cry� I�m with you. Don�t sigh� I�m by your side. Don�t cry� I�m with you. Don�t cry� I�m by your side.� Tears rolled down his cheeks again. He knew she didn�t understand why he was singing this song; she couldn�t understand at four years old, but she would in time. He continued to sing softly.

�I don�t want you to cry and weep� I want you to go on� living your life. I�m not sleeping an endless sleep� �cause in your heart� you have all of our good times� I�ll be with you in your dreams.� He swallowed against the painful knot in his throat, his eyes burning with tears. She stayed still for a few moments. She pulled back and looked at him.

�Thank you,� she said quietly.

�You�re welcome.� He replied, a little hoarsely. He tried to smile a little, but it didn�t happen.

�Zac� can I still love him?� She asked.

�You can always love him,� he replied. �I still love him.�

�Forever and ever?�

�Forever and ever.� He answered. Tears still in his eyes, he smiled. She smiled.

�I love you, Zac.� She said.

�I love you, too, Zo� Genevieve.� She hugged him and kissed his cheek, and hopped down from his lap. He couldn�t help but notice how much she was like Taylor. She may have been young, but he had a feeling she was never going to let Taylor�s spirit die.