CHAPTER ONE

~PROLOGUE~

I was rushing towards the hospital doors, pushing aside a couple and a few random strangers, mumbling a few "sorry's" and "excuse me's" not caring if I accidentally stepped directly on someone's foot or made some random person drop their coffee. I didn't care, I needed to see him. I ran quickly inside, ignoring all the stares and whispers. My heart was pounding quickly, making loud thump-thumps against my chest. Everything was such a blur. I rushed into the elevator, and pressed the 3rd floor building.

"Hurry up, hurry up!" I mumbled loudly to myself, annoyed and anxious. My foot was tapping against the floor impatiently. It finally opened and I fast-walked towards the nurse receptionist.

"How may I help you?" asked the nurse, looking down at her computer until her blue eyes looked up at me and her smile faltered. She immediately noticed my reaction and her eyes filled up with worry, "Miss, who are you searching for?" she asked immediately.

"I'm here for Sam Piersons, I'm his niece Carina Mcbride," I said in a rushed voice. The nurse looked through the computer and typed the keyboard in a fast motion.

"Okay, you're the first one who appeared on his emergency contacts list. He's in the ICU rooms now. Head up to room IC109, just sign the attendant list first and you're all set," said the nurse as she handed me the clipboard and pen. I wrote down quickly, not caring if it was in a messy "kindergarten" print and handed the clipboard back. "Thank you," I replied quickly.

I rushed towards the ICU and headed towards the IC rooms. I immediately saw a familiar head of red hair exiting out of his room. Pam. She raised her head and her brown eyes met mine and suddenly widened in surprise, "Carina, wait you can't-," she yelled.

"Where is he? I need to see him!" I ran past her, but her arm caught to mine before I got inside the room and she faced towards me.

"Carina! I- I have some bad news. I'm afraid you don't want to hear this but you need to know," said Pam, with a pained expression.

"What? What is it?" My voice cracked. I couldn't bear the feeling anymore. Pam looked at me with eyes filled with pain and I noticed that her eyes were pink as if she was crying earlier and I just knew.

She slowly put her hand on my right shoulder. "Carina...he broke five of his ribs and his head made a hard impact on the left side of his window, he is in a vegetative state and we don't know how long he will be in coma. We will just need to wait and see. Chances are very slim, there is a high chance that he might not make it. I'm so sorry..."

I felt my heart and my insides drop. I didn't want to believe it, I just couldn't. "N-n-no, no, please tell me that's not true, please," I said achingly, my eyes ready to release heavily with tears.

Pam looked at me silently, her mouth in a frown. She slowly took my hand and led me inside his room.

And there he was. He lied there with his two of hands intertwined together on his chest, almost as if he was on his funeral bed. His face was completely serene and free of pain, but bruises filled parts of his face. His eyes were closed shut, but I could see under his eyelids that his eyes moving in a spastic motion. His chest was moving in a slow rhythmic pace, and needles and tubes was surrounded all over his arms and legs. A small tube was inside his mouth, and I can hear slight wheezing. He looked so pale and sickly, almost the color of white chalk.

I came closer to him and touched his right cheek. He was so cold against my small fingers. I held his right hand and squeezed slightly, and a sob escaped my lips.

"Pam, you're a doctor. You could be able to bring him back, can't you?" I asked miserably, looking down on my Uncle's face.

"Cari, we are doing everything we could at the moment. His injuries are so severe, we don't know what could happen. He might stay in a vegetative state for a while, or he will snap out of it. Just wait a couple of days, we will let you know if there is any news."

I nodded, and kept looking at my Uncle's face. Tears continuously streamed down my face and I felt so empty inside.

**************************** TWO HOURS LATER ****************************

I headed out of the hospital and went towards the nearby lake. It was already dark and I wrapped my arms around me. I sighed deeply into the fall night and let my thoughts pour into me.

I've lost so many people I cared about, and now I'm on the verge on losing my Uncle. I thought everything was finally going to be fine, but I guess not. Not only am I depressed and borderline terrified, but I am also confused about with my relationship with... him.

I can't make up on what kind of relationship we have with each other, I feel as if he is keeping more secrets from me, and it worries me. Even though, majority of the time he has kept them was to keep me safe. I'm a big girl, I can defend myself! Sometimes...

I sighed and shook my head. "Yeah you're not strong enough. You need him, you big dummy," I said, rumbling to myself.

Aside from the secrets and confusion, having him in my life was the best thing that has ever happened to me; there are feelings that I have never dreamed of ever feeling, it was intoxicating. Our love for each other was deeper than the ocean. I know I would never feel that way with someone else, but I know you can't have everything you want in life. Perfection doesn't exist.

But why does my love for him change the outcomes of his future and I? The love we had for each other caused the lives of others and especially his and mine. I just wanted to be with him, like any other typical couple. Is that so hard to ask?

And then, the answer came to me like a sudden wind. It's because he is not like everybody else. He is different. Not human.

Tears dropped to my cheek and I clutched my heart pendant.

This is my entire fault.

I looked up to the sky and the stars twinkled and sparkled like shining gems, the moon was full and bright with white light. The wind was cool and refreshing. I looked deep into the horizon and sighed deeply. I closed my eyes and sighed, the wind was cool and crisp against my warm skin, I was enjoying the quietness and peacefulness of the fall night...until...

"You're so beautiful," his voice said softly, with a hint of sadness and grief.

I opened my eyes suddenly, and gasped slightly under my breath. I slowly looked behind to see him standing there with his hands inside his jean pockets, my knight in shining armor, the boy who captured my heart and still has it in his angelic hands. But then I remembered.

We couldn't stay with each other. We would jeopardize the life of others. Was he worth the risk and worth finding out a way to prevent all this?

God help me...