It hit unexpectedly. Scientists had been working on a cure for Alzheimer's, but when they combined cells of a virus and the cells affected by the disease, they created an airborne mutation that takes away all of the memories of an individual and deteriorates the brain as well as other body functions. We called it the "Flare" due to the fact that it creates an alarming spike in temperature and along with the fever, flashes of memories that suddenly disappear. The government assured us that it was nothing to worry about, that it would be taken care of, but they were wrong. We all were.

*1 year earlier*

"Will stop!" I laughed uncontrollably.

My boyfriend of 2 years, Will Poulter, had just gotten back from a project he had to do for work, and we were having a picnic to make up for lost time. It was comfy and cute until Will decided to smear frosting on my face from the cupcakes we brought. Which, in turn, led to a food fight, and eventually him attacking my sides relentlessly.

Finally, he stopped tickling me and let me catch my breath. Our faces were red from laughter, and our clothes were stained with the remnants of our lunch.

As I lay there smiling blissfully, I glanced up at Will and our eyes locked. Like always, butterflies erupted in my stomach, and my heart skipped a beat.
He never failed to make me smile or laugh, and if we fought then we made up easily.

I sat up, and let out a sigh of content. Life was good, and I couldn't see how it could get any better. I had the perfect boyfriend, a great family, and my job was tolerable at least.

Suddenly, Will sobered up, all traces of laughter gone. I furrowed my brow as I studied his face. He looked deep in thought, almost worried.

"Will, are you okay?" I asked.

He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, and released it slowly. Then, his gaze met mine. "Marry me." He said.

"W-what?" I stammered out.

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small, velvet box. "Marry me. I love you, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I've asked your dad, and he gave us his blessing. I don't want to be with anyone else, Love. You're it for me."

I sat there in shock. My mouth was unable to form words, my mind unable to think. Will's green orbs were boring into my dark brown with so much hope and fear. Fear of rejection.

Suddenly, Will was on his feet, the small box grasped tightly in his palm, and his eyes looking anywhere but at me.

"I- I shouldn't have done this. I've made a mistake. You're obviously not ready and-"

I cut him off by jumping up and grabbing his face in both of my hands. "Will, babe, I say this with as much kindness I can muster. Shut up." And I crashed our lips together.

We pulled away and he looked down at me again, his eyes once again held that questioning gaze. "So, is that a yes?"

I smiled softly. "It's an absolutely."

*Present*

Not long after our engagement, the Flare hit. When the government assured us that the illness was nothing to worry about, then we shrugged it off and started wedding planning as normal. All of that stopped when Will's close friends, began to feel ill. The plans were postponed, but I understood.

When my mom called me and told me that my dad had become an Infected, it felt as if the floor had collapsed from under my feet. Watching my mother, the strongest person I've known, go through so much pain was one of the worst things I had to experience.

When Dad died, it got worse. It was obvious that the virus was a bigger problem than the government had let on. I was glad to have Will by my side, he supported me through it all, and I don't know what I would have done without him.

It started off small. Will started forgetting where he put his keys, and when certain appointments were, but I didn't think anything of it. Worry set in when he came into our living room, with his work clothes on, and a confused look on his face. "Jay...I can't remember the name of the company I work for..."

The car ride to the clinic was silent. Both of us were scared, but no words were spoken. I weaved through traffic slowly, not wanting to receive the words we were sure to hear, but it had to be done.

We pulled into the parking lot, and I chose a spot away from the hospital, craving at least a little bit more normalcy before the maelstrom hit.
I sat in my seat, unwilling to move, and felt Will's hand clasp mine.

I felt my eyes water up and I looked over at him. He smiled softly at me, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "It's okay, Love. It's okay..." He whispered. I nodded and let out a shaky breath. Finally, after composing myself, I opened the door and stepped out.

We walked into the clinic hand in hand. I was shaking and felt as if I would pass out at any given second, but I had to stay strong for Will.

We told the doctor everything that had happened, and when he heard about Will's question of his job, he seemed surprised. He took the tests necessary and an hour and a half hour later we had our results.

Will had the Flare.

The news hit us hard, but it was nothing compared to the slap in the face we received next. The doctor said that it was unusual that Will began to forget something like his job so quickly, and because of that he wanted to get a scan of Will's brain to see what was happening, and he wanted it ASAP. So, we did it that same day.

After the scan, the doctor informed us that Will's case was unlike any other he had seen before. The virus was spreading at an increased rate, and my fiancé would suffer the effects quicker than any other Infected. That's when the tears came.

I wouldn't be able to marry the man I loved. I wouldn't walk down the aisle, and I wouldn't be able to grow old with him and do all of the things we wanted to do. He would forget me, and I would lose him before I could even prepare myself. With my dad, it was slow and gradual, with Will...it was like the decline of a rollercoaster.

A month after the testing, and Will had begun to forget more and more. Simple things like his mother's name, when his birthday was, where he was from, and how old he was. He became a wreck, and there were often nights when he would wake up confused, and I would have to soothe him back to sleep. Of course, it took its toll on me too. I would lay awake and drown in the thoughts of everything we had been through together, and cry until I had no tears left to shed. I would only sleep when Will, subconsciously, would wrap his arm around my waist, and pull me closer to him. Those moments kept me alive. He still remembered me. That was what mattered. I was not going to waste my time crying. He needed me now more than ever.

*3 months later*

I had to check Will into an institute. Not a madhouse or anything, just a safe haven of sorts for the Infected. Dr. Stevens had suggested it. I abhorred the idea of it, but Will was getting more and more difficult, and it was hard to care for him with his family so far away. So I reluctantly agreed.

He still remembers me. He's forgotten almost everything, but not me. He says I'm his beacon. His light at the end of the tunnel, and that it'd be impossible to forget something so beautiful and light.

*1 month later*

I came in for my daily visit to see Will again. Heck, I practically lived there. The house isn't the same without him. Will is my home.

As I go to see him, I'm stopped by a nurse. Thinking that we just accidentally ran into each other, I give her a smile and try to beeline toward Will. The woman stops me again by stepping in front of me.

"Miss, I'm going to ask you to leave.." She said.

By then I was confused and caught off guard. Seeing Will had never been a problem before.

"Oh!" I said, realizing I had my pass in my pocket, instead of wearing it like I was supposed to.

I took the badge out of my pocket and showed the woman with a smile.

"Sorry, I've gotten sloppy with the protocol here. I promise it won't-"

She cut me off. "You can't see Mr. Poulter, Miss."

"W-what? Why not? Is he okay? What happened?!" A million questions and thoughts were zooming through my head.

The woman tried calming me down, but it only made it worse, and eventually, voices were raised. Finally, a familiar face came to greet the sight and assisted in the problem.

"Ah, Miss Lane, how are you?" Dr. Stevens asked.

"I'd be a lot better if I could see Will!" I shakily replied.

The doctor and nurse shared a knowing look, and I felt like the odd one out.

"Um. Miss Lane, why don't we have a talk in my office..." He looked at me as if he were pleading for me not to keep making a scene. So I went.

His words had cut me like a knife. The pain hitting me each time as his voice echoed through my mind.

"Mr. Poulter's condition worsened overnight... I'm afraid he has lost all long term memory...for you to visit him and try and coax him into remembering could be quite painful for both of you..."

Will no longer remembered me.

I continued my visits at the Institute. It had been a week since Dr. Stevens told me the news. I heeded his words carefully. Instead of visiting him face to face, I watched him through a viewing area that had been set up for people like me. People whose loved ones were too far gone.

It hurt. He went about his day learning new things and meeting new people (new to him). He still knew how to do certain things like read, but he didn't know why. For him, it was just one of those things that were instinctual. Like riding a bike. The technical stuff he could remember, he just couldn't name places, dates, people, or anything personal about his life. For my dad, it was motor skills. I guess the Flare affects everyone differently.

*2 weeks later*

Will hasn't been doing too good. His fever has been spiking a lot here recently, and they don't think he has much time left. I look down at my left hand and smile sadly while twisting the ring around my finger with my thumb. Come back to me...

It's a nice day out. The sun is shining, and there isn't a single cloud in the sky. I take one last glance at Will and decide to go outside for a break.

I walk around for a while outside and come across a bench. No one else is around, so it's perfect for me.

As I sit alone, the weight of everything that has been resting on my shoulders begins to cloud my vision. My throat becomes sore as I try to swallow the knot that has formed, but it's too late. The tears are flowing freely, and I can't stop the sob that escapes my throat.

I sit there like that for what feels like hours, enveloped in my shell of sadness, when I feel a gentle touch on my shoulder.

"Are you okay, Love?"

Immediately my head snaps up, and I turn in my seat quickly to see the familiar face I've longed to see up close again.

I sit there gaping for a moment. He looks so different. His once bright green eyes are now dull and almost gray colored, his face looks sunken in almost from the effects of the disease, but he's here. My Will is standing here. Right in front of me.

I shake out of my trance and smile at him tearfully.

"Y-yes I'm okay. Thank you" I reply.

He smiles at me and presses on. "You don't seem fine, are you sure you're okay?"

That's when I notice the headphone in his left ear. "So, what are you listening to?" I change the subject.

He looks at me knowingly but answers me anyways. "Some guy named Ron Pope."

I freeze at those words. There was only one song he knew by Ron Pope. I had to be sure.

"Oh yeah? What song?"

He checks the iPod in his hand, "'Our Song'. The nurses say it's one of my favorite songs. I guess I listen to it a lot."

I close my eyes and bite my lip, forcing the tears back. That song was going to be the song we danced to at our wedding.

"Do you know this song?" He breaks me out of my thoughts.

I nod slowly. "Yeah..It was...It was special to my fiancé and me."

He smiles softly at me. "He's a lucky guy. You're beautiful, and seem like a nice girl."

I can't help but laugh a little at this. He was lucky? No. I was the lucky one.

All of a sudden, his smile drops, and I see a flicker of something in his eyes.

"Jay?..." He asks.

I stop laughing. "Wait.. How did you...oh my God...Will!"

I throw myself into his arms and he holds me tight. He kisses my hair, and I feel wet drops hit my shoulder.

"Baby I am so sorry. I left you for so long. I'm so sorry. So so so-" I put my finger to his lips and smile a watery smile at him.

"It's okay...we're okay..." I whisper.
"What brought you back?"

Will just smiles, the light is back in his eyes. "You." He says. "Your laugh. Your happiness is what made me happy. When I checked in here, I saw how sad you were, so I tried separating myself from you to ease the pain, but it backfired, and I lost control of what memory I had left. I should've tried to hold on to you, Jay."

I can't help but grin and do what I've been dying to do since he left me for that time. I pull him into a kiss and pour all of my love into it.

When we pull apart he smiles at me and says,"Now Mrs. Poulter, would you do me the honors?"

He offers his hand to me, and I gladly accept it. He takes out the headphones and replays the song on the iPod through its speaker, and we dance for what feels like forever.

*3 months later*

Will died last spring. He lasted longer than the doctors expected him to. He fought tooth and nail to stay with me, but it became too much. It was the worst goodbye I ever had to say, and as Will lay there on the bed, weak, with labored breathing, he smiled at me while holding my hand and asked, "Dance with me?"

I just smiled and laughed tearfully. Then, I pressed my lips to his softly.

"Is that a yes?"

"It's an absolutely..."

He smiled one last bright smile and closed his eyes.

A/N: Thank you for reading! This was really hard to write! I was bawling my eyes out during the whole thing! Feel free to provide feedback :)