A/N: Finally, a new chapter! I sincerely apologize for the month long wait. ^^" Also, I have gone through and changed Alice and Francis's names to Evelyn and Adrien. I didn't have original names for them before I began this fic, but I do now, so I decided to change it. I apologize if that's annoying! Evelyn Clark and Adrien Meyer seem more genuine to me than Alice Kirkland and Francis Bonnefoy, y'know? Well, I'll shut up now! I hope you all enjoy this chapter! ^-^ Reviews are always welcome~.


Chapter Eleven

It was a good while before Adrien had calmed down and stopped crying, though, he still held Evelyn closely, seeming almost fearful to let her go. They both had stayed silent through it all, Adrien out of devastation and Evelyn out of both fear of what he would think and self hatred at not having acted to prevent this from happening. She had been ready to tell him how she felt toward him...not about her depression or her struggle with cancer. She did love him, but she didn't want him to think of her as weak or as someone he needed to be careful around. She already knew that both of those things were true, and she didn't need any more reminders, especially not from the man who could change the course of her day with a mere word or expression. She was so incredibly vulnerable to him, and she wasn't sure if she was willing to give him her all yet.

Evelyn stroked Adrien's hair and chewed on the inside of her cheek anxiously, debating whether or not she should take action and speak first or wait until he initiated the inevitable discussion. She spent so long dancing between the two ideas, Adrien spoke before she had decided what to do.

"How...how long have you felt this way…?" He murmured, holding her almost painfully tight as he spoke.

She held her breath and swallowed a lump in her throat. "...Adrien, I don't anymore. Not really." She assured him. "I don't feel as bad as I did when I wrote that. I wrote that ages ago...the day you made me soup when I was sick…?" She fought back tears of guilt and ones brought on by the painful memories. "That...that was the day that note was for...you saved my life."

Adrien pulled away from the hug enough to look at her, his eyes bloodshot and puffy, but full of intense emotion. He looked devastated, sympathetic, and guilty, and it broke Evelyn's heart.

"I did…?" he asked, his voice shaky and sadder than she'd ever heard him.

"You did... And you've helped me get better. Not completely...it's never completely gone." She murmured. "But you help me see the light in this constant darkness."

Adrien closed his eyes and took a deep, unsteady breath. "Mon dieu, Evelyn...if I had known…."
"I do not want you to treat me any differently because of this." She replied instantly, sounding almost pleading. "Please...I am just a regular person. Do not treat me specially just because I sometimes want to-...because I have dark thoughts on occasion."

His expression softened and something akin to a smile settled upon his face. "What if I treat you specially for a different reason?"

Evelyn blinked incomprehensibly. "What reason…?"

"I do hope you will forgive me for my boldness, but it is always said that actions speak louder than words, and in moments like this, I prefer to rely on the former rather than the latter." He said, moving a hand from the embrace up to her face to brush the pad of his thumb against her cheek.

Her confusion didn't disperse at his words, only increased. She had parted her lips slightly and inhaled a small breath of air in preparation to ask again what he meant when all thoughts she had were wiped clear in one simple action. That action being Adrien capturing her lips in a passionate kiss. She became hyper-aware of everything the second it happened; the pounding of her heart, the rush of cool air in her throat as she inhaled sharply, and most of all, the wonderfully soft feeling of Adrien's lips against hers.

She managed to comprehend what was happening, and a moment later, her silenced thoughts returned full force. They darted madly around her mind as she tried to grasp the solid realization that they were kissing, and when she finally succeeded, it was over. Her eyes, which she hadn't realized had even slid closed, fluttered open and bore into Adrien's, which were full of what she desperately hoped was love. Neither of them spoke for nearly a full minute, and Evelyn wouldn't have had it any other way; staring into his eyes with their hearts beating in unison, Adrien's hand stroking her cheek ever so gently. It all felt so incredibly wonderful, and she never wanted it to end.

"Mon cherie...mon cherie Evelyn…." Adrien murmured, sounding completely awed by her. "I know I cannot love your illness away...I know I cannot take away the darkness that dwells within you, as much as I so dearly yearn to. I know I cannot heal all that makes you hurt." The joy in his eyes turned slightly sad as he rested his forehead against hers and tangled his fingers in her hair. "But I will try. I will hold you as long as you need on days when you feel overwhelmed. I will kiss away your tears. I will love you. I will love you every single day until I die, Evelyn Clark. I have known that since the first time I saw you smile."

Tears formed in her eyes as he spoke; she could hardly believe what was happening. Love and affection were laced so deeply in his tone, it took her breath away. His words were so beautiful and genuine, she almost couldn't accept that they were uttered solely for her.

"Adrien...I-I…." She trailed off, unable to find a worthy reply. A soft sob caught in her throat and she closed her eyes, a tear sliding down her cheek.

"Do not feel obliged to reply, mon amour." He murmured, pulling her into another secure hug and rubbing her back. "Silence is all right. I already know how you feel. Your eyes have long since told what your lips could not."

Evelyn could feel the mirth of his smile as she held him back tightly, and she hoped he could feel her joy, too. She felt more loved in that moment than she ever had before in her life, and she absolutely adored it. The feeling of his arms around her, the sound of him breathing, the way his love radiated from his soul to hers, it all made her feel so incredibly comfortable and at home.

The two of them fell quiet and stayed like as they were, entwined into each other and silently enjoying the other's company. Evelyn was the first of them to speak, after nearly an hour of the most relaxing silence she'd felt.

"I...Adrien, can we forget you ever found that bloody note?" She asked quietly, wishing yet again that she had just thrown it away.

"I will never mention it, if that is what you would prefer, but non, I will not forget." He replied after a moment, moving his hand from the small of her back to fiddle with her hair instead. In the hour of silence, he had laid down and pulled her on top of him so they both were more comfortable, a position that Evelyn secretly adored.

She nodded and sighed. "Would you believe me if I said the note wasn't real and that I'm not...you know."

"Mon cherie, I think no differently of you because you have had a rough few years. Not even a little. It is nothing for you to be ashamed of, and I do hope it won't prevent you from feeling anything but completely at ease with me now or in the future. Please, my dear, dear Evelyn, know that I love you, regardless, and I will keep loving you until I perish. Whether you are happy or sad, it will never change that I love you."

Though he had certainly implied it, hearing him say the words aloud took Evelyn's breath away and sped up the rhythm of her heart. Her cheeks flushed pleasantly and she held him a little closer.

"You make me feel warm all over." She murmured, closing her eyes and listening to his heartbeat. She could think of no adequate reply to his eloquent words, so she had blurted the first thought that came to mind.

"I am glad to hear that." He replied, his smile evident in his tone. "Say, amour, what did you call me over to tell me?"

Evelyn blinked and hesitated a moment. Should I tell him about the cancer? She thought. No, it's too soon. He'd freak out and finding out I'm screwed up in the head is enough worry for one day. I'll tell him later...maybe. If it's gone, he'll never have a reason to know. What's passed has passed.

"I wanted to confess my love." She said, which was mostly the truth. She had planned on telling him briefly of her illness and that she was now free from it, but was thinking clearer now and decided it was a bit impulsive to do so.

A soft chuckle rumbled in Adrien's chest. "How adorable." He cooed and pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"Shut it." She murmured in reply, her cheeks warming; although, not unpleasantly.

"Never." He said with another chuckle. "May I ask you on a proper date, mon cherie? I have the most lovely restaurant in mind and would love to commemorate our first day as a couple with the fanciest dinner this city can offer us."

"How could I say no to that?" She asked, a soft snort of amusement following. "It's not every day I get offered a free, expensive meal."

"Ah, and when did I say I would pay?" He retorted with a grin, his tone light and joking. "I only pay when there is promise of reward later in the night."

"Don't push it." She warned, far too intimidated by the insinuation of intimacy to find it amusing.

Adrien sat them up and pecked her cheek sweetly. "Fret not, mon amour. It was merely a joke. Your presence is reward enough, and I consider myself the luckiest man alive to be graced by it."

Evelyn's cheeks warmed and she looked away from him in embarrassment. "I do hope you haven't fallen in love with the idea of me rather than who I actually am." She said, genuinely afraid that such had happened.

"Nonsense! Do not think such lies." He made her face him again and kissed her briefly. "I know who you actually are, for the most part, and I promise to find a way to love even the less pleasant parts about you."

She nodded and hugged him, curling up in his lap. "We'll see."
"Indeed we will." He answered, wrapping his arms securely around her frail body.

The two of them spent the rest of the day cuddling, talking, and simply enjoying one another's company. When evening came, Adrien ran home to change while Evelyn did her makeup and changed as well, and then he returned and took her on the loveliest date she had ever been on. He had insisted on getting the best wine at the restaurant, and of course did the exact same with their appetizer, main course, and dessert. He took her slow dancing as well, and Evelyn, for the first time in ages, was entirely carefree and happy, and had adored every moment of it. Adrien then took her home and escorted her to her doorstep, where he gave her the best kiss they had yet shared and of course, made a lewd joke that earned him a smack in the arm. Evelyn had smiled, regardless of her flushed cheeks. Even after he had gone home and she got ready for bed, she smiled. Today had been better than she had ever imagined her first day of knowing she was cancer free would be, and she couldn't have been happier. As Evelyn laid in bed late that night, she grinned and bit her lip as she closed her eyes. She saw now that she had always had a future, and she knew it was going to be absolutely wonderful.