The doctor then opened the door and walked away, saying "I will be back in 30 minutes to check on her. The surgery will be scheduled in 2 days."

I walked in the door and closed it behind me. As I approached the bed, I saw Leah stretched out on the white sheets, her bandages still showing signs of bleeding. She was hooked up to a machine that helped her breathe, as well as a number of other contraptions that I had never seen before. She has lost a lot of her color, and looked pale and deathly as she lay there. However, she turned her head and smiled at me.

I rushed to her side and took her hand, which was limp, in mine. "I love you, I'm sorry I didn't save you, I don't know how I am going to live with myself."

"I wouldn't have been able to." she trailed off for a minute, but continued "live with myself if I had let you do that for me."

I was amazed that she could talk. "The surgery." I said.

"Mikado. came. in here earlier." She said. My eyes widened. "He. he. said if I. could survive it. then I could live."

"Because you wouldn't remember?" I asked

She nodded. "But my chances are low. even I know that." She coughed and grimaced from the pain. It was all my fault she was suffering.

I felt more hot tears streaming down my face. "I love you. I can't let you do this."

"I would rather die. than live and be apart. from you." She said.

"But you won't remember."

"Volt."

I looked at her and leaned closer to her as her voice faded. "Remember. for me."

I kissed her gently on the lips and whispered. "Always, Leah."