Part 3:

Of Roses and Thorns...

"...You know I can't be there

Each time that you call

I swore not to come

But I'm here afterall

I know by the look that

I see in your eyes

I won't stand around

And I won't watch you die..."

-'Because of You', Nickleback

'...I cry when angels deserve to die...'

-System of a Down

Edward stood in front of his mirror, brushing his hair up into it's usual spikes that went in every dirrection. He had gotten so used to having it like that, and he decided not to change it yet. The doc had given him a watch, and he wore it proudly, glad that he had actual wrists to place it on. The scissor hands sat on top of his dresser, and he kept them as a memory of the professor who had originally built him.

Outside, the others were playing and absorbing up the sunlight while they could. He joined in a big game of volleyball, boys against girls. Even though they were outnumbered, and had one player in a wheel chair, the girls beat the boys terribly.

"We let you win!" called out Lance.

"Yeah, sure!" called back Carrie. "You loose!"

"Just wait till next time!" called Chris. "We'll cream you all!"

"If it helps you sleep at night," laughed Samantha.

"It was all luck," called Edward. "We'll win next time. Just watch."

They all laughed and headed inside for some iced tea and fresh chocolate chip cookies. While they sat around, talking an laughing, Edward saw Corina take her plate and glass, and sit by herself in the large window sill. There were cushions placed there, and pillows to make it a relaxing place. He felt bad for her still, not really being able to look at her the same ever since he learned about what had happened to her.

Taking his own plate, he moved over to the window seat, and sat down across from her. "Do you mind if I sit here?" he asked. She looked up at him and shook her head. Samantha was watching from the table, and nudged Chris, pointing in their dirrection.

"Good luck," muttered Chris, and he turned back to his cookies.

Edward spotted a new bandage wrapped around her hand. "What happened there?" he asked softly. Corina didn't even need to look to know what he was talking about. She rubbed the bandage involuntarily, but said nothing. "I really wish you didn't do that. It looks so painful." She didn't respond, but continued eating silently. "I don't know what they've told you, but I do care about you. You don't have to hide from me."

Her eyes closed slowly, and she leaned back, turning her head to the side and opening them so she was looking at the others, all talking and eating together. Completely forgetting about her. "Chris says he misses you," said Edward softly. "They care to. They just don't know what to do." She looked at him and then back at her glass of iced tea. "I want to help you." She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. Her bottom lip was trembling a little and she shook her head.

"No you don't," she mouthed out, barely making a sound. She stood up and walked away, leaving him to sit alone there, watching her go. He didn't give up, and stood up, catching up to her and taking her gently by the arm.

"I do," he whispered. She tore free and looked at him. "Please." Her face contorted in pain and she stepped back nervously, shaking her head, and then turned and headed up the stairs to her room.

Edward was trimming the rose when Corina came to him that night. Ever since he had made it, he took great care into making sure it kept its shape for her. He was just finishing when she came outside, silent as always, but watching him until he turned and saw her. He stared at her for a while, wondering what she wanted. She stepped up to the rose, and he turned to walk away and leave her be. Corina looked up to see him walking away.

"Don't go."

The words were soft and faint, but he heard them and stopped dead in his tracks. She spoke, for real this time. He turned around slowly and looked at her.

"Yes?" he asked. She didn't say anything, but signalled him to come closer. He obeyed, and was soon standing a foot apart from her, staring at her.

"Don't go," she repeated softly.

"I won't," he said, staring at her curiously. She nodded and turned back to the rose, staring at it and feeling it softly with her hands. He stepped up and placed a cautious hand on her shoulder. She froze and he stepped up, wrapping his arms around her, hugging her gently. He felt her start to cry, but he didn't let go. Her hands reached up and gently touched his arms, and he opened them up enough for her to turn around and rest her head in his chest. He held her protectively, and she wrapped her arms around him, crying softly in his arms. His chin rested on her head, and he closed his eyes, remembering the last time he had held anyone like this.

He missed Kim so much, but there was nothing he could do now to bring her back. All he could do now was live for now like she would have wanted him to. Corina's crying gradually died, but she stayed in place, not ready to leave his safe embrace yet. When she did, it was slowly and half heartedly. She stared at him for a while, wiping her tears away. Edward placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a small smile.

"It's okay," he whispered. He took her bandaged hand in his and stroked it lightly with his thumbs. "This," he said, looking down at it briefly. "This has to stop. It hurts the others to see things like this and not be able to help you."

"It's too late," she whispered. He shook his head.

"No," he replied.

"No one wants to help," she said, shaking her head. He looked at her for a minute, greyblue eyes sparkling a little.

"I do." She stared at him with teary eyes, and, not really knowing what he was doing, he placed a small kiss on her forehead. He didn't know why he had done that, but she didn't push him away. Instead she remained still, and he looked at her again. "Do you even care?" With that he walked away, and she turned, watching him leave.

Edward and Samantha were talking in the TV lounge the next day. He told her about what had happened, trusting her not to spread it around, especially not to Chris. He might become angry if he learned the Corina was talking, but not to him.

"You kissed her?" gasped Samantha.

"On the forehead," said Edward, blushing a little. "I wanted to show her I care. It was the only thing I could think of."

"But you don't have feelings for her then," she asked.

"No more than a friend," he said softly, shaking his head. "I fell in love a long time ago. It hasn't happened again since."

"What happened?"

He thought of the people shouting for him to go, Jim trying to kill him, and saying goodbye to Kim, right before she told him she loved him. He never saw her again after that. A sigh escaped his lips and he shook his head. "It wasn't meant to last," he whispered.

"Fall out of love with each other?"

He shook his head. "Love was never the problem. Just people. People who couldn't accept someone who was different." Samantha gave him a look of sympathy.

"How long ago was that?"

"I don't know. A very long time ago." His gaze saddened. "I knew I loved her the moment I saw her photograph for the first time. I loved her so much." Samantha wheeled next to him and rubbed his back comfortingly. "I haven't been able to fall in love again since." Samantha sighed.

"That's one of the saddest things I've ever heard. You know what I think?" He glanced up at her.

"What?"

"I think it'd be so cute if you and Corina ended up together." Edward snickered.

"She barely even talks to me. How could that ever happen? I don't feel anything for her. At least, I don't think I do." Samantha smirked.

"Love is a complecated emmotion. When it happens, you'll know it's happened. And don't let what I said get in the way of anything. It's your choice after all." He smiled and nodded. Samantha stood up and left him.

Corina stepped into her room and found a rose laying on her pillow with a note. It was from Edward, and the note read, 'Thinking of you' on it. She smirked a little and sat on her bed. Under the pillow was a razor blade she had been using to cut with. She thought it was ironic that the rose was laying on the exact same pillow. Her smirk grew into a smile and she reached for her sketchbook.

Edward was tired and ready to go to sleep when he found the drawing on his bed. The drawing was of her holding a rose in her hands, and him standing behind her with a smirk on his face. He smiled and went to tape it to the wall.

(one month later...)

"Edward, I've got good news for you," said the doc as he sat down with him at his desk. "I've finally come up with the plans to finish you. I'll be ready to operate on you in two weeks." Edward smiled with excitement.

"Really?" he asked.

"Yeah. Pretty soon you'll have normal legs and feet like everyone else. The operation should be about the same, and you'll feel about the same amount of pain, and it'll take you about the same amount of time to recover. Possibly even more before you can walk properly because of certain areas that need to be done..." He coughed, and Edward smirked, a little amused. "Any questions?"

"No," he said softly. The doc smiled.

"Good then. I'll be ready to operate in two weeks. One more thing, before I forget, Corina's been making big improvements over the last few weeks. I want to thank you for that. I know you've been doing things to try and make her feel better." Edward smiled.

"She's doing better?"

"Well, I've certainly seen a change. She still has a long ways to go, don't get me wrong. But the influence you've had on her has her off to a good start. I think she's been needing someone to show they give a damn like you have. I really do think it's been helping her."

"Thank you," he said, smirking.

Corina was alone in the TV lounge when Edward found her. She was drawing again, and Edward approached her slowly.

"The doc says you've been doing better." She didn't respond, and he kneeled down so he could sort of see her face. "This is for you." He placed a rose on her sketchbook, and she stopped drawing and picked it up, holding it so she could sniff it.

"Thank you," she whispered. He smiled and turned to leave, thinking that'd be all he'd get out of her for the day. But a hand on his arm stopped him, and she stepped in front of him with a small smirk in her face. Without saying a word, she pulled up her sleeve, revealing an almost unmarked arm. What was still there was scabbed over and not very fresh looking. He smiled and gently touched it with his hand. "I'm trying," she said in an almost inaudible tone.

Her expression suddenly turned cold again as the door behind him opened and someone walked in. Edward turned and saw Chris standing there, staring at both of them suspiciously.

"Am I interrupting something?" he asked. Corina side stepped Edward and left the room almost immediatly. Chris turned as she walked away and then looked back at Edward. "She spoke didn't she?" he asked, but more as a statement than a question.

"Yes," said Edward. Chris gave him a look of excitement, but it didn't seem too happy to him.

"Really?" he asked. "What'd she tell you?"

"She just said thankyou for the rose," said Edward. Chris growled and turned away.

"I've been trying for the last two years to get her to talk and then you show up and within months she's chirping like a bird. Is that how it is?" Edward was a litted surprised. Why was Chris angry with him?
"She barely says anything to me," he said softly. "And when she does it's rare."

"Well it's more than what she says to me," snarled Chris, and with that he stormed out. Samantha was wheeling in when he barged out, and he just missed her. She turned to watch him go, and looked back at Edward.

"What's with him?" she asked.

"He's mad at me," said Edward. "Corina said two words to me and he got angry because she's not talking to him."

"You know what's strange," said Samantha. "Sometimes I think he doesn't want her to talk again. It might be just me, but sometimes I get the feeling that he likes her silent."

"I don't think so," said Edward. "He cares about her too much."

Samantha just shrugged. "Like I said, it might be just me." Her eyes suddenly darted to the window and a large smile broke out on her face. "I don't believe it! It's snowing!" Edward looked at the window and sure enough, snow was falling and beginning to build up in the windowsil. Edward smirked. This was the first real snow they had ever had, and they didn't know it.

"How?" he muttered to himself. He shrugged and decided not to question a miracle while it was happening.

Edward stood in the snow, looking at the beautiful white land around him. The doc had bought him a coat, gloves, and a scarf the night before so he could enjoy the snow with the others.

"It's so beautiful," cried Carrie from behind as she ran out in her fleece jacket and rainbow striped scarf. She ran over to the side and fell on her back, making a snow angel.

"Snowball war!" shouted Lance as he and a the other boys all ran out, rapidly making snowballs and throwing them at each other. Even the doc came out and joined in the battle. Edward watched from the sidelines, not quite ready to be caked in icy cold powder.

"Where's Corina?" asked the doc. "She should be enjoying this too." Edward glanced up at her bedroom window and got an idea.