WOOT! I am on a roll here, two chaps within a few minutes of each other! Here ya go, chapter 3. I seriously doubt anyone cares but yeah, whatever.

Christopher's POV

(Three months later.)

David walked by and I felt my heart break again. He barely looked human. He was pale, not like not-enough-sun pale, but I-just-saw-a-freaking-ghost-and-it-killed-me-now-I'm-freaking-dead, pale. He had dark circles under is eyes and his face was much too thin. His eyes looked black against the pasty color of his skin. He no longer walked proudly, his shoulders slouched and he looked weak, pathetic. As of late, when he wasn't staring at his millions of maps, he was practicing sword fighting and stuff like that with the soldiers. The only time he ate was when he needed food to stay awake just a little bit longer, and he only slept when he passed out from exhaustion. He didn't look like the old David, wasn't the old David I fell in love with. I liked it better when I didn't see, didn't feel every freaking bone in his body when I gave him a hug. Now he almost looks like a skeleton, he won't laugh, won't smile. Not even for me. Not even when I'm funny.

"He needs food, sleep, no more work for a long time. His body can't take this much more. If he doesn't do something soon he's going to collapse and who knows if he'll have the will to get better." I looked at April, furious that she would even suggest that.

"He's not going to die! He's going to get better, damn it!" I ran after David, shaking with anger, knowing she was right. He's dying and doesn't even care. Well I would make him care.

I caught up to him, spun him around and hugged him fiercely, tears already sliding down my cheeks. He felt so fragile I was almost afraid I would break him. I was still shaking, I realized he was too but for a different reason; His skin felt like ice even beneath his shirt. I buried my face in his shoulder and was sobbing before I could stop myself. He wrapped his arms tightly around me and stroked my hair, whispering in my ear, fierce and strong.

"Christopher, what happened? Whoever did this to you, damn it, I'll kill them!" The General, even with me. I wanted to shake him, to scream at him until he understood. Make him see he was dying. That he needed me more than fame. More that bitch of a witch he thought he loved. I jerked away from him, terrified for him.

"David," I whispered, voice shaking. "David, you are killing him." He looked at me, confused. "Oh god David," I gasped trying to stop the flow of tears streaming down my cheeks. "You are him." I fell to my knees; my legs wouldn't support me anymore, my face cradled in my hands. He didn't move, didn't make a sound. Like he wasn't sure this was happening, or he was trying to wrap him mind around what I had said.

"You're just drunk agai-"

"NO!" I screamed, jumping to my feet. "Damn it, I am not drunk! This is no fucking joke! God David, I know you aren't stupid. I know you know what I'm talking about so don't give me that clueless shit you always use whenever I bring this up. Have you fucking looked at yourself in the mirror lately? Have you seen the looks people give you when you walk by? You're not eating, you're not sleeping, and you work all the damn time! You. Are. Dying." I stopped yelling, I couldn't stand the pain in his eyes anymore.

"David...David..." I swallowed, wiping the tears from my face I looked straight into his eyes. "I love you."

David's POV

..."I love you," I knew why he looked like this. Tears staining his face, his eyelashes dark and wet, fringing his now dark, sea blue eyes. His entire body shaking with suppressed something... anger? Fear? Love? 'I love you', three small words that shouldn't have meant a thing to me. Should have made me shudder in disgust, and didn't; made instead, the tears I had been holding back myself spill silently down my cheeks. I realized I wanted to hold him, to take away all the hurt I had caused him. I wanted to, but didn't.

Christopher. What have I done to you? How could I have been so very selfish? God, I hate myself, I'm a failure again. I've failed you again. I know now that I love you too. What can I do, tell me and I'll do it. What will make it all up to you?

"Chris-" I couldn't say it, couldn't say anything. My traitor voice wouldn't let me. So again I stood before him a failure, weak and helpless. Crying. Hating every inch of myself knowing that he must hate me too.

"Come eat dinner David." His eyes pleaded with me. I nodded; I would not let him down, not now, not over this. I wouldn't tell him about all the other mountains of work waiting for me on my desk. I'll just stay up late. Again.

He lead me to his room and told me to stay right were I was, not to move, while he went to get food.

"And wash up." He blushed. "God, I sound like my mom, or April." He laughed nervously, self-consciously. I tried to smile but failed horribly making a grimace instead. He hurried out of the room and closed the door so softly I barely heard it click. It probably scared him to look at me. Afraid I'd break if he slammed the door like he usually doe. Afraid I'd bolt if he made any sudden movements. He thought I was a coward. A major pansy ass as he would say. I turned away from the door to look out the window but something moving caught my eye, made me go tense. A moving painting? No, oh my god, it was me! I had had every reflective object taken out of my own room almost immediately, as soon as I settled in. They always made me jumpy and nervous because I always thought there were others in the room. Stupid I know but I was always more relaxed without mirrors and such. This was the first time I had seen myself in quite a few months and it sure as hell didn't look like me. I peered at the stranger with pale skin stretched over a gaunt face set with huge dark eyes.

Oh my god! There is no freaking way this is me! Yet it is, just a freaking dead me is all. The door opened and I spun around quickly as Christopher set a large platter of food on the table. He smiled at me, eyes sad.

You're in for a surprise now Christopher, I am The General no more. I grinned at him enjoying the shocked look on his face. Yup, a real grin, I meant it with all my heart too.

SO? What do you think? What needs changing? Gimme some help here! More soon!

-Poet