AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey all! The fact that you even clicked on this is much appreciated. I'll reveal the title of the song in the end, so there's at least an element of surprise. But to those who may be familiar, you'll probably be able to guess early on. Hope you enjoy!

"So how did it go?"

Zach called me as soon as his plane had landed. We've been talking for awhile, and this is the first time I brought up his assignment in our conversation. He and his team had just come back from a mission and are currently on their way to Langley for a debrief. I volunteered to pick him up and drive him there myself, but Zach didn't want me to. He said the airport was too far and he'll pick me up later at our house to have dinner. I personally didn't mind, seeing as I haven't seen him in nearly a month. I'm desperate now. However, once Zach has set his mind on something, it's difficult to change it. So here I am at the mall at his insistence that I enjoy myself.

"It was fine. Simple, really. I told you, nothing to worry about."

"That's good." I say softly.

He sounds so nonchalant about it, but I know he was just as relieved as I was. Ever since we got engaged five months ago, we promised each other that we wouldn't take an assignment for at least half a decade. In the twelve years that we've been in the CIA, we've never had more than three months of peace, much less a year. Then about two months ago, Zach was asked to lead a mission. He told me about it and said he was considering it. I, on the other hand, was livid. He said it was a high profile case—each member of the team was carefully chosen, and they had insisted he lead. I countered, "It's the CIA! I'm sure there are many capable agents." But I was just grasping at straws. I knew as much as he did that he was the best man for the job. We continued to argue about it until I reluctantly agreed. It wasn't really that I was mad at him—'Old habits die hard' was a phrase for a reason—I was just... scared. Completely and utterly terrified that one day he will never come back. If he never did, people have always told me I should at least be proud knowing he'd given his life for something so much bigger than himself. What people didn't understand was there was nothing bigger than Zach in my eyes, nothing worth the cost of his life.

Seeming to sense that I need a change of subject, he asks, "How are Bex and Jacob?"

Grateful that my fiancé knows me so well, I respond. "They're great. Bex is still very smitten, if not more smitten. Who knew, huh?" I hear Zach's light laughter through the phone. I continue, "I actually had breakfast over at their's. Eventually, Jacob had to leave because they needed him at the hospital, but I stayed there for another hour."

Jacob Rhodes is Bex's boyfriend. He was in the Medical Corps for eight years until he left decided he wanted to work in a hospital instead. They met four years ago when Bex had an assignment that required her to work with the U.S. Army. Usually, Bex wasn't one to mix business with pleasure, but the two had it off right away. They've been together for three years, and Zach and I are pretty sure Jacob is looking to propose to her soon. I've never seen my best friend happier than when she was with him. And it didn't hurt that he always looked like he walked out of a GQ photoshoot.

We continue on to lighter topics and stay on the phone long enough that I see that I've only got 10% battery left. "Shit," I mutter. Louder, I say, "Listen, babe, my phone's only 10%. And I think I've kept you long enough."

"Oh, okay. I'll call you when I'm on my way to pick you up. But you know I love hearing your voice, so that's no problem at all."

I roll my eyes. He can be corny at times, but secretly, I freaking love it.

"I'll see your pretty face at six then?" He adds. I can tell he has a smirk on.

I shake my head at his compliments. "Yeah, six. Perfect."

"Okay. I love you, Gallagher Girl. See you later." He says, his playful tone suddenly turning serious.

"I love you, too, Zach."

"Forever and always?" He asks.

I can't stop myself from full on smiling now. "Forever and always." I repeat.

I arrive home at four. I figure I'm cutting it close, so I take the quickest shower I can. Once I finish, I blow dry my hair and decide to wear my hair in a loose side braid. After many outfits, I finally pick a navy blue halter dress that stops somewhere above the knees and decide to wear high heels. When I finish my make up, I examine myself in the full length mirror. I look stunning—and I don't say that often. My skin is glowing, the dress hugs my curves in all the right places, and I'm grinning like a high school student on her way to prom. I slide my engagement ring down my finger, feeling like the luckiest woman in the world.

I turn to the clock and see that It's 5:42. I'm buzzing with anticipation. God, I miss Zach. I can't wait to see him. No more missions, no more distractions. It will be just me, him, and whatever the future holds.

I'm sitting at the table, my right leg moving up and down on its own accord. It's 6:15 when I check my phone to see if I missed a call from Zach when I realize my phone died. Great. I forgot to charge it. I find my charger and plug it in, waiting for it to turn on.

Zach is thirty minutes late. I look out the driveway to see if he's hiding somewhere. It's unlikely, I know, but Zach has never even been ten minutes late, so I'm really starting to worry...

6:43. I'm pacing the kitchen, trying to consider different scenarios as to why he might be late. He could be buying you something. Chocolates, maybe? Maybe his debrief finished later than he expected. Or maybe he got caught up in traffic? But he would have called her if either of those things happened. No, idiot. You're reading too much into it—his phone could have died as easily as yours did.

I mumble through more scenarios when my eyes dart to the clock again. 7:09. I groan and rub my hand down my face. Make up be dammed. "Screw it." I say before I my phone up to call Bex. It rings as I continue pacing. I'm surprised the floor doesn't have a dent or something.

The moment Bex picks up, I stop in my place and get right to it. "Hi, Bex. Sorry to disturb you, but do you happen to know where Zach is?"

She's silent for a moment, processing my words. "Uh... no, Cammie. I'm sorry. Is something wrong?" She sounded confused. I don't blame her.

Tears of frustration prick my eyes and I take a deep breath. "I don't know. I just... you remember that Zach and I were supposed to have dinner tonight, right? After his debrief?"

"Of course. We talked about it this morning."

"Anyway, he was going to pick me up at six, but now..." I trail off.

"It's past seven." Bex finishes.

"Yeah." I croak, trying to blink the tears away.

"I'm guessing he hasn't called either?" She questions, but she doesn't really need my answer.

If it weren't Zach I had a date with, I wouldn't be panicking as much as I would now. But my date is with Zach, and Bex knows as well as I do that this is unlike him. He calls whenever he suspects he'll be late—if he can't reach you, he'll find a way to relay the message, especially since he's surrounded with fellow paranoid agents. And even then the latest he's been was eight minutes.

"Okay, Cammie, listen, I'll call Grant, and you can call your parents. If they don't know where Zach is, we'll try calling other people, yeah?"

I nod even if she can't see me, thankful that at least one of us is thinking straight. "Yes, okay. Thank you, Bex."

"Hey, don't mention it." She says softly before she hangs up.

I wipe my eyes, refusing to cry. I look outside once more—

Ring, ring

I freeze.

Ring, ring

It's coming from—

The house phone.

I race across the kitchen to the hall where the phone is planted on the wall. I pick the phone up, and that's when my world starts falling apart.

"Hello, is this Cameron Morgan?" An unfamiliar voice inquires.

My breath catches in my throat. I suddenly feel the urge to scream.

"This is she." I say weakly.

"I'm calling from Virginia Hospital Center. I'm calling for one Mr. Zachary Goode."

I squeeze my eyes shut and lean my head against the wall. No, no, no, no, I repeat in my head.

"Do you know who he is?" The voice asks after I don't respond.

"Yes." My voice cracks. "He's my fiancé."

The line falls silent for a moment.

"Ma'am, I'm sorry to say your fiancé's been in an accident: A side collision which resulted in a rollover. You were listed as the emergency contact, but we were unable to reach you."

"My phone died." I whisper dumbly, soft enough that it would have been almost impossible to hear.

"Our head surgeon seemed to recognize your fiancé..." Jacob. "He gave us this number to try after hearing that you weren't contacted yet." The voice finishes.

"Is he going to be okay?" I finally ask, my throat burning from the effort of trying to keep dowin a sob.

The voice is silent a second time. "Ma'am, I think it's best if you come to the hospital first. All I can say—and frankly, all I know is that Mr. Goode is in critical condition, and is in surgery as we speak."

Please let me wake up and realize that this was all a bad dream. "Thank you." I manage. "I'll get their as soon as I can."

Once I get through the initial shock, I change into jeans and a shirt, then jump in my car. I can't get there fast enough, but with how fast I'm driving, I might be pulled over before I reach the hospital, so clenching my jaw, I slow down just a bit.

Accident. Surgery. Critical condition.

These words float through my mind. Oh, God. I'm going to be sick. What if—No. Don't go there. I shake my head as if this would help clear my mind of these thoughts.

I grip the steering wheel tighter with both hands until my knuckles turn white. Suddenly, I come to a red light. "Come on, come on." I mutter while my fingers drum on the steering wheel. My gaze finds the ring on my left finger and my mind goes to December, the night Zach had asked me to marry him.

We were in Venice because of a mission we both were assigned to.

We had completed it, but decided to stay for the rest the month. Because of our line of work, we get to travel a lot. However, we never actually get to explore until now.

One night, we were strolling down Piazza San Marco hand in hand. It was the perfect evening: Many people were in the square, but it wasn't overwhelming crowded. The moon was shining with the just the right amount of snow falling. It was beautiful. Especially since I was spending it with the love of my life. I turned to look at Zach. He smiled at me and his eyes traveled down to my lips. His free hand goes to cup my cheek and I leaned into his touch. Then he kissed me. I closed my eyes and lost myself in the feel of his mouth on mine. I thought, I will never never get used to feeling like this. His mouth was hard, but his kiss was soft and tender.

He pulled away too soon, but he didn't let go of me. His eyes roamed every inch of my face. He had a way of looking at you as if you were the only one in the world. His lips twitched upward in a smile and I couldn't help myself, I smiled back and asked, "What?"

"You are so beautiful." He whispered with so much conviction and sincerity that my eyes began to blur. He leaned in to kiss my forehead, then he let go of me with both hands and took a few steps backward.

"What..." I tried to say until he knelt on one knee and took something from his back pocket: a small box. He opened it and inside was a ring with a gemstone at the center that I didn't immediately recognize, but was sure wasn't a diamond.

I gasped, my heart fluttering. Now I really couldn't see anything with the tears that welled in my eyes.

His gaze met mine, and in Zach's beautiful green eyes, I saw complete and utter love and adoration.

"Cameron Morgan," He began, his beaming face making him look rather boyish. "You make me the happiest man in the world. I may be fluent in eight languages, but there are no words to describe the love I feel for you. Every second I spend with you, I fall deeper in love."

"I love how you sing with all your heart when we're in the car listening to the radio, I love how you dance without a care in the world. And the fact that when you laugh, you don't hold back—I especially love it when I'm the one who makes you laugh. I love it when you're passionate about something and you use these wild hand gestures... God... even when you hog the blanket at night..."

I snickered. My heart was melting and it was all I could do to keep from bursting into tears.

His voice was hoarse. "I know without a doubt that my life will never be complete without you by my side to share it. I want the big and little moments with you. I can't imagine growing old with someone else, and I don't want to. I want you... I want us together, forever and always. You deserve someone who will back you up without limits, let you grow without borders, and love you without end..."

His eyes glistened, "Will you let me be the one?"

Tears are streaming down my face. Before I could think much of it, I flung myself at him and wrapped my arms around his neck.

The force would have toppled us over, but he managed to keep us upright.

I buried my face in the cook of his neck and tightened my grip on him. I couldn't get close enough—the warmth of his body a comfort against the winter cold. I wanted to say so much, but I couldn't. I didn't know any words. I didn't know anything but him.

Zach rested his chin on my head and embraced me with just as much fervour. We held on to each other for... who knows how long? A minute? An hour? All I knew was that time seemed to stop whenever I was with him.

God, I love this man.

I could feel his chest vibrate as he chuckled, "I would give anything to hear a yes right now."

I gave a short laugh before saying, "Yes! Yes! Yes!" He pulled back slightly, a grin on his face. "Yes?"

"Yes! A hundred times over!" I practically shouted.

I've never seen him as happy as he did than at that moment. Still locked in his embrace, he lifted me off the ground and spun us around. We're both smiling and laughing.

The second I have my feet back on the ground, he crashes his mouth on mine. He kisses me fiercely, pulling my body firmly against his. I'm dizzy, but I can't tell if it's from the spinning or the kiss—or both

At some point, we pulled apart for air, both of us trying to catch our breath. Zach was the first to recover as he smirked and removed the ring out of its little box. He took my left hand and brought it lightly to his lips before sliding the ring down my finger.

It fit perfectly. I studied the ring in awe. It really was beautiful. Now that I could see it up close, I realized that the gemstone sitting at the center of the ring was a sapphire, and that the rest of the band was covered by many small stones. The stones were twinkling, reflecting the moon's light.

"It's beautiful." I whispered, still staring at the ring.

He placed his hands on either side of my face as he said, "Yes, it is—but not half as beautiful as you."

This man.

My smile could have split my face. Sniffling slightly and looked into his eyes. "I love you, my Blackthorne Boy."

"I love you, too, Gallagher Girl..." He kissed the tears on my face. "More than anything. You'll always have me." He held me tightly against his chest. I breathed in deeply, placing my head right next to his heart. I revelled in the peace that always washed over me whenever I was in his arms. No one, I thought, makes me feel remotely as important or as loved as Zach does.

I didn't notice at first, but a crowd had gathered. Maybe not everyone understood English. But they knew that Zach and I were two people in love. As corny or cliché as that sounded, it was true. People were whooping and clapping—cheering us on. Some were even tearing up.

Zach appeared to have noticed the attention we were attracting at the same time I did because he smirked at me before facing the crowd, raising our joined hands and shouting, "I'm the luckiest man in the world!"

They went crazy. The cheering went twice as loud, and I laughed, shaking my head. He kissed me again, and in that moment I knew I was right where I needed to be. This really was the best night of my—

A car horn blaring brings me back to the present. I return to my senses and look up. Shit. How long had the light been green? The car behind me drives around mine. The driver rolls his window down and flips me off. I ignore him and quickly brush the tear that fell remembering that night in Venice. I take in a shaky breath, trying to pull myself together.

Zach needs me. Now is not the time to fall apart. I repeat this in my head as I drive the rest of the way to the hospital.

Heading for the front desk, I fight the urge to run away. Asking about Zach would only confirm the truth: that he was hurt... badly, and there was nothing I could do about it.

I bite my lip, walking to the receptionist. She offers a friendly smile. "Hi, how can I help you?"

"Uh, yes. Um... hi, I'm Cameron Morgan. There's a patient here... Zachary Goode. I'm here to see him—well, I can't actually see him because he's still in surgery, but I'm here..." I clear my throat. "I'm his fiancée..."

The receptionist nods, checking her computer. She either wasn't bothered by my babbling or just chose to ignore it. "Okay. Your fiancé, Zachary Goode was admitted at 6:03 this evening after a 9-1–1 call was made regarding a hit and run. Only the head surgeon will be able to inform you of his injuries, so we'll have to wait for now. " She sends me a sympathetic smile, and holds out a clipboard along with a pen. "For now, do you think you could fill out these forms?"

"Yes. Thank you." I take the clipboard and pen, noticing that my hands were shaking, and sink to the closest chair. The words on the paper blur at first, but I manage to fill out the forms without trouble and return it to the nurse.

Once I sit back down, I take my phone out when I realized I'd have to tell my aunt and Townsend about Zach. At the last second, however, I call my mom.

"Cammie! What a surprise. How are you, sweetheart?"

Her voice nearly made me let out a sob, but I control myself. "Mom, the hospital called about Zach."

She stops talking at once, and I hear her intake of breath. "What happened?"

"Zach's been in a hit and run. He's in surgery right now, and I..." I stop, running a hand through my hair. "I don't know what to do..." Looking up at the ceiling, I try to stop the tears from falling.

"Just hang in there, Cammie. Zach will be fine. He's one of the strongest people I know—or depending on how you look at it, the most stubborn." My lips twitch at my mom's attempt to lighten the mood.

She pauses. "I'll call Abby and Edward. We'll be there as soon was we can."

"Okay." I whisper, feeling like a coward that I can't seem to call them myself.

"Just hang in there, Cammie." Mom repeats. "I'll see you later. I love you."

"I love you." I say back before I hang up.

When my parents finally walk in the waiting room with Abby, Townsend, I wasn't really surprised to find Bex with them too. They look about as lost as I feel. I hurry forward, wrapping my arms around each of them. Mom enfolds me in a comforting hug, pulling me against her tighter than she had since she told me I would never see my father again. I want to cry. But I don't. There is however, an ache in my throat and the unmistakable burn behind my eyes.

When I let go of Mom, Bex appears in front of me, and grips both my hands. "Hey," She searches my face as sympathy fills her face. "How are you feeling?"

I flash her a smile, although it feels forced. "I've been better."

Bex gives a small nod and smiles back, but just like mine, it doesn't quite reach her eyes. She squeezes my hands once before letting go.

"Any updates on Zach? Any word at all?" Townsend asks. His blue eyes shine with concern over his son. When Zach first found out Edward Townsend was his father, he was less than happy. He hardly talked, much less looked at Townsend for several months. But I knew behind his animosity and indifference was the hurt little boy who felt abandoned by his own father. Townsend, however, was determined to form a relationship with his son. He was the first who engaged in conversation, asked Zach about his day, invited him for a drink or a jog. Through the years, their relationship had improved immensely. Now, during family reunions, they're usually found in corners talking quietly, telling jokes only they understood. Neither of them were the touchy-feely type, but it was clear that the two loved and respected each other.

I shake my head. "Not yet. But soon, I think." Looking at them, I feel instantly comforted by their presence. I know they're here for Zach as much as they are for me. Our family isn't perfect by any means, but I wouldn't change it for the world.

"Thank you for being here... I, uh, really appreciate it—it means a lot..." I don't finish because of the emotion that clogs my throat, but I hope they understood what I was trying to say.

Based on all their somber looks and tearful smiles, they understand completely. Aunt Abby gives me another hug, "We'll always be here for you, Squirt."

We sit in the waiting room for... God knows how long, sometimes making small talk or not talking at all. More than once my mom insisted I sleep, but I brush her concern off. I can't sleep, because the moment I close my eyes, I see images of Zach bleeding, broken, and bruised.

I pace across the room, buzzing with nervous energy, but stop immediately when I hear Bex say, "Jacob."

I turn and see the familiar man in surgical scrubs enter the room. Jacob's golden hair is slightly mussed, but in a way that suits him perfectly, and his broad shoulders are slightly slumped in fatigue. His silvery blue eyes don't give away anything.

"Hey, babe." He fondly greets his girlfriend before looking at the rest of us in the room. "It's always nice to see you all, but I can't say this was how I pictured our next meeting would go..." He trails off and meets my gaze with a sad smile

Mom chuckles quietly. "No, I imagine not."

He nods once, then clears his throat before speaking with practiced professionalism.

"Zach was unconscious when he came in. The crash impact tore brain tissue and left significant damage to the left frontal and temporal bone. Because of a few broken ribs, his lungs were punctured and his spleen was injured which led to internal bleeding. He experienced respiratory failure, so right now he's on a ventilator. His spinal cord sustained damage, but nothing too alarming."

Oh my God. I look at the others to see horrified pale faces.

"Besides that, his shoulder is fractured, and his hip has some swelling and bruising."

"So Zach will be okay? He's alive?" Jacob turns to Abby who was in her husband's arms.

"Yes," A pause. "But we had to put him in a medically induced coma."

My heart skips a beat, and I hear Bex's sharp gasp. A coma. Zach not functioning isn't something I can process. He was always moving, so lively.

"How long?" I rasp the words, completely floored.

"For now, we're giving his brain time to rest and heal. We will gradually withdraw the barbiturates while monitoring his brain activity. If there are major improvements, we'll bring him out of the coma."

A numb void consumes me as if my brain also wants to rest. I know Zach will be okay. I believe he'll be okay. But it's as if there's a devil on my shoulder whispering doubts. What if his injuries are too severe? What if something goes horribly wrong. As each thought crosses my mind, my head becomes messier than it already is. He's the only person in the world who really knows me, who I trust. And I need him! He knows that. I close my eyes. Yes, he knows that, and he promised I'd always have him, that he'd never leave me, and Zach would never break a promise.

With that final thought, I finally take a deep breath. I close my eyes, but the second I do, an image of Zach in a sterile white hospital bed makes its way into my mind: unmoving and unresponsive.

It was three days later that Zach was finally pulled out of his coma. During that time, I didn't once leave the hospital. I just couldn't. Bex decided she was in charge of cleaning me up and feeding me. Jacob informed us that when he's awake, we can see him in pairs. The others insisted I see him first, and I was grateful. I'm led to the ICU with the halls and doors passing in a blur. The way wasn't complicated in any regard, but it felt like I was walking through an endless maze: No beginning and no end. Between my racing thoughts and my sleep deprived body, I have no clue if a thousand years has passed or no time at all.

As I walk in Zach's room, I immediately note the eery silence except for the steady beeping of the machines. The room looks organized, and I can't help but wonder how many patients have been in Zach's place, how many spouses or family members have been in my place. I wonder, not for the first time, how the doctors and nurses deal with the emotions of patients and their loved ones...with death? Maybe they're overwhelmed at first, and after a few years, are used to it. Maybe after a while they categorize patients as numbers and figures to avoid the emotional stress. But then again, I doubt anyone gets used to losing people no matter how many times you witness it firsthand. I know I'm not.

When the man in the bed comes to view, my heart shatters a bit more.

Half his head is wrapped in bandages. Jacob said he no longer needed a ventilator so instead of a breathing tube, now he only needs a nasal cannula to deliver him oxygen. His eyebrow has a strip of bandage where I can see a bit of blood. His right shoulder is in a sling while IVs and heart monitors led various hoses into him. The part of the face I could see was fairly bruised, but I could tell it was still my Zach.

When our eyes meet, the faintest grin ghosts across his mouth. "Do I make bandages look sexy?"

I nod vigorously, my hand moving to cover my mouth as a half sob, half laugh escapes me.

"Very." My voice is nothing short of a whisper. I move closer and sit on a chair beside the bed. I touch his fingers slowly, careful not to disturb the gadgets connected to the back of his hand. Zach on the other hand could care less about them as he laces our fingers together and brings my hand to his lips, placing a gentle and small kiss that speaks volumes.

My free hand goes to touch the side of his face. "I missed you, Gallagher Girl." He breathes out. His eyes close as I lean in to kiss his forehead, letting my lips linger. "I missed you, too."

"You scared me there for a moment." I try to joke, and pull back to study his face. Apparently, it was a bad joke because he looks devastated. I could tell an apology was at the tip of his tongue, so I say, "Don't. You have nothing to apologize for. I'm just glad you're okay." On the last word, my composure cracks and a few tears slip out despite my best efforts to hold them back.

His eyes are glassy as he gazes at me. He doesn't say anything, but I can see it in his guilt ridden face and feel it in the squeeze of his hand.

Oh, Cammie. Don't cry.

My fiancé is the most selfless man I know. He was the one who's been in an accident, and yet he's worried about me. If it were up to him, I know he'd take my pain in a heartbeat. He's always hated the sight of my tears. I know it hurts him whenever I feel sad, and I know it pains him even more that I'm crying for or because of him.

So for Zach's sake, I glance away and whisk away the tears that won't stop falling.

"Everything will be okay." He comforts me.

"Look at me." I shake my head, embarrassed he saw me in one of my weakest moments.

"Cammie, look at me." He orders gently. I still won't look at him so he holds my chin and turns it gently to face him. "Like you said: I'm okay. And I'll get better, baby. We'll be okay. I promise." He makes sure I can't turn from his gaze and I finally nod.

"We'll be okay." I repeat, willing myself to believe it with everything that I am.

"Yes we will. We'll get married in the fall like we talked about..." He nods enthusiastically, smiling and I smile right with him. "We'll have our honeymoon in Bora Bora and we'll have sex on the beach—and I'm not just talking about the drink." He winks suggestively, and my cheeks flush.

"Zach," I scold him, laughing.

"Oh, you know you want to." He wiggles his eyebrows.

I roll my eyes, cheeks still burning. He's grinning, and I've decided it's my favorite sight. I look into his eyes that were every shade of green forests were in the summer. His eyes show a soul that remained ageless, and to me, so was he.

He's looking at me expectantly, and I know he wants me to continue listing our plans for the future. So I do. "We'll get a simple house on the hillside where our kids will have all the space they want to play." I'm beaming just thinking about it.

"Oh," Zach adds, "And if we have girls, I'm gonna have to buy a shotgun."

"For what?"

He blinks, then proceeds to speak with exaggerated slowness as if he's talking to a five year old. "If they're even half as beautiful as their mother, we're gonna have a problem." I chuckle, but then roar in laughter when I see his solemn expression.

"I don't get why you're laughing. I'm completely serious." He raises an eyebrow.

"Oh my God, you're going to traumatize the girls." I wheeze, trying to catch my breath.

His lips twitch. "I'll probably go to jail—"

"Probably?" I snicker.

"—So you'll have to bail me out. Actually, no. I'm probably staying in jail for the rest of our lives, but we'll have conjugal visits. You and the kids can visit me. It's worth it, no more boys."

"Imagine if our girls meet a boy like their father!" I giggle. Teenage Zach was the bad boy every girl fawned over. He was such a cocky ass—he still is sometimes. He's every girl's father's nightmare.

"Oh God, please no." Hs eyes widen. After a moment, he says, "And if we have boys, I'll make sure they'll give their mother flowers every morning..."

My heart instantly warms.

"...And I'll tell them to beat up any boy who even glances their sisters' way." He finishes.

I snort. "At this point, they'll be locked up until they're thirty. When are you allowing them to date?"

"When they're married."

I shake my head. "Let's face it: our kids will have you wrapped around their little fingers." He lets out a full belly laugh, but after a while, his laughing turns into rough coughing. My smile fades as I remember why Zach and I are in the hospital in the first place. Why, not five minutes ago, I was so close to bursting into tears.

A nurse comes in the room while I sit completely useless. She grabs a glass of water from a side table I hadn't noticed and hands it to Zach. My vision blurs as I watch him sip from a straw. Our carefree attitude is gone, replaced by a melancholic tone. A choked noise leaves my mouth, and the nurse turns to me, delivering a friendly smile. "Why don't you get some fresh air, Miss Morgan? You've been in the hospital for three days." I study Zach. He doesn't want me to see him like this. "The others can visit your fiancé in a while." I nod and return the nurse's smile. Standing up, I exhale a small breath. Before I leave the room, I turn around and find myself meeting Zach's gaze.

"I love you." I mouth, saying so much in only three words.

"I love you, too." His voice is quiet, and yet the loudest thing I hear.

When I close the door behind me, the first thing I see is Jacob talking to two nurses with his arms crossed and a somber expression on his face. When he notices me watching him, he quickly puts his professional mask on. But it was too late. I race to the doors, through halls, letting my feet move on their own. Each and every step I take on the tiled floors echoing in the same beating of my heart. After wandering the halls aimlessly, I pass my family in the waiting room, and I could tell they were worried. In the corner of my eye, I see my mom try to get up, but Joe puts his hand on her arm and says something to her. I couldn't hear what he said, and truth be told, I don't care. I just want to get the hell out of this place. Funny how I've been in the hospital for almost four days, and it's only now I find the place suffocating. My breathing is shallow and I try my best to control the tears that threaten to fall since I saw Jacob outside Zach's room. What were they talking about? Is Zach really going to be okay? Why did Jacob look resigned?

By some miracle, I was able to find the doors that led outside this godforsaken place. The parking lot was practically deserted minus the handful of vehicles, and it was sunrise. At another time, I might've appreciated the sight, but at this moment I couldn't give two shits about it. The second I step outside, I pull in a pained breath and swallow. My chest aches and I rub it as if it would help make the sorrow go away. Clenching my eyes shut, I circle my hands around my head and scream. My legs collapse beneath me, and my entire weight goes crashing to the ground.

Only I don't.

Arms wrap around me from behind. My body is held tightly against a chest. I glance up to see my stepfather's kind eyes. And that's when I broke. All of my frustration, my worry, and everything else I'd kept to myself, came out in a flood. The tears I'd fought all day, no, the tears I'd fought since Zach had his mission, overflow and streak paths down my face. I bury my face in his chest, my hands gripping the front of his shirt. He soothes my hair away from my face and shushes me in comfort. "Let it out." He murmurs into my hair. He kisses my temple. I open my eyes and look up at his. "Joe…"

I sob against my stepfather until there are no more tears to be had, not over Zach, the future, or even for me. I cry myself clean.

Then I stop.

The water is freezing, but I welcome its distraction even if it is fleeting. I cup my hands under the stream of the faucet and splash my face with water.

Apparently, I was so exhausted that I ended up crying myself to sleep. Or at least that's what Joe said. All I remember was breaking down, then waking up hours later, lying across chairs in the waiting room with my head throbbing and throat hurting. He also said that while I was out, the others went to see Zach, but the visit was cut short when he developed a headache. When I woke up, I immediately went to the bathroom to make myself, at the very least, bear resemblance to an alive human being.

Staring at my reflection, I see that I'm anything but. My hair resembles a bird's nest, my eyes look hollow, and are puffy and red. My lips are chapped and my mouth looks forever destined to form a frown. I appear to have aged ten years in just three days. I certainly feel like it.

As I spend several minutes in the bathroom to freshen up, an idea stars to form in my mind. For the past three days, my mind has been working nonstop, and I don't know why this was the first time the thought crossed my mind. Zach will almost certainly fight me against it, but I know I can convince him.

Both Zach and Jacob startle as I knock on the wall. They were talking in hushed tones even before I came in, stopping at once at the sound of my knock. I dart my gaze between the two of them. "What were you talking about?" I ask, keeping my voice light.

"Nothing." Zach answers quickly. His expression is unreadable.

I stay standing in the doorway with the two of us staring at each other. I know what happened earlier was on both our minds. It could have been just me, but I swear he looked paler since I last saw him.

"Well," Jacob clears his throat. "I'll leave you to it." He moves to leave the room, giving me a small smile when our eyes meet. I guess I was just paranoid when I saw him in the hall hours earlier because he never said or did anything to suggest something was wrong.

"Hi." I say once it's just me and Zach in the room.

He offers me his hand, flashing me a warm smile. "Hey," I sit on a chair. "Joe said you finally got to sleep. How do you feel?"

I realize then that no one, not even Joe, told Zach about my breakdown. He doesn't know, and I'd like too keep it that way.

"Amazing. Felt like I slept years." I answer cheerfully, taking his hand.

"You okay?" He examines my face. Of course, even if no one said anything, he'll at least suspect something's wrong.

"Of course." He doesn't look convinced. I cup both his cheeks. "Zach, I'm okay. Don't worry about me, baby."

A minute passes before he nods, satisfied and places one hand over mine. "I missed you again today." His tone is teasing while all the while being completely sincere.

"Me too." And before I lose the courage, I blurt out what's been nagging at me for the past hour. "What if we got married today? Like right now?"

The tips of his mouth turn down when he registers what I'm saying. "What?"

"Well, there's no time like the present..."

"Cammie—"

"Wait, no, Zach. Hear me out—"

"You've always wanted a big wedding. Don't let what happened to me ruin that. Besides, this is hardly the right circumstance."

Zach was right, of course. For the longest time, I did want a big wedding. When I was a little girl, I'd always imagined what my wedding would be like. I would wear a white dress, my dad would fuss over his tie, and my mom would reply that yes, it was straight, with that little roll of her eyes. She would be beaming because she was so happy for me, and I'd have my best friends who would be help me get ready to walk down the aisle. My bouquet would be sunflowers and roses, my hair would be up, and I would look at my husband-to-be through a white veil that would only be lifted once we were pronounced man and wife.

That was what I wanted, yes, but that young girl who dreamt of a grand wedding had fallen in love with the idea of romance, but was yet to experience love itself. Now that I've fallen in love with an amazing and extraordinary man, I can honestly say that non of that matters if I didn't have Zach.

"This isn't about circumstances." I reply, voice thickening with emotion. "It's about us. "What happened to you only made me realize that life is too short. Memories don't come from the things in our wedding, but the experience of being together. We both want to spend the rest of our lives together, to grow old together. Through the good and bad times we'll love each other forever and always. Well, forever can start now, in this moment. And honestly, four months is too far away. This bride may not wear a white dress, holding a bouquet, but no woman would ever be as lucky as I will be when you declare me as your wife."

Zach's eyes are misty as he takes in what I said. He's silent as he studies me. After a while, he licks his lips, then swallows. "Cammie, are you sure you want this?"

I nod and a tear falls. "I've never been more sure about anything in my life."

We told our family what we wanted to do. Like Zach, they were hesitant at first, wanting me to fulfill my dream wedding, but they understood that in the end, it's about the two of us and our love for each other. And even if they didn't approve, we would have done it anyway, but it was nice to have their support. We asked the nurses to call a chaplain, and since we didn't have rings, the couple in the room across us volunteered to let us borrow theirs when they heard about our impromptu wedding. While I was talking to them, Zach and Jacob were discussing something, although it looked more like they were arguing. If they were arguing, it seemed like Zach won. I had no idea what it was about, and even Bex looked confused. I asked Zach about it, but he waved me off saying they were talking about how long he's staying in the hospital. I wasn't entirely convinced, but I could tell he didn't want to talk about it, so I left it at that.

My wedding would never play out like that dream from when I was a child, I knew that. But with less than three hours until Zach and I will begin our next chapter together, I couldn't find myself to care

"Welcome, friends and family, we are here this morning to celebrate the union of Cameron and Zachary..."

Looking intently into my groom's eyes, I barely hear the chaplain's words, barely register that a roomful of people is listening. It's not until I hear the word "vows" that I remember I have to speak. I had insisted on going first, but the words I've rehearsed all morning are nowhere to be found in my mind.

"I swear I had my vows memorized earlier..." I let out a self-conscious laugh, but Zach is looking at me as if every word that comes out of my mouth is pure gold. I inhale deeply before saying, "I, Cameron Morgan, take you Zachary Goode to be my husband. I promise that with every breath I take, I will express my love for you. To wake up in your arms every morning is to wake up as the luckiest woman in the world. Today you will be my husband, but from the moment I first saw you, you were, are, and always will be my love, my life. I know however long we are in this world, there will be times that we will frustrate and disappoint each other..." I smile and try to blink the tears away, "But it's in these moments that I will love you more. In sickness and in health, you will be the one who gives me life. Whether we're rich or poor, having you means I have everything." I manage to continue despite the stone lodged in my throat. "And just as our favorite song says, 'If you're lost you can look and you will find me; time after time. If you fall, I will catch you, I'll be waiting; time after time.'"

Behind me, I hear sniffling and light applause from our small audience. When I started my vows, Zach's eyes were red rimmed. Now tears are flowing freely down his cheeks. He squeezes my hand and lets go long enough to wipe his face. With a kind smile, the chaplain says a few words before encouraging Zach to share his vows. "It can't get better than that." He grins shyly, then coughs.

"With everything I've seen, everything I've been through, I thought nothing would surprise me anymore, but I was wrong. I would say that at that moment I met you, I met the girl of my dreams, but that's a lie because even my wildest dreams don't compare to the reality of you. The best thing l'ver ever done was fall in love with you." His breathing becomes labored, but I can't tell if it's from emotion or something else.

"Zach?" My voice trembles with fear.

"All the time in the world is not nearly enough time to spend with you. As as we grow old, even as I forget my own name, my heart will never forget my love for you..."

Beep. Beep.

Beep... Beep...

Beep...

"What..?"

As I to turn to find the noise, Zach's hand tightens around mine, keeping me from looking at anything, but him. When he continues, his voice is low and his jaw clenched as if in pain. "Even when I'm no longer here to say it, always remember that I will always love you."

At the last word, his whole body stiffens and his mouth opens in a short, harsh gasp. His green eyes roll back in his head as I hear one long continuous beeping.

Bodies move in from around me as someone pulls me back, knocking my chair to the ground.

No. No, this can't be happening.

"Zach?!" I sob.

I try to rush to him, but the damn arms around me don't budge. "Let me go!" I kick and squirm, but it's no use. "Cammie..." It's Joe, emotion clogging his voice.

"Please just let me go!"

I try to get a glimpse of Zach, but it's impossible with the tears in my eyes and Jacob and the other nurses surrounding him.

"Clear!" That's last thing I hear before I'm dragged out of the room.

"No, get off me!" I cry. Everything hurts and my voice is hoarse. There's nothing else. Nothing can hurt more than this.

As I'm being pulled farther away from the room, from Zach, I continue to fight against Joe's strong grip. But nstead of breaking free of his arms, my squirming only manages to bring us both to the ground.

I hear my aunt's cry. A quick glance shows her burying her face against Townsend's shoulder with their arms wrapped tightly around each other, both of them holding the other up.

"Zach!" I only manage to get his name out until another sob seizes me. I stab my fingernails into my palms, hoping the slight physical pain would distract me enough to control my raging emotional anguish. It doesn't.

I stay on the ground with my stepfather for what feels like hours until my wails chime louder than the sound of the flatlining machines.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Don't kill me! *hides behind a couch. If you got this far, then know it means a lot. This is my second attempt at a fic, (the first will never be mentioned again) so I guess I'm kinda proud... well minus the fact that I just killed one of my book boyfriends, but semantics. I don't know sh*t about medical stuff, so forgive me. If you don't know what song this story is based on, it's called "Forever and Always". I've always liked the song, in fact, I got teary eyed listening to it for the first time. Feel free to tell me what you think of the fic, positive or negative. Although, I'm hoping for the former. Anyway, thank you again and cheers!