A/N: Wow, I'm really touched by the number of reviews I got for the previous chappie. They really mean a lot to me and I would like to thank my reviewers.

Thanks you…brezzybrez, HeartlessDevil, silent-lucidity, Sugar911, Phoenix from the Flames-2, krazypirategurl, AnimeGirl329, star saphire, Blackdranzergurl, Kairi-Hiwatari13, RoseofSharon28, Ms. Hiwatari, anime-imagination, Myst Taylor, Dradow19, chibi Setsuna-chan, Moonlight Kitten, lil'angelgrl and Para para sakura.

By the way, this is the second last chapter. Hope you'll enjoy it!

Chapter 18

Car parked near the entrance, Kai got out of it, locked it and hurried up the stairs to the main doors of the hospital, hoping everything was fine. He narrowly dodged a patient on clutches as he hurried into the lobby. There he found Mrs. Summers at the reception, filling in some forms.

"Mrs. Summers, what's going on?" he asked, worry evident in his voice. "Mr. Summers called and he said he needed me here."

"He does, Kai." Ivy said and she nodded her head at the hallway that led to the patient rooms.

To his surprise, Jade was being pushed down the hallway in a wheelchair by her father. Her entire face brightened when she saw him.

"Kai, what are you doing here?" she asked.

"I called him, honey." Phillip explained. "I thought he might want to be here. Kai, you wanna take her home in that pumpkin of yours?"

"Dad!" Jade admonished.

"Okay. I'll take her home but…what's going on?" Kai asked, very confused now.

"I get to go home, Kai." Jade said, beaming up at him. "Please thank your grandfather for me."

"Okay…again I'm lost." the teen said. "My grandfather?"

Phillip patted Kai's shoulder and nodded. "Yes, your grandfather. Didn't he tell you? Voltaire offered to pay for Jade's private home care and he told me that you gave him the number of a lung disease doctor. He called in that doctor and lifted all the expense. I can't thank him enough. Honestly, Kai, I had no idea your grandfather was a good man."

Kai turned his eyes to where Ivy pushing Jade to the main sliding doors with a thoughtful glint within them. "Neither did I."

"Why did you do it?"

Voltaire glanced up from his scatter of papers and grunted when he saw his grandson standing at the door to the study room with his hands in his pocket. The expression on Kai's face told him he must have found out about the arrangements that went down behind his back. Without being asked to, Kai stepped into the room and closed the door behind him.

"If you're expecting some sort of interest from her family, you will be very disappointed." Kai informed him, taking up a leaning position against the wall and crossed his arms in front of him.

Voltaire snorted in reply, folding several papers over each other before sliding them into an envelope. "Life isn't always about money, boy."

"Isn't it? I guess you taught me wrong then." the slate-haired teen said sarcastically.

"What about you, Kai? What is your reason for helping that girl?" Voltaire asked. He laid down his pen and folded his hands in front of him.

Kai narrowed his eyes into suspicious slits. "Somehow I don't see how that's any of your business, grandfather. Now answer my question. Why? Why did you offer to pay for her expenses?"

"Because it's obvious that girl means something to you, Kai." the old man finally sighed. "And even I can't change that, no matter how much I try. I won't make the same mistake I committed with your father."

My father? Kai lifted his head to look at his only living relative curiously. Voltaire has never spoken of his son unless it was to remind Kai how weak the man was to perish for the woman he had loved.

The older Hiwatari opened a drawer and pulled out a framed picture from it, setting it on the desk with a loving tenderness Kai has never seen him expose before. He ran a finger over it, over the distinguishable face of Dimitri Hiwatari so similar to that of Kai. Then he traced the features of the young woman standing next to Dimitri with a baby in her arms. "I always thought your father was a fool to fall in love with your mother. But I certainly did not expect that sentimental fool to give his life up for her. If only I knew just how much he loved her, I won't have lost a son."

Was this man sitting before him his grandfather? Was he admitting he has a human heart and soul? Was he saying he regretted his actions had caused him to loose a son?

"I know that look on your face." Voltaire remarked wearily. "You may not believe me but I hope what I have done to help Jade is enough to make amends for the past, Kai."

Crimson eyes closed and after a soft sigh, opened. Kai pushed off from his stance against the wall and rested a hand on the doorknob to open it. For a second he paused at the door and glanced back over his shoulder. "No, it's not enough,"

Voltaire nodded, accepting his grandson's words bravely. He knew he deserved them since he had at first refused to lend a hand. Why should Kai give him the benefit of the doubt? He certainly hasn't earned it.

Kai's next few words however surprised him and oddly yet, filled him with a strange sense of hope and accomplishment.

"But it is a start."

"I can't see anything."

"That's what the blindfold is for, Jade."

"Can I take it off now, Kai?"

"No."

A half-frustrated, half confused sigh escaped Jade's lips as she allowed herself to be lead blindly through the hallways of an unseen maze. Her only guide was Kai and she held onto his hand for dear life. God knows where he was taking her….

She had spent the last several slow-moving dull days cooped up in her house since she wasn't allowed to go out alone and since all her friends and her boyfriend were at school. As much as she hated to admit it, she missed school but the thought that she'll not live long enough to graduate from it was painstakingly saddening and she could not bring herself to go back there even for a visit.

But in the afternoons, Tyson, Hilary and the rest would drop by to see how she was doing and to keep her company for the rest of the day until evening. From them she heard how things were doing at school and was happy to hear that Tala and Tanya finally hooked up officially.

Everyone missed her, Mariam reported on one visit in the middle of the week. And they wished her all the best and get well soon.

Tyson once even brought his math homework over and asked her to teach him quadratic equations. Hilary was appalled by him, mentioning many times how inconsiderate he was to ask Jade who was ill to help him do his homework. Jade had offered that it wasn't any trouble at all but Hilary had insisted on tutoring Tyson herself. Tyson's desperate wails could be heard for miles as Hilary tried to drill numbers into his head while Jade could only watch on in pity. Yeah, that was basically how her week at home was spent.

Then came Saturday. Kai had appeared at her doorstep with his red Porsche in the background and asked her to go out with him for a drive. She had been delighted of course. Who wouldn't be after spending a few days in the hospital and a whole week at home? He drove back to his mansion then, claiming he forgotten something. But after she got out of the car, he had slipped a red blindfold across her eyes and tied it behind her head hence obscuring her sight. Thus leading to the predicament she was in now.

He was still leading her and she had long lost track of the directions her feet seem to be going. Right now she was beginning to think there wasn't going to be an ending to this game of follow-the-leader. The sensation of walking around blindly was frightening and unnerving but the feel of his strong grasp on her frail hand was all she needed to calm herself.

She trusted him.

The sound of a door opening reached her ear and she wondered, not for the first time, where was he taking her. She felt her foot stumble a little as the ground beneath her suddenly dropped into a step. The rays of the sun were warm against her cheeks. Her nostrils flared at the scent of fresh morning dew and the sweet smell of nature mixed with a health dose of sunshine.

Are we in the garden?

As far as she could remember, she has never been into the garden behind the mansion. She has no idea how big it was or what it looked like for that matter. So getting lost in it wouldn't be a very good idea at all.

Okay, no problem there. I'll just stick with Kai and hope that he grew up memorizing his way around this garden. "Are we there yet?" she blunted out with a low hint of anxiety in her voice

"Almost." he assured her. She could imagine him turning his head to look at her and there'll be an amused smirk at his lips. Too predictable. Guess some things just don't change no matter how much one tries.

"Kai, this is really a bad time to be telling you this but I have a childhood phobia of walking around aimlessly with a blindfold. I really don't think—"

Without warning whatsoever, he came to an abrupt stop and she nearly ran into him. His hand came up to steady her as he whispered to her ear. "We're here."

"Here? Where's here?" she asked skeptically.

"Listen." he told her.

She frowned, waiting for her super hearing to kick in. When it didn't, she settled for her normal hearing and listened earnestly. Soon the merry sound of birds chirping reached her along with something else she never thought she would hear here. Then she thought she was hearing things. Because, she just heard…

There it was again, the loud snort followed by a neigh of a four-legged creature.

"Kai, I thought I just heard a horse."

The red cloth fell from her eyes, exposing the beautiful scenery before her eyes. She blinked repeatedly trying to adjust to the sudden bright sunlight and to make sure she wasn't hallucinating. Was hallucination a part of tuberculosis?

She was standing in the back garden as she guessed but the unusual unexpected sight was Tala standing there with the reins of two horses in his hands against a row of white fences with a low swing gate that led to an wide empty meadow. One of the horses was creamy brown with a splash of white on its forehead. It flicked its white-colored tail as its partner and mate, a pure black stallion, tossed its head and shook it from side to side. It snorted impatiently.

"Kai…what…?" she said breathlessly before the next few words were caught in her throat.

"See? I told you she would be speechless." Tala observed.

Kai ignored his friend for his eyes were only on his girlfriend and the surprised delighted look on her face. Her cheeks were flushed as she gapped at the horses. Her happiness shone on her face, erasing any trace of telltale signs of her sickness. In his opinion, the sun was pale in comparison to the smile she wore now. It was a reward sufficient for him.

"The mare is yours." he told her. "Its previous owner told me that its name's Duststar but you can rename it if you want."

"No…" she said softly, still staring as though mesmerized by the creatures. She reached out and gently laid a hand across the white forehead of the brown mare. Its warm coffee eyes met hers and it responded by nudging its head into her hand. Stroking and patting it affectionately, she said her boyfriend. "No, I think its name is as lovely as it is. It's perfect. It's…what I have always wanted as a kid. Is she really mine?"

Kai nodded. "Yes. She's all yours."

She turned to him and stood on tiptoe to kiss him softly tenderly. Then she wrapped her arms around him and hugged him. She whispered a 'thank you' to his ear as he drew her closer to him and eloped her embrace with his arms around her smaller body.

"Hey, what 'bout me?" Tala whined pitifully.

Jade released Kai and headed over to the red-haired. He held his arms open wide to accept a hug, never mind the fact the slate-haired teen was glowering at him. But whatan amusementKai got when all she did was to pat him over the head like a little puppy.

"You are a good friend, Tala." she said with a small teasing smile on her face.

Then she moved onto the horses, leaving him confused with his arms still wide open. "That's it?" he asked in dismay.

Kai could have stopped the smirk that slide across his face but he didn't. "Don't push your luck, man." he snickered as he reached out to take the reins from Tala.

Tala feigned insulted. "I feel so used and unappreciated, man. And here I was, going out of my way on a Saturday morning to help you and all I get is 'You're a good friend, Tala' and no thank you's? What is the world coming to?" he asked no one in particular.

While all Kai could do was roll his eyes and ask the heavens why did they send this guy to be his bestfriend, Jade merely smiled at the red-head and put in thoughtfully. "Say, isn't Tanya's birthday this Monday? If I'm not mistaken, she usually likes chocolate banana cake. You know the ones with icing on top?"

"Really?" his tone was hopefully before he caught himself and coughed into his fist before replying in a more manly voice. "I knew that. Of course I need that. What kind of boyfriend would I be if I didn't know when my girlfriend's birthday is and what she usually likes for her birthday? Don't answer that, Kai." The last part was directed at Kai who was chuckling in amusement.

"I'm sure you know." Jade said kindly.

Kai turned to her. "Ready?"

She nodded and he helped her onto the creamy mare. Then he followed in suit, easily swinging himself unto the black stallion as if he had done it many times before today.

"You have fun." Tala called after them as they rode off. "I think I'll go order one of those chocolate banana cake from the bakery right now…"

None of them heard Tala for they were too far by then. After she had gotten the hang of her mare, they spent the whole morning galloping through the backyard meadow side by side. Her cheery laughter filled the air as she would coax her horse into a gallop just when he was starting to catch up with her. It became a game between them. She would lead him into a chase and sometimes he would let her win.

Sometimes.

He loved seeing the little girl pout that always replaced her smile whenever he overtook her and enjoyed teasing her into believing that each time he won, it was just a fluke. The truth was the stallion was swifter than the mare. He knew that. She knew that too except she refused to accept it.

Kai never imagined that one day he would be playing out a scene from a seemly fairy tale story. Then again there were a lot of things he never imagine he would do if Jade hadn't come into his life. Like help out at the orphanage or go through lengths just to ask a girl to the Autumn Dance.

She isn't just any girl, he reminded himself as he watched her stride ahead of him again. She's…special. Different. And I love her more than anything else in the world. If I could…I would give my life for hers.

But that wasn't just how the universe works and all he could do as he waited for a miracle, was to be a constant reminder to her that she was not alone. Just as he had promised her.

That night, they sat on a bench situated on the balcony leading from his room. Her head was on his shoulder, her eyes closed in perfect content and her hands were cradled in his, keeping her warm. He kissed her forehead softly and brushed back a stray strand of hair as he tilted her head upwards to look at the stars that came out that night to shine upon them, filling the dark night sky with their precious unreachable light and spark. She gasped her marvel for she has never seen the night sky landscape so beautifully as tonight.

"It's beautiful." she muttered softly.

Kai rose and went to the telescope that was standing in one corner of the balcony. He peered into it, adjusting the lens several times before he found what he was searching for in the sky. Then he called her over, holding out a hand to her. She took it and he pulled her to stand in front of the telescope.

"What's it, Kai?" she asked looking at him in mild confusion after she had peered in once and didn't understand what he saw.

"Look again." he instructed her, wrapping his arms around her from behind and dropped his head lightly to her shoulder.

Closing one eye, Jade concentrated the other on the telescope. She squinted a bit but all she saw was a single star shining brightly in the midst of others in the background. A pleasure shiver ran down her spine when his warm breath tickled her ear.

"See that star?" he asked.

She nodded without taking her eye off the scope. "Yeah…what's so special about it?"

She heard a rustle of paper being pulled out from his pocket and unfolded, making her turn to look at him, at the piece of paper he held in front of her. Her eyes scanned the first few lines on the paper, reading the address from whom it was from. Her heart was skipping beats as he summarized the letter she was reading as proof.

"This came from the International Star Registry and it's official." he said. "That star is officially named after you."

"What..?" she tore her eyes away from the paper, finding truth and sincerity in his voice rather than a piece of paper. "Kai…you didn't have to…"

"But I wanted to." he responded.

"Thank you." she whispered, kissing his cheek. Profound, she turned back to look into the telescope at the star that was named after hers. It seemed surreal, unbelievable yet true. It was as though the wishes of a young girl all those years ago was finally coming true, becoming reality by the hands of the man who loved her.

'Jade…"

"Hm?"

Slightly dizzy from the excitement and love she felt for him, she turned her gaze back to him, allowing him to guide her back to the bench where he sat her down. Another stronger wave of dizziness flooded her when he went down on one knee before her and took her hand in his. With his other hand, he pulled out two plane tickets from his back pocket and rested them in her hands. She stared at them in wonder, looking at them without really seeing them. This was all too much.

"Kai, what is this?" she asked softly in awe lifting her eyes to meet his.

He didn't answer her question. Instead he asked his own. "Jade, do you love me?"

"Yes." she answered, wishing terribly that one word could justify how much she truly deeply loved him.

"Would you do anything for me?"

She nodded. "Anything."

His eyes never wavered from hers as he found courage and confidence to ask her a very important question. "Then would you marry me?"

For a moment, the longest moment in his life, he held his breath awaiting her answer as her green eyes searched his face. Her hands folded themselves around his hands and he rubbed her knuckles patiently. It was as though they had taken a step back in time to that one night that was their first date at the waterfront restaurant, dancing in each others arms. He had held her, spoke to her…told her he loved her. A moment so similar to now.

"Jade, now would be a good time to say something." he said in a shallow breath.

Slowly a smile broke across her face and even he wasn't sure what happened in the next few moments. She rose to her feet, dropping the plane tickets from her lap and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into his chest. He hugged her back, cupping the back of her head with his hand. She could hear his heart pounding against his chest and almost laughed. The Kai Hiwatari wrecked with nervousness?

"I told you not to fall in love with me." she said softly, like him, remembering. Then she pulled back from the embrace and it was her turn to prolong the suspense as he had done to her this morning. Tears glittered in the corners of her eyes as she finally blunted out her answer in a breathless voice. "Yes, Kai. Yes."

Unable to stop the small grin on his face, Kai kissed her as he hugged her again, not as her boyfriend anymore but her fiancée.

The summer day they chose as their wedding day was bright, sunny with the birds singing in the air their blessings to the ceremony. The bells of the church rang in their loud resonance echoes. It was unusual to see so many cars outside the church on a Saturday morning. An organ would be heard from within, playing the opening song for the wedding.

Kai stood at the altar, looking very dashing in the black tux he had picked for the occasion. He shifted his glance subtly toward the crowd, noticing the number of people who have turned up. Then he glanced at his bestfriend who was standing next to him. Probably thinking he was nervous, Tala flashed him a grin and a thumb-up to assure him. Kai gave his usual 'hn' in response, quickly falling back into his cool confident act.

The church door opened and all the guests rose from their seats and turned around. A silent startled gasp moved over the entire church as they stared in awe at Jade as she stood arm in arm with her father.

Kai looked as well and he felt his breath caught. His eyes grew wide as he drank in her appearance, her beauty enhanced by her makeup and the simple white dress that hugged her slender frail figure.

Her waistline had decreased considerably due to the monitored diet the doctor had put her on but it has done nothing to reduce the beauty that was already there. The material was like silk against her body, breathing with her as she started walking down the aisle. The hem of her dress flowed to her feet in graceful waves while the top of the dress was off-shouldered, baring her shoulders and throat. A simple transparent veil fell from the back of her head, decorated with white flowers. Cradled in her hands was a bouquet of the same flowers that decorated her hair.

She looked like an angel without her wings.

Jade's gaze drifted over the audience as she passed them. They watched her, holding their breaths in stunned amazement. She noticed Tyson and Hilary sitting in second row from the front and Max, Mariam, Ray and Mariah were sitting across them. Tyson was waving enthusiastically at her before Hilary poked him in the ribs. Jade smiled at them, sending a brief nod their way in thanks for all that they have done for her. Upfront…her smile and spirit lifted at the sight of Kai standing there…waiting for her. Her heart swelled with her love for him and the excitement at the thought she was about to be made his forever.

It was truly a walk to remember.

Her father slipped his arm from her and she hugged him, mouthing a soft 'I love you, daddy' to him. He nodded and went to stand by his wife. Ivy was smiling at her daughter, reminded of a time where once she too stood in that very spot Jade stood now.

Tanya, her bridesmaid stepped forward to take the flowers from her as Jade reached Kai and faced him. Still enraptured by her loveliness, Kai stared her. His gaze on her made her blush. Then without a word between them, he took her hands in his as the priest started reading.

"Love is always patient and kind. It is never jealous. Love is never boastful or conceited. It is never rude or selfish. It does not take offense and it is not resentful. Love takes no pleasure in other people's sins, but delights in the truth. It is always ready to excuse. To trust. To hope. And to endure whatever comes."

As the priest read from the bible, their eyes were solely on each other, never turning away, never straying. Then came their moment to recite their vows to each other.

"I, Kai Dimitri Hiwatari…"

"I, Jade Anne Summers do solemnly swear…"

"…do solemnly swear to take Jade Anne Summers…"

"…to take Kai Dimitri Hiwatari…"

"…as my lawfully wedded wife…"

"…as my lawfully wedded husband…"

"To cherish and to hold…"

"In sickness and in health."

"…for all the days of my life…"

"Until death do us apart."

They smiled sadly at each other as he lifted her hand and gently slipped a simple silver ring onto her fourth finger. She did the same for him. The priest, glancing between them, nodded his approval and closed his bible. Then he announced that the groom may kiss the bride.

Their fingers interlinked, silver rings glimmered softly in the sunlight spilling in from the windows. Kai gazed into her eyes, reaching out to cup a cheek.

"And even after death…" he whispered.

"I'll always love you." she finished for him. Tears shone in the corner of her eyes, bringing out the clear emerald green in them. "I love you, Kai."

Their lips met, sealing a bond that was forever and ever lasting. Even until death and beyond…

A/N: There ya go. The next chappie will be the last and final chapter. R&R!