A/N: Okay, I'm finally back with chapter 40! Wow, that's A LOT of chapters! LOL. Before i start, anyone who wants to can become a member of my website/forum. I'd love to have you so come join! On with the chapter!

Choices

Chapter Forty

For two days, things didn't change much. Rose stayed unconscious most of the time, and I didn't leave her side for more than ten minutes at a time. My heart was filled with worry. What if something went wrong? What if that dream didn't mean anything? What if she wasn't going to be okay?

Try as I might, I wasn't able to push those thoughts out of my head. Around noon on the second day, as I was sitting next to Rose's bedside, looking at her unmoving form sadly, I heard footsteps behind me. I turned around quickly. It was Granpa.

"Hey, G," I said hoarsely. My throat was dry and my stomach rumbled. I hadn't been able to eat or drink hardly anything since Rose had fallen ill due to poison.

"Jake," he said, "your mother is very worried about you." I frowned. Not too long after we brought Rose home, Mom and Dad came back. For the time being, Mom and Granpa together had convinced Dad that he had been ill and was hallucinating. We didn't need any more problems at the moment. But we all knew that one day—one day soon, for that matter—that we would have to tell him the truth. We dreaded it.

"So? Gramps, she's always worried. Besides, I'm fine! I'm just worried about Rose!"

"She says you really need some sleep."

"I know, G," I muttered. "She was in here five minutes ago and told me that."

"Listen, I know that you do not want to leave her, but you must. You have barely slept or ate in two days."

"I know…but Rose is what I care about right now."

"Whoa, kid, back up," I heard a voice say from the doorway. It was Fu. "So you only care about Rose? Not yourself? Let me tell you what would be tragic. If when she comes to, she either finds you dead from starvation. Or grumpy from lack of sleep. Or dead and grumpy. Either way, it won't be pretty."

"Listen, just leave me alone, okay?" I snapped, then caught myself. I turned to Fu and Gramps, who looked hurt, and said, "Look, I'm sorry. I just—"

Fu smirked and said, "What did I tell ya, Mr. Grumpy Scales?"

I sighed. "Look, I love Rose. I can't just leave her! What if something happened to her while I was gone? I'd be responsible!"

Gramps sighed, exasperated. "Jake, you would not be responsible for something happening…you couldn't prevent it even if you were there."

I could feel my eyes stinging again. "Look…you don't understand. I'm not going to let anything happen to her and I'm not going to leave her."

"C'mon, kid, your mom and dad are both worryin' about you," said Fu.

"Me too!" piped up yet another voice from the door.

"Hi Haley," I muttered, and was surprised when she ran to me and latched her arms around me.

"Whoa, what's that for?" I said, taken aback.

"I've missed you…I was so worried! Everyone thought you were going to die, and then when you got better, you didn't come and see me! Then I found out that you were in another fight and I was scared you'd lose." I was amazed to see tears fill her dark eyes as she threw her arms around me once more and buried her face on my shoulder. "I love you, Jake…" she whispered.

"Wow…" I muttered, to nobody in particular. I had never realized how much Haley cared about me. I realized that I had been taking her for granted. But as I hugged her back, tenderly petting her long black ponytails, I decided that was a mistake I would never make again.

We broke apart, however, when a noise came from Rose's bed. I gently sat Haley down and then dropped to my knees by the bed. My heart did a flip as I saw Rose sit up in bed. And, oddly enough, I realized that I had never seen her hair so messy. Yet I also realized that I didn't care. "Rose…" I breathed, taking her hand.

She looked at me, looking dazed, as if in a dream, and said, "Jake?" She lowered herself onto the pillow and looked into my eyes. "I love you…" she said, taking my hand.

"Rose, are you going to be okay?" I asked. "I mean, how do you feel?"

"Weak," she said, and my heart dropped. "But getting stronger," she added.

I smiled.

"Jake, you did it. You saved me," she said, eyes full of gratitude.

"Not really," I said. I decided now wasn't time for me to get big-headed. "I mean, I got you away from Chang, but I didn't cure you or anything."

"Yes," she said, "yes you did."

I was no longer aware of my surroundings, only of Rose; I didn't know if Gramps, Fu, and Haley were in the room watching or not. But I didn't care.

"What do you mean?" I asked doubtfully. "I didn't do anything; the Council were the ones that treated you."

"No, you healed me with the powerful magic from before time."

"What? I didn't do anything…"

"You stayed with me. You gave me everything. You loved me with all of your heart. Didn't you know, Jake? The deepest magic from before time is love. There is no greater power than that."

A/N: So how was it? Please, please review! Um, this story IS NOT over, there is still more to come! Please review, and I'll update ASAP! (Probably either tomorrow or Saturday). I'll try to update on Broomsticks then too. 'Til then, C-ya!

~Emachinescat ^..^