Disclaimer – See Chapter 1

Author's Note – Another brand new chapter for you here. There's still about six or seven left but hopefully the pace will pick up from here on in. This chapter skips about through time a bit so I've labeled each section with a date so as to make it a little clearer. The flash backs are in itallics as usual. As always, I hope you enjoy the chapter and let me know your thoughts, good or bad, in the form of a review.

January 20th 1998 – Philadelphia

In a small flat situated a few blocks from the city's university of medicine sat a man, still dressed in a pair of pyjamas even though it was nearing midday. The room was poorly lit by the small crack of sunlight allowed in by the dirty window, framed by fading curtains introduced to the room many years before its current occupier moved in. Currently she was at a lecture and so her fiancé was left to contemplate the unfortunate situation himself and his future wife, though unknowingly to her, were in.

The man, who would only remain known as Mark Holloway for a matter of months now, had pondered his bank manager's words for the past couple of days and was now, finally, reaching a conclusion. Basically, he was going to have to declare himself bankrupt – there was no escaping it. Or was there? Mark suddenly looked up and smiled. He connected this thought with another, which had been haunting him since the meeting. "I hope for your sake your fiancée is rich". That was what the bank manager had said. "For your sake."

He could save both of them. He could make her rich, make her happy. The only thing was he may have to make a sacrifice or two. Of course Mr. Booker had not intended his words to be misinterpreted in such a way and would be horrified to discover their eventual effect, if only for a moment. However, the course had now been set. Mark got up from where he sat and headed for the telephone. It was time for him to make a few phone calls.

December 28th 2005 – Princeton

The sun was beginning to set behind the hospital building as another bitter night tightened its grip on the city. The sunset was particularly beautiful and caught the attention of both staff and patients throughout the hospital. However, it didn't have this effect in the diagnostics department. Being such a specialist area of medicine the ward rarely had more than one patient and today was no different. Like the majority of hospital employees in the department, this patient was otherwise engaged.

Drs Foreman and Chase where attending to the patient, who was writhing in pain and seemed barely able to breathe. There was sweat streaming across his twisted face as Foreman took his temperature and read off the obvious results – Mark had a fever. With that the two doctors left to find their boss, leaving a nurse to care for their patient. The conclusion they had reached from their brief visit to the patient was etched clearly across their faces in worry. Mark had taken a sudden turn for the worse and they still had no idea what was wrong with him.

August 14th 1997 – Philadelphia

They lay entangled in the thin white sheets and allowed the morning sun to caress their skin. Neither wanted to move, both content to lie there for hours. But someone would have to move eventually.

Allison rolled over to look at her boyfriend. She took in every detail of his face, from his short blonde hair and the small scar below his left eye, to the shape of his chin. He opened one eye and smiled at her. "Will you stop staring at me? You're creeping me out."

Allison returned his grin. "It's nice."

He shifted closer to her, his eyes now fully open. "What's nice?"

"Lying here, with you."

He smiled again. "Yeah, I guess you're right." He closed his eyes. "I could stay here with you forever."

Allison laughed. "Like you ever could Mark."

Mark opened his eyes and looked deeply into hers. When he spoke again his voice was serious. "I could, and I will."

Allison's expression softened. "You'd be happy to buy a house and stop travelling? You'd be Ok with driving a Volvo estate and being a respectful businessman, married to a local doctor?" Her eyes no longer mocked him, now they told him of the longing she had for this life.

He smiled reassuringly. "We could have two kids, a boy and a girl, and a Golden Retriever."

"Susan," Allison suggested.

"…and Daniel," Mark smiled at her.

"We should do that one day," it was barely a mummer. She pretended to be drifting off back to sleep in an attempt to avoid the reprisal she feared. But it didn't come.

"Yeah," he replied and her eyes shot open. He smiled understandingly at her. He understood that he wasn't the first person you'd expect to be willing to settle down. "Why don't we make a start?" There was no answer. He took this to be a signal for further information, and prayed to God he was right. "Why don't we get married?" He couldn't believe he'd said that, and he could see the disbelief on Allison's face too. He felt no regret though.

"Was that a proposal?" she asked nervously, lifting her head up from the pillow.

"Yeah, I guess it was."

She paused a second before placing her head back down. "Ok then." She gave him a small kiss on the forehead and smiled to herself. "Always the romantic, was Mark," she thought to herself.