Back with another chapter for you guys! x

Ethan threw his phone on his bed, sighing heavily.

She dumped him. She was going back to Manchester. She was in love with someone else.

But why did it hurt when he was in love with another, himself? 'It's not you, it's me...' ran through his head.

Was it the fact that they'd been playing musical chairs with each other until he actually had the guts to ask her out, albeit awkwardly? Was it the fact that they'd both been in love with other people but only saw puppy love to each other? Was it because they both felt used?

His phone buzzed and he rejected it, planning to call his brother back later. Right now, he was shattered and he needed a break.

A break from Honey. From Cal. And most of all, from Lily.

Ethan spotted Connie walking up to him and he immediately gave his patient notes to Cal who rolled his eyes but took them anyway.

"Ethan," Connie called out. "Can we have a talk?"

Ethan nodded and followed her to a less busy area in the corner. "Well?"

It had been a week now. Everyone were concerned for the young doctor's health. There were no improvements and it was only time until her parents came back from China to visit their daughter. Lily's visitors from her family were her older siblings, Gabriel and Roseanne. Everyone else had sent their well wishes and gifts but hadn't bother to actually see her. Not that it would change anything. Lily would still be comatose and unknowing as to what was going on around her.

"Dr. Hadley from the ICU thinks she will wake up today." Connie said, wrapping her arms around her body. "But I kind of doubt it. He's been saying that for days yet, she hasn't even batted an eyelid."

Ethan sighed and hung his head. "Should we at least stay with her?"

"You can. I don't think I'll be able to accept another day without her shouting at someone." she joked lightly. "If she hasn't waken up within three hours, come back to work. These things take time, months even."

"Yeah. Thanks." Ethan mumbled before making his way to the lift. When he got to the ICU floor, he immediately headed for Lily's room as if he was programmed. Every single day, around the same time, he went there and sat with her, begging for her to wake up. Little did he know that it would change today.

He sat down and took Lily's hand. This time, he stayed quiet and watched as her chest rose up then down. He wondered what it looked like. The scar. The scar which will forever remind her of her incapability to have children. He almost cried for her since she couldn't herself. He felt her grief and pain even though she was unaware that she had it.

His eyes closed as he tried to stop the tears.

"E-Ethan?" he heard a weak voice ask.

He only kept his eyes closed tighter than before. His mind was obviously playing tricks on him.

"I-I know you're a-awake." Lily breathed out, touching the tube in her nostrils.

He opened his eyes and found her cross-eyed as she tried to view her tube. "L-Lily?" he whispered.

Her eyes looked up at him. They were blurry but she could make his figure out. "Hi." she mumbled. "God, I feel like I've been stabbed."

"You have." Ethan smiled gently, wiping her hair out of her face. "You've been out for seven days."

"S-seven?" she asked, her eyes wide. "What happened?"

"Hey, calm down." Ethan said, pushing her back against the bed. "You lost a lot of blood that's all. You were comatose because your body was trying to mend itself. You're okay now."

Lily gulped and weakly placed a hand on her stomach. "I'm s-sorry." she whispered, looking at the ceiling.

"For what? You haven't done anything wrong. Apart from giving us all heart attacks." he joked.

She smiled weakly but it was gone within a flash when she responded, "I should have listened to you. It was late and anything c-could have happened-"

"You were upset, it's okay. If anyone is to blame, it's me. I should have persisted." Ethan replied shamefully. "I would hate to lose you. You've been there for me through so many things... I just want to be the one you lean on for once. We've been through so much, Lils... I wouldn't have blamed you if you wanted a break for once."

Lily wanted to cry. Because of the pain she felt. Her headache. And Ethan's words. "I've been a bitch to you." she said hoarsely. "I don't deserve your friendship nor your care." She turned away from him and closed her eyes, tears leaking out anyway.

Ethan shook his head, and shushed her before hugging her tightly. "Lily, I've known you long enough to notice your modd swings and the person that you just are. I don't care about the bitchy front or the hardcore persona. I know the real you, you know that. And about you not deserving my friendship? I shouldn't have ditched you for Honey. I guess you needed me more and my heart ended up getting broken in the end anyway. And I will always care for you even if it kills me."

Lily felt exposed. Embarrassed. Should she confess all? She decided to anyway, she wasn't getting any younger and if what happened this week had taught her anything, it was to seize the day and live everyday like it was your last.

When she laid there on the damp ground of the great outdoors, she felt the life draining from her body, little by little. She had thought that was the end to the Lily Chao story. Everyone would mourn her and forget her. She would be a distant memory to everyone who knew her. Her parents didn't care for her anyway. Her siblings had their own lives to stop everything and be there for her. Dark thoughts littered her mind that cold dank night. The last one being that she wished Honey had never existed so that her and Ethan could have it all together.

"I love you." she blurted out. She gasped out in pain and closed her eyes tightly.

"W-what?" Ethan breathed out.

"Not now-pain." she cried.

Ethan's eyes widened as he snapped out of his reverie and stood up hastily pressing the red emergency button. He wasn't sure why he hadn't done it before but now wasn't the time to ponder on it. Now was the time to help Lily's pain.

...

Thirty minutes later, Lily found herself dressed in Connie's spare jogging kit. She winced as she slipped off her bed and bent down to retrieve her glasses from her bag. She didn't bother asking what had happened to her contacts and she couldn't care less to be honest. All she cared about was going home and having a nice hot bath.

She didn't even want to face Ethan after her revelation. He seemed... shocked. As if he didn't to let her down gently.

There was a knock on the door and it took Lily everything to not scream out at the person to leave her alone to wallow in self-pity.

"Come in."

It opened and Connie entered, smiling gently as she closed the door behind her. "Ethan told everyone that you're awake." she started. "How are you doing? Has the pain subsided yet?"

Lily shook her head, unable to answer. She put her glasses on and was able to see around more clearer than before.

"Lily...," Connie sighed, sitting beside the young registrar. "There's something I need to tell you."

"What is it?" Lily asked just as quiet.

Connie bit her lip and placed her hands on her lap, sighing lightly. "Do you ever wonder how it will feel like to have children?"

Lily was confused. "Yeah, sometimes. Why?"

"It's the hardest job to do. Being a parent."

Lily simply nodded. "I guess from seeing your relationship with your daughter. But why are you telling me this?"

"Lily... the stab wound affected your-"

"Please, don't say it." Lily whispered, tears filling her eyes.

"I'm so sorry... You won't be able to have children, sweetheart..."

"No..." Lily gulped. "I-I don't believe you."

She placed her hands on her stomach and started to sob. Connie helplessly watched her as she placed her arms around the young adult and sighed, her heart wrenching with sadness.

Thanks for reading!