A/N: Thanks to everybody who has reviewed since I started this story, it is really appreciated and keeps me writing.

After the forth day they had developed a routine; wake up, call in sick, grab something to eat, and eventually make their way to the hospital. They both knew they couldn't do this much longer, they had to go back to work soon, despite the large amount of sick days they both had saved up. Cameron had agreed that they would continue their routine for two more days, and then head back, as long as her father got transferred to Princeton Plainsboro. Chase reluctantly agreed to the last part of her bargain.

Meanwhile lawyers and hospital personnel were busy searching through his will and attempting to discover if he had a living will written or not. In many ways Cameron hoped he did, and then she wouldn't be forced to make any decisions that she could regret later. But she also knew that if he did she might not agree with whatever her father had previously decided.

She sighed at the thought and pushed it away for later. At this point she still tried to keep a bit of hope for her dad.

"Hey Robert?" Cameron said from the chair by her dad's bed. He looked over at her. "Can I be alone for a while?" she asked as gently as possible. She hated to ask but she really just wanted some time to process the last few days.

"Yeh, of course," he said. "Call me, okay?" he added as he got off the chair by her side.

"I will," she said and kissed him as he bent over her. "I love you."

She sat silently in the chair, lost in her thoughts. Oddly her mind led her to Chase, not her dad. She thought about how much they had been through. 'The irony of it all is that it took me being high to finally get up the courage to do something,' she thought.

She admitted to herself that she had made some bad decisions during that specific time in her life, but calling Chase that night would never be something she would regret, no matter how wrong it seemed to anybody else. She didn't want to think about what would have happened if they had just decided to leave that night behind them and forget it ever happened. She realized she had never thanked him for everything that he had helped her through.

Chase sighed, he knew it was reasonable for her to want to be alone now, but he couldn't stop the feeling that he had of wanting to be there next to her. He smiled lightly at the effect she had on him even when he wasn't with her.

Chase drove on towards the outlet mall they had stopped at the previous day, but pulled over at a smaller collection of shops that looked to be more upscale than the outlet. He got out and started walking alongside the sidewalk, paying some attention to the designer shops and displays behind clear glass walls.

He couldn't help but smile as he watched a young couple walk out of a jewelry shop and kiss before walking off smiling, seemilngly oblivious to anything else.

He wished he could see Cameron that happy again. 'Probably could,' he thought and shivered as he walked into the respectable jewelers wondering if they would eventually get engaged. He was surprised to find such a nice place in this location.

"Can I help you, sir?" a store employee in a suit asked as Chase stood in the middle of the store glancing around.

The simple question caught him off guard. "I don't know," Chase said, suddenly feeling quite foolish.

"Are you looking for something specific?" the employee asked. "A gift, earrings maybe?"

Chase slightly shook his head 'no', but didn't directly answer the taller, sharp dressed man.

Theman smiled knowingly. "Engagement ring?"

Chase grinned a bit and shrugged. "Why not? Let's see what you've got."

'Hey, I've got time to waste,' Chase thought, justifying him staying.

The employee, who introduced himself as William Bradley "you can call me Bill", led Chase to a glass counter. The inside of it filled with diamond rings sparkling from the strategically placed lights above them.

"We have stones set in 18kt white, rose, or yellow gold and platinum. Have anything specific in mind?" Chase shook his head. "We can also custom craft a ring if you don't see anything you like."

Chase glanced at the rings, they were all beautiful, but seemed very manufactured, average. He wanted something unique, something special for Cameron.

"You can do that now?"

"You'll have to pick it up in a couple weeks, but you can pick out a design and customize it today."

"A couple weeks? I guess I can manage that," Chase said,though he didn't know if he would be able to.

He couldn't tell himself why he was getting a ring there, at that moment, but he just couldn't walk away, despite how terrible his timing was.

Cameron had been pacing back and forth in the small hospital room for a few minutes. Her thoughts were unsettling and she felt too un-useful just sitting in the chair looking from her dad to the window that overlooked the courtyard.

"I wish you knew," she said to her dad as she stopped her pacing for a brief moment and, for a change, let her anger show. "I wish you knew what you did to me, what you're doing to me," she added, complimenting her anger with exaggerated hand gestures.

She let that off her chest and reminded herself that it was not his fault for being here. That she knew, but she was still angry. At him, at her past. She did, however, feel better for finally vocalizing her frustrations.

"What," she started again but stopped when she glanced back over at her dad. "Oh, what's the use? You can't hear any of this," she said aloud and felt a bit guilty for yelling.

She had been going from angry, to sad, to numb since she had realized that he might not survive. Cameron wondered if it was possible to experience all the supposed "steps of loss" at the same time.

She sat back down momentarily and realized how emotionally worn out the whole situation was making her. A single tear left her eye and began rolling down her cheek.

Wiping it away she bent over and picked up her purse and pulled out her phone. She dialed Chase's number.

"Hello," he answered in the same soft voice that she always found comfort in.

"Hey." Her voice cracked. "Can you pick me up?" The tone of her voice echoed the pain that had finally caught up with her.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

"Not really," she finally admitted to him.

"I'll be there," he responded and let her end the call.

TBC. review please.