A/N: Hmm, quick update, wasn't that? Anyway, the angst starts from this chapter. Read at your own risk. XD

Chapter – 3

Gwen slowly opened her eyes, stifling a yawn. She looked about her, only to find herself lying on a white bed, in a small room. There were all sorts of machines around her. A nurse was in the room, writing something on a clipboard attached to the bedpost. I must be at the hospital, she thought. Immediately, she was reminded of what had happened some time ago. Ben!

She hurriedly sat up in bed, all kinds of worries and anxieties gripping her. How is Ben? Is he in the hospital? Is he okay?

She noticed the nurse walk up to her. "How're you feeling now, Miss—"

"Tennyson," she supplied. "Gwen Tennyson."

"Ok, Gwen, how're you feeling now?"

"I'm better, thank you. But…"

"Yes?"

"Uh…how is my cousin?"

"Cousin?"

"Y'know…the one with the brown hair. He was badly injured… He was brought here, wasn't he?"

"Well yes, he was," answered the nurse, smiling softly. "But I can't say how he is. I'm not attending to him. The head doctor is."

"Oh…I see."

The nurse nodded slightly, and turned to walk away. But then she turned around once again.

"Oh, and I forgot to tell you something. A raven-haired boy is anxiously waiting outside to see you. Should I call him in?"

Kevin…"Yes. You can ask him to come in."

The nurse nodded, and left. After a few minutes, Kevin entered the room. He was looking anxiously at Gwen.

He approached the bed, and sat down on the chair next to it. "How're you now, Gwen?"

"I'm okay," Gwen smiled. "Thanks a lot for bringing us here in time."

Kevin nodded, but he didn't return her smile.

A frown crossed Gwen's face. "What? What is it?"

Kevin kept silent.

"What? What happened? Did something…" Oh no…Ben… "Did…something happen to Ben?"

Kevin shook his head.

Both of them were silent for a very long time. Just when Gwen was deciding to say something, Kevin spoke up again. "Ben's condition is critical."

Gwen breathed sharply. "Will…will he improve?"

Kevin looked into her eyes. "None of us know. His pulse is barely detectable. The doctors can't give any hope. It's a fifty-fifty situation."

Gwen felt her senses reeling. No…this couldn't be… If anything happened to Ben, what would she do? How would she live without him?

Her eyes welled up with tears.

"I'm sorry, Gwen. I…"

"No, Kevin, it's ok. It wasn't your fault, was it?"

Kevin shook his head, and then lowered it. "I'm sorry Gwen. I really am."

With a deep sigh, Kevin got up and left the room.

Left alone, Gwen let the tears come. She was still sobbing softly when the nurse entered again. "Gwen?"

Gwen looked up, not bothering to wipe her tears. "Yeah?"

"Do you think you could get up yet?"

"Yeah…why?"

"The head doctor wants to speak to you."

Gwen's heart missed a bit. This could only mean one thing. Ben…

She slowly got up, and followed the nurse outside. She led her to a room in the ICU. "He's inside. Go in."

With trembling hands, Gwen slowly opened the door. She gasped slightly on seeing the sight inside. Ben was lying on a bed, with numerous machines attached to various parts of his body. The head doctor was sitting on a high chair beside the bed. Hearing her enter, he stood up.

"Gwen, right?"

Gwen nodded. She pointed to Ben. "Is he…?"

The doctor gave a deep sigh. "He's in a very critical state. His injuries are too grave for him to recuperate from. We did all we could. His pulse is very weak. He gained consciousness a few minutes ago, but there isn't much hope. He just wanted to talk to you."

"Oh…"

The doctor motioned for her to sit on the bed. "I'll be coming back shortly. Talk to him. You don't have a good deal of time left. Unless you believe in miracles…"

He left the sentence mid-way, and walked out of the room.

Gwen could feel tears stinging at the back of her eyes. She went up and sat beside Ben. With the utmost care so as not to hurt him, she took his hand in hers. "Ben…" She called softly.

At the sound of Gwen's voice, Ben opened his eyes. "Gwen…" He could barely speak.

Ben's plight brought tears to her eyes. "Yes, Ben…I'm here."

"Gwen…I…I…wanted to say…sorry."

"Sorry?"

"Yes… For not being able to protect you. I tried my best…but…"

Gwen fiercely choked back her tears. "No, Ben, it's not your fault. You did all you could. Don't think like that."

"But…"

Gwen brought her free hand forward, and placed her finger on Ben's lips. "Shh. You were always there for me, Ben. To help me out…to make sure I was ok. You always put my safety before yours. Always. Ditto for this time too. Turned out that we weren't lucky enough."

Ben let out a sigh.

"Don't worry, Ben," said Gwen, lightly squeezing Ben's hand. "Things will get better. I assure you."

Ben sadly shook his head. "Don't get up my hopes up, Gwen. I don't know what the doctors have told you, but I know what's gonna happen. Look at that machine over there," he said, gesturing to a machine which virtualized his pulse rate. "My pulse is barely detectable. It's gradually diminished over the past few hours. Do you still think I'll be able to make it?"

A single tear rolled down Gwen's cheek. "Don't say that Ben…don't…"

Ben let out another sigh. That he was having difficulty breathing was clearly visible. "Gwen…I don't have a lot of time left. Just wanted to tell you this…that…that…you…you were always special to me. You mean…a…lot to me Gwen… I…I…love you…"

Tears were freely raining down Gwen's cheeks now. "I know, Ben… And I love you too…"

Ben nodded slowly. His eyes were slowly losing their gleam. "I know it'll be tough for you…but…I just want you to do something…for me… Try to be happy again, Gwen…"

"What? But…how?" Gwen could hardly speak, her voice choked up with emotions.

Ben gave a soft squeeze to Gwen's hand. "I know it'll be tough for…you…But please do it, Gwen…For me… Wherever I will be, it would break my heart to know that…that…you'd never be happy again…"

"Oh…Ben…"

"You…will…do…it…for…me…won't…you?"

Gwen glanced at the machine. Ben's pulse was nearly nil.

"Please…Gwen…"

Gwen glanced back to her cousin. "Ben…I…"

"Please…"

"Ok…" Gwen whispered, her tears blurring her vision. "I will, Ben…"

"Promise?"

"Yeah…"

Ben closed his eyes. "Thanks, Gwen. I know you'll keep your promise…"

"Ben…"

"I'll always love you…Gwen. From wherever I am, I'll…look over you. That's my promise…Gwen."

The now-familiar beep of the machine began diminishing, gradually coming to stop to a virtual nothingness.

"Ben…"

On getting no reply from Ben, she realized with a sickening jolt that it was all over. "Ben…"

With a jerk, she withdrew her hand from Ben's. In an instant, she had pushed the chair aside, and was rushing out of the room….out of the hospital.

Tears blinded her as she began running away…down the other rooms…down the hallway…and finally down the reception room. She would run away from it all. She didn't know what she'd do without Ben, but she had to pull herself through it all. After all, she had promised Ben…

As she ran down the hallway, she could see some blurred faces trying to come in her way…to stop her, to ask her what had happened…All she did was push them aside. Who were they? The one person that mattered the most to her was no more. Did anybody else matter?

As she ran out of the hospital, hand pressed to her mouth to try and stifle the sobs, she could hear a big commotion behind. The frantic voices of many doctors and nurses and attendants all talking at the same time. But she was in no condition to turn back and ask what had happened. For her, the world had just ended. Nothing mattered anymore. Nothing…

Gwen ran at a stretch till she reached a derelict alley, quite far away from the hospital. As she leaned against a wall to catch her breath, she could feel an appalling hollowness enveloping her. It was as if everything had come to an end, leaving her alone in her dark, dreary void.

She clutched her head in her hands, and finally let the tears come. Ben… She couldn't believe that he wasn't there with her anymore. It was just a matter of time ago that he was there with her…talking to her…laughing with her…telling her that he loved her…

An intense pang of pain shot through her heart. Oh, Ben…

Gwen sat there, crying, for how long, she didn't know. She didn't even want to know. Every time she managed to wipe her tears, a fresh flow cascaded down her cheeks. The tears just kept coming. Over and over again. And every time she tried to steady herself, memories of Ben pierced through her mind, making her want to cry all the more… Ben…

*

The sun set in the horizon, painting the sky a vibrant hue of red, yellow, and orange. The moon gradually appeared, flooding the earth with a tint of pale white.

Gwen slowly opened her eyes, finding it a bit difficult to adjust to the dim light. Where am I ? She looked around herself. She found herself to be in some sort of a dark, narrow alleyway. A stray cay brushed past her, letting out an eerie-sounding 'meow'.

Gwen rubbed her swollen eyes. Why am I here? And where is Ben? Weren't we supposed to be…? And then, in a flash, it all came back to her. Ben was no more alive. He had made her promise that she would pull herself through all of it, and be happy again. And she had run away from it all.

The reminiscence sent a whirlpool of emotions swirling through her body, finding an outlet through her eyes. She found herself crying once more. That horrible melancholy swept over her again. Ben…

She looked up at sky through blurry eyes. "How am I supposed to live without you? Be happy? I just feel as if my world has ended. And you want me to be happy? How, Ben? How….?"

As if to answer her question, a gentle wind swept over her, ruffling her hair softly.

Gwen let out a gigantic sob. The pain inside her was unbearable. And weeping wasn't doing anything to help lessen it.

She wiped her tears away with the back of her hand, leaving a trail of grime down her cheek. She remembered Ben's words. 'Wherever I will be, it would break my heart to know that you'd never be happy again…'

Shakily, Gwen stood up. She felt dizzy, and her head ached badly. She looked up towards the sky once again, a sudden gleam appearing in her eyes.

"No," she said softly, the tiniest hint of conviction in her voice. "I will never break your heart. Never… My happiness lies in your happiness. And if your happiness lies in seeing me happy, then yes, I'll be happy again… I'll pull myself through all of this. Just give me some time. I will be happy again, you see. Not for anybody else…but for you…Ben…"

A/N: I know, it was very angsty, but I really needed to bring out Gwen's feelings about all this. Wondering what'll happen next? XD You'll get to know very soon! But before that, I need reviews!