AN: OMG guys chapter 20!? I can't believe it :D And it's been 2 months exactly since I started uploading this O.O My how time flies!

I must warn you guys that once I return to University, chapter updates will most likely slow to a chapter a week or less, but I will not abandon this, so don't fret :)

Thursday August 21st 2014

Dear Diary,

I was right earlier. He was ill. Like, REALLY ill… He had a high fever, and he was hallucinating. I think he saw Violet.

I know it's selfish of me, but I feel slightly jealous… She obviously meant so much to him…

Ugh, Arianna what the hell? Stop it. I can't think like that. She was his girlfriend for crying out loud. He probably blames himself for her death! God, why am I so horrid?

Anyway, Potsdam got me to get him some soup, and she gave me this potion thing to put in it; some kind of sleeping draft. I bet we won't learn those till Senior year…

He couldn't lift the spoon. I had to feed him. He wasn't happy about that.

I went to find Potsdam afterwards, and she said she was cancelling the rest of his lessons until term starts. I'm glad. He needs a break.

It's late afternoon… I feel like I should check on him. Is that silly?

She sighed, closing the book and slipping it under her pillow. She was out of the door before Ellen could ask what was wrong. Her feet flew across the wooden floors without her consciously wishing them to, and the walk to his rooms took a mere three minutes, when it usually took ten.

But when she lifted her hand to knock on the door, she paused. Her determined confidence had suddenly fled her, and she was nervous again. Even after everything that they had been through… The day of the May Day Ball… her parents… the argument… the church… Even after all of that, she still felt like he could push her away so easily, if she pushed too much, if she assumed…

With a deep breath, her knuckles collided with the cool wooden door. When there wasn't an answer, she gulped, letting her hand fall to grasp the door handle.

He was asleep. She felt a bit guilty for knocking. In fact, she felt guilty for even being in the room… But she shook her head to clear those thoughts. She wanted to make sure he was okay.

So, despite her trepidation, she crept into the room. The chair was still by the bed, and she settled herself into it quietly, letting her hand ghost across his forehead. His forehead was still burning, but not as badly as before. She sighed.

"You told me I have to look after myself… But you need to take your own advice…" she murmured, shaking her head to herself. "You ridiculous man… How did I fall in love with you?" she sighed, smiling a little. She stayed with him for the rest of the afternoon…

As it drew close to time for dinner, she made to stand up, when he stirred.

"Hieronymous?" her voice startled him further out of his slumber, and his eyes blinked open to stare at her. Then he frowned.

"Why are you still here?" he grumbled. She sighed.

"Sorry for caring." She muttered sarcastically, continuing towards the door. "I'll just go..." She added sadly.

"Wait." His shaking voice made her pause. "I am sorry…" he sounded guilty, and slightly… disappointed?

She sighed again as she returned to his side. "Maybe you could try not getting angry at me sometimes?"

"I was not trying to seem angry…"

She settled herself into the chair again and smiled. "I know." She said.

"What time is it?" he asked weakly.

"It's nearly seven. Are you hungry?"

"No…" he shook his head for emphasis. "But you should go to dinner…"

"I don't need to, I'm not that hungry."

"Arianna-" he protested, but she cut him off.

"Really, I'm fine. But if you don't want me to stay, I'll go." She explained without moving. After a moment, he reached to take hold of her hand silently.

It was all the answer she needed.

So she stayed with him. The sun began to set and he drifted back to sleep as the room was swathed in darkness, with only the moon to shed any light on the silent couple.

Arianna couldn't see a clock from her position on the chair, but she knew it was getting very late. It was probably past curfew…

"Would you be angry if I stayed here? It's past curfew…" she asked him quietly, then sighed. "Probably." So she began to stand. However, as she was about to let go of his hand, his grip tightened. She turned to look at him with wide eyes, but he was still fast asleep. "Hieronymous?" she whispered, not wanting to wake him, but confused by his actions. As she tried to pull her hand from his grasp, his grip only tightened, until she gave in and sat back down, allowing his hold to loosen again. She sighed, a small smile alighting on her face. "I guess I'll stay then, but don't tell me off when you wake up, okay?" she teased, making herself comfortable again.

She woke up to a knock on the door and light streaming through the window. With her free hand she rubbed at her eyes and groaned as her neck clicked back into place. The knock had not woken her husband, who was still sleeping peacefully.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK. It was persistent this time, and Arianna sighed as she stood to walk to the door. But she was stopped as his hand tightened around hers again. With a silent roll of her eyes she turned to shake him gently awake. As his eyes opened, he registered her hand in his and she smirked.

"Would you mind letting go so I can answer the door?" she asked. He gulped and snatched his hand away quickly. She sighed. "Good to know you're back to normal." She muttered as she went to open the door.

"Arianna! Have you been here all night, chicky?" Professor Potsdam chirped when the door opened. Arianna nodded mutely and she heard a sudden shuffling behind her as Hieronymous sat up to look around him. She turned back to give him a reassuring smile.

"I was sat in the chair all night. I tried to leave, but you wouldn't let go of my hand, and I didn't want to wake you, so I stayed." She explained, and he seemed to relax a little, although he was a little troubled by the fact that he'd been holding her hand all night… Arianna's smile assured him that she didn't mind, but that didn't mean he didn't. Arianna tried to ignore the pooling worry in her mind.

"Isn't that sweet?" Potsdam broke them both from their thoughts as she bustled into the room. "This potion should take away the rest of the illness, Hieronymous." She brandished another small, gaudy pink bottle and he grimaced, making her chuckle lightly. "Don't be so stubborn. Now, I shall entrust this to you, Arianna. Make sure he drinks it, and he'll be better in no time." She handed the bottle to Arianna, who nodded, before turning back to the girl's bed-ridden husband. "Now, I've cancelled the rest of your schedule for the summer, and you're not to be out of bed today." She had taken on a very motherly tone, and Arianna suppressed a giggle at the indignant scowl on her husband's face. "Arianna will look after you, won't you dear?"

She nodded quickly and received a bright grin.

"None of this should be necessary…" Hieronymous grumbled under his breath. Arianna growled a little, and she rested her hands on her hips.

"Then learn to take care of yourself!" the words had left her mouth before she could stop them, and her eyes flew wide as he sent a burning scowl in her direction. "S-sorry…" she stuttered, but Potsdam clapped her hands.

"Don't apologise, dear! You're completely right. Hieronymous, listen to your wife! Don't forget to get yourself some breakfast, Arianna dear. Goodbye, ducklings!" and she was gone before either of them could say another word. Arianna looked down at her feet, fiddling awkwardly with the bottle in her hands. When she looked up, her husband had a hand over his eyes, rubbing across his forehead before he stabbed it through his hair in exasperation. With a nervous gulp, Arianna approached the bed again.

"I'll put this here for now…" she murmured, placing the bottle of fluorescent liquid on his bed-side table. "W- would you like me to bring you some toast…?" she asked hesitantly, all confidence having fled her after her little outburst. Her mind seemed to discard his actions in the night as feverish behaviour, and thus they gave her no reason to think she might be welcome. The silence hung in the air between them for a moment, until at last he nodded mutely, refusing to look at her. "Okay… I'll be back soon…" and she scurried from the room, leaving him to rest his head back against the pillow with a sigh as he brought his hand back up to run through his hair.

He didn't know what unseen force had made him take her hand the previous night, nor did he understand why, in a state of mental rest, he would be unwilling to let it go… But he knew it was a ridiculous thing to do… Something else he knew was that Arianna cared for him; why else would she be willing to sit by his side?

Fool, she's said she cares… Many times, in fact. He reprimanded himself with a sigh. Is it really so hard for you to admit to her that you care about her as well? Yes… It is… But I do care…

She had been right before… Back in the church. He had been avoiding their seemingly obvious connection for a long while. Every time they spoke of feelings it seemed he couldn't help but automatically try and seal them away, ignoring her wishes and disregarding her affections.

And he wasn't sure whether that was a cycle he could break...

I hope you liked it guys x

Also, I have reached the point in both this story and ARtFP that I realise why I usually stick to one-shots XD So please please PLEASE don't forget to leave a review, it's what keeps me going XD x