A/N: I'm back from my holiday and college introduction! Hope to finish this story asap!

Chapter Twenty-One
Sorry seems to be the hardest word

Alice was uncomfortable from the way he told her that her previous suicidal attempt wasn't noble. She felt like she needed to apologize, but it was too hard.

"So if I asked you what you were saying in German, you would tell me?" she mumbled.

She couldn't look at him. She bore a lot of shame. And if she thought about it well, she knew that wasn't her first attempt. The first time she tried to kill herself, was with the gun not even an hour ago.

"Yes," he said. "If you asked me. Kindly."

She thought she heard something of a joke in his voice, but she decided to remain serious.

"If you're sharing, could you please translate?"

"I called a friend in England. He owns me a favor. I told him I needed to use that one right now."

She scowled, wondering if he meant his wounds.

"Do you think he might be able to save you? Because I don't believe anything can heal you except rest, antibiotics and disinfectants. And fluids. You need to drink lots of water."

Her mouth was open when the sudden sharpness of his possible death reminded her again that she might be left alone. She brought her feet up and hugged her legs, knife still in her hand. If he was dead, she would need to learn to protect herself after all. It was never too late to learn and get used to weapons in her hands.

"That's not why I called him," he said. "I told him to follow the coordinates of Aro's watch."

Alice watched him with a scowl.

"The watch on your wrist," he continued with raised eyebrows.

"W-What? I don't think I get it."

"I thought a girl as clever as you would get it."

She looked away in fright, because the compliment he gave her seemed sincere. It was different from his previous insult.

"My friend is coming to get you, Alice."

"Why?" she asked, feeling sick to her stomach.

To kill or save her?

He steered his head in disbelief.

"Nurse Brandon," he said. "What was your previous diagnosis?"

She shook her head but he chuckled.

"A one percent healing chance equals pretty much death, wouldn't you say? If I'm dead, the least right thing I could do is get you safe. Then all of my efforts won't have been for nothing."

"Y-Your friend...is c-coming here? To get me...someplace s-safe?"

He nodded.

"And when he's here...y-you won't come to the safe place as well?"

"I wish I could," he said with a tight smile. "But I'm going to finish my job."

"Alone?"

He nodded again.

"Why?"

Then he shook his head and refused to answer.

"What efforts won't have been for nothing?" she asked, not sure she understood what he meant by that.

"My efforts at keeping you alive."

She widened her eyes and he instead raised an eyebrow.

"How can you be sure your friend who's coming here won't get shot?"

"I can't be sure."

"Well, then how can you be sure this watch is still functioning?"

"I can never be sure."

"There must be something you're sure of!"

"When treating your patient, are you sure? About the outcome? No. There are always risks."

"There are miracles as well. You might not die. You might live."

Alice was an optimist.

"How are you feeling?"

"Cold, now you mention it."

Alice took the abandoned coat off the ground and gave it to him.

"Take this and the sheets. Sleep. I'll stay on the lookout."

He looked her up and down as if she'd grown a second head.

"Please rest," she pleaded, knowing he needed it more than her. "It's good for you. I promise to wake you if I hear someone. We'll trade shifts, once you're up. Deal?"

There was only his stare on her and Alice tried to keep her face straight.

"Jackson," she pleaded nervously. "That's not even your name... Anyway, your body needs some serious heeling. I-I've seen people go mad with fever and it were the stubborn ones who didn't make it. Now isn't the time to act stubborn and tough. Give in to sleep. It's the ones who put their pride away that make that one percent. I promise."

She hesitated, but then used his stop word, "Okay?"

Unfortunately, she could see in his eyes he wasn't convinced.

Therefor, Alice put away her pride and voiced out her fears.

"I need you. I can't speak German. I can't fight. I haven't got the poison anymore. I'm nothing without you. Your friend, the one you called, might not come for me. Or he might die. And if you die...I don't want you to leave me alone."

His eyes softened and he stepped forward.

"You need sleep more than I do."

"I don't think so," he said. "You haven't slept for over two days now."

"I don't want you to die," she said sincerely. "I'm so sorry I tried to kill myself. You're right, it's not noble. I promise I'll never do that again. You did that for me. You made me see it. If you don't sleep now, that's the same as..."

She didn't want to offend him, but she meant what she said. If he chose not to sleep, it would be the same as committing suicide.

First his eyes turned hard and she looked away quickly, afraid she'd gone too far.

"I forgive you," he said. "Okay?"

She looked at him in surprise. But then she nodded in relief. He forgave her for trying to kill herself.

He reached inside his pocket and handed her another flask.

"Please don't do anything stupid with this, okay? It's my last one."

Her eyes went up to him, to see if he was serious.

"I c-couldn't take yours...t-thank you, b-but no."

He slid it inside her pants pocket.

"I wasn't asking you to take it, America," he whispered, withdrawing his hand.

Alice swallowed nervously. His hand came on top of hers, where hers was still touching the flask.

"Just in case, okay Alice?"

"I'll only accept it, if you get some rest right now."

Then, to her greatest relief, she heard a consent.

"Okay," he said, giving in. "But only because my bet is on your expertise, Alice."

Expertise, Alice thought. She would hardly call it that.

"I don't want to hurt you."

"Sorry?" she said, watching him with a scowl.

"Your cheek. It's bruising."

"Oh..." She reached up and touched her right cheek with her cold fingers.

"I'm sorry."

She shook her head awkwardly and muttered, "Just stay alive. Please stay alive."