Patrick stood outside the entrance of the E.R., his gaze fixed on the buzzy street beyond as he waited anxiously for Julie to arrive. The sun dipped low on the horizon, casting a warm glow over the cityscape as he took a moment to collect his thoughts.

As he glanced at his watch for what felt like the hundredth time, he thought once more about the last update gave him on his father's condition. A wave of relief washed over him. He had been steadily improving day by day, and the doctors were optimistic and planning to wake him up from his coma in the next few days. It was a small glimmer of hope in what had been a tumultuous time for his own family.

Finally, Julie appeared, her hurried steps echoing against the pavement as she approached him. She apologized for being late, explaining that she had been caught up with a last-minute case involving a child with a marble stuck in his nose.

Patrick couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of the situation, his initial worry melting away as Julie laughed along with him. Her lightheartedness was infectious, and he found himself marveling at how effortlessly she could find humor in even the most chaotic of circumstances.

As they walked together, Patrick couldn't help but steal glances at her, admiring the way the golden hues of the setting sun danced in her long brown hair. Her dark green eyes sparkled and her lopsided smile—the same one he remembered from their childhood—lit up her face with warmth and affection.

In that moment, Patrick was struck by just how beautiful she was, both inside and out. Her loving soul had always been like a magnet to him, drawing him in with its irresistible charm and kindness.

Despite already knowing her answer, Patrick couldn't resist asking Julie if she preferred to find a cozy spot in a nearby pub or if she fancied grabbing some street food and taking a leisurely stroll through Regent's Park. As he anticipated, she chose the latter option. A smile tugged at the corners of his lips, observing that even if everything had changed between them, after all they were always the same boy and girl who grew up together playing outside in Poplar's parks.

As they set off towards St. Andrew's gate, they made a quick stop at a kiosk nearby to pick up some sandwiches, the tantalizing aroma of freshly baked bread and savory fillings wafting through the air as they made their selections. With their food in hand, they ventured into the park, the quiet surroundings providing a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of the city.

They walked for a while until they found a secluded bench overlooking a tranquil pond and sat together, enjoying their sandwiches and each other's company.

Patrick and Julie both knew that they needed to address the events of the past, including the night Julie's father passed away and the subsequent fallout that led to their separation. However, neither of them felt ready to broach such a heavy topic just yet.

Patrick decided to steer the conversation towards a lighter subject, asking Julie about her siblings. He was genuinely curious about how they were all doing and hoped it would provide a more comfortable starting point for their discussion.

Julie smiled warmly as she updated Patrick on her family's whereabouts and well-being. She explained that she and her mother had moved to Camden Town, close to Tim and his family, and not far as well from Angela and Peter. Recently, Teddy and his family had also relocated there, even if it was not so convenient to reach Heathrow Airport where her brother was based, but since he worked on long-haul flights it was not a 50 minutes drive to make a difference.

She continued, mentioning that May was still living in Hong Kong, where she worked as a lawyer for the IAC, the primary agency for international adoption. Despite the distance, Julie assured Patrick that everyone was doing well and that they often kept in touch through calls and visits whenever possible.

"That's good to hear. And how about you?" he hesitantly asked.

Julie paused for a moment. "Oh, you know me, always keeping busy. Work keeps me focused, and spending time with family helps keep things in perspective. I like sharing experiences with my nieces and nephews…they're quite funny and I've plenty of choice on the menu: Teddy's kids if I'm up for troublemakers kids, Timothy's youngest and Angela's girls are my choice if I want to dive in some teenager dramas, James and Michael are the perfect company for soccer games and if I'm up for some nights out at the cinema or at the theater…I just have to call Marianne and there we go!"

Patrick smiled at her, grateful she had such a big family to ease the pain of her father's loss. Beyond her smile and her sparkling eyes, he could still perceive her suffering and her broken heart for something she still didn't seem to have accepted.

Julie mustered up the courage to inquire about Patrick's life. She was curious to know how he had been since their breakup, but she couldn't help feeling a pang of nervousness as she broached the subject.

"So, Patrick, how's life been treating you?" Julie asked, trying to sound casual regardless of the butterflies fluttering in her stomach.

Patrick smiled softly, his eyes meeting hers with a mix of warmth and sincerity. "Life's been...busy," he began, "I've been focusing a lot on my work actually. There's been some challenging cases lately, but I find it fulfilling."

Julie nodded, listening intently as Patrick spoke about his career. But she couldn't help but feel a twinge of interest about his personal life.

"And...besides work?" she ventured, her voice tinged with shyness. "Have you...been seeing anyone?"

Patrick's expression softened, and he took a moment to gather his thoughts before responding. "Well, to be honest there have been a few flings, and a couple of one-night stands here and there," he admitted, his tone thoughtful.

Julie's heart skipped a beat. She hadn't expected such honesty from him, and she found herself holding her breath in anticipation of what he would say next.

His next words caught her off guard, filling her with a mixture of emotions she couldn't quite name.

"Julie, there's something I want to tell you."

Julie turned to look at him, her heart racing "What is it?"

"It's about us... about me. I know things haven't been easy between us, especially after everything that happened with your dad. But I want you to know that, despite everything, you've always been the one for me."

Julie's breath caught in her throat, her eyes widening in surprise at his words. She had never expected to hear such a confession from him, especially after all this time.

"Patrick, I... I don't know what to say." her voice was barely above a whisper.

"You don't have to say anything. I just want you to know how I feel. How I have always felt."

Julie felt a lump form in her throat as she struggled to find the right words. It was as if her heart was caught in a whirlwind of emotions, swirling with both joy and pain.

Taking a deep breath, her voice trembling, she said "Patrick, there's something I need to tell you... something I've been holding onto for a long time."

"What is it, Julie? You can tell me anything."

"Maybe the time has come for me to tell you what I have been through and explain to you why I did what I did."

She gathered her strength before starting to open her heart to him.

"When my dad... when he passed away, it was like my whole world fell apart." she said with her voice breaking.

"I felt like I was sucked into a black hole, scattered into a new dimension where everything was new and terribly scary. No matter he was 87 and he died peacefully in his sleep. I couldn't accept that my beloved father, my center, suddenly wasn't there anymore. It was as if I lost my identity. I had to rebuild my world from scratch. I don't remember much from that period...it's like my brain canceled those painful days."

Tears welled up in Julie's eyes as she spoke, the floodgates of her emotions opening up after years of being held back.

"I didn't feel anything. I didn't have any feelings... not for you, not for anyone, not even for myself. All I could feel was unbearable pain. The only thing I desperately needed was the love of my family, especially my mum and my brother Timothy. And work... work became my lifeline. It was like a door to another dimension, one where I could still feel my father alive, still at my side, taking care of patients with me... a world where we were still together. My hands were his hands. It was like I absorbed all his knowledge, I was absolutely confident in my capacities and my skills since then…and that was because of him. But each time I took off my white coat, I plunged again into that depression. I spent a lot of time trying to come to terms with all this…but even if I'm better now, there's still something broken inside of me. It's just…it's like he took the best of my heart and left the rest in pieces."

Patrick reached out and gently took Julie's hand, his heart breaking for her as he listened to her heartbreaking confession.

"Julie... I had no idea. I mean, it was clear to me that you were suffering. But I never imagined it could be something like that. I'm so sorry you had to go through all of that alone. I'm sorry I wasn't able to be at your side."

Julie nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks "Thank you for being here for me now. I'm so sorry about everything and I really hope that one day you will forgive me for messing up our prospects."

Patrick pulled her into a comforting embrace, holding her close as she let out all the pain and sorrow she had been carrying for so long.

"Julie, there's nothing to ask forgiveness for. You have been shattered in a nightmare! I'm the one who needs to apologize. See, there's something I need to tell you as well... something I've been carrying with me for a long time."

Julie looked at him without saying a word.

Patrick took a deep breath, his gaze meeting hers with sincerity.

"My greatest regret is that I was not able to be at your side... and also and above I wasn't able to keep the promise I made to your father."

Julie's brow furrowed in confusion, her heart clenching at his words.

"What promise?"

"It happened that same day. You were upstairs and he called me by my name... and you know that is something he rarely did. He asked me to promise to always love you, to stand by your side every day of my life and always take care of you. And I... I promised him that I would. I really mean it…but then I totally failed."

Julie's eyes widened in surprise, her mind racing as she tried to process his words.

"I had no idea... I never knew about that."

"I know, Julie. And I'm sorry but I shouldn't tell you then... I'm sorry that I couldn't keep that promise. I wasn't ready for all that happened after. I wasn't ready to see you like that, Julie. Those have been the worst days of my life."

He made a pause, thinking of all the times he had woken up at night with her desperate shrieks in his mind since then, feeling completely helpless. Seeing the love of his life laying on her brother's shoulder during the funeral, clasping her mother's hand with her blank stare, her beautiful face marked by tears, her eyes reddened and swollen was something he would never forget.

"I wasn't ready for so much pain, darling…and I thought I simply deserved that you didn't want to see me anymore." he admitted, his voice choking.

Julie reached out and took Patrick's hand, squeezing it gently in reassurance.

"Patrick, you don't have to apologize. You've always been there for me, in your own way. I don't remember much but I do remember that you were right behind me all the time."

She took a moment to find the strength and courage to say something she had never said before, not even to herself.

"Patrick... my greatest regret, the thing I can't forgive myself for... it's that I wasn't there when he passed. I didn't even kiss him goodbye before going out that day."

Patrick's heart ached for her as he listened to her confession, his own sorrow mingling with hers.

"Julie, but that's not true! You're wrong about that..."

Julie looked at him, confusion evident in her eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"I remember clearly every second of that day...it's something that keeps taunting me every single day since then. We were going out for the night and I was thrilled since I already planned to ask you to marry me. As usual, you kissed your father goodbye before going out. But there's more. We had just exited from your house when you said you had forgotten something in your other purse. So we came back inside and you went upstairs to get it... and that's when your father called me over and made me make that promise."

Julie's eyes widened in realization as she listened to Patrick's words, memories flooding back to her.

"When you came back downstairs, he beckoned you and made you sit on his lap, even though you were protesting because we were already late. I will never forget the adoring look in his eyes as he held you close, whispering one of his fluffy things to you. And then you hugged him close and kissed him on his forehead saying that you will love himforever and always... and then we left."

Tears welled up in Julie's eyes as she remembered that moment, the warmth of her father's embrace and the love in his eyes.

She was totally speechless. She could only feel the tears running down her face. Patrick held her close in his arms, not wanting to let her go.

And in that moment, amidst the quiet beauty of Regent's Park, Julie realized that their shared memories and love for each other had and would always bind them together. No matter what.

As Julie still lingered in Patrick's arms, the realization hit her like a wave crashing onto the shore. She still loved him, deeply and unequivocally. Memories long buried began to resurface, the fragments of that fateful night slowly piecing themselves back together in her mind.

With a heavy but determined heart, she turned to Patrick, her voice trembling slightly as she spoke.

"Patrick, I... I need to go home. To my mother. There are things she needs to know…"

Patrick listened intently, his own emotions swirling beneath the surface. He nodded in understanding, silently acknowledging the weight of Julie's decision.

"I understand, Julie. I'll respect your need for space."

Despite the turmoil in her heart, Julie felt a surge of gratitude towards Patrick for his understanding. She knew that facing her family and revealing the truth would be difficult, but it was a necessary step towards healing.

Patrick offered to drive her home.

"Thank you, Patrick. But this is something I have to do on my own."

With those words hanging in the air between them, Julie leaned forward and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to Patrick's lips. It was a silent affirmation of the love and connection that still existed between them, despite the trials and tribulations they had faced.

As she pulled away, she met Patrick's loving gaze.

"I'll see you soon!"

With that, she turned and walked away, leaving Patrick sitting on the bench, his heart brimming with a sense of peace and acceptance. He watched her retreating figure, feeling a glimmer of hope that they could find their way back to each other.