I didn't know what I expected-maybe some white building next to a lake, or snow-capped mountains. Perhaps some medical-looking marble frontage with a gold-plated plaque on the wall. What I didn't expect was to be driven right past the modest wood sign marking the equally modest building I'd thought I was headed for. If I would have blinked, I would have missed it and whipped my head around just to make sure.

"Excuse me, Sir. I believe you passed up my stop."

The driver glanced down for a second, then back up into the rear-view mirror. "No Miss, says here I am to get you too the local hospital as soon as possible."

I slumped slightly, thoroughly confused. "Hospital?"

"Yes, Miss. Just a few minutes away."

By the time I was able to get my phone out to dial up Mrs. Traynor, we had arrived. I quickly ran into the building and right up to reception. The woman behind the desk seemed to know exactly who I was looking for even before I was able to get Will's name out.

I was escorted to the lift, then down a bright white corridor and finally into a wing marked Intensive Care. I hesitated outside the door, not knowing what to expect inside, before heaving a steadying breath and pushing my way inside.

Mrs. Traynor was the first person I saw.

"Louisa", she exclaimed, rising from the uncomfortable looking chair she was sitting in.

My expression must have conveyed my confusion. "What-?"

"Will's been taken ill," was all she got out before I took the last step and entered the room fully.

I noticed the bed first, Will seemed to be lost in the array of medical equipment around him. We locked eyes and my heart simultaneously broke for him and lept for joy that he was still alive.

We stared at each other for a moment before Will's glance shifted toward his mother. "I'd like to speak with, Lou. Is that okay?"

"Of course," Mrs. Traynor replied, swiftly grabbing her bag and summoning her husband and daughter to follow.

I felt Mr. Traynor place his hand on my shoulder as he passed and tried to send back an appreciative smile before turning back to Will. My questioning gaze must have been enough for him.

"Infection," he explained without my asking. "Bladder, possibly kidney as well. They're not entirely sure yet."

His voice was soft, but steady. His face impassive.

I stood there, unthinking, unmoving, until my heart spilled over into actual words. "I missed you."

"Come over here." And then, when I hesitated. "Please. Come on. Right here on the bed. Right next to me."

I did what he'd asked, mindful of any tubes or wires, and snuggled up beside him. Resting my head on his shoulder, I reached for his hand, his good right hand, and entwined our fingers together.

My silence must have tipped him off-he was always so bloody good at reading my mind. "I started to feel off shortly after we arrived," he began. "My downward spiral came hard and quick. They must have missed my rising fever and blood pressure, and by somewhere around 1am, I'd completely bottomed out."

I shifted slightly, lifting only my head to get a better look at him. We locked eyes and he swallowed hard. "AD. I began seizing and they called an ambulance."

Propped up on my elbow now, I looked down at him pleadingly. "You had a seizure?"

"So they tell me," Will replied, rather nonchalantly. "I don't remember much of anything other than waking up this morning, groggy as hell."

My eyes widened and I must have looked comical because I swear I saw a twitch playing at the corner of Will's lips. "It's happened once before, you know. Early on." And immediately, my mind went to the story Nathan had told me about Will's previous episode of autonomic dysreflexia, more than two years before, that had also landed him in the hospital-though I couldn't recall there ever being any mention of a seizure. "But ironically enough, I've escaped stroking out both times."

I felt his thumb brush over my knuckle and my eyes instantly filled with tears. Will smiled genuinely this time. "Come on, Clark. None of that."

The door creaking open startled us both. "Son," Mr. Traynor stated, walking in. "A Mr. Alhstrom is here to see you."

I felt Will suddenly stiffen underneath me, so I set his hand back down at his side and quietly slipped from his bed. Silently wondering who this Mr. Alhstrom was and what he wanted with Will.

A short, middle-aged man walked in between Mrs. Traynor and Georgina. "Mr. Traynor," the man greeted pleasantly. "I hope you're recovering nicely."

Gauging by the looks on the Traynor's faces, it immediately dawned on me who this man was and my heart sank into my stomach. "I've come to you this evening as a courtesy and to remind you of the clause in our policy that states if a session is cancelled, for any reason, less than twenty-four hours before the agreed upon time, said session is therefore nullified and the application must me reinstated-"

"What are you saying?"

Mr. Alhstrom cleared his throat nervously. "You must reinstate your application for approval-"

"Bloody hell," Will spat out. "You've got to be joking." He paused a moment before flashing an accusatory look over at his family. "Alright, which one of you put him up to this?"

Mrs. Traynor gasped. "William?"

"I can assure you, Mr. Traynor, nobody has put me up to this, as you say. Our policies are all very clearly stated in the contract you've agreed to. This clause happens to be on page three-"

"No," Will refused. "I'm not leaving until it's done. I'm here now. I'm ready-"

I could see the rage building up inside him, the flush of his cheeks, the shortness of his breath, and I panicked. "Will," I called out in desperation.

He'd seemed to have momentarily forgotten I was there, for when he glanced over at me, he seemed to calm a bit enough to ask. "How long will this take?"

"Once you've convalesced, you may reapply and if approved, it should be around two to three months. No more than six-"

"This is fucking ridiculous!" All eyes were trained on Will. He was nearly hysterical now. "If approved? You mean to tell me that in six months time, you can deny my request? A fucking request that has already been granted-"

Fearing his blood pressure would skyrocket again and he might actually suffer a stroke this time, Mrs. Traynor pleaded with her son to calm down. "And Georgina, go fetch a nurse for us, will you?"

"What I'm saying to you is a decision like this is never to be taken lightly and there are requirements. You must be of sound mind and body before-"

"I can assure you one thing, Mr. Alhstrom, this body will never be sound-"

"Will? Give me the six months."

He glanced over at me, his eyes narrowing in confusion. "What?"

I stepped closer, perched myself on the edge of his bed and reached out for his hand. "Give me this six months," I repeated, much more confidently.

"What are you talking about, Clark?"

I sat up straighter and clasped both my hands around his. "You have to come back home to convalesce. Give me the six months and we can pick up where we left off. You can resubmit your request and while your waiting for the reply, we can finish all of the things we didn't get to do. Give me until March, the third anniversary of the accident. If-"

"That's seven months." His voice was almost a whisper.

"What?"

"The third anniversary of the accident is not for seven months, five days."

"Will, please."

"No, Clark."

"Why not?" I asked, not waiting for an answer. "Don't you see what this is, Will? It's another chance-"

"No. This is just the world mocking me yet again." He sighed heavily, screwed his face shut, and added through clenched teeth. "I should be dead-"

"Yes you should," I agreed quickly, and his eyes snapped open. "You should have been dead many times over. You had to be resuscitated twice after the accident." I saw his look of surprise widen at my knowing this piece of information and could only imagine his mother's expression was much the same. "You should have died during your last bout of pneumonia, after your suicide attempt. You should have stroked out twice already and you should have died at three-thirty yesterday afternoon." I gently squeezed his hand for emphasis and gave him a teary smile as I whispered, "But you didn't."

There was the slightest of change in his expression, which gave me the confidence to continue. "Now I don't know if there is some speck of cat DNA in you, or you just actually have nine lives, but it's because of someone, something, there is some reason you're still here."

He scoffed at me and I could tell he would have pulled his hand from my grasp if he could have. "What, God? Divine intervention?"

"I don't know," I replied, smile widening slightly as I shrugged. "All I know is that you have another chance. Please say you'll spend it with me."

He didn't respond, just continued staring at me. I leaned forward, my face nearly touching his. "Say yes, Will. Go on." And immediately, we were both transported back to that evening two months ago. "Please."

Just as he did that starry night, Will paused before whispering, albeit resignedly this time.

"Okay."