CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: Out of White Mars

I woke up to the loud clangs, and for a moment, I was seized with the euphoria of not being in the hospital.

But when I opened my eyes, I met the white sheets, the empty couch, the bland, depressing decorations of the room.

"Landon?" I struggled to utter even a word. My chest was heavy, and I could barely lift my arm without feeling the tremendous, sinking force of gravity.

"Oh, Jamie!" Landon chimed. "I was just packing."

I eyed his grin suspiciously. "Packing?"

"You're going home. We're going home. My dad—he arranged for you to be taken care at home." He breathed and smiled. "First time—first time my dad's useful."

I blinked. Home? No longer incapacitated in this white Mars? No longer emotionally extinguished by the four walls staring at me.

Why I deserved this man, I didn't know. As I watched him pack up my clothes, he occasionally turned to smile at me. He was an angel who flitted down to save me. Why did life bring him to me so late? He should've entered my life earlier than this, so that all we had wouldn't merely be our struggle with leukemia. He defied logic; a miracle in the nick of time, a salvation in the face of death.

"You know, without the hospital, you can't have a reason to be around me all day long," I joked.

"I'd prefer the happier Jamie than the mournful one stuck in the hospital," he breathed, putting down the bags and walking towards me. "Look at you," he stroked my cheeks, "you're livelier than before, don't you agree?"

He leaned down to plant a kiss on my lips.

"Didn't have this in a long while," I whispered, and he leaned in again, this time his body moved closer to mine, and his fingers ran through my hair. I was panting between kisses, and would have reciprocated Landon's passion if my fatigue didn't wane my strength.

"We'd better go," Landon pulled back. "There's a better surprise waiting for you at home."

Author's note:

It's been one year since I posted! 2012 has been a crazy, busy year, and I finally have a break. I was almost close to giving up on this fanfic, but then recently I've received several reviews that reminded me about you guys, my dear readers, and about my self-pledge to finish this story for the first time (I've never finished a long story before; always stopped halfway through). So thank you all for your support, and the next chapter, which I shall write soon, is the moment everyone's waiting for. I shall not spoil it ;)

Once again, as I get further into the story, I tweak the plot to fit my story version that's different from Nicholas Sparks'. :)