Chapter 22

Sauli was at the hospital, pacing outside of Adam's room. He could the doctor shouting, "Clear!" as he tried to revive Adam. Tears couldn't stop rolling down Sauli's eyes. He had just finished watching Tommy being taken away by the police after murdering his love and now he had to endure the horrible sounds of his revival failure. Suddenly, the doctor's shouting stopped. He couldn't hear anything. The door to the room opened and a young nurse came out.
"Well?" said Sauli. The nurse looked down and said nothing. "Oh no," said Sauli, "Please no."

"We got a pulse!" came a voice in the room. Sauli pushed the nurse out of the way and ran in to see Adam. Adam was coughing as a nurse placed an oxygen mask over his mouth. Sauli fell next to Adam's bedside.

"Oh Adam!" he said, tears escaping his eyes. "I thought I lost you!" Adam managed a small smile. A nurse grabbed Sauli from the behind.

"Sir," she said, "You need to wait outside."
"It's alright," said the doctor, "Mr. Lambert has stabilized. We can give them so private time now." The nurse nodded and released her hold on Sauli. The doctor's and nurses exited the room, leaving Sauli and Adam alone.

"Sauli," said Adam, "I'm so glad to see you. In my final moments, I saw all my moments with you flash before my eyes. I love you so much."

"Adam," said Sauli, squeezing Adam in a hug. "Don't you ever leave me again! I couldn't live without you. I love you so much. Rakastan sinua, Adam." Adam smiled.

"Rakastan sinua, Sauli." Adam and Sauli shared a kiss. This kiss was the most powerful kiss they had ever shared. This kiss was proof that true love overpowers anything, even death. Sauli and Adam lied together for the rest of the night, alone in the hospital. Nothing was there to disturb them. Not Tommy, who had been incarcerated on murder charges, not Stephanie, who had mysteriously disappeared, not even Adam's phone, which had always managed to ruin one of their romantic moments. This was certainly a moment that only came around once in a lifetime.

Epilogue

Tommy was sitting in his prison cell, bouncing a ball against the wall, trying to pass the time. After all, wouldn't you want to pass the time if you got 25 years in jail sentence? Tommy would've gotten life in jail, or even the death penalty if he hadn't confessed to the police. He told them about Stephanie's plan and his motive for committing the crime. He even told them his secret. When Tommy was younger, he had witnessed a murder. It was the murder of a young man, about the same age as Tommy at the time. He saw the murderer in complete detail, a young girl with dark brown hair and blue eyes. In fear, he did not tell anyone. The information he possessed could of put the killer behind bars, but he chose not to tell. That was a secret he had kept his whole life. When he told the police, they found out that Stephanie was in fact the same murderer he saw those many years ago, due to her large criminal record. She constantly kept changing identities so she was impossible to find. So now, the FBI was chasing Stephanie and he was behind bars. Suddenly, a guard tapped on his cell's bars.

"You got a visitor, Ratliff." Tommy sat in the visitor's booth, surprised to see Adam staring back at him.

"Adam!" he said happily, "You're alive!"

"Yes," said Adam, "I am. No thanks to you." Tommy turned away, filled with complete sadness. It was true, and the truth hurts.

"Adam I…"
"Save it," said Adam, "I came here to make sure you were ok, and to tell you that I forgive you."

"You do?" said Tommy, in complete shock.

"Yes," said Adam, "I do. Because I now how you felt about that girl. She used your love for her to turn you into something you're not. I'm sorry to see you behind these bars, I really am, but hopefully being here will teach you a lesson. I'm also here to tell you that you are being replaced in my band. I'm really sorry, but I can't wait 25 years." Tommy chuckled at that comment. "One more thing before I go… I've always loved you Tommy Joe Ratliff. From the moment I saw you. But you're wrong for me. Sauli… Sauli is what's right for me and I love him more than all the designer shoes in the world." Tommy laughed at that. He knew just how much Adam loved shoes. "Goodbye Tommy," said Adam, "I wish you well and I hope we can meet again someday." Adam got up from the visitor's chair and left. The guard dragged Tommy back into his cell by his shirt's collar. Tommy sat in his room, confused. After all that, Adam still forgave him. Tommy placed his head in his hands and began to cry. Their lives would never be the same. As Tommy cried, he thought of a quote he had once read.

"Love made you a liar." It was very true. For love had caused him to hurt Adam and Sauli and ultimately hurt himself. "Love," he thought, "is full of deception."