Hello. I'll keep it short. This story took me long, and when I was almost done the worst thing happened: I lost the notebook I wrote in. So I wrote the whole story all over.

I do not know of people with this sickness, so my descriptions are not truthful, but please bear with me.

The Dying Light In Your Eyes

He couldn't look away.

Even when she was sleeping, he couldn't look away.

He wouldn't look away.

Their time was limited, so even she wasn't awake, he would stay awake.

Her brown hair was dull, changed by the dry hospital air. Her once tanned skin had taken on a bluish shade of pale. If he didn't hear that continuous beep of the heart monitor, he could've sworn, she had left him already.

She didn't, but their time was almost up already.

She slept most of the time now, and when awake she was unfocused. But she had peace after months of distress.

He had been there for her too; hadn't left her side.

That room had almost been as much his as it was hers since she had been taken in. He had been hiding his own distress then, he had to be strong for her.

But, in the darkness of the night and the silence of the hospital-room, he didn't need to be strong anymore.

Her parents would come in the morning, having a gym that had to be taken care of. Her friends and brother came by the other day. She had smiled at them, and even though they cared for her deeply, it was apparent how awkward they felt to him.

He decided she was better off not knowing.

But for now, it was only him with her.

Someone slammed a door as a phone rang and a lot of hurried steps indicated that another person was in danger. It wasn't unfamiliar already. None of the people who were hospitalized her, would ever come out healthy again.

He pressed that thought away. Ignorance was bliss, he thought.

A soft gust of wind betrayed the moisture on his cheeks, yet he didn't bother wiping away. It happened before. He paid no attention to it.

A deep sigh pulled his attention and alarmed he looked at the girl, almost as old and he, and he calmed down when she was still sleeping.

He sighed; he would have imagined a future with her. He'd have fantasized about it. But again, he held those thoughts away, for there wouldn't be such a thing.

For a second he reached out his hand before it enclosed hers. It was frail and he was almost afraid he would break it.

A light twitch brought his head up to look at her face.

Blue eyes gazed drowsily at him, and despite the tubes running from her nose and arms, he still thought she was beautiful. "Hey," he said softly.

She smiled tiredly at him. "You're awake," she muttered. Drew nodded at that. "You should go to sleep," she croaked out. Speaking fell hard on her already.

He shook his head, "Not while you are awake." They both knew that he didn't mean the time she didn't spend sleeping. Suddenly he was overcome by a wave of anger: it just wasn't fair! Someone as young as her being in a state like this, in that hospital bed.

She squeezed his hand, even if it cost a lot of effort. He suspected she knew exactly what he was thinking, whether he voiced it or not. "Is Wartortle still being stubborn?" she asked. They had decided once she was no more, he was the one that would take care of her Pokémon.

To be totally truthful, he wasn't sure if he could live without them, even if she wasn't beside him. They would be her last remembrance. The creatures were so much stronger than he was. They had found it hard but had accepted it, just like their mistress.

Except the blue creature Wartortle, that had refused to listen to him. So she had, as little strength that she had, spoken to the Pokémon,

"No," he said. "He's just the little angel now."

"Good," she replied tiredly, but still smiling.

He leaned forwards, pressing his head against her legs. It was certainly not the most comfortable position, but it was all he would take. Intimacy had been robbed from them before they even could have expressed it.

But words were not really needed. For now, it was just him and her. He would take all he could get. He loved her with all he had.

She let him lay there for a moment, but the medication did its work again, and her eyes were slowly starting to droop. He looked back up at her, "You should go to sleep".

Sleep was all that gave a little salvation.

"Will you stay with me?" she asked, her voice breaking dryly.

He smiled as he rearranged the sheets on her bed and said, "I always do," before moving her, carefully not to mess any of the wires she was fastened on. Looking at her face he found that she had fallen back asleep again.

He for now knew she would still wake in the morning, in the afternoon, in the evening, for how long it may last. The feet in the hallway had quieted down and silence had returned to the hospital.

He dreaded the day those hurried feet would come for her.

He couldn't look away; he didn't want to look away. He fell and would drown once they were irrevocably separated.

But for now, he didn't look away.

()()()()()

"You really get clumsier every time don't you?" Drew teased. May pushed herself from the ground and showed him her tongue. Drew rolled his eyes, "Really mature, May," he quipped and put his hand out for her to grab.

May huffed angrily as she let him help her up. "Well, sorry that I trip over rocks on the road," she said.

Drew snickered at her. He and May had been traveling for quite some time together now doing contests in different regions. He had known she was clumsy to some extent, but he hadn't realized how bad it was exactly. And it seemed worse with every time.

While May skipped on ahead, Drew glanced back at the road. There was no rock, like she had claimed.

May was already waiting for him when he caught up. "So you finally found the speed-button?" Drew said.

May pressed her hands in her sides as she glared at him, "My speed is very much good enough, mister," she said. Her words missed effect now that at 17, he towered above her.

"You might want to up that great speed a little more then," he said, raising a brow, "Your contest starts in five minutes."

May paled, "Ah! I'm late!" she called out and ran off towards the contest hall. It was only a blessing she ran the right way. It wouldn't be the first time he had to go and find her. Drew followed her at an easy pace. He was not participating so he didn't see any need to hurry all that much.

But May, sometimes he really worried about her. He saw her waving her arms at him from a distance. She was such a ditz sometimes, 'But a cute one,' he thought to himself.

"So you have already entered?" Drew asked her when he reached her.

May nodded, "Yup, and I'm totally ready to blast!" she exclaimed.

Drew pretended to mull over that for a moment, "I wonder, with all that time spent eating, you might not have gotten in enough training," he remarked.

Fire almost blasted from May's ears, "I trained a lot! And you know it!" she roared at him.

Drew nodded, "Yeah I do," he said. Then he handed her a rose. It was completely unnecessary since they were traveling together, but hey! Old habits die hard! "Don't mess up," he said.

May breathed from her nose, "I won't! Go in the public you!" she said. Drew snickered and with a wave of his hand, he disappeared in the crowd that were entering the tribunes. It would be a bit tricky to find a seat since the town was big and there were a lot of people. He also sneaked past his fan-girls, who were frantically looking around.

Looking for him, Drew supposed. May had always told him he was arrogant, he rather saw it as realistic. That and the squealing of his name gave him a few pointers too.

"What the hell," Drew muttered to himself, "I am not even participating today." He sat down in the seat, a place that shaded him from view enough, but had a perfect view on the stage. "How did they even know I would be here?"

"That's because May's here, of course," a female, very familiar voice quipped, effectively ruining his lonesome pondering. With a nod of his head, Drew acknowledged Soledad's presence as she sat down next to him.

"What do you mean," he asked.

Soledad raised a brow at him, "Why Drew? Are you really that dense?" she asked, and Drew muttered an 'I guess not' under his breath and Soledad laughed mirthfully. "It's commonly known that where May is, you are to be found. And the other way around of course. You guys are almost glued to the hip. Of course," she laughed again, "That happens when you travel together. I'm waiting for any articles on you two."

Drew was glad it was dark, so that Soledad couldn't see him blush. On the stage a young boy was performing. His moves with his Kadabra, who was usually seen as a good appeal-Pokémon, were executioned well, but too deadly and precise. He had probably done gyms before this. He wouldn't make it to the next round.

If Drew was totally honest, the only one who had been able to do contests while being a primarily gym-challenger had been Ash Ketchum. He might not exactly like the guy, and Drew was aware that was because of the past he and May shared that he had no part of, but he had flair. This boy had not.

"They already did," Drew said in response to Soledad's remark.

The festival-champion hummed in reply, "I must have missed that article then," she said lightly.

Drew nodded, "Yeah. We had been sharing dinner over the campfire when some guy with a camera snapped a picture of us. The next day, I found the headlines Love burning? Read all on page 6"

Soledad laughed quietly at this, looking at the girl on stage that had a particular nice use of psychic and water moves, much like Soledad herself. "She doesn't know?" she asked.

Drew shook his head. No he hadn't told her. He wasn't going to risk their friendship over possibly half-heartened feelings he might have. He was sure those feelings would disappear someday, even if they hadn't over the last 5 years. "No, she doesn't. And she's pretty oblivious too," he answered.

Soledad chuckled, "That might be true. But you shouldn't keep silent," she continued. The girl on stage had finished her appeal and coincidentally it was May's turn now.

So he waited. "May and I, we're just friends. I'm not going to put that one the line," he said.

Soledad shook her head. "No, Drew. Whatever you and May are, it's not just friends. Way too much tension for that."

Drew was momentarily distracted when May came skipping in with loud cheering, a huge grin on her face. Drew smiled softly, knowing that backstage she had been worrying her head off. She almost reached her place when suddenly; Drew saw her fall flat-face first on the ground.

Drew pressed himself back in the chair; an automatic reaction of his was to try to catch her.

May smiled sheepishly and waved the announcer away. The crowd chuckled good-naturedly at her clumsiness. But Drew frowned; he knew for sure she didn't fall over a rock or a hole in the road like outside: the stage was as smooth as ever.

He made a mental note that if something like this happened again, something so unexplainably like this, he would take her to a doctor, screaming or not.

Next to him, Soledad had been watching his movements amused. "Drew, you and I are friends. What you and May have, doesn't even resemble our interaction in the slightest."

May had called out Wartortle and began her appeal. It started with Wartortle blowing bubbles and freezing it with ice-beam. "In fact," Soledad began softly, seeing Drew looking at May intensely. It was true that the Pokémon was the most important thing in the appeal, the trainer being there for stability but Soledad thought rather that Drew was almost unnaturally focused on the girl.

"I'd start to worry if we started to act like you and May do. There is so much tension between you two that I can't even see how you two are still acting like normal."

Drew nodded absent-mindly, still looking at May's performance. The frozen spheres were now thrown around with whirlpool. Drew knew how much she had practiced on this and felt the unmistakingly twinge of pride for her. "Still," he said, "Our friendship is worth more to me than acting on any feelings. Whether I have them or not."

Soledad shook her head, clapping with the crowd as a change of trainers came. May scored fairly well. "How long are you going to hold her down, Drew?" she asked.

Drew shot her a sharp glare: that was a direct insult to him and his skills. "I don't think I am keeping her down at all," he said.

Soledad smiled at him, "Not like that, get off your high horse. I meant really, May's around the age she would want to get a boyfriend. What will you do once she decides to get one?"

Drew shrugged, "I don't know. I won't stop her."

Soledad threw him a sharp look, unbelievingly, "Really now? Are you prepared to let her go if she asks you that?" she asked.

Drew stared unseeingly at the stage. Truth to be told. The idea of May getting a boyfriend other than him seemed ludicrous to him. However, it was a very real prospect. "If she asks me to," Drew said slowly, "I will let her go."

Soledad chuckled lightly, "You're in deep, right?" she asked.

Drew smirked at her, "I haven't figured out that yet,"

The lights went on, seeing it was a break now. Drew smiled at his amber-haired friend, his trustee. "There's a girl I know who is probably freaking out, I will go see her," he explained himself.

Soledad nodded, debating something for a moment, "Just…don't wait too long Drew. Life's too short to waste." Drew didn't respond to her as he walked from the tribune and slipped past the group of girls. He honestly had hoped that they had given up today. Backstage he found a shaking May.

A rose was pressed in front of her, "For Beautify?" she asked teasingly.

Drew flicked his hair, 'for you,' he thought. "For Wartortle, May dearest, Beautifly didn't perform."

May narrowed her eyes at him, "I know my own Pokémon, you jerk!" she growled and Drew snickered at her lightly. May calmed a little, "How did I do?" she asked.

Drew threw her a side-long glance, "You still have a long way to perfection," he said. Truth to be told, he was sure she would continue on to the next round.

"You jerk!" May hissed.

Drew hummed slightly, "You did well," he said, patting her head.

The brown-haired coordinator blinked, "You just said I still have a long way to go!" she protested.

Drew looked up at the score-board and sure enough, May's picture appeared on the screen. He smirked, "I can't have you walking next to your shoes, now can I?" he asked. He was only barely aware of the other coordinators following their banter amusedly.

May smiled mischievously. "Like you, you mean?" she asked.

'Ouch, that hurt,' Drew thought to himself idly. But he had to admit she was getting better in her comebacks. He shook his head, "Just stay on your feet this time," he said and turned around to walk away. With a wave of his hand he acknowledged her: "I'll do my best!"

As he sat down on his place, Drew noticed Soledad had left already. He found himself not minding that all too much. He didn't mind talking to her, but now he was able to see the spark in May's eyes when she battled. Distracted talking with Soledad, he had missed it during the appeal.

Really, she was dense. She couldn't see at all he had only eyes for her.

The first pair-off was an elderly woman with a Vileplume against a younger girl with a Growlithe. The Growlithe was agile and both trainer and Pokémon were full of fire. The hits they made were many but did not have much impact. Truly, the elder woman and the Vileplume had apparently been a team a long time and though not as quick they did serious damage.

Drew knew that they would be the winner. One thing a person should never underestimate was the experience of an older opponent. The battle filled almost the entire five minutes until the Vileplume burst a Sunbeam at the Growlithe, effectively knocking him out.

As it would seem, the Vileplume had been collecting sun-particles all match. Drew smirked: his premonition had been right. The two left the stage and made way for May's battle. First the opponent entered, a young man, maybe a bit older than them both. He was brimming with confidence, and Drew found himself annoyed at that.

Ditzy, slightly an idiot and easy to tease but May was a good trainer, even if he didn't always tell her that. She wouldn't go down that easily.

Then, May entered and Drew felt himself relax. Soledad's question had been legible: he was in pretty deep and he would admit that, even if only to himself. May was smiling widely and to Drew's relief she didn't trip. The guy on the other side winked at her and Drew felt his blood boil.

So not only did he think that May was an easy opponent but also an easy win. And damnit! He was the only one who should be allowed to make her blush like that.

The young man grabbed a ball and erupting from it came a Quilava. Drew sat back upon seeing this: so this would be a battle of fire. He knew May was planning on using Blaziken and even her opponents' choice wouldn't deter her from that. May too grabbed her Poke ball and then brought her hand up in a throwing motion.

Drew narrowed his eyes: he had expected May's fiery friend to appear, yet he didn't. He looked better and then saw May's poke ball on the ground. May too seemed surprised. Her hand was still raised upwards, and she seemed as if she hadn't noticed had fallen during the motion.

The public laughed at her and May bent to grab the ball from the ground, red flaming on her cheeks, the opponent now didn't seem worried at all.

Drew made a mental note to call the hospital as soon as possible. Something just felt terribly wrong.

The battle had now started and Blaziken had trouble keeping up with the natural agility of the Raccoon-Pokémon. Then Quilava made a turn and May made use of the moment by ordering High-Jump Kick. It was tricky since Quilava was so fast, but Blaziken, as immaculate as ever, timed perfectly and smashed the Pokémon in the ground.

It made one more effort to stand up, but then fainted. The opponent seemed angry and Drew smirked. The man clearly hadn't expected to lose in anyway. Drew however, knew that even if she seemed small and frail, in her element, May was a force to be reckoned with.

Sitting back contently he saw May snatch up the ribbon by defeating the elder woman: unlike the young girl, May knew how to make use of type advantage and the firespin gave the Vileplume no chance. Drew knew there was something harder waiting for him: convincing May to go to the hospital wouldn't be easy.

Not at all.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()

She went outside today.

Well so did he but for her it was a whole lot more of a feat. She was seated in a wheelchair, oxygen in a can on the back; she wore tubes through her nose for breath was something she didn't have whole lot of. Dressed with one of the thick white sweaters the hospital provided her, and a thick blanket around her legs, Drew pushed her through the garden.

It was a slightly cold day but the sun was shining and there was not a lot of wind.

May seemed to be enjoying seeing the colourful flowers in the garden and for the moment, Drew was content. It wasn't anywhere near travelling the outside world, but it was enough.

Eventually, Drew wheeled her next to a bench that was protected from the wind by a bush, but where the sun could still reach. It had a view over the fields of flowers and somewhere near and at the same time too close there was the laughter of children.

As Drew put the chair on the breaks, he grabbed her hand and seated on the bench next to her. An older couple was enjoying a walk through the gardens, just enjoying being together. For a moment, Drew felt just like that couple. All he wanted was to enjoy May's company whenever he could. It wasn't hard on a day like this. He squeezed her hand in reassurance.

"Hey Drew," May croaked. Drew looked at her, relishing in the light blush on her face.

"Hm?" he replied.

May fidgeted slightly, "Would you still love me if I wasn't like this?" she asked. As he stared at her curiously, she turned away blushing. He noticed that even though she was not looking at him, her eyes were clear of the haze of the medication for once. It hurt that even in this state, he found her beautiful. "Would we have been happy, if I hadn't been sick like this?"

Drew bit the inside of his lip slightly, "Why would you ask such a thing?" he asked.

May sighed, "Sometimes I feel like I have forced you to love me. Like you can't leave me out of pity," she said.

Drew sighed as he leaned over, lifting her out of her chair. She squeaked but didn't protest. The doctor had assured him that he could do that if he was just careful with her tubes. So he was and he planted her on his lap, waving his arms around her. He could really care less about his mysterious guy image he had created. If abandoning that image meant spending time with May, he would do it a thousand times over.

"It's true I can't leave you alone. But that's not out of pity," he said.

May sat back against his chest, "Then what is it?" she asked.

Drew nuzzled his nose in the crook of her neck. "That you even have to ask that," he replied softly. "I don't want to leave you alone ever. I love you not because of you being like this, but in spite of."

May sighed and Drew felt her face stretch in a light smile, "Then you'd still have loved me, even if it were not this way?"

Drew snickered softly, staring at the flowers in front of them. "Maybe I wouldn't have been this quick. I can't tell, since I don't know. But I'd still have loved you," he said. To him the questions were not necessary; he had time on time told her he loved her, but he also understood her need to hear it, to be shown how much she meant to him.

So he gladly swallowed his pride gladly for her and tell her I love you, time and time again.

May nuzzled in on his warmth and Drew realized they soon had to go back in for it was getting cold for her.

"I love you too," she said and Drew felt his heart soar. It was unbelievable how she still could make his heart do flips. "Drew?" she asked again and Drew stroke his hand over her midriff softly to show that he was listening. "Would we have been happy?" she asked again, and Drew pondered this question.

Would they have been happy? He couldn't say he didn't want to say it either, since it was a definitive. "I think," he carefully said, "I would have tried my hardest to make you happy"

May nodded and Drew it was time to go back inside, before the sun would do no good at chasing the harsh winds away anymore. Taking one last look at the flowers, he whispered to an already non-comitial May, "Yeah, I think we would have been happy."

()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Drew sat amusedly on the opposite of May at the table. She was angrily shoving spoon after spoon with ice-cream in her mouth.

"I still don't see why I have to go to the hospital," she muttered.

After her win, Drew had decided to congratulate her with her win, with buying her ice-cream. He was sure he was going to feel it in his wallet; on the other hand she was easier to conform her to his wishes when she had food.

"I already told you it's because I want you to have a check-up," he said.

May rolled her eyes, "That I know Mr Smarty-pants. The question is why!" she complained and shoved another spoon in her mouth. Drew hummed non-consistently. He couldn't just tell her that he was worried about her clumsiness really. That would get him hit for sure.

"Because everyone needs to have one once in a while," he replied instead. Not the most sustaining argument. He did really hope it was just his paranoia.

May sighed, "Fine," she complied. "And don't expect me to go willingly,"

He chuckled, to fight while she had already lost. That was just May. A flash from the sides pulled his attention though. A man with a cap and more importantly: a camera grinned at them in a way that told Drew that there was trouble ahead.

He sighed and made a mental note to check the front-pages tomorrow. Then he looked back at May ad nearly burst out in laughter. In her surprise, May had misjudged the distance of her spoon and her face and now there truly was a little bit of whipped cream on her nose. It truly looked ridiculous.

And Drew was up for mischievousness. He reached out with his hand and then wiped the cream away with his forefinger. Following that he licked it off his finger.

Looking up he saw May sporting a massive blush. He felt not a small amount of pride that he was still the only one who could make her blush till deep in her collar. "What?" he asked innocently.

May turned away her face for a bit, not being able to look at him. "Don't do that," she muttered.

Drew smirked and leaned on his hand, "Why not?" he asked.

May stared at the now slowly melting ice-cream. "You'll give people the wrong idea," she said.

Drew rolled his eyes, "And what idea would that be?" he asked.

It seemed May found it a ridiculous question since her head snapped back to him, "Well that we're a couple of course," she said, glaring at him.

Ouch, Drew thought, strike two. Would it really be such a wrong idea? Them being a couple? He sighed softly and saw that May had started eating her ice-cream again. "I really don't understand how you can eat so much," he teased.

May looked at him blankly, "You might be able to force me to go the hospital but if I want to eat ice-cream, god help those who try to stop me," she said and emphasized her words with another spoonful of ice-cream.

And Drew suspected he must have some weird fetish, because all he could think was: cute.

They were waiting in the waiting room. Drew made the appointment, and on the phone they had said that the best thing they could do was talk with a neurologist. So he made the appointment and they could, luckily, come on short term.

He hadn't exactly told May about the doctor, but she was in no way stupid and she must have seen the signs. She looked nervous, and Drew didn't blame her. A mother had hushed her child to silence but all by all the people in the room were silent.

A young man in the corner was frowning deeply. He seemed to practice a lot of effort to keep his emotions in check. Drew looked at the picture on the wall. It was a sketch of a Kadabra practicing his mental powers by bending a spoon.

"Ms Maple. The doctor will see you now," A nurse called from an adjoining room. May reached out with her hand to Drew and even if he generally shied away from human contact he understood May needed something solid right now. So he complied and took her hand.

On the room they were welcomed by an older man. He had laugh-lines around his mouth and a sparkle in his eyes: despite all the suffering he had seen, his spirit hadn't broken. He had greying hair, and although lightly pulling back he had enough hair not to be called bald.

"Hello, I am Dr. Norin," he introduced himself. He shook both of their hands and they had to let go of each other's because of it. He signed for them to sit. "How can I help you?" he asked.

May scuffled, "It's supposedly about me, but I don't know why I am here," she said. Norin nodded and smiled. He seemed very relaxed and his posture had an addictive power, and both Drew and May relaxed for a bit. Drew was glad this man seemed to take them seriously.

"Then I propose the following: You will go with the nurse and get some blood tests while I keep the young man here company," he said.

May frowned, "Can't Drew come with me?" she asked nervously.

Dr Norin grinned, "Really young lady. How about we don't tempt the boy more than necessary?" he joked. Drew caught the underlying message: he didn't want him to leave the room.

May nodded reluctantly and Dr Norin waved cheerfully at her as she left the room with the nurse. As soon as the door closed, Dr Norin dropped his hand and looked at Drew, all cheerfulness gone. "Now, I do believe you were the one who called, Mr….?" he asked.

Drew nodded, "Drew Hayden," he provided.

Norin nodded and grabbed a note-block. "Why did you call? The receptionist said you wanted to see me as soon as possible."

"May has been acting clumsy," Drew started, frowning, "Now don't get me wrong, she has always had some certain degree of clumsiness, but not like this or so much. She now trips over seemingly nothing, drops her Poke balls, and with those, she has always been very careful." It felt good to explain his worries without angering anyone or looking like he was making a joke.

Norin scribbled something on the note-block, "Has she been sick lately?" he asked.

At this, Drew shook his head, "No," and then he smirked, "Idiots don't get sick."

Heaving his shoulders, Norin sighed deeply, "I wish that was the case. Any allergies as far as you know of?" he asked. This too, Drew answered in the negative. Norin rubbed his sleep. "I see," was all he said for a moment.

Drew frowned at this, "Doctor, are you worried?" he asked.

Norin stared out of the window at a pidgey. There was a swarm currently residing in this region. "I am not supposed to say anything about that, not with concrete evidence. Heightened minerals might cause muscles to spasm." He looked Drew in the eye, "And to be honest, I really hope it's her minerals."

Drew understood what he meant, his medical oath keeping him bound. He didn't ask any further.

The door opened and a peeved May entered, rubbing her arm. "Seven freaking bottles they needed. Seven! Bunch of freaking Golbat," she muttered. Drew as glad to see that she wasn't nervous anymore. She stared at the two men, "What did you talk about?" she asked.

Norin laughed, "I explained to young Drew here the difference of a Poochenya skull to a Mightyena skull," he said.

Drew knew what it meant: don't worry her unnecessarily. So forgoing the fact Norin was actually a human-doctor, he continued the act. "It's not really an experience I'd like to repeat," he said.

May nodded, seemingly content with the explanation. The nurse from before entered with the papers that had the first results of the tests. Norin carefully kept his face blank, but Drew could read people well, and saw his eyes close a fraction.

One thing was for sure: whatever was wrong with May, it surely wasn't heightened minerals.

()()()()()()()()()()()()

May was barely awake as her mother, the lovable woman, talked to her. The medication made her so drowsy. She looked so pale under that oxygen mask. It was important for her to get as much clean air as possible.

Drew sat quietly in a corner, giving the family as much space as they needed. They didn't get much time with her anyway. He watched the mother stroke he daughter's hair, her father pressing a hand against his forehead.

She didn't reply to anything being said, and Drew doubted she even registered the words being said to her. He stroke her Poke balls lightly, hooked on his belt as they were. The hospital did allow Pokémon but May wasn't allowed to roam anymore, and the room was too small for the Pokémon plus her family. He'd let them out later.

At first they had been against the fact he slept in the same room as her, they had allowed Brock and Ash because of Max and because she had been younger.

Drew had understood this but he held it foot down, He didn't want to leave her alone for even a moment. Although it had been somewhat frightening to face Norman's Slaking, he had eventually gained the man's respect by not backing down, or calling out his own Pokémon.

Drew had to admit, seeing May's parents try every time to say a proper goodbye, and fail in the end was pretty hard on him too.

He would take care of them afterwards, as if they were his own parents. He'd done that eventually, make them his own parents; he'd have married their daughter given the chance.

Drew was sure he would have.

But, he always brought himself back to reality. It wasn't wise to linger in a dream, and it wouldn't be. There wasn't enough time for that.

May wouldn't live till her own wedding.

So he would pretend, for her, and for the two people who had given him his most precious treasure, even if the time would never be enough. He would do all he could for her, even if pretending was necessary. He owed her that much.

()()()()()()()()()()()()

Drew hadn't told May about the MRI-scan Dr Norin wanted to do. It had been hard already to convince her to go to the hospital for a second time.

"I am not sick!" she exclaimed when Drew all but dragged her through the doors of the hospital. "Let them use all their precious time and stuff on someone who is really sick!"

Drew didn't tell her she might be just that sick. Officially he had never even seen Dr Norin's face or voice. The doctor had called him with the news that he wanted to do a MRI-scan. He didn't trust May running free at all. Therefore Drew found himself back at the hospital. Another tug and Drew span around: "Listen May. If there was absolutely nothing, Dr Norin wouldn't have wanted us coming back, Fact is, he did. I'd say you cooperate and the sooner we are gone," he said coldly.

May walked behind him quietly now. "A 'May, it'll be fine,' would've worked too," she muttered. Drew smirked at her but didn't reply. He guided her to the hall Dr Norin told them to go. There the man himself was waiting for them.

"So you could make it?" he asked cheerfully. May grunted something under her breath and Norin smiled, "Wonderful," he quipped. "If you would follow the nurse please."

May nodded and did so as she was told for once. Norin looked at Drew, "Have you told her what is waiting for her?" he asked. Drew shook his head. "Oh dear," the doctor mumbled.

True enough a yell of "Drew!" sounded through the hospital.

Norin winced and then nodded, "Go on, I'll wait here then."

Drew turned on his heel at that, not willing to make the doctor wait more than necessary. He knocked on the door he had heard the sound come from. True enough, when the door opened a furious May was staring at him. "What?" he asked.

May growled, growled! At him. "Really, Drew?" she asked. "Didn't it come up in you to tell me I was going to get a MRI?" she asked. If she could she would've breathed fire.

Drew flicked his hair. "Must have slipped my mind," he said. Like hell it didn't but he wasn't going to tell her that.

May raised her hands in the air. "Slipped your mind, what were you thinking?" she exclaimed.

Drew rolled his eyes at her, "Calm down May. To be honest, I couldn't have you acting like this ever since the phone-call. You'd completely stress out," he said. May's face didn't look any happier, but at least she wasn't furious anymore.

Instead she looked rather miffed, "You were thinking of me?" she asked subdued.

At that Drew smirked, "How could I not when you are practically breathing down my neck all the time," he said.

Huffing, May turned her face the other way, "You're still a jerk," she said.

Drew shrugged, "So it would seem I am," he said. Then May looked at him rather strangely. "What?" he asked again.

Pressing her hands to her hips, "They asked me to wear as little as possible and have given me this hospital robe," she said, waving the cloth around. "So, I got to change, which means: You, out!" and she pushed him right out of the door. Drew blinked surprised. That had gone over really fast. He wondered if May was PMSing chronically.

True to his word, Dr, Norin stood waiting outside the room. "Do you want to come with?" he asked.

Drew looked at him quizzically, "Is that even allowed for an outsider?" he asked.

At that, Norin signed with his head to the waiting room. "Do you rather want to wait there?" he asked. A child was running wild and the air had tensed even more. No, Drew did not want to wait there and he followed the doctor. Only a few moments later, Drew realized that the man hadn't answered his question.

Norin smirked at him, "You got kicked out by your girlfriend, right?" he asked.

Drew felt his cheeks burn, betraying him and turn red. "She's not my girlfriend," he murmured. Norin laughed shortly and Drew for a moment thought the man took a delight in embarrassing him.

"But you want her to be?" he asked.

Drew looked away, it was difficult and at the same time simple. Truthfully, the answer would be, yes, very much. "It's more complicated than that," he said instead. "We have always been rivals. I think being friends like this, is all I can ask for," he said.

Norin frowned at him, rubbing his head slowly. "If there is one thing I have learned here in the hospital, it's that life's too short," he chuckled grimly, "I think I have seen too many people die with regrets to be able to claim that you shouldn't grab every chance you can get." He then shrugged, "But what does this old man know, let's just focus on the now."

The doctor opened a door and let Drew inside. The room was dark, except for the screens on a headboard against a wall of glass. "Welcome to the control room of the MRI," Norin said. True enough, behind the wall of glass Drew recognized the monster of a machine that was the MRI.

He saw May talking to a nurse as she was prepared to lie on the bench. Norin meanwhile flicked on a switch and a small light above them went on. Apparently it was the switch of a microphone since Drew could hear the small murmur of the patient and the nurse.

It was seemed to work to both sides. "Are you feeling fine May?" Norin spoke.

May looked around by turning her head, already lying on the bench. It seemed she could not see the glass form her place. "Doctor?" she asked?

Norin frowned as he looked at his screen, a meter Drew figured was to measure her heartbeat, "May, I am going to ask you to calm down for a bit," he said, "Your pulse is a bit too fast."

May huffed, "You'll have to excuse me if I find this a bit scary," she said.

Norin chuckled and before Drew could stop him he said, "Don't worry, I've got your boyfriend right here!" he said cheerfully. He really was intent on embarrassing them.

"Drew?" May asked incredulously as her heartbeat picked up again.

'See?' Norin mouthed and Drew could have face palmed. Instead he turned to the microphone. "Calm down May," he said calmly.

May sputtered, "You are really there. How embarrassing." Drew smirked at this; glad she wasn't angry at him. Even though a red May was amusing, he enjoyed the shade she had when she was blushing. He was glad he could invoke that emotion too.

"Don't worry, I won't tease," he said. He could almost imagine the smile on her face.

Norin took over again. "May, I want you to lay as quiet as possible and ignore the strange sounds." Then he shut off the microphone on their side. Another screen flickered on and Drew saw a grey image, a grey glob.

"What am I looking at?" Drew asked.

Norin kept looking at the screen, "May's brain," he said quietly.

Drew smirked, "Not that air-headed as I believed." He then pinched his eyes. "What am I supposed to see?" he asked.

Norin shot him an incredulous look, "That's what all those medical students are studying every day," he said dryly.

Drew nodded and sat down on the stool. He got the gist; it was not supposed to be him to look for a thing, which was Dr. Norin's job. He was there to calm May. He would wait quietly, and look at the strange images of May's brain.

()()()()()()()()()()()

It had been a while since he had heard this size of a crowd from backstage. He was waiting with May, she in her wheelchair, he standing behind her. He figured he had probably misjudged the amount of people she had met over the years of her travel; how many people adored her.

But then again, it was no normal contest, truly. All these people were chattering but the usual excitement wasn't there.

This was after all May's goodbye.

She was in the chair, looking calmly but Drew saw her fingers jerk nervously. It didn't look like the tube in her nose bothered her. She was a bit paler, but that too was expected: after all, she had stayed in the hospital for little over a year. She had detoriated much more quickly than expected.

He head the MC announce her victories, which she was. Drew felt the urge to let her know that May wasn't gone just yet. And then, she was called upon the stage. Hearing the call, Drew wheeled her on the stage. Even though people knew she was sick, it hadn't been clear to which point.

The gaps from the audience said enough.

But the applause was already deafening. Drew patted her shoulder for strength and then left her to her own device as he went to sit on the side-lines. It was not his moment, not his time to shine.

May threw up her poke ball, without any showcase. She couldn't spin around like she used to in a wheelchair. And, even if she hadn't been in the wheelchair, her arm shook too much to stretch it all out and she would have dropped her Poke ball. She already had to change her hand because the hand she used to throw her balls with was almost as good as useless.

It had been the hand her symptoms had manifested first, as in her legs, now she could barely grab things with it. She had no control of it anymore.

Drew knew that when she got admitted in the hospital again, this time she wouldn't come out again. It should be soon that her speech would be too much affected to recognise the words.

But today, she did shine as if all that time of not training had not affected her. Glaceon was her chosen partner, and it seemed the creature was intent on showing the best for her mistress. Her hail and shadow-ball combo hadn't lost any of their magnificence and it was more beautiful than Drew had ever seen.

He found that his throat was stuffing up, and he admitted to the silent tears running over his face. He'd let them.

Eventually the show came to an end. Under thunderous applause, Drew wheeled her back backstage. There he halted for a moment, and kept quiet.

"You're crying," May stated in that breathless voice of her.

Drew shook his head at her, "You did great May," he murmured. He didn't acknowledge the fact that the tears in his eyes were resembled by hers. Then after they heard the crowd leave the stands, and the excitement died down a bit, Drew wheeled her to her friends and fans in the main-hall.

He truly wished he didn't have to; it would tire her out so much. But she wouldn't forgive him, if he denied her that small thing. And he didn't want hard feelings between them.

Drew stood a little to the side, letting May get showered by compliments and adorement. Camera's flashed, as well in his direction. He didn't really care about that anymore; they were pretty close to the truth now anyway.

If standing every day on every front-page the rest of his life meant that he could keep May by his side, he would even pose for them. Meanwhile, Soledad had gone to stand beside him. She spoke May regularly, dropping by in the hospital every now and then, showing new Pokémon she'd met and pictures of places she'd seen.

"It goes too fast," she remarked.

Drew nodded slowly but didn't reply: he didn't like to think about her rapidly progressing detoriation. Soledad eyes him, mentally noting how he already looked years past his age. "Are you still prepared to let her go, Drew?" she asked.

Drew remembered the conversation they had about this topic although Soledad had meant May getting a boyfriend. He wished she could mean that again. He wanted to give May everything he could if she only would be able to continue to live.

May had asked him not too long ago to leave her be, not waste away, sitting in her room. Drew adamantly refused. He had already promised her, and himself, not to leave. Even if she had been able to live.

But it couldn't be so he shook his head, "I am not. I don't want to give her away at all," he said. Soledad looked sympathetically. They both knew that goodbye would come way too soon.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

They hadn't allowed her to leave the hospital.

As soon as May had been dressed, she had been escorted to a hospital-room. They hadn't really told her why but it had been clear it had been on doctor's orders.

May was seated on the bed of the way too white room; the medical equipment loomed ominously behind her. If she looked nervous before, Drew mused, she now looked positively frightened. And it was frightening; something might be wrong with her for real.

Drew himself was seated on a chair next to the bed. Once in a while he would ghost his hand over May's clenched fist, to let her know he was there for her. By himself he thought that her parents should be notified of this soon. But actually know what was wrong would be nice.

The door swung open and Dr Norin entered. He and Drew stared at each other for a moment. This was the gravest expression Drew had seen on the elder's face so far. Something was terribly wrong and Drew was already hoping it could be cured.

"Doctor, what is wrong with me?" May asked with a very small voice. "And I want to hear the truth."

Drew grabbed her hand at that point: he really didn't care for his image anymore. May would need all the support she could get and he himself could use some comfort as well.

"Then," Norin started, "By all means, I won't go around it. Have you ever heard about ALS?" he asked. May slowly shook her head and Norin sighed. "I was afraid of that," he said. "I won't go in medical linguistics with you but the full name is Amyotrofe Lateral Sclerosis. It means that your marrow isn't producing the cells to transmit the signals from your brain to your body parts. The cells are dying progressively."

Both May and Drew were silent for a moment. So that was why at times she didn't have any control over her body. "Doctor, what does it mean? Can it be cured?" May asked finally, silently asking for any sort of comfort.

The doctor closed his eyes, eyes that had seen too much already and now again something he hadn't wanted to see at all. "I'm sorry, May. It can't. It is a fairly rare disease, but for someone so young to get it…" he died away.

Drew swallowed; he was already scared to question to what would happen now, but it needed to be answered. "What will happen from now on?" he finally brought out.

Norin switched his notepad to the other arm. "First cramps will notify the first stage, loss of control. In those limbs paralysis will went in. Swallowing will get difficult as will talking," he said, doing as was asked of him.

May seemed to have blanked out, having difficulties grasping it all, and Drew couldn't say he blamed her. It wasn't every day that you'd hear you had a life threatening disease. Or rather, a killing one. He wanted it to be in his powers to erase this day.

"How long, doctor?" May asked, "I am not stupid. I won't heal and it will get worse, right? How long will I live!"

The doctor opened his eyes slowly, and Drew saw the tiredness that spanned years in his eyes again. "This sickness usually leaves you with 1 to 4 years. Rarely, you will live longer."

Drew's thought process halted. It could not be true that May would die within a few years. Lose to a sickness that would slowly take away her functions. He barely registered the doctor saying he would leave them alone. He shifted his glance to May who seemed not to know what to do, fiddling with her hands.

Forgetting his sense of propriety since this situation did not call for it at all, Drew reached out and pressed her against him in a tight hug. At that point, May started crying helplessly and clung to him as if her life depended on it. And it ate Drew away that he had no way of protecting her from it.

Much would have to be arranged and her parents should be called too. But all he would do now was to let her use him to lean against and cry.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()

She had caught pneumonia.

They didn't really know how since the hospital was as clean as it was going to get.

But she did and Drew knew she didn't have a fighting chance. The end was already nearing. May wasn't able to cough and wheezed for breath. Her body just couldn't keep up.

It almost hurt Drew physically to see her suffer like that. All he could do was rub her back while Dr Norin looked over her body functions, his frown deeply edged into his face. His expression told Drew enough; there wasn't much he could do. They'd have to wait it out, and all he could try was giving her medication to relax her muscles.

All it really did was make it less painful. Drew felt her body fall lax as the dose of medication was added. May stared at him with helpless eyes, tears brimming. She had long lost the ability to use her vocal words. She now used a letter-board to her message through, if she had enough strength to move.

Drew laid her back in the bed, holding her hand tightly. There were truly no words of comfort he could offer.

May's eyes never left his. At certain moments Drew hated the medication that dulled her spirited mind but at times like this, Drew was glad that May wouldn't have to be completely aware of her detoriation. He knew she knew and felt it, her eyes showed him the helplessness of being trapped in her own body but the drugs usually kept her unfocussed.

It was probably selfish of him that even like this he wasn't ready to let her go just yet. Not this soon.

May's eyes clearly showed she knew she was sick.

"It's pneumonia, May," Drew murmured. "They are giving you more relaxant so that your body won't cramp up." He was already aware that her body wasn't functioning to her will anymore. Most of her movements were so-called cramps. "You will get past this."

What he didn't say was that even if she did get past this, her body would be so weakened that by then she wouldn't have much longer anyway. He didn't need to say. May knew that already, but even so, sometimes Drew wanted to lie to himself some more.

May had stopped wheezing now, trying to get as much air as she could through the breathing-device. Drew kissed the inside of her hand. "I love you, May," he said quietly. He felt the need to tell her it as many times as he still could.

Her eyes crinkled in a way Drew knew she had heard it, appreciated and reciprocated it. She had used to say it to him. Her speaking problem had become dominant while saying it sadly enough. Drew hadn't really minded for he had known it would happen sooner or later, but May had cried upon realizing she couldn't say love anymore.

Drew saw her eyes close and hoped for a peaceful night.

And prayed to whatever deity that still existed that she wouldn't leave him just yet.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

Drew waited patiently for May to come back from her therapy. Dr Norin had advised her to start the moving therapy early so that she could keep walking as long as possible. Of course, that wound up in another round of protests, saying that she didn't need it.

That fight had been done and over with quickly enough when she tripped, her foot not, moving with her leg.

Drew sighed, staring out of the window. He himself had gotten in some light training before being interrupted by a large group of children. It was a saddening thought that even though some were only there for a little while, others stayed in the hospital with regularity, and some would die there.

His Pokémon had been all too willing to entertain the children and Drew found that hearing them laugh was worth the missed training. Maybe he was changing. It was out of character for him and Drew was all too aware of it. He was however seeing things in new perspective now that he was at the hospital 24/7.

In reality, he hadn't been able to leave May and continue on his own. He had tried it: for a few seconds he had tried to leave the hospital with the intention of going away. He had never mentioned this moment of weakness to May. It wasn't fair to her, he felt.

He had barely sniffed the outer world when guilt started eating him away and the squeezing of his heart made him almost run back inside, to the room where May was reading a magazine on the bed. While he had stood there, his eyes spooked, May hadn't questioned him and just smiled.

He never told her any of his reasons or feeling for that matter about her, for her, surrounding her, and yet she had not questioned him for whatever reason he had to stay.

This tired smile she gave him soothed the ache of leaving and Drew vowed to himself to not try that again.

It did leave him at moments like this, moments of imperturbable silence for nobody turned to someone that was not sick. The stumble in the hallway drew his attention, warning him May was coming back to the room.

"No, I want to do it myself!" May's muffled voice came from outside the door. Drew was aware she was probably holding herself up on the bars that lined the walls yet he made no move to open the door for her. Last time he trued that, May had almost bitten off his head. No matter how courteously it might be, May claimed he was limiting her independence.

Drew took it in stride and as to humour her; he let her do it herself. The door swung open and indeed May stood in the doorway, holding on to the wall, as he had expected as well.

The hospital had provided her with crutches and even a wheelchair but May had banned those blasted items from her presence.

"Hey there, limpy," Drew teased. Although the setting was anything but usual, their rhythm of teasing and arguing always brought some normalcy to something that was already hard enough. He wasn't prepared for the tired glare she threw him.

He stood up quickly when May pressed herself away from the door to reach her bed. A good thing he did because the moment May out weight on her own legs, her legs decided to give out and Drew was only just in time to catch her.

Without saying a word, Drew guided May back to the bed; worry bigger in him than any male pride of holding her. The fact she let him was a statement to how tired she was, even more than she let on. The nurse May had spoken to saw that she was in good hands and left.

With one arm holding her up, Drew swung back the covers of the bed and slid May under them. Her sweatshirt and pants made it unnecessary for her to chance, although it had been hard to convince her that he really did not mind seeing her in it.

She didn't look at him, instead facing away and laying on her side, back to him. She was so tired after the therapy every time that Drew was beginning to wonder if the strain of it was getting heavier for her each time.

"I won't ever heal, will I?" May suddenly asked.

Drew, stunned by the unexpected question sat on the bed. "I don't think so, May," he said quietly. He couldn't give her words of comfort. Accepting was hard after all. May didn't say anything for quite some time and Drew was almost convinced she had fallen asleep and he almost took the effort of standing up when May's body shook.

It took a while and the first whimper for Drew to realize she was actually crying. "Why me? Why did this sickness choose me?" she sobbed.

Drew sighed as he turned towards her. He'd like the answer to that question as well. "I don't know, May." He said.

He hadn't expected her to stop crying, and she didn't. "I won't ever marry, I won't ever get settled or grow old. Is it too much to ask for?" she continued. Drew pulled a hand through his hair and decided on his next course of action. She needed comfort, more than words since they were empty.

Then with a sudden boldness of which he couldn't help but be a bit proud of, he laid down next to her and pulled her in towards him. He felt her stiffen and he really couldn't blame her for that. The times they shared so much as a hug were few with quite some time between, to Drew's secret dismay.

Truly he didn't think it wrong of himself to want to touch her. It was only logical to be close to the person you love. And to Drew was no doubt he loves her.

But all those hugs aside, this was a whole lot more intimate than a simple hug, so her stiffening was completely justified. Having rolled her over, he tucked her in under his chin, locking her against him. The fact she wasn't struggling was a good sign he supposed. "Sometimes, the simplest things are the hardest thing to get," Drew said.

Now he was fairly aware that the situation didn't call for it, anything but, but he felt a bit of male pride that May did slacken in his arms.

"I'm scared, Drew," May admitted.

Drew buried his nose in her hair. "I know," he murmured. He wasn't about to admit that he too was scared. Losing her, having to face that, scared him more than anything. It was silent between them for a moment besides May sometimes stifling a sob. To Drew, this time meant the world, even if it was all he was going to get.

He suddenly felt May shake against his chest and for a moment he was afraid she had started crying full out again. Looking down, he found May staring up at him with a weak laugh and he realized she had been snickering.

"What's so funny?" he asked, raising a brow.

May shook her head, clenching around him again. "We're in a hospital, Drew. What will people think if they see us like this?" she asked.

Drew chuckled at her, she laughs and cries too sudden. Then he smirked and flipped her on her back. "I don't really care what people think," he said before he started tickling her. Way before she had gotten sick Drew had found out she was extremely ticklish by a sweep of his hand on her side.

He had not done anything with this information for there were still too many personal borders. But this made for a perfect opportunity. May spasmed with laugher, squirming to get loose. Drew was smirking at her, fingers merciless on her sides. It was all he could do to keep the sile from his face, laughing with her just as loudly.

The smile on her face was truly worth the risk of getting caught. She had been down ever since being admitted and although he couldn't blame her, he did miss her smiling like this. To Drew she was truly glowing.

May was hitting him on his leg now where she could reach. "Drew!" she cried.

Drew ceased his tickling a bit."Yeah?" he asked teasingly.

May glared at him but Drew had started his tickling again. May gasped for breath. "Q-quit it!" she gasped, hitting him. The light patting on his leg didn't faze Drew and he increased his attack.

"You didn't say please," he murmured. May shook her head while trying to fight him off. She wasn't very successful and Drew rejoiced in the fire he saw in her eyes. Truly, truly he had missed it.

"Dr-rew! Stop!" May tried to order but the spasms of laughter did ruin any force she might have had and it wasn't like Drew had actually ever obeyed any real orders. At the same time he was praying to Arceus or Mew or whatever godlike power there was, that this could last.

He wanted her to smile forever.

Bur all things must come to an end, and May seemed to have lost her strength. "P-please, Drew!" she asked.

At this Drew ceased his tickling, leaning on his arms above her. May was staring up at him silently now, a strangely contemplative look on her face. "Aren't you leaving?" she finally asked.

Drew furrowed his brows, "Should I now?" he asked.

May shook her head slowly. "No….that's not what I meant," she said.

Drew resisted calling her upon it, teasing her. He had no intention of angering her while she was underneath him. "Then, what is?" he asked instead.

May seemed to hesitate and then turned her head away, refusing to meet his eyes. "Why don't you leave me, the hospital?" she murmured. "You have no reason to stay really, Drew. Every other of my friends stop by only once in a while."

Drew's eyes widened slightly, was she really asking after his reason to stay, or rather, why he didn't leave. "You could travel alone and not be held down by me," she concluded softly, as if she were afraid to voice it. Apparently she didn't think herself worth the sacrifice.

Drew shook his head: it was do or die. He had to throw everything up to fate now. And it could be good or terrible but Drew was tired of not knowing any longer. He left out a long breath and rested his head in the crook of her neck.

May squealed nervously, but he really wasn't going to say it out loud. This was only meant for her ears. The smell of her skin was only a bonus. "I found a better reason to stay," he murmured relishing in May's shiver upon her skin.

"What's that?" May said her voice a breathy whisper.

Drew smirked, feeling strangely relieved he could finally rid his heart of the weight of his feelings. "Because I love you May," he said softy.

It stayed silent in the hospital room and for a moment it felt like refusal. He wasn't sure he could take it but he would. But then he felt her move and them a light patter of fists rained down on his back.

"You jerk!" May murmured.

Drew looked at her, raising his head slightly. Her eyes were closed with tears brimming on the edges.

"What now? I tell you I love you and you start to cry and hit me!" Drew said softly. He didn't really understand her reaction yet if this was rejection he had thought it worse.

"That's…you tell me this now? Now that I am sick…and will die? That's cruel!" May sobbed.

And suddenly, Drew understood. It was not that she was rejecting him. She was lamenting the little time they had left.

And as she cried, Drew rested his head back in the crook of her neck. By tomorrow he'd be strong again for her, and he'd have all the time to hear her say it back. He wasn't going anywhere. But today he'd cry with her.

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

He wasn't looking away. Even now when her sleep was just a bit from forever.

Drew was fairly certain she wouldn't wake to see the evening.

He felt at peace for a moment, even if he was watching her parents clench her hands and Max was standing behind him as pale as a sheet. The only sounds in the room were the beeps and buzzes of the machines and Caroline sobbing.

It was saying goodbye.

Drew didn't look away.

May's breaths were slow and deep and it didn't look like it would take much longer before they would halt altogether. Even though he had wanted to do so much, had wanted to introduce her to his parents, show her all the places that couldn't hold a candle to her natural beauty to him.

Or laugh at her when eating and he couldn't bring himself to regret the time the time they spent together.

She had floated in a limbo for the last few…days? Weeks? He couldn't remember. She didn't respond anymore. Life was a struggle.

Dr Norin had said that today would seem that her fight was going to end. He still didn't want to part from her. Parting was such an empty idea. But he didn't want May to suffer anymore. If his loneliness meant the end of her painful walk he'd do it any day.

No matter if his heart felt like it would be pulled out.

"Drew?" came a low murmur. Glancing away from May for only a second, he noticed it had been Max speaking to him. The parents were still caught up in their farewells even if the girl herself wouldn't register much anymore, if anything at all.

"Thanks," Max continued.

Drew hummed non-committically, "What for?" he asked.

Max' voice was small but that didn't surprise Drew. The younger boy was close to tears, "For being with her, when we could not," he said. "For her not being alone."

Drew wondered how to reply to that. Truly he didn't see anything he should be thanked for. To him it only meant he hadn't been strong enough to leave. But he nodded anyway.

Then he stepped closer to the bed and some of the last light of the day hit May's face. Norman let go of his daughter's hand, giving it to Drew as he went over to his wife. To Drew that bit of acceptance meant a lot.

He pressed May's hand to his lips feeling the warmth of a living body had almost left her. "I love you, May," he whispered, one last time.

He watched her as she let out her last breath slowly and the long monotonous beep told them that her agony was finally over.

And with the tears of Max and the hysterical sobbing of her mother,

Drew looked away.

Fin

As I said, I don't know anybody with ALS, but I do know it's a dragging disease. Yes, I looked a bit off 1Litre of Tears, but I tried to make my own story.

And with that, almost 3 years of work is done.

Thank you for reading.