The room was quieter than usual, the soft hum of the monitor filling the spaces between their breaths. Violet sat on the edge of her bed, a notebook resting on her lap. The rain outside had stopped completely, leaving the world washed clean, pale light slipping through the blinds.
Ethan noticed her sitting there, pen poised but still. "Writing again?" he asked softly, perching on the chair beside her.
She looked up, a small, bittersweet smile on her lips. "Yes… I… I want to leave something for you. In case…" Her voice faltered, and she swallowed hard.
Ethan reached for her hand. "Shh… don't finish that thought. Don't even think like that. You're still here, Violet. You're still here with me."
Violet's eyes shimmered with unshed tears. "I know. But it's not just for me… it's for us. For our memories. So you'll always have something to hold onto."
She returned to her notebook, scribbling carefully. Every word was deliberate, heavy with love, fear, and hope. Ethan watched silently, fighting the lump in his throat.
Finally, she closed the notebook and handed it to him. "Read it… if you want. Or… just keep it. I… I don't know what I'm doing half the time."
Ethan opened the notebook, his thumb brushing over her handwriting. The first lines were shaky but heartfelt:
"Ethan, if you're reading this, it means I'm not by your side as I wish I could be. I want you to know… every laugh, every tear, every quiet moment we shared… was the best part of my life. You made me feel alive when I was afraid to be alive at all. Please… don't let sorrow take the love we built. Remember me in the sunlight, in the rain, in the songs we sang together. Always… yours, Violet."
Ethan's voice cracked as he read the last word aloud. "Violet…" He looked up, his eyes glistening with tears.
She reached for his hand, squeezing it gently. "I'm here, Ethan. I'm still here."
He pulled her into his arms, holding her as though he could shield her from the world, from time, from fate. "I don't care about the rest of the world. I care about you. Just you."
Violet rested her head on his shoulder, letting the warmth of his embrace melt the fear inside her. "Promise me," she whispered, "promise me you'll remember… us… no matter what happens."
"I promise," Ethan said, voice thick with emotion. "Even if it hurts. Even if the world tries to take you away… I will carry you with me. Every heartbeat. Every breath."
They stayed like that, in silence that spoke louder than words. The notebook lay forgotten on the bed, a testament to their love—fragile, fleeting, yet eternal.
For a moment, the hospital faded. There was only the two of them, their hearts beating together, their souls entwined, and the unspoken vow that love, in its purest form, could survive anything.