Amber sighed and looked at herself in the mirror. She had paled, so much in the last few hours that her skin looked like a bright white sheet of paper. She knew that it was starting again, but how could she tell Nick. The person who had given her the best few months of her life. A light knock at the door, caused her head to shoot up and look at the door.
"Amber?" Nick's soothing voice came from the other side of the door.
"I'll be out in a minute." She bit her trembling lower lip and unlocked the medicine cabinet before flinging open the door. Her eyes immediately filled with tears. There had to be at least sixty pill bottles to help her out. Her eyes quickly glanced around the bottles and she pulled out one.
"Amber...."
Her head turned and she saw Nick standing in the door way of the bathroom. "Nick. Get out! You don't need to see this."
"See what, Amber?" He slowly made his way over to her, glancing up at the cabinet before him. "What is all of this?"
"Nick. Go." She now had tears flowing down her cheeks.
"What's wrong with you? Amber? Tell me."
She looked at him, anger flooding over her. "There isn't anything wrong, Nick. Why won't you believe me?"
He reached up and took out a few pill bottles. "Than why do you have all of these?"
Her eyes squinted slightly before she reached up and swept all of the bottles off of the shelves. "You want to know what my problem is, NICK?" She cried out before throwing the bottles at him. She took some more off of the shelf and threw them at him again.
"Amber......" His eyes clouded over with tears, as he slowly walked over to her, trying to duck the flying pill bottles. He extended his arms and grabs her by the arms, pulling her to him. She tried to fight him off by pounding her fists into his chest. The only response she got was him holding her tighter.
************** (One Week Later)
Nick sat reading a magazine, his eyes glancing up from the page to check on Amber. She was sleeping peacefully now in the hospital. She had been admitted three days ago. Nick still had yet to really find out what was wrong with her. All he knew is that it was bad. Really bad.
"Nick?" Came a whisper.
He quickly stood and walked over to her side. "Do you need something, babe?"
"I want out of here, Nick. Please, get me out of here. I don't want to die in some hospital."
He bent down and gently stroked her cheek with his knuckles. "You aren't going to die, Ambs."
She nodded. "It's almost time for me, Nick. I can just sense it."
"No. I won't let you die." Tears formed in his eyes. He had fallen in love with her. There was no denying it. He was head over heels in love with a beautiful woman whom he was going to have to let go.
She smiled softly. "You have no control over this, Nick. This is one of those things that just happens. It was meant to happen but I don't want it to happen here. Please get me out of here." The pleading in her voice made the tears start their journey down his cheeks. He gently reached over and tucked a stray strand of her brown hair, behind her ear.
"Okay." He stood up and slipped his hands underneath her body and pulling her up to him. He felt like he was carrying a very expensive piece of China, that could break with any wrong movement. Her head rested on his chest as he made their journey outside into the sunny Florida weather. He sniffled slightly and made his way over to his car. He unlocked the passenger side door and slipped her on the seat, buckling her seat belt before shutting the door softly. He quickly climbed in on his side of the car and made the silent trip back to her apartment.
********** (A Few days later)
Amber stirred slightly in her sleep, and rolled over onto her back, smiling slightly at the site of Nick all sprawled out on her bed. Last night they had a passionate love making session and they had told each other for the first time, that they loved one another. That scared the crap out of her. She sighed and climbed out of bed and throwing on her house coat. She stumbled over some pots causing Nick to wake up. He slowly sat up and saw that Amber was tugging on her boots.
"Where are you going?"
"I'm going out. It will give you time to get your things and leave." She grabbed her knit scarf and swung it around her neck.
Climbing out of bed, Nick pulled on his shirt. "Why do you want me to leave? I love you, Amber." He took a step towards her but that only caused her to take off down the stairs. He grumbled something under his breath before tugging on his pants and shoes and going after her. He flew down the stairs and flung open her door. Glancing around he saw her. "AMBER!" He took off after her.
She glanced back and saw Nick chasing her and that only caused her to run harder and faster away from him. Finally after about five minutes of running from him, Nick caught up to her and grabbed her lightly by the arm.
"What is going on, Ambs?"
"I want you to leave, Nick."
"But why? We love each other."
"I know that. I want the last memory of us together to be strong. I want to know that you will remember me for being the Amber that you knew before all of this happened. Nick. Please."
"I can't just let you go." His blue eyes met hers.
A small tear slipped down her cheek and he reached up to brush it away. "Please, remember me for being me. Not the sick me. I can't deal with the fact that your last memory would be of me sick. Please." She searched his eyes, for a moment and bit her lower lip.
He sighed and wrapped his arms around her. "Okay. Okay, Amber."
She pulled away and gave a small smile before taking off her scarf and wrapping it around his eyes. She tightened it around his head, before pulling away and brushing a few tears off of his face. "I love you, Nickolas Gene Carter."
"I love you, Amber Lynne Whiting."
She sighed and leaned up slightly to press her lips to his. For a brief moment she had thought that Heaven was standing right there next to her but she was wrong. "I will be there for you, wherever you are."
"I will always be yours," He reached out his hand, hoping to find that she was just joking with him but all he could grab was air. He took a few steps before reaching up and un-tying the scarf. His eyes fluttered open and he fell to his knees letting out a soft sob. She was gone. Really gone.
*~The End~*