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"Thank you," he said abruptly

"She iswhen he had been sick as a child His mother had never come to visit him His mouth opened and closed, and then he nodded

"It is I who should thank you," Caroline continued

John looked up sharply, his expression clearly asking the question, "Why?"

"For loving her I couldn't ask for more I couldn't hope for more" She left the room

Belle soon fell into a deep sleep John scooted her over to the other side of the bed, where the sheets weren't so sweaty He leaned down and kissed her te"

He walked back over to his chair and slumped into it He must have dozed off, because when he next opened his eyes, it was past dawn, although one could barely tell for sure through the driving rain The weather was intensely bleak, and the rain didn't show any sign of letting up John's eyes searched the scene, trying to find one sive cause for opti he hadn't done in an to pray

Neither Belle's condition nor the weather iilant at his patient's bedside, forcing her to drink water and broth whenever possible, and giving her laudanurew hysterical By the end of the third day, John knew that she would be in serious trouble if the fever did not break soon She hadn't eaten any solid food, and she was getting thin, much too thin The last time John had bathed her with the damp cloth he'd noticed that her ribs had become painfully prominent

The doctor had come every day, but he hadn't been especially helpful They could do nothing other than wait and pray, he had told the family

John sed down his worry and reached out to touch Belle's forehead She seemed completely unaware of his presence Indeed, she seeued her fever-ridden an to care for her, but now his even te to deteriorate He'd barely slept in three days, and he hadn't eaten much aunt, and a look in the mirror told hietting desperate If Belle didn't pull through soon, he didn't knohat he would do Several tiil he let his head fall li to try to stem the tears that ran down his face He didn't knoould be able to make it from day to day if she died

His face bleak, he crossed over to her bedside and perched on thethere quite peacefully, but John detected a slight change in her condition She seerown shallow Panic gripped John like a hand around his heart, and he leaned down and grabbed her by the shoulders "Are you giving up on me?" he demanded harshly "Are you?"

Belle's head lolled to the side, and she whiive up!" John shook her even harder

Belle heard his voice as if it were co tunnel It sounded like John, but she couldn't iry Was he angry at her? Belle sighed She was tired Too tired to deal with an angry man

"Do you hear ive you if you give up onher upper arms She wanted to y Why wouldn't he leave her alone? All she wanted to do was sleep She'd never felt this tired She'd just like to cuddle up and sleep forever Sued to say, "Go away"

"Aha!" John shouted triu on now, Belle Can you hear ht irritably "Go away," she said with a littleback under the covers Maybe he wouldn't keep on bothering her if she hid underneath the quilts If she could just keep on sleeping, she'd feel soout of her even though she'd ed to speak He'd seen that look before, on the faces ofthe war Not the lucky ones who died in battle, but the poor souls who had fought fever and infection for weeks afterward Watching Belle slowly letting go of life wasinside of hiot all of his vows to be tender and considerate while nursing her through her illness

"Da to sit here and watch you die It isn't fair! You can't leave me noon't allow it!"

Belle

"Do you kno furious I'll be with you if you die? I'll hate you forever for leaving me Do you want that?" He desperately searched Belle's features, hoping for sorief and anger and worry converged inside of hirabbed her brutally and lifted her in his ar her as he spoke

"Belle," he said hoarsely "There's no hope for me without you" He paused while a tre happily, your blue eyes full of sunshine and goodness Reading a book, laughing at its contents I want so much for you to be happy I'm sorry I wouldn't accept your love I will I prooodness and wisdo in me worthy of love, well then… well, then, I suppose I'ht