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Wake up Wake up Please wake up

He was shaking, his light pulsating erratically

“Dawson?”

The sound of her voice—oh, her sweet voice—destroyed his world for the third time His eyes flew open, but he still couldn’t see her beyond his own light

Bethany? Are you…? He couldn’t say the words, couldn’t believe so with losing her, he’d lost his h him Bethany, I love you I’m sorry I never told you I love you I wish I had told you I love you And I can’t…

I love you, too

Those whispered words weren’t spoken out loud They were inside hih his body and the part of hi huht back into himself He couldn’t believe what he saw

Bethany stared up at hi with tears Her face was still pale, but color infused her cheeks There were ses of blood around her ears and at the corner of herat him

“Bethany?” he croaked

She nodded and whispered, “Yeah”

Hands shaking, he touched her face, and when she closed her eyes, he panicked “Bethany!”

Her eyes flew open “I’m here I’ in his ar away the hair caked with blood His chest was doing that crazy swelling thing again “Oh, God, I thought…I thought I lost you”

“I think you h “I’ize This wasn’t your fault” He kissed her forehead, then her cheek and the tip of her nose “How are you feeling?”

“Okay I’ood”

He was exhausted As if he’d fought a hundred Aruainst hers, he breathed in her clean scent He couldn’t close his eyes, afraid she ht vanish

Bethany trembled “What did you do, Dawson?”

“I don’t know I honestly don’t know”

She let go of his hand and cupped his cheek “Whatever you did, it saved…it savedhi else irl he cradled to him