Dedication: yeahthisgirl for voting and commenting! You're amazing!

Sorry I just had to write another real chapter because I need to know what happens.

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Paris awakens with a start, a hand on her shoulder.

"Paris, honey." Her father shakes her gently.

"What? What's going on?" She rubs her eyes, silently thanking herself for not wearing mascara.

He sits next to her, keep his hand on her shoulder and running his thumb against the material of her sweatshirt soothingly.

"A nurse told us he definitely won't be needing surgery and that he's ready for visitors."

She sighs with relief, standing up too quickly, her head spinning from the lack of sleep. She shakes this off, leaving her stuff with her dad and rushing after the nurse.

Paris follows the petite women silently as they walk down hallways and turn corners. Her finger taps anxiously on her leg as she walks.

The nurse stops abruptly, almost causing her to crash into the woman.

"Oh. I'm sorry." She mumbles, looking through the small window in the door to try and spot Ronan.

The small woman smiles kindly at her, placing her hand on the door handle.

"Now I must warn you, he's under quite a bit of pain medication at the moment so don't be surprised if he's a little out of it, okay?"

"Yes that's fine, thank you." Paris smiles, staring at her hand and urging her to hurry up and open the door.

As soon as she steps into the room and spots him lying there on the bed a lump forms in her throat.

"Ronan..." Paris rushes to his side, trying her best not to look too panicked. "You look awful."

A crooked grin forms onto his face, wincing slightly after a chuckle falls from his lips. His hand clutches his side.

"Thanks. I've always wanted to hear you say that."

She gives him a fake glare. "You know I didn't mean it that way. You just...you look so helpless."

She looks to the tiled floor, collecting herself.

When she feels cold fingers brush against her hand her head snaps to the side. He attempts a smile, the light in his eyes brighter than anything. "Par, don't worry about me. It'll take a lot more than a car accident to get rid of me. You know that."

She nods, laughing a little at herself as a tear escapes her eye. "I just...I realized how much you mean to me. As cheesy as that sounds."

"I could use a little cheese." He winks.

Paris laughs, pulling a chair closer to the side of the bed and sitting down, her hand clinging his carefully.

She simply watches him for a moment just to make sure he's really there as he's really okay.

"Are you in pain?" She inquires.

He blinks, his dimple appearing on his cheek. "A little bit. Nothing I can't handle."

She rolls her eyes. "Oh please you've never been able to handle pain very well."

He gasps, pretending to be offended. "I think you're forgetting the time I cut my finger open with that pencil sharpener and didn't complain once."

She scoffs. "And I think you're forgetting the time you stubbed your toe and started crying."

He laughs, his other hand placed firmly to his ribs as he does so. "Hey I was ten."

"Yeah yeah. Excuses excuses."

He smiles, staring at her, his eyes fluttering over her face.

She suddenly becomes aware of her dirty hair and lint covered cotton black leggings. As discreetly as possible, she fixes her sweatshirt and pulls a few baby hairs from her bun to make it look a little more "cute" messy instead of "trailer park trash."

Apparently it wasn't as subtle as she thought because Ronan releases a quiet chuckle. "Stop it. You look fine."

A blush rises to her cheeks and she clears her throat, shifting in her seat.

"I wasn't - I mean I didn't..."

"Yeah okay, Par." He gives her a flat look, wincing as he shifts in the hospital bed.

Pressing her lips together awkwardly, she looks around the room at the bland walls and medical equipment.

Paris crosses her legs, trying to think of something to say. Anything.

There's so many words on the tip of her tongue. The need to tell him how important he is to her and how just the thought of losing him scares her to death almost spill out but are interrupted by Ronan clearing his throat.

Her eyes flicker over to him curiously.

"You okay?" She asks, her eyes wide.

He releases a nervous laugh, a crooked grin making an appearance. "Yeah yeah I'm fine. It's just...before I knew I was going to be okay - when I was sitting there in that car waiting for the ambulance...I thought of you."

Paris' heart stops beating. She feels sweat form in uncomfortable places and she wonders to herself why in the world girls enjoy being nervous around men.

Wait, why is she nervous? It's just Ronan...right?

"Uh - what...I mean really? Why - um...why is that?" She stutters, looking at him with fake casualness.

He licks his lips, looking down at his IV. "Yeah actually...at first I didn't know why but - well - you and I have known each other so long and I consider you my best friend but the thing is I really - "

At this point she's on the edge of her seat but his words are cut off abruptly when the door opens.

The petite nurse waltzes in, staring down at a clipboard and studying it intently.

The three of them sit in awkward silence, Paris' heart racing wildly with the need to know what Ronan was about to say, until the nurse looks up at the two of them.

Her eyebrows rise. "I'm sorry am I interrupting?"

"Oh." Ronan looks over at her. "Actually -"

"No. You aren't...and uh I'm sure you have some...nurse stuff to do so I'll just get -" Her words catch when she trips over her own foot causing her she stumble slightly. She blindly reaches for the handle. "I'll just get going...I'll um...I'll see you later Ronan. I'm so happy you're okay. I'm just going to go home and take a shower then I'll be back, okay?"

Her hand opens the door and she steps out, hearing a quiet "Okay" from Ronan.

Ugh why does she make everything so complicated.