"When you realize you want to spend the rest of your life with somebody, you want the rest of your life to start as soon as possible."  

~When Harry Met Sally

~~~~~~~~~~~

Kelsey blinked up at the blue ceiling above her, feeling more aware of herself than she had for the past day-and-a-half.

The pain had subsided for now, and she was able to take in a breath without feeling like needles were stabbing her insides.

She recalled seeing Ethan and Becca come in and out of the room, but it felt like a distant dream.

A chill ran down her arms and she carefully snuggled deeper into the thin hospital sheets. Her body ached from all the cuts and bruises covering her skin and a headache throbbed against her skull.

But she was alive.

She recalled the night of the premiere, but everything that happened after she swerved off the road was fuzzy. All she remembered was being jerked against the seatbelt and blasted in the face with the airbag. Everything after that was terrifyingly dark.

She'd never felt the touch of death like that before, and the memory of its cold embrace made her want to cry.

She shook her head and looked around, feeling a flutter of excitement when she beheld a room full of flowers.

"What...?" she whispered, sitting up and reaching for the tag nearest to her.

It was a cluster of sunflowers from Ethan.

She smiled and could feel her dry lips crack in the attempt.

"You've had a lot of visitors," a nurse said as she wheeled a cart into the room.

"Who are they all from?" Kelsey asked, having to force her voice to work. She recognized the nurse as the one who always made sure she was comfortable before leaving, unlike the others, who stuck her with needles like her skin was made of lead.

"Would you like me to read them to you?"

Kelsey smiled and nodded, resting on an elbow.

The nurse parked the cart and walked over to a wicker box that held a purple orchid inside. "This one's from Sandy," the nurse said.

"Sandy?" Kelsey echoed.

"It says, 'I hope you feel better soon. I wanted to come see you, but I'm at the Etsy convention.'"

Kelsey shook her head. "Ah, Sandy."

"This is from two people named Anthony and Monte."

Kelsey frowned in contemplation. "Who?"

"From...Monte's Pizza, it says."

Kelsey gaped at the nurse. "What does it say?"

"It says, 'Get well soon because it's free pizza on us next time you come in.'"

Kelsey was about to laugh in surprise, but settled back onto the bed after feeling a pain cut through her chest. "That was really nice of them," she winced.

The nurse surveyed her before moving on to the next set of flowers—a bundle of plain mums in a black pot. "We're all hoping you can get back to work soon. Hope you feel better."

Kelsey closed her eyes and grinned. "Let me guess. Chef Romano?"

"Correct."

The nurse picked up a giant crystal vase that had ferns, orange roses, and paper doves spewing out of the top like an explosion.

"You don't even need to tell me who that's from," Kelsey snickered.

"It says, 'They wouldn't let me give you a fruit basket, so here's the best bouquet I could find'."

"Yep, I figured."

The nurse came around the bed and began getting the needle ready to draw blood.

"You haven't told my family yet, have you?" Kelsey asked.

"You asked us not to," the nurse replied.

Kelsey nodded and held her arm out. She turned her gaze back towards the sunflowers so she couldn't see the needle and lifted a finger to touch the petals before drifting off to sleep.

~~~~~

"I don't think I have enough dry shampoo to deal with this grease-wad," Becca complained.

"Thanks," Kelsey muttered.

Becca was perched on the bed behind her, and Kelsey sat up to let her do her hair.

"Ethan's going to be so happy to see you." Becca sighed dreamily. "Every time he's come in here, you've been asleep. But thank goodness I'm here to make you presentable!"

"What would I do without you?"

"You'd go around looking like a sewer rat who'd just fallen into a bucket of Vaseline, that's what."

A tickle ran down Kelsey's spine as Becca pulled a soft-bristle brush through her hair.

It was day three at the hospital, and Kelsey hadn't been able to shower or do much other than lie in bed. Not that she felt up to doing much else.

She was constantly tired, achy, and occasionally in pain.

"Do you think Ethan's still mad at me about what happened at the premiere?" Kelsey asked groggily. She could feel herself wanting to go to sleep again, but didn't want Becca to leave.

"Are you crazy?!" Becca cried. "He regretted everything he said the minute you left that night."

Becca's voice grew soft all of a sudden. Sad. "You should've seen him after he got to the hospital. I've never seen a man look so broken."

"I'm glad I didn't," Kelsey murmured. She couldn't imagine having to go through what Ethan did. Sure, she'd been the one in the accident, but she hardly remembered any of it.

It would hurt so much worse to watch someone she loved in pain. She'd rather be the one in the hospital any day.

"All fixed," Becca said cheerily. "It's a miracle, I'll tell ya that."

Kelsey took the mirror Becca handed her and smiled. "It's the best I've felt since I got here."

As she looked at her own reflection, she couldn't help but stare. The bruise on her face was turning a sickly green color, and her cheeks were sunken in from not eating anything but liquid since she was admitted to the hospital.

She swallowed and handed the mirror back to Becca. "Thanks."

Becca checked her phone and scrambled out of the bed, making Kelsey wince at the sudden movement.

"I have to get going. I ordered a pair of leopard shoes from George Esquivel and he said they'd be ready this afternoon. I could've sent my assistant to go get them, but I'm just dying to see them myself!"

"Of course you did," Kelsey laughed. She was more than happy to lay back down and exhaled when the pressure in her back released.

She caught Becca's hand before she could leave. "Hey, I just wanted to thank you."

Becca lifted a penciled brow. "Why on earth would you thank me, honey?"

"For sticking around," Kelsey said. "When we first met, I never thought I'd be able to stomach you at all, much less be able to call you my best friend."

Becca's lips parted and she squeezed Kelsey's hands. "Thank you."

"Those leopard shoes won't wait forever," Kelsey reminded her.

She heard the door close after Becca and she was left in silence again.

At the thought of Ethan, her heart began to race. She wanted to see him. She did.

But she'd also pretended to be asleep the last time he came in so she didn't have to talk to him.

She heard the apologies whispered in her ear, even when she was too weak to respond.

She forgave him. Of course she did.

But she couldn't live the life he had. The life she'd been experiencing up until the premiere.

Ever since she came to L.A., people had told her that she'd shrink under the spotlight. That she'd never make it.

And they were wrong.

She'd experienced the spotlight. She hadn't shrunk back. She didn't run.

But she didn't like it, either.

And even if Ethan loved his acting career, if he couldn't make a few sacrifices to make Kelsey's life easier, then what could she expect in the future?

If he chose a life that they both hated instead of her, Kelsey couldn't do it.

But was it worse than a life without Ethan?

She took a sip from the cup beside her bed. If she had to drink another glass of apple juice, she was going to throw up.

The door opened and Kelsey tensed.

Ethan rounded the corner, his sandy hair tossed in odd angles, and his hazel eyes as bright as ever.

Kelsey couldn't stop the tears from filling her eyes.

Ethan stared at her for a second, getting choked up himself, before he rushed to her bedside and cupped her face in his hands.

They were both speechless before bursting into sniffling laughter.

Ethan kissed her cheek and smoothed her hair from her face. "I...I'm so happy you're okay. I don't know what I would've done without you, I...I was so scared, I—"

Kelsey covered his hand with hers and leaned into his touch. "I'm here," she said softly. "I'm alright."

Ethan's smile wavered as he realized what he was doing and he dropped his hands. "Uh, I understand if you don't really feel like seeing me. I just wanted to know you were okay."

Kelsey smiled. "No, I want to see you."

Ethan released an exhale. "Cool."

He dragged a chair over and sat down, his warm eyes searching Kelsey's face.

Her heart melted and broke at the same time.

"How are you?" he asked, clasping his hands awkwardly in his lap.

"Getting better," Kelsey replied. "The doctor said I should be good to go in a couple days."

"Good."

Kelsey glanced at her bedside table. "Thanks for the flowers."

"I thought you'd like them."

Thick silence settled between them and Kelsey tried to still her shaking nerves. She had to do this, she had to tell him.

But before she could, Ethan spoke first.

"I'm sorry," he said. "For everything. I've put you through so much ever since we met, and it's been my fault. I mean that. Everything happened because I was too selfish to see past anyone but myself and what I thought was right." He glared down at the floor as if he could burn a hole through it. "I was trying to figure things out on my own, when you were there all along, trying to help me."

His jaw clenched. "I thought the worst thing I could ever do was let Micah down, but then I realized—" His painful gaze met Kelsey's. "—the worst thing I could do was lose you."

Kelsey's throat tightened and she bit her lip to keep it from trembling.

"I'm done with acting," he said firmly. "I have a one-year contract that I have to fulfill, but after that, I'm getting out. I promise, Kelsey. I want to make a new life with you—one where we're both happy."

Kelsey sniffed and wiped her tears, trying to gain a hold of her already-scratchy voice. "Ethan, I don't want you to do this just so I can be happy. I could never live with myself if you gave up acting just because I said you should." She closed her eyes briefly before continuing. "At the premiere, you said I try to fix everything, and you were right. I keep trying to put patches over everything and everyone to cover up their wounds. But I can't heal people. They have to do that themselves."

Ethan considered her words somberly. "This is my decision. You're so much more important than an acting career. But even if that didn't matter, this is what I want, too."

"Really?"

Ethan leaned forward and took her hand. "Really, really." His face grew serious when he said, "I'm going to stick by you, Kelsey Harris. Just like you've done for me."

Kelsey tilted her face towards his. "You know what?"

"What?"

"I think I love you, Ethan."

He cradled her head with his arm and brushed his nose against hers. "I love you too."

Kelsey lifted her hand up to his cheek. "I'm glad to hear it, or else this whole thing would've been pretty awkward."

Ethan laughed, his breath warm against her skin. "I might take it back, then."

Kelsey smiled. "Just kiss me, movie star."

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Hey guys! Can you believe we only have one more chapter until the end?!? I cannot. And I am emotional.

~What do you think of all the flowers in Kelsey's room?

~Thoughts on Ethan's apology?

~Are you happy they're fInAlLy on the same page and happy? XD

~General thoughts?

Thank you guys so much for reading! {Don't forget to comment, vote, and share!}