Mark ran through the corridor and into Natalia's ward.

"Talia! Talia!" A nurse pulled his out the ward and gave him a stern look. "No, I need to see her! She's my girlfriend! I need to say sorry!"

"She's gone," the nurse told him slowly.

"No! I need her! She can't be gone! I need to say sorry!"

"Sir, calm down. She only-"

"Mark?" Mark whipped his head around and smiled at Natalia. He slowly walked over to her and cupped her face.

"I knew you were not gone. I would have felt it." Natalia rolled her eyes and took his hand off her face.

"I only went to go and have a shower. Anyways, I just wanna sleep." Mark followed her back into the ward and watched as the nurse helped her onto the bed. The chair scraped the floor as Mark dragged it to her bed.

"Talia...I'm sorry what I said to Alan. I was angry and upset. Not at you. At myself."

"Mark, you are not fat. I love your little belly. It's so comfy as well." Mark chuckled and kissed her hand.

"I'll make it up to you. I promise. Wow, I've got a lot of making up to do, haven't I? I'm sorry I keep screwing up."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know you were so insecure about yourself, Mark. You don't need to change, Mark. I love you the way you are. Although..."

"What?"

"Be a little shorter?" Natalia leaned up kissed his cheek. "I love you. But you should go home."

"No, I'm staying here. With you." A different nurse came in with a smile and put down a sandwich in front of her.

"At least one slice," she said before walking out.

"Talia, you were eating when I was there...What happened?"

"I was only eating in front of you so you wouldn't say anything...That's the only time I ate. I threw it up after that... "

"Talia...Ta...I'll help you. But you have to eat at least. Please?" The begging eyes stared at him and he moved closer to her. "No. You have to. For me? Please?"

"It's not that easy...I...I try, Mark I-"

"For me. Please? For Sanjit? Aunt Paige? My dad? Please?" Natalia slowly leaned towards the sandwich and gave the packet to Mark.

"I can never open them."

"It's okay. There you go." Natalia stared at the rectangle in front of her and sighed.

"I need it to be in smaller pieces. I don't know how to do this..."

Mark walked out and came back with a nurse holding a knife. He told the nurse to cut it four times so there would eight pieces. Once the nurse walked away, Mark grinned and sat beside her.

"Okay. Let's make this interesting. Wait, where are your parents?"

"They started to fight so I kicked them out. Really don't need that now. Anyways, you were saying?"

"We make this interesting. Every time you have a bite, you get to ask me a question. How does that sound?"

"Fine. First off...One thing you did that I don't know about," she said as she put one slice into her mouth. Mark held her hand as he stared at her.

"I was the one that gave you that valentine card with the berry sweets."

"No way! Aw, that was so sweet! I never knew who gave that. I always thought it was Jean-Luke."

"No. It was your lovely, handsome boyfriend. Gonna have another one?"

"Not now. You know they stand outside the bathroom while I do my business?"

"They do? Well it's for your own good, though."

"Yeah...Those sweets are now my best ones!"

"I love them too."

"Marsha is a good girl. She's always top in class. Strong."

"I know. I felt her punches," he said with a laugh as he traced his fingers across her face.

"She's beautiful too. She doesn't have all these problems. You can be with her if you want..."

"I don't wanna be with her. I wanna be with you. And anyways, thinking of getting rid of me?"

"You're still refundable."

At nine, the nurse came in with a glare. "I think it's time for you to go home now. Visiting time stopped at eight."

"She only got two more slices. Can you just wait till she finishes it? I will leave as soon as the last one goes into her mouth."

"Clarice, if she is eating, then let him stay here," another nurse said. "Anyways, your shift was over half hour ago. Now go."

"She can't do it. What's the point of trying?" Ralph stood up and pointed a finger at her. Carly pulled him back down.

"Actually," Mark said as he stood up, "Talia can do it. I know she can. I believe in her. Her mum believes in her. Her dad. My dad. My aunt. Her brother. My sister. We all believe she can do this. We have had enough of your spiteful behaviour. If you don't mind, I think you better get applying to another job because I am taking this to the clinical lead."

"If that's the case, she ain't nothing but a whorin-"

"I SAID LEAVE! DON'T YOU DARE TALK ABOUT HER LIKE THAT!" Clarice walked past the other nurse and out the door.

"I am so sorry about her. If she was giving you trouble, you could have come to us," Nurse Caddie said. "Don't worry, I'll report her too. Stay as long as you need to." Mark exhaled heavily before sitting down on the chair. When he looked back at the tray, he smiled and then kissed her forehead.

"You finished it. I'm proud of you."

"You should go home now. You owe me two questions tomorrow."

Ralph cleared his throat and leaned forward. "Do you really have to do that?"

"Do what?"

"Touch her in front of me. I am her father."

Mark shrugged his shoulders and stood up, putting on his jacket. "So? I'm her boyfriend."

"Do you not have any respect? I am her father and-"

"Mr. Jenson, I have respected you for a long time. I still do. But you don't respect me. I have done so much for Natalia and you turn round and say I was useless and I never do anything to make her happy. I am trying my best!"

He leaned down, kissed her forehead again and whispered, "I love you. I'm gonna be back in the morning and we'll eat together, okay?"

"I love you too," she whispered, "I'll call you when he goes. Drive safely." Mark walked out by himself and left the hospital. Marcus already left two hours ago.

Carly and Ralph left shortly after and Natalia look at the message on her phone.

'Hey, I'm sorry. I know you said you were gonna call but I decided to write this before I got in the car. I am going home and I am gonna sleep. Sorry. I just wanted to tell you before you got upset. I love you and I'll see you tomorrow.' Mark L

With a small smile, Natalia put the phone under her pillow and went to sleep.