The darkness behind his eyelids enveloped his whole form — Every part in Mark's body was wrecked with agony. He tried to move a muscle, to even open his eyes but they weighed a ton and he barely stayed awake to hear what was going on.

A beeping sound registered in his ears. Like an alarm clock it kept sounding a continuous beat and felt as if it would never go away.

After a while he realised it was a heart monitor because of the constant chatter of strangers voices talking about medical records and whatnots — he recognised the Hospital gown that hugged his body and the blanket that laid itself just below his chest.

He heard his father sobbing by his side.

Mark wanted to wake up and tell him that everything was going to be okay — he wanted to tell his father that he wasn't going to lose another child.

Mark remembered the night before like an endless nightmare.

Soon enough Ricky left his side — it had been a while since his father returned but Mark didn't mind the solitude loneliness provided.

His mind revolved mostly around a certain girl that captured his thoughts the second they met.

Scarlett.

He remembered his match with the Ghost Rider — He barely fought back, he wanted to show Scar the dangers of fighting. He needed her to wake up and see how deadly Ghost was and the only way for her to understand was to show her.

She needed to know what it was like to lose someone close to her and maybe this wasn't the right way to go about it but he needed her to survive. He needed her to fight with an open mind, he needed her to fight tooth, grit and nail knowing the imperilment of what she was doing.

Mark laid in that Hospital bed fighting his consciousness to stay awake just in case his father came back.

It wasn't long before he heard someone enter the room — the person's footsteps were too soft to be his fathers, but they did have a sweet aroma emanating from their form.

The single scent struck him.

He'd recognise that scent anywhere, he had spent endless nights just taking it in; Apple pie.

"Mark..." he heard her soft voice whimper — a part of him broke at the very sound.

'Scarlett...'

He fought every single nerve in his body to open his eyes and see her, to just show her how he was going to be okay. He wanted to take back what he did but it was essential that she see him like this — she needed to know what Ghost was really capable of.

It wasn't until he heard a small sob escape her, did the final part of his mind yearn to comfort her. If only he could just open his eyes.

Or even utter a small word.

Her hand linked with his own making a small part of him happy she reached for him "I'm so sorry," her voice trembled.

'Don't be Scar, I brought this on myself.'

"I should've been in the Arena last night to help you!"

Mark wanted to shake his head at her apology 'Don't cry, please. Don't cry'

"I'm sorry, Mark..."

He could feel the way her body shook with sadness 'I'm sorry, Scar...'

Was it possible for your heart brake more than once? For Mark his heart broke every moment she spoke — he could hear the way her tone begged 'Be strong, Scarlett - be strong...'

Mark didn't know how long she spent in that Hospital room crying he just knew the amount of times he wanted to open his eyes and see her.

It wasn't until he heard his father speak did his heart finally take a break from being shattered "Scarlett - it's getting late. Visiting hours are over..."

Mark didn't want her to leave him, he didn't want her to sleep alone tonight — the thought of her in a massive bed without him by her side didn't sit well with him so he felt relief when she said "I'm not leaving,"

"You have to. They'll drag you out of here if you don't" Mark felt his jaw clench at the thought of someone coming and forcefully dragging her away from him.

He felt her grip his hand tighter — whether he tightened the grip or her, they'd never know "I'm not leaving him...he hates sleeping alone..."

"Scarlett" Ricky voiced "Just get some sleep in your Hotel room — come back tomorrow morning if you want to"

She took a shaky breath "He wouldn't leave me. If things were different and I was in this Hospital bed, he wouldn't leave." A part of Mark knew that she was right — he'd never leave her, no matter how many men came he'd never take his eyes off her.

"I know that. But this is taking its toll on you as hard as it is on him. Guards will come in and take you away from him and you won't be able to come back and see Mark. Is that what you want?"

Mark felt guilty — he wanted her to become stronger but what his father was saying was true and saw that by facing Ghost and barely fighting back was both selfish and unfair. Mark would have to thank his father for making sure Scarlett was making the right choices.

Surely enough the next morning Scarlett sat next to him and he was thankful for her being there "You look a little better today," she started — he could sense the sadness in her voice. By now he knew she was rambling on but it did sound nice to hear her.

Her hand played with his own — Mark wanted to squeeze back to show her he could hear her, he had spent the whole night before just focusing on moving a single finger.

"You're strong, I know you are - in spite of the way we first met I always knew you were a fighter. I need you to fight now, Mark. I need you to come back to me...please."

'I want to, Scar. I am fighting. Trust me, I'll come back to you' He felt pain in his chest but it wasn't the physical kind.

"I have one more fight left before I get the title..." He wanted to be there to see her win, he wanted so much to just take away her pain but if not having those things meant she'd live another day, he'd sacrifice himself all over again.

"I haven't faced the Ghost Rider yet but I'm going to wait for him to show himself so I can volunteer myself as his opponent. I'll face him for you, Mark. I'll fight him and make him pay for doing this to you. I give you my word that I'll battle him and give you what you want; him to feel the same pain your in right now"

'No, Scar that's not what I want - I want you. Just You, I don't care about fighting, I don't care about the title - I care about you.'

She stayed by his side for the rest of the day up until visiting hours were over.

The next couple of weeks were Hell on earth — each day she would visit his Hospital room and he would break every second she'd leave. Mark made progress with his movements though, he could move the tip of his lips — just the single motion told him he was coming back. That much was for sure.

"I wish you were awake..."

'...I am, Scar'

"I wish you could hear me..."

'I can.'

"I'm sorry, Mark." Her voice quivered as her hand found his.

He wanted to squeeze back 'Don't be.'

"I'm sorry it's taken me so long to do this...but," he stilled for a moment, genuinely confused.

"Since the first day in the diner somehow you managed to weasel your way through my walls and capture my heart without me knowing..."

'Scarlett...'

He could just see the small smile in the way she spoke "When you left me the first time, I never forgot you - I never even tried to forget. I just told myself that one day I'd find you and we'd go back to the diner and talk like we'd never left each other."

'I never forgot you either. I kept the photo of us, cherished it every day and night.'

"But now things are different." She stated strongly "I planned this day since the first time I stepped out of the Valley - the day I'd win the title and...never come back."

He again felt worry seep into his heart at her words "I think what I'm trying to say is..." her voice broke for a second "Out of everyone I'm leaving behind - I'm going to miss you the most."

'Scarlett...what are you saying...?'

Before he could think more about what her hidden meaning could be — he felt her warm lips against his own. His mind raced a million miles a second, the mere feeling of her small kiss left electric shocks across his body.

Her lips were softer than a rose petal.

Her mouth was as sweet as an apple.

And her kiss inflicted more pain than a bee's sting — not because she pressed too hard or anything like that but because he wanted to press his mouth against hers so badly only to find he could barely move an inch.

Mark had often kissed nameless women but for some reason this one peck put them all to shame.

He swore his pulse fastened, as his heart throbbed, it was as if he were about to suffocate, yet, Mark never wanted her to pull away.

It was as if he needed to breath and she was the air he so desperately needed.

She continued to kiss him long and soft, and when, much to his dismay, she pulled herself away, he felt her soft delicate hands touch his cheek with her fingers before whispering a low and tender "I love you, Mark Coulting."

If it was possible his heart skipped another beat at her confession 'I love you too, Scarlett - I love you more than anything in this world...PLEASE! Hear me!'

"I love you so much - and I'm sorry it's taken me so long to realise." She stated once more before removing her hand from his cheek, the warmth of her palm leaving his cold face "I'm sorry, I'm braking our promise."

Mark tried to open his mouth, to emit some kind of sound!

Any kind of sign that he was awake!

He swore on everything good that his fists clenched but if he did she didn't seem to notice.

Mark felt her presence disappear and at that second the only words that echoed through his head were "...I love you"

It had been twenty minutes since she had left his side — during this time Mark fought more than any other time he had fought to wake up.

A small grunt escaped his mouth, his eyes twitched with agitation.

Thoughts of her were the only things that kept him fighting against the relentless darkness that wanted to claim him once again.

'Scar.'

Her soft skin.

'Scar.'

Her blinding smile.

'Scar'

Her famous glare.

'Scar'

Her tear-stained face.

"Scarlett!"

Mark's eyes snapped open as the world around him jumped back to life — the burning light scorched his eyes but he kept them open, he accepted the pain because right now all he could think about was her and the promise they made all those years ago.