"Here, eat this."

Abel's eyes were glued to the television, though he hardly registered the images on the screen. An animal documentary played, but the rumbling of his empty stomach drowned out any interest he might have had. He was so hungry, so cold, and the enticing smell of French fries from the bed next to his only made the ache in his belly worse.

Where was Anne-Marie? She was supposed to have been there hours ago, but her phone was still off. He glanced over at the other two kids in the room, both surrounded by family who fussed over them, bringing food and comfort. Abel had no one but the flickering screen in front of him and his old, tattered teddy bear. His vision blurred, but he stubbornly kept his eyes open, one hand pressed over his stomach in a vain attempt to ease the pain.

Suddenly, he felt a familiar, sickening bile rise in his throat. Knowing what was coming, he quickly grabbed a handkerchief from the pack Mickey had brought him earlier. He sat up as quickly as his weak body would allow and coughed hard into the cloth. The effort left him breathless, and when he pulled the handkerchief away from his mouth, it was soaked with blood.

Outside the room, Anne-Marie stood frozen, her hand on the door handle. For over ten minutes, she had been trying to steady herself, to force a smile onto her face before facing Abel. She couldn't let him see the turmoil she was in, the overwhelming fear that gripped her since Oliver's men had dropped her off at the hospital. The last few hours had been a whirlwind of confusion and impossible choices.

Pretending to be someone else, especially someone as important as Paris Vurton, was terrifying. But yet, Oliver's words of promises haunted her. This might be the answer to all her prayers, the chance to save Abel, to change both their lives forever. Clutching the food pack Oliver had given her, she took a deep breath, forced a smile, and pushed the door open.

"Abel, your sister is here."

Abel turned his head at the sound of the girl's voice, hiding the bloodstained handkerchief quickly first. He tossed it into the small dustbin beneath his bed and plastered a smile on his face as Anne-Marie approached. Seeing her smile, even if forced, was all that mattered to him. He knew that if she saw the blood, that smile would disappear, replaced by a look of despair that would crush him for days. He couldn't let her worry.

Anne-Marie forced an air of excitement as she waved the food pack in the air.

"Hey, hey," she said, leaning down to kiss his forehead.

"Eww," Abel groaned, feigning disgust even though he had been waiting for that kiss all day. "Gross."

Anne-Marie chuckled, but her eyes scanned the room.

"Where's Mickey?"

"She had to leave," Abel replied, his eyes returning to the television. "She got called in at work."

"Oh," Anne-Marie pouted briefly before brightening her smile again. "I got your favorite!" She hurried to the tiny bedside table and set the food pack down. "Okay, I got a lot of things you like because I figured you must be really hungry—"

Her words trailed off as her gaze caught something beneath the bed. She froze, noticing the red stains in the small metallic dustbin. Abel was speaking again, his voice excited, but she barely heard him as she bent down to inspect the bin.

"You missed the show," Abel said, his eyes still on the television. "We were supposed to watch it together, remember?"

"Yeah," Anne-Marie murmured, bending over to reach for the dustbin. "I just had a few things to take care of. We can watch it some other time." Her heart sank as she saw five blood-soaked handkerchiefs at the bottom of the bin. All Abel's blood.

"Too bad," Abel continued, unaware of her discovery.
"Today's episode was amazing. I got to see Prince Aiden ride Magnificent again." He turned to Anne-Marie, his face lighting up with enthusiasm. "You remember Magnificent, don't you? Prince Aiden's horse."

But when Abel saw the dustbin in her hands, his excitement faltered. The smile faded from Anne-Marie's face, just as he had feared. She stared down at the bloodstained cloths, her heart heavy with sorrow and fear. The sight was too much. Abel wasn't getting better; he was getting worse. She could feel the tears welling up, threatening to spill over as the weight of his illness crushed her.

"Marie?" Abel's voice was small, full of concern. He hated seeing her like this, hated being the cause of her pain.

Anne-Marie bit her lip, trying to hold back her tears. She couldn't let him see her like this, not when he needed her to be strong. She took a moment, closing her eyes, forcing the tears back. She had to be calm, composed. She had to give him hope. Finally, after a deep breath, she set the bin down and turned to him with a forced but gentle smile.

"You should eat something," she said, pulling out a plate and a burger from the bag. She placed the food on a tray and set it in front of him. Abel looked at the food, his appetite waning at the sight of her strained smile.

"I heard these are the tastiest in the whole town," she added, trying to inject some cheer into her voice. She pulled a chair close and sat beside him, her hand brushing his forehead to check his temperature. "You're burning up," she murmured, her worry slipping through despite her best efforts. "We should tell the doctor about your cough and fever after you eat, okay?"

"Mickey already did," Abel replied softly. "They gave me some medicine, but that's all they can do until we make the upfront payment."

Anne-Marie nodded, squeezing his hands gently. She took a minute to process, to convince herself about what she needed to say before she actually said it. She raised her gaze to find his, looking at her earnestly

"Look, Abel, I need to ask you something," she began, her voice trembling slightly. "All I want is for you to tell me yes or no. If you don't like it, then I won't do it."

Abel frowned, sensing the seriousness in her tone.

"What's wrong?"

She took a deep breath, struggling to find the right words. "I got an offer today," she said.

"Like a job offer?" Abel asked, his interest piqued.

She nodded. "And the pay is really good and I passed all its legal requirements. It comes with a lot of benefits too, like a house and hospital insurance."

Abel's eyes lit up with hope.

"Really?"

"Yes."

But as he thought it over, doubt crept into his expression. It didn't make sense, how could she get such a good job without a high school diploma? Something wasn't right.

"But?"

Anne-Marie hesitated, her heart aching as she prepared to tell him the truth.

"It's far away from here," she said quietly.

"How far?"

"Hours. And... it's only for a few months, but during that time, I wouldn't be allowed to contact anyone, not even you. I might also have to change how I look a little bit."

Abel's brow furrowed in confusion.

"What kind of job is that? The military?"

Anne-Marie chuckled softly, shaking her head. "Not quite. But close."

"Is it dangerous?"

"It could be," she admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

"But if you leave... what happens to me?" Abel's voice trembled. "Does that mean I won't get to see you or talk to you for months?"

Anne-Marie's heart broke at the fear in his voice. She reached out, taking his hands in hers and squeezing them tightly.

"If I leave," she began, "you'll be transferred to one of the best hospitals in the country. You'll get the best care, start your chemo treatment, and you'll have everything you need. You'll have a nanny to look after you and Mickey too."

"A nanny?"

Anne-Marie nodded, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Accepting this job means you'll get the treatment you need, we'll have a place of our own, and you can go back to school when you're better. But like I said, I won't have to go if you don't want me to. If you ask me not to, I'll stay."

Abel was silent for a moment, his mind racing. He looked up at her, his eyes filled with a mix of emotions—fear, hope, love.

"If you take the job... does that mean you can go back to school? To be a student again?"

Anne-Marie held her breath for a moment.

"Yes," Anne-Marie whispered, her voice trembling. "I could go back to school, get a scholarship too."

"Then take it," Abel said, his voice firm despite the tears that welled up in his eyes. "You should take the job. You said it yourself, it's our only chance at a better life. You won't have to work multiple jobs anymore, and you can go back to school and become a doctor like you always wanted. Besides, it's not forever, right? It's only for a few months."

"A few months," Anne-Marie echoed, her voice thick with emotion.

Abel nodded, his grip on her hands tightening.

"Take it. I'll be okay. I'll have Mickey, and we'd be here, you can visit when you get a break, we'd wait for you. I'd eat all my meals and get better so you come back, we could go hiking and camping, just like we always wanted."

Anne-Marie's tears finally broke free, but she smiled through them, her heart swelling with love for the brave boy in front of her. She got up slowly, pulling him into a gentle hug, careful not to squeeze him too tightly.

"Come here," she whispered, her voice choked with emotion as she wrapped her arms around him. "You're going to be okay, Abel. You're going to get better, I promise."

Abel closed his eyes, leaning into her embrace. Despite everything, he felt safe in her arms.

"I know," he murmured, rubbing his cheek against her shoulder. "I believe you."

Anne-Marie held him close, feeling the weight of his small, fragile body against her. She knew this was the right decision, even if it tore her apart inside. She had to do this for Abel, for their future. And as she held him, she silently vowed to do whatever it took to make sure he got better. No matter the risks, no matter the cost, she would protect him.

When she finally pulled away, she smiled at him, her eyes still glistening with tears.

"Now, eat up," she said softly, brushing his hair back from his forehead. "You need to get strong, so when I come back, we can go on that camping trip, okay?"

Abel nodded, his eyes filled with determination.
"Okay," he whispered, reaching for the food in front of him.

As Anne-Marie watched him eat, she knew her decision was clear,  this was the beginning of a new chapter for both of them, a chapter filled with uncertainty and danger, but also with hope. She would make this sacrifice for him, and she would see it through, no matter what.

She squeezed his hand one last time, holding onto the warmth of that moment, before the weight of what she had agreed to settle back onto her shoulders. There was no turning back now.