Dan's POV

It's been two and a half hours since I left Phil to be operated on. Why were they taking so long? I was anxiously worried beyond what I thought I would be. People tried to talk to me, but I refrained to talk to them. I was worried my nerves would make me snap. All I wanted was for Phil to be okay. It's all I could think about.

Would the surgery work?

Would he be in pain?

Could something worse go wrong?

My mind has never felt such stress.

A few people fell asleep within time, as it was getting late. I couldn't possibly, even if I wanted to. He was right there in my thoughts, and only in a scary looking room just down the hall from where I was. But it wasn't enough. I wanted him back, right with me.

I soon got closer to that.

A nurse I recognized from Phil's room stepped out and I quickly stood up to her.

"Mr. Howell?"

"Yes, that's me. How's Phil? Did it work? Can he see?"

"Please," she said. "Calm down, sir. Doctor Murphy is confident that it was, in fact, a successful surgery. Unfortunately, we will not be certain until Mr. Lester tells us if he can see or not. The analysis says it did, but there is no telling until Mr. Lester wakes up and we remove the bandages."

"Bandages?"

"To keep his eyes closed for the time being. He'll wake up, and a few hours after, we can see if it worked. However," she said quickly, "since it's late, we don't expect him to wake up until tomorrow morning. The doctor told me to tell you that you can go home and return tomorrow."

"No, I'm not leaving."

She shrugged. "Suit yourself."

The nurse went around and offered the same to the others in our party waiting for Phil. Phil's parents decided to stay, but the others left. PJ yawned at me, but told me he would be back in the morning.

I sat and tried to stay awake, determined to be there the second Phil woke up. Though I tried, the silence of the room, and Phil's sleeping parents got to me. I set my head down for a second, and fell asleep.

~~~

I woke up early and uncomfortable in the morning, and found a nurse as soon as I could stand. I asked about Phil. Had he woken up? Had the bandages come off? What was happening? What have I missed?

She explained that he was still asleep, and I calmed down a bit. She then offered me breakfast, but I was too nervous to eat. I told her maybe later.

As soon as the doctor had returned, I almost pounced on her.

"How did it go? How is Phil?"

"Phil is doing well," she said. "I assume he'll wake up soon."

"Can I see him?"

"When he wakes up, yes. I promise as soon as he even shuffles, I will send for you."

I waited a moment before asking the next question. "Did it work?"

"I believe so, but as I hope my nurse told you, we wont know for sure until Phil opens his eyes and tells us so."

I decided to eat something small, feeling a bit better. Hospital food wasn't the best, but I dealt with it. Not long after, the Dr. Murphy arrived and told me to come.

Phil's POV

I finally woke up after the surgery. My face was pained and felt almost swollen. At first, I just thought the surgery didn't work, but then I realized - I couldn't open my eyes. I felt like screaming. It was horribly frightening. I put my hands to my eyes, but I felt something covering them. I began to shake.

Where was Dan?

I didn't know what else to do, so I called out for him. "Dan?" I said aloud, unaware if anyone was in the room with me or not.

Footsteps near me scurried about until a warm hand touched my jittery arm.

"Phil," his pleasant voice said. "Phil please calm down. It's me. I'm here."

"Dan," I gasped. I touched his hand on me. It was him. I wanted him to kiss me and fix what was wrong with me. "Did it work?"

"Shh," he hushed. "We'll know in a few hours when we can take the bandages off of your eyes, okay? They're just holding them closed to protect them for a while."

I calmed immediately as I let his voice fill my ears.

Dan stayed with me, gripping my tense hand as my mother and father came in as well, wishing me the best. PJ had came in too. He explained that he had left, but came back. Apparently, the others had left but sent their hope. Having so many friends around me kept me calmed from the horrifyingly anxious hours to follow.

They had given Dan and I some time alone, and everyone left the room. Alone, I knew it would be peaceful and sweet. Dan placed a kiss on my cheek.

"How do you feel?"

"You know the feeling you get in your eyes when you've been staring at a screen for hours and they start to burn?"

"I'm pretty resistant to that now, but yeah, I suppose."

"Well, it's like that but worse."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

I giggled. "Don't worry. It'll be worth it."

"I really hope it works," he said.

I nodded. "Yeah."

"I'll love you either way."

I tightened our locked hands. "I know." I had to believe it. I breathed in. "So how long do I have to be wearing these?"

"They'll be off soon, don't worry."

"What do they look like?"

"Um," he thought. "I guess like patches that are meant to seal your eyes closed. They're white."

I nodded, trying to picture myself. What did I even look like? Had I changed within these months? Has it really been months since the accident?

"Phil," he said quietly.

"Yes?"

"I love you so much."

"I love you too."

"I want to marry you."

I froze. What? Silence surrounded me, and Dan's loving hand caressed mine, slowly and sweetly. "Dan," I responded, almost in a whisper. I didn't know what to say. "Are you serious...?"

"Will you marry me, Phil?"

We hadn't been a couple very long, only a few months. Even so, I never felt the way I do now ever before. I loved Dan with my life. I did want to be with him forever. He has proved over and over how much he loved me, and I didn't doubt it. His soft hand that had become the most important thing to me touched my chin. I put my hand over his.

"Dan," I said. I would be crying if my eyes weren't locked shut. "Yes."

He kissed me, and then hugged me tightly - so tightly that I thought I would pop. "I h-hope," he stuttered, "I hope you don't mind I didn't get a ring."

"I don't want one. I just want you."

"I really don't care if you can see or not. I just want to be with you."

"I care. I want to see you. I know you're so beautiful. I-I just -"

"Please," he begged. "Stop. It's okay, Phil."

"It's not," I mumbled, my timid hands holding a death grip on his shirt.

There was a knock at the door. "Phil, it's Dr. Murphy."

Appearing at a great time.

"It's been a good amount of time," she said. "I think it's time for the moment of truth."