Reader's POV

The fever hit me hard and fast. I never even knew it was coming although I should have. I should have known not to follow after Jake to the sickbay. I should have known it would be dangerous. I suppose I did know but of course, that didn't stop me. And now I was here - locked up in one of the rooms they put the infected ones in. Tears filled my eyes as I remembered the emotions I saw on his face when he noticed I was sick - desolation, remorse, anger, sadness, guilt...

He was trying to be brave for me, I knew. He kept telling me everything would be fine but we both knew it wasn't. I felt the tightness in my chest then and I didn't know if it was the blood building up or the thought of what would happen to Jake if I died. I looked out of the window at him sitting there on the tiled floor of the hallway, his back against the wall. His hair was ruffled, his eyes were closed, and his clothes were caked in dried blood and grime from his work down in the basement.

Suddenly, I could feel my throat closing up and a coughing fit overtook me. Jake's eyes snapped open and he rushed over to the window, pressing hands to the glass. When it was finally over, my t-shirt was stained by a line of blood down the front and flecks of blood dotted the window seperating us. I could see the hopelessness in his eyes as he looked at me, his eyebrows furrowed in concern.

The tears spilled over my eyes, streaming down my cheeks.

"I-I don't want to die, Jake," I whimpered as I put my hand over his on the glass.

"You're not dying, Kat. I won't let you. I need you here..." he said, his voice breaking.

I sobbed, "I love you, Jake."

"I love you too, angel." he choked out as a single tear rolled down his face.

I'd give anything to brush those tears away, I thought to myself sadly.

One of the nurses came by then, a white mask covering half of her face.

"Officer Riley, I'm afraid we're going to have to ask you to leave. It's time for the patients to rest now." she said to him, her face cold and emotionless.

Jake nodded slowly and removed his hands from the glass.

I love you, he mouthed to me and I mouthed it back to him. He smiled but it was full of melancholy. I watched him walk away, his form fading as he got farther away. I sighed and sat down on the bed in the middle of the room. I grabbed the teddy bear that Jake had given me and clutched it to my chest. Lying down on the stiff sheets, I closed my eyes. Thoughts of Jake and I swirled in my mind as I drifted off to sleep...

Jake's POV

I exhaled deeply as I pulled on my navy blue police vest. I left here there that night even though I hadn't wanted to. I hated the thought of her being alone down there in isolation. That's where I was headed now - to go check on her. As I walked down the nearly-empy hallways to the sickbay, my booted feet resounded on the tiled flooring of the hospital. Nurses and other staff passed me by occasionally, glancing in my direction.

Like they knew something I didn't. I just shrugged it off and kept walking. As I neared the sickbay, I saw Doctor Cannerts talking to one of the nurses, their voices hushed. They stopped talking as soon as I reached them. The nurse looked at me, almost sympathetically, and rushed off. I looked over to Doctor Cannerts in confusion.

"Doctor, what's wrong? Where's Katherine?" I asked hesitantly.

He sighed and looked at me, a dismal expresion on his face. My stomach dropped when I heard what came next.

"I'm sorry, Officer, but...Katherine died this morning..." he said, trailing off.

My chest tightened and the air left my body. Everything didn't feel real after that. Doctor Cannerts put his hand on my shoulder once before walking off. And then....the nurses wheeled a hospital bed out of one of the rooms....Katherine's room. Her body was covered by a white sheet but I knew it was her. Her arm hung over the side and I recognized the engagement ring I had given her less than a month ago still on her finger.

One of the nurses walked over, handing me Katherine's teddy bear. The one I'd won for her at the carnival all those years ago. My breaths came in ragged gasps as I leaned against the wall. My back slid down until I was sitting on the floor. Hot tears ran down my face as I clutched the bear in my hands.

How was I ever going to live without her?