Matt slowly lifted his eyelids.He was in an unformliar place...he looked down. And on an unfarmiliar couch.He tried standing up...And the room swayed. A hand pushed his shoulder down on the couch again.It took him a while to figure out where he was.

It was, his kitchen? No, it was a hospital? How did that happen? He started to get up again, but a hand pushed him down.

"Finally!You've been unconcious for hours... I debated taking you to the hospital." Anna said. "But my apartment was closer and it was hard to drive with you passed out on my knee, and my apartment was closer." Right. This was Anna's apartment.

Slowly, everything that had happened came back to him. "Wait, don't I need medical attenton? Call 9-1-1! HELP!!!!!!!!" Matt screamed. "Shhhh... someone will think something was wrong." Anna said. "Hello? Something is wrong!" Matt responded.

Anna giggled."Matt, that was just a dream. Not the coffee shop and the medicine, but the part about swallowing a deadly toxin that cows eat?" Matt looked at her."Hey! You did say it in your dream! But my medicine that you swallowed prob wont do much.

"You were telling me about a dream? I thought you were telling me about your life! How dare you tease me like that! I thought we were friends! At least we used to be friends!" Matt said. Suddenely, he realized his mistake. He had to come to the fight

Anna watched mildly,waiting for him to finish his rant.Then she said "Right. While we do need to talk about our issues,I'm forgot to tell you that the medicine I take can make you get really angry. So, in a few hours youll be fine. Until then..."

"Does it look like I am angry? Look at me, answer me Annalees!" Matt yelled. "Matt please why don't you sit on the couch for a little bit while I get us something to eat. Okay?"Anna said kindly. Matt just groaned and marched to the couch.

Anna came out holding a Little Debbie in one hand, and a weird tan drink that looked a bit like Malt-O-Meal through a blender. "For you," she said, handing him the cake. "and this for me. What?Its just wheat germ and milk!"Anna said when Matt saw it.

Hesitantly, Matt took a bite. It was an zebra cake, his favorite. Anna started to talk "There's something we should talk about. I have been avoiding this conversation for a long time, but I think it's time."

Matt glanced up, his mouth full of cookie. "Vuft?" Anna blinked; Matt swollowed. "Conversation about what?" "The fight. You know, the one we had after the summer of eleveth grade?" Anna said, looking for recognition in Matt's eyes. "Oh.That."

Matt shifted on the couch uncomfortably. The fight. He remebered as clear as day, but his expression darkened like a thunderstorm. He had been pushing back this memory for a long time, and it was now resurfacing.

Anna coughed. "You-you remember don't you? When I called you?" Matt remembered alright. That last night in July, it was raining, and the reception was no good, but he could clearly hear Anna say those three words. "I hate you!" She had said, sobbing.

Matt shifted again. There was a moment of uncomfortable silence until Matt finally spoke. "Do you really hate me?" Anna took a deep breath and replied.

"Did I really hate you? -Then, Maybe. I was definately furious, seething mad. The way you-" Matt could tell she was getting angry again.

Matt looked Anna in the eyes and shook her gently. Staring into her deep blue eyes he gently, yet forcefully, said, "Do you hate me now?"

"Well, I, uh... No. I don't hate you. But I do hate what you did, and I don't know how we're ever going to get past that." Anna said. "So we're here again? The 'I don't know?' What do we do, Anna? Please tell me, because God knows I don't want this."

It was uncomfortable for the two now. There terrible fight was now over, yet both were not ready to forgive each other. After all, the fight was about...

Matt. It was Anna's fault too, sortof, but really Matt had been the issue. "How could you? I know we had had our rough paches but I thought you liked me, at least!" Matt: "I didn't even like her! I was sortof an accident kiss, ok?"

"Accidental?How could THAT be accidental?Oh yeah I was just walking by that girl Addy, yeah that hot one, and I 'accidentally' kissed her" Anna yelled, imitating Matt. She was getting furious, her chees growing brighter and brighter with every word.

Matt coughed. "Anna! that isn't what I meant, and you know it! It's not you don't have a part in this! You remeber why I kissed her? I thought we were over! Because you, you said that I wasn't goo anymore! Did you kiss someone?" "Well? Did you?"

Anna's face grew red, but this time from embarrasment. She remembered what had happened right after she saw him kissing Addy. She remembered it even though she wished she could throw that memory away.

Matt searched her face tenderly. "Who was it? Bryan? Clay?" Anna shook her head. "Andy." With that, a tear slipped out of the corner of her eye. "Oh, Anna." Matt closed the distance between them, and hugged Anna from behind,rocking her."Anna, Anna."

Anna let him rock her. It was soothing to know that someone knew what she did and didn't scream. It was soothing to know that someone cared, that someone was there to support her. And that made all the difference.

But Anna knew that it wasn't just that. She had loved him, she realised. Maybe not when she kissed Andy; maybe then she hadn't for a while, but now she felt like she was on a first date.Matt put his chin on her shoulder,still rocking her rythmically.

She silently cried more. She cried for people without love, she cried for people who had nobody to love. She cried for the dead, she cried for the people who had to live. She cried for everything untill she could cry no more, and then she was content

"Shh, are you okay?" Matt said, still holding her, rocking her, holding her tear-streaked face and turning it to his. Anna sobbed once, "Yes." "Good." And Matt kissed her on her forehead, and let her go. Anna smiled sadly. "I- I've missed you."

"I've missed you to Anna."It was a magical moment for both of them. It just took about two hours for there lives to completly turn around. The two had found each other again, changing there lives forever.

This time Anna kissed Matt. Not a forceful kiss, not a thank-you kiss either. It was a kind all it's own, like an "I think I love you again, maybe" kiss. She kissed him again, and let go, sighing. Matt smiled. A pause, then Anna said. "Dinner?"

And they laughed. Nothing she said was funny, but it felt good to laugh. Matt opened the apartment door and they walked down to the car.

"Your limo, m'am." Matt said as he ushered Anna into his '89 Sentra. Anna giggled, and stepped inside to the passenger seat. "So... where are we going... sir?" Anna asked. "It's a secret. Shh." Matt said, and pulled out of the driveway.

The car thundered along the highway. The two drove in silence,thinking about what had just happened and what could happen in the future.For once it wasn't an akward silence,it was a needed one. After around twenty minutes Matt turned off the highway.

Matt cleared his throat. "Whe, I said that I've missed you, it was an understatement. I haven't stopped thinking about you, and I've regretted kissing her every day since." Anna just squeezed his hand. "Me too."

There hands remained in each others. Matt's was clammy and warm while Anna's were small and cold. Their hands remained this way until Matt turned onto a small road that was called Peacock Avenue.

Matt dove down the rutted road for a minute and pulled into a gravely drive that lead to a small restaurant. On the front of the little wooden white building was "Mia's," written in red peeling paint. Anna instantly fell in love with its charm.

Matt looked at the sparkle in Anna's eyes. "Do you like it?" "It is beautiful, how do you know I would like it?" she asked. "I know you Anna." Matt said as he gestured for her to get out of the car. And out they went onto a new adventure.

At the door, a boisterous woman in an apron geeted them. "Welcome to Mia's! Booth or table?" the woman crooned in a heavy accent. Matt looked at Anna. "Booth." She led them to a dimly lit booth and gave them menus.

The menu wasn't very big, but Anna couldn't decide what to get. It had all her favorite meals on this menu. Matt had done it again, except for this time he didn't do what he had done last time.

Andd shook her head, banishing the convoluted thought. She giggled when she saw herself in a mirror. Matt cleared his throught, and looked at the waitress, who in turn said, "What does the couple want?" "Oh,we're not a couple.Just friends."Anna said

Matt quickly turned at her and gave her a confused stare, then quickly put his head down. "I would like the grilled cheese sandwich with a side of tomato soup" Anna said. Matt struggled to keep his voice straight," Uhh, I want a turkey sub."

The waitress mumbled under her breath, "That's the lunch menu... but I guess for the couple." "Not. A. Couple." Anna said, reinforcing. The woman walked off, leaving the two. "Not a couple?" "Well, technically, I'm dating a guy from U of C."Anna said

Matt stared at her in disbelief. He thought what was happening was just a lie. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. This story was supposed to be a Cinderella story,where they live happily ever after. But of course, that never happens.

"No- no.You took it the wrong way.It's not that,I mean,as soon as I get the chance, I'm breaking it off with Marc. But, Matt, you can't expect that I wouldn't have a boyfriend,or that I would cheat on him with you.I really shouldn't have kissed you."

He stared at Anna with his mouth open, and then closed it and shook himself. He had known it was to good to be true. In fact, he was the only guy he knew of his friends that didn't have a girlfriend. Matt suddenely had a surge of anger.

"God, Matt, don't you get it? I want you, not Marc. I just haven't gottena chance, hell, it's only been a few hours since I kissed you." She puased. "Marc should be the angry one! I cheated on him! Well, almost.Thought about it though." Matt blushed.

"I, uh, but," Matt stuttered."I um," "Just say it already!"Anna interrupted. Matt turned bright red, still trying to find the right words. He took a deep breath and said, " I wanted to ask you a question."

"...What?"Anna always got nervous when someone asked to ask a question. "Um, you know you and Andy? Did, you, well um--" "Did we what?" "You didn't, by any chance... um... sleep with him?" Matt rushed."God no! He was ugly, and I still loved you, ok?"

Matt took a breath of relief. He had gotten nervous however and didn't ask the real question. "Umm, I have another question." Anna took a deep breath this time she was prepared.

"No, I didn't date him. I'm not an idiot. He was just a hook-up. One time. But, what I want to know, is did you sleep with that chick, um..." "Addy? Well, even if I did, it wouldn't matter, ok?" Anna snorted. "Pig! God, whatever."

"YOU DID?"she screamed. Everyone one turned to look at her in the restaurant. She didn't care, she didn't care about anything at that moment.

"Um, yeah. That is what I inferred. It wasn't like we wre dating at that point." "Oh... I thought we were..." Anna coughed, embarassed. They had finished the main meal. "Wanna head home?" Annna nodded, and they walkeed back to the car.

They got in and Matt drove. After a ten minute akward silence Matt finally spoke. "Uhh, I have another question." Anna said, "Last one."

Matt tensed, still focused on the road. Anna hurried. "Not about the past... about now. About us. Are we...?" Anna trailed off. "Together? If you want to be." Matt punctuated the sentance with a hopeful, tentative smile. Anna grinned. "Yes. I do."

And it was official just like that. You could pratically feel the energy bouncing off their skin. But this was only the beginning of a new adventure that had jsut become...

**Narrator Edit** *This is a romance. Not Sci-fi. Like,Basically Adventureless. Ehem...* When they got back to the apartment, Anna was almost asleep.Matt went around the cab & carried his girlfriend indoors. Sitting on the couch, he began to think.

He thought about what life will bring. He thought what his parents would think of Anna, and how she would change his life. It was then he realized the most important change this would bring.

Matt realised that he would have happiness. A life with something he could come home to, even if only for a little while. Which made Matt wonder about Anna's disease. How sick was she? She'd seemed fine tonight...but that didn't have to mean anything

"Uhh... Anna?" Matt asked. "Oh god, not another question." "Sorry, but I have to ask you one more question, and this will be the most important of all"

Anna groaned, and rolled over on her bed, still half asleep. "Are you... really going to die? Soon, I mean?" Anna blinked twice and nodded. It wasn't until she kissed his cheek that he realised he was crying, just a little.

He layed there, looking at the cieling. This relationship wouldn't be for long. He knew that, deep down, but didn't want to admit it. It was then the realization hit him.

He didn't have to stay around after Anna died. He could... Anna stirred, and suddenly he felt guilty for wanting to kill himself. Still, it was tempting.

No, he couldn't. He pushed the evil thought out of his head. She was just a person, and everyone has to die, right? But she was something different. And being with her gave him a feeling, a feeling he could never replace.

The sun rose silently and was high in the sky before Anna woke. Rubbing the sleep out of her eyes, she glanced around the familiar room. Nothing looked different except-just then,Matt stirred on the couch."Hey,sleepyhead." He greeted her with a yawn.

She racked her brains for what happened the previous day. Then she remebered. But then she remebered something else, something important about today.

Today was Matt's birthday!And,with a grimace,she realised she also had a blood test today.Matt looked over at her with an indulgant grin."What's wrong?" "Blood test."Matt's smile faltered."Oh...When?" "5.And it's your birthday!"His smile weak."Yeah."

God, Matt thought, what a birthday surprise! I get to know exactly how long Anna will be alive for! Matt shook himself mentally. No, he had to think positivly. This might be his last birthday with Anna, and he wanted it to be good.

Matt snapped out of his thoughts to the wonderful smell of cooking buscuits, sausage, gravy, and pancakes. "Mmm. Smells good!" He noticed witha smile she had cooked all of his favorite breakfast foods.Matt walked up to her and hugged her from behind.

Matt kissed her cheek, and let her go, plopping down at the rundown but somehow still cozy kitchen table. Anna brought over all of the foods, loading his plate high with homecooked breakfast. Matt looked at Anna's empty plate. "You eating?"

He hoped she wasn't turning anorexic or something. She smiled. "Well, drinking. It's a HealthShake. Yummy, eh? It's for the tests today." Her nose wrinkled at the word "test". Matt decided she really was beautiful, & she was. Her blonde curls bounced

sweetly in the sunlight. Anna had very fair skin, she never tanned, nor did she freckle. Both her cheeks and lips were a gorgeous cream-rose, and her eyes were emerald. "What?" Anna said, cutting Matt off.

"It's just... you're really,really pretty, you know that?" Anna blushed and hid her face in the thick mass of short curls that framed her face."Thanks." Changing the subject,she said, "Well,you eating or not?"At the mention of food, Matt was starved.

After a few minutes of shoveling food into his mouth, Matt realised he had finished his huge plate before Anna had finished her HealthShake. He eyed it thirstily. She laughed, and said, "Maybe some chocolate milk instead. I have to drink it ALL."

"Plus I am sure you don't want to eat this.It taste like liquidized dog food. But I have to eat it,doctors orders."That brought them both back on the uncomfortable subject of Anna's condition."Uh, Anna? How long do you have?"Anna jolted up, suprised.

"Um, About a year." Matt winced, and Anna gulped her HealthShake, obviously trying to ignore the nasty “glug, glug, glug” the drink was making. Matt looked up at her. “Well, I was kind of serious about that chocolate milk you offered.”

Anna glanced at him and laughed;still, she moved to go get the drink. As she walked to the kitchen, she thought about how easy it was to slip back into her old pattern with Matt. A Saturday breakfast, probably go to the park,and then the coffee shop.

But she couldn't. She knew she would die soon, and she couldn't give Matt that depression. She couldn't. She couldn't even stand to think what would happen to him. She couldn't let herself destroy her life. She couldn't.

More importantly, she thought, she couldn't destroy Matt's life. To come into it now, and grow closer only to leave so suddenly. Just like Matt the night before, Anna didn't realise she was crying until Matt came and hugged her. "What's wrong?"

And that just made her cry harder.No longer did Matt's arms comfort her,she pushed them away.Growing closer would hurt him, and that was the last thing she wanted to do."Anna?"Matt asked, worried. And she cried until their were no more tears to shed.

Honestly, it frightened Matt; Anna could see that. But she couldn't stop, the sadness was overwhelming. When he tried to comfort her, she delicately shrugged away. "What's wrong? What did I do? Anna!" Matt pleaded with her, and it seemed worse then.

Matt stared at her bewildered. How could she change from happy and laughing to sobbing like that? And what had he done? All he did was try to comfort her. And however he tried to comfort her she just sobbed harder.

Anna began to feel trapped, like walking away now would hurt as much as when she died. And the way he blamed himself, trying to say sorry for what he didn't know.

"Matt,just STOP!"she yelled. Matt looked like he wanted to crawl into a shell and never come out. Anna took a deep breath. "Okay.Sorry. Listen to me and don't interrupt and I will tell you something that you are going to have to know sooner or later.

Anna sucked in a breath as she made her decision; to lie. "I... didn't love you. It was infatuation. And... I was sleeping with Andy. I love my new boyfriend. I. Don't. Want. You."

For a second Matt didnt do anything.He was shocked.Anna wasn't that kind of girl.She was adventurous but always a loyal to her friends.Then, the words sunk in and he felt like the titanic, his heart sinking.And then came the anger. "What?" he yelled.

"Matt. I don't want you here. I don't love you, and I never did." Anna wiped dry the rest of her tears. "Go. Please."

But he didn't. He just sat there wiping the tears from his face, crying silently. And Anna couldn't stand it.

"Damn it, Matt! Listen to me! I just can't do this to... Just go!" Anna sobbed. "Is that what you're worried about? Hurting me? Anna, I'm not leaving until you don't want ME," He said with conviction.

Then they heard a knock on the door. Anna silently wiped her tears from her face and opened the door. There stood her boyfriend.

Marc was about 6'1" with short curly brown hair. He was dressed in basketball shorts and a U of C sweatshirt. He was also frowning; Matt was holding Anna protectively around the waist. "Anna?" Anna cleared her throat. "This is Matt. My ex."

There was an uncomfortable silence for a moment. For some reason all Matt could think about was a pig in dress with long brown hair. Then he started laughing. Marc glared at him.

Anna shot a sideways glance at Matt and shrugged out of the embrace. "Matt, this is Marc... my boyfriend." More silence, then: " Anna, can I talk to you outside? Alone?" "Um, yeah, sure," Anna said, ignoring Matt's reluctance to let her go.

Matt reluctantly sat on the couch.His life had been so easy in the coffee shop,he almost regretted going up to Anna.He wasn't sure if finding her was good or not.Either way,it couldn't be changed. He went up to the door to easdrop. "Anna!" Marc said.

Matt could tell she had heard him, but she didn't say anything. He decided to listen. "... and I get here just to find you and one of your old boyfriends who just spent the night? Anna, I find it hard to believe you guys just talked."

"Marc."Anna said.Her voice was calm but icy."Listen.He worked in a coffee shop and I saw him.He took me to lunch and we talked about what happened since we last saw each other."It wasnt a lie, it was just not the whole story,smart. Matt thought.

He heard Marc sigh. "Ok, Anna, if you're sure that's all. I just can't help remembering last time..." Anna shuffled nervously. "Can we not bring that up? We agreed..." At this point, Matt couldn't make sense of the conversation.

Matt sat down on the couch trying to make sense of what he had heard. What had happened last time? Why didn't Anna want to talk about it? He tried to think of what had happened "last time". He started making up a story in his head about it...

Anna's sharp tone perpatrated through his mind. "... the same damn argument!" Anna never cursed unless she was really, really mad. "All I've been getting from you are fake promises and words! Why don't you just leave?"

"Yum! Yum! Yum! Yum! Yum! Yum! Yum! Yum!" Marc's cell phone went off. Each Yum! was a different note forming a scale. It stopped as Marc opened it. "Hello? Uhh... this isn't the time Julie. Yeah. Bye."

Matt could almost see the anger rolling off Anna in waves. "Oh,Julie,right? She's the ex-girlfriend that's always hanging around,the one I've caught you with before? Oh, and didn't you say something like 'Don't worry,I'm never talking to her again?'"

"It was about our highschool reunion! We are the party planners!" Marc said. "Don't give me that." Anna spat, "Get out of here and my life!". She stomped inside the apartment room and slammed the door shut.

Matt jumped up, ready to hit Marc, or the wall, or maybe even the door. Even though Anna had broken up with him, he'd still hurt his Anna! But the look on Anna's face stopped him in his tracks. She looked like she was going to faint. "Hospital. Now."

Anna was pale and looked like she saw a ghost. She could barely support her own weight, it looked like she could die any second. That was the thought that brought Matt back to his senses. "Anna! Don't worry, uhh... you will be alright."Matt lied.

Anna tried to snort at him,but she gasped in pain and her eyes rolled back in her head.He just then noticed the small trickle of blood coming out of her mouth."Oh,god,"Matt said to himself, and promplty scooped Anna into his arms, running to the car.

Matt could tell she was in pain; she gasped for air a little, and moaned, before choking a little on the blood in her throat. He closed his eyes for a moment thinking: "This isn't happening, this isn't happening." Matt thought he sounded a lot like

the little engine that could, and with that thought he sped down the highway to the hospital.

His mind was clouded for he was trying to drive away from the thought of death. He didn't here any of the horns of the cars honking at him as he drived wildly, he had only one thought on his mind. Survival.

And for Anna to survive he had to get to the hospital and fast. And there it was. He sped off the exit heading straight for the building. But he noticed the car coming toward him to late.

The impact of a car crash, Matt would later say, can't be described. Everything happens in slow motion, your senses go on high alert. But all Matt was thinking at impact was "God, no, no, no, not her." He tried to make a shield of his body for Anna.

~~*~~ Matt wasn't sure how long after, but at some point he became aware of a searing pain, like fire slicing in little points all over his body. There was one thing just out of reach in his mind, he was panicked on the way here?

Matt awoke with sounds of an alarm. Was he waking up? Then he remembered a car and glass. It was an ambulance. Matt shook himself and forced himself to get up. That was when he saw Anna.

At first glance she seemed normal. But then Matt saw the way her face and limbs were mangled. Matt knew she would be scarred mantally and physically for life. The thought that he had caused it, his miscalcuation made so many times worse for Matt

The car door was pulled open by a strong hand. The man looked at Matt and pulled him out. "You alright?" Matt could only manage one word as he pointed to the car, "Anna."

Matt remembered seeing them take Anna and how he finally stopped hanging on to the edge in his mind;he let himself slip into unconciousness.~~*~~About an hour later,the door to Matt's hospital room opened.He wished it was Anna, but it was his doctor.

"Matthew, there is something we need to urgently know. First of all, don't move because right now we can't risk you becoming unconsious. Don't even think of lying, I will speak of this to anyone." "Okay..." Matt said.

"Did you or did you not hit or abuse Miss Annaliese Kendrick prior to the incident today?" the doctor looked serious. Matt was indignant. "What? No! I would never-- who even told you that?" "Ah-an anonymus source.

But Miss Kendrick does have some unrelated bruises. Sonny, sputtering isn't going to hold up in court." "Court! Why am I-YOU THINK I WOULD HIT HER?" The doctor just looked sympathetically at Matt. "I'm sorry, but I must tend to other patients now."

"Come back here!" he yelled maniacally. The doctor just shut the door. He thrashed around in his bed, but there was a bind on him. And then everything turned black.

That night, Anna dreamt of him. She never saw his face, but the hurt and pain surfaced constantly. Little voices drifted through her head; she remembered them as his words, but what if they were true? "This is what you deserve."

And, "Such a beautiful face," he would say while caressing her cheek. Or, "Can you not handle it? So weak!" The he would laugh. Other words, less meaningful: "Mine!" and "Perfect." These dreams would usually scare her enoughto-mercifully-wake her,but

not tonight. It was only the early morning light shining through into the cold hospital room that finally relieved her of her fitful sleep. She stretched, and winced at the still sore spots on her body.

Meanwhile Matt had awoken in his room. He stretched his legs and rubbed his weary eyes. It was then he realized he was not alone."Hello, are you doing better?" asked a kind voice.

Matt couldn't believe his eyes! Of all the luck, he had gotten Addy(one of the reasons Anna had broken up with him the first time)as his nurse! He couldn't decide if it was good or bad luck. Addy glanced up from her clipboard. "Matt? Is that you??"

"Yeah" he groaned."Oh Matt!I missed you so much! I can't believe I am really seeing you! This is part of my training to become a doctor? What are you going to be? Oh, how did this happen? We need to talk! We should have coffee together! Matt laughed.

"Coffee is how I got here," Matt said, gesturing to the whole room, and then wincing. "Okaaay then, maybe not. Just let me check your vitals... Oh! I almost forgot! I need to go get the morphine." "Morphine? Why-" And then Matt saw the needle.

Anna had just opened her eyes when she realized something, she wasn't alone. She saw him. He had dark hair with chocolate brown eyes. His dark eyebrows were arched in confusion. "Andy?" the name slipped out of her lips before she could stop it.

"Anna? Damn, how'd I end up as your doctor? You always said I was lucky." Anna blushed as he smiled his coy smile. Weakly, she said, "I-I'm dating someone."

"Oh"he said.He pretended to be looking at his chart,but the way his eyebrows were arched she could tell he was thinking about what was on the clipboard."You know,there are some other people working here that you know.""Really?"asked Anna.

"Um, yeah. Addy Marshall. She's actually a nurse on the floor below." Anna's forehead crinkled and he went on. "And guess what?" He answered his own question. "Matthew Mann is one of her patients! Remember, they were sort of a thing in high school?"

"What? Really?" She tried to sound as unsuprised and untouched by this news as possible, but the anger had crept into her voice. "So, who is this lucky guy you are dating Annalise?" he said, trying to change topics after an uncomfortable silence.

"Um... Just this guy. From school. You wouldn't know him. Marc." Anna lied, a little bit unconvincingly, but Andy didn't seem to notice. "Ah, cool. Well, I gotta go check out some other patients. I guess I'll see you later?" "Yeah."

Andy walked out the door,but not before glancing longingly at Anna.She felt bad, after all she went out with him to get revenge because of Matt and Addy.He had thought it was real,and she broke it up without thinking twice about it.

It really did hurt. And he was going to find out who this Marc guy was... Revenge was on his mind.

"No." Matt said fiercefully. "Come on Matt... it won't hurt bad!" Addy giggled. There was a brief knock on the door as the doctor walked in.

The doctor cleared his throat and Matt blushed, while Addy took a more appropriate position. Matt read the tag, and recognized Dr. Morrison to be Andy, from high school. "Oh, erm, we were just..." Matt trailed;off he didn't know what they were doing.

"I was just trying to get Matt to take this shot."she said.The doctor nodded and stared blankly like something else was on his mind.He looked at his clipboard and blinked"Matt! Wow, this is a highschool reunion! I was just in another room with Anna!"

Matt blinked harshly. "Is she okay? Did she talk? She's not unconciouss anymore, is she?" "No, she's not. We talked about her boyfriend, Marc." "Ex-boyfriend." Matt corrected automatically.

"Ex..." Andy trailed off.He shook himself and continued."She is okay, she is worst shape then you though.Why would you want to know?Andy gave him a icy stare as he waied for Matt to answer. This made Matt uncomfortable,"Uhh no reason just wondering."

"I just wanted to make sure she was okay after the car crash and everything."Right after the words came out of his mouth Matt realized he said to much. He wasn't supposed to have known about the crash. "Car crash?"Addy and Andy said at the same time.

"Um, well she just looked-" Matt realised he shouldn't have seen her either. "Look, just... never mind."

Anna glanced around the room.It was the first time she had really noticed it.It was a depressing,small,white room. There was a small green plant to "brighten" up the room, but it just reminded her of its dullness. The room just made her feel worse.

Her bad mood had started last night when she began to have the nightmares again. And they were worse than regular nightmares becuase they were memories; memories that had scarred her and scared her.The thing was,she hadn't told anyone. Not even Matt.

The nightmares had started when she was a junior in highschool. Those were the worst days. She would thrash around at night, and wake up the next day and be so tired she couldn't think. But Matt had always made them better then.

But, now, she had no one to comfort her, and she couldn't tell anyone. It wasn't anything she wanted to deal with. Matt had only a very vague idea of what her dreams were.

Every morning she would come to school with lines under her eyes.Every morning Matt would ask,"How did you sleep?"She would respond,"Nightmares again." Matt asked what they were twice, but Anna wouldn't tell him.She didn't want him to know.

Matt never asked,and Anna loved him for that,but she could tell that underneath he was morbidly curious. If only he knew. Anna didn't like the dreams,and if she was being honest with herself,she knew they were visions. Mainly of the past, or present.

Only once did Matt ask.It was a crisp fall day.The two of them were alone, leaves crunched under their feet. "What did you dream about last night?" Matt had asked.But Anna didn't reply, she fell silent. She didn't want Matt to know what she saw.Ever.