We made our way out through the gardens and back up to Blake's room. Blake opened the door for me and we walked inside into a white sterile hospital room. There was a white bed in the middle of the room and a small desk placed in front of a window that looked over the hospital gardens.

"Homely," I commented, spinning around to face Blake. He had closed the door behind us and was closer to me that I expected. My breath hitched at his close proximity; I could smell his cologne as I breathed in deeply. My heart started accelerating from seeing his strong jaw so close to my face. I staggered a step back from his pursuit and he smirked as he watched me stumble.

"You know, I just thought you were crazy and reckless. Stealing drugs and motorbikes," I joked, talking to try and fill the space created by my nerves.

"I can see how it looked that way, but really I was the dashing hero trying to save the day." He wagged his eyebrows at me and continued to step closer towards me, his blue eyes were staring straight into mine. My eyes wracked over his black shirt and jeans, that accentuated the soft curve of his muscle's underneath.

"I wouldn't say dashing," I teased with fake disinterest, looking down to tweak my nails just to look away from his intense gaze. But I really shouldn't have done that because a moment later Blake's body fell into mine and we both went falling onto his bed. He collapsed on top of me and nestled one of his knees between my legs.

I was frozen staring up at him as my breathing rate increased from having him so close. He pressed him chest into mine as he positioned his body so his face was right in front of mine. I stared up into his blue eyes and watched the wrinkles around his mouth as he smirked down at me.

"Really? You don't think I am the most handsome man you have ever set your eyes on?" He teased with an intoxicatingly husky tone. I needed to gulp down my hum of attraction.

"Not at all," I objected, breathlessly, my breathlessness at a complete contradiction to my words. I pressed my hands onto his shoulder to push him away but then I felt the warmth of his skin and the hard muscles of his biceps underneath my touch. I started moving my fingers around his arm to feel his triceps too. I glanced back up to Blake from his shoulder to see him smiling smugly.

"Is that why you can't get your hands off me?" Blake mumbled, leaning his chest lower down so he pressed into mine. My heart rate sped up again and warmth spread out from where his body touched mine.

"Yes," I objected in a deadpan but then continued to move my fingers over him so my hand was wrapped around his whole upper arm.

"Well I will just have to prove you wrong." Blake inched his mouth closer towards mine. I wasn't expecting it and my breath hitched.

"Please do," I hummed, leaning my chest forwards into him. His eyes sparked with mischief and then he lowered his head and pressed his lips to mine. His lips were soft, so soft and I melted underneath his touch. Blake slid his lower lips against mine and I responded to his kiss instantly. We became a tangle of limbs as I ran my hands through his hair and raised the other to run my hands over his cheek.

His face was rough underneath my hand from the scruff of his beard that he hadn't shaven in the last few days. His knee was nestled between my legs and he raised his knee up even higher making my pulse jump. I opened my mouth to his and his lower lip ran over mine softly. I was still trying to get the hang of kissing but I was just copying Blake's movements, he seemed to know what he was doing.

Blake ran his hands underneath the back of my shirt and his hands slid down the bare skin of my back making me shiver even though his hot body was on top of mine. Blake's lips left mine and his blue eyes stared down at me.

"Oh wow," I gasped, completely overwhelmed by everything that was happening. He smiled down at me softly, kindly, displaying the happiness in his eyes. My heart skipped at beat from seeing him like that, so close to me, so happy. His eyes left mine so he could kiss down my neck. My eyelids were fluttering from what he was making me feel.

All I could see was Blake in front of me, the chiselled lines of his biceps and neck as he pressed his body on top of mine. I never thought I ever would be making out with Blake on a bed in all my life, no matter how many times I had imagined it.

"I think I might faint," I mumbled, between my heavy breathing. Blake's wet lips were kissing down my neck softly.

"Don't faint on me girl," Blake laughed between kisses. He wound his other hand around my waist and tightened his grip.

"I am going to faint," I admitted, not even joking now.

"Okay, I'll stop." Blake unwound his arms from my body and took his lips away from my neck and my hands fell from his hair. He lifted himself off me and instantly goose bumps arose of my skin from the lack of his warmth.

"No, don't do that," I objected outraged, reaching for him again but he was already out of my reach. He sat on the bed but with his back against the wall.

Blake laughed but didn't return to his previous position. He must have realised that although I did love that position he was in, I did need a break, I was a bit overwhelmed. He could probably hear my accelerated breathing and took pity on me, letting me have some much-needed oxygen. I mimicked his position and sat next to him so my back was against the wall with the end of my legs hanging off the side of the bed.

"I didn't know making out was that good," I breathed heavily.

"Just wait until all the rest." Blake wagged his eyebrows.

"Holy camole, slow your roll, one thing at a time," I blushed turning my eyes away from him, I felt the heat rise in my neck.

"Sorry," he laughed. "It would be amazing though." Blake turned his head to the side to look down at me. His black hair was longer than normal and was striking out at odd angles due to my running my hands through it. There was laugh wrinkles around his mouth that I haven't seen there before, I realised with a shock that I had never seen him laugh and smile like this before. Squinting my eyes to look more closely at him I also noticed now that the dark circles that usually ringed his eyes had dimmed. He looked better, healthier.

"How are you going Blake, really?" I asked, my joking tone being replaced by a seriousness. Blake was already looking at me so I saw when the laugh lines around his eyes and mouth fall into a stoic expression.

"Better, a lot better actually," he admitted, running his hands through his hair, he was nervous to talk about this. "I started taking the antidepressants and it was unbelievable the difference they made. I am seeing a psychologist every day and am working through the guilt and all that." Blake twirled his hand into the bottom of his shirt, anxious.

"There are still bad days but I have reasons to live now, reasons to fight through the bad times so I can experience the good ones," he explained earnestly and for the first time while talking about his mental issues a tiny smile lifted his face. Happiness bubbled up in my chest and I felt a tear start to well in my eyes from hearing that. It was like a weight had been lifted from my chest that had been trying to suffocate me the last 6 weeks since Blake was admitted. I didn't know if he was going to even get better.

"I read your bible every day," he revealed. The welling tear dropped from my eye and Blake was watching me so intently he saw it and wiped it away.

"It helps?" I asked breathlessly, my eyes widening from the euphoria that was rising in my heart. Nothing made me happier at the thought that I have helped Blake, that I could take his pain away.

"Like you wouldn't believe. You know, if it wasn't for you making me feel like I deserved to get better than I wouldn't have. I didn't even know that I could get better." Blake leaned down towards me and spoke against my forehead as he kissed me.

"I am so happy to hear Blake, you have no idea," I tilted my head up towards him so our noses ran against each other and so I could see the peace and tranquillity in his blue eyes.

"I am so sorry for putting you through that," Blake apologised and I heard the pain in his words, pain for hurting me. My heart swelled at his words. I knew that all he ever wanted was to make sure that I was okay, that I was not hurt at all by him. I touched both my hands to either side of his face so he was looking right into my eyes when I spoke next.

"All I care is that you are here now and you are getting better, that is all that matters to me," I smiled. Blake didn't say anything for a long while, his eyes were just searching mine, searching my face. And then all of a sudden, he crashed his lips down to mine. He kissed my powerfully, his lips running over mine with an intensity I had never felt from him before. I gasped for breath when he released my lips and rested his forehead onto mine.

"I love you," Blake declared ardently. My eyes were still closed from our kiss but at his words they snapped open. My heart started pounding in my chest and my stomach swirled with butterflies. I would never get used to him saying that to me. "And it's so amazing to be able to tell you that and not feel guilty like I am ruining your life by loving you," Blake continued and leaned back from me so I could see his eyes. They held a deeply embedded agony that he has kept buried in his mind for such a long time.

"I love you too," I whispered, kissing his lips softly for a moment. "And I hope I am not ruining your life by loving you," I added laughing. Blake grinned.

"Nah you are not, well not today, tomorrow is another story," he teased. I punched him in his arm. Really, I was just using any excuse to touch him.

"Well isn't that reassuring," I joked, rolling my eyes. His grin widened and then he started peppering my face with light kisses.

"I love you," he said, before kissing my face again. "I love you," he spoke between each kiss. I could feel his smile on my skin. "I love you." He ran his lower lip along my jaw line and then bit my ear. I giggled; I could help it. I was infatuated with him, completely and utterly taken under his spell. I trusted him completely, especially now he has revealed all the secrets he has been keeping from me these past few months. I trusted him enough to trust him with my secret as well. My breathing accelerated and my body became heated at the thought of telling anyone this secret. But I trusted Blake.

"Can you keep a secret as well?" I asked, my voice becoming serious, losing the joking tone. Blake stopped his onslaught of kisses on my face to lean back and look at me with his eyebrows pinched together.

"You have secrets?" He questioned sceptically.

"Yeah, I do, one that has been killing me inside," I explained ominously, the words barely making it out of my mouth. Blake's eyes narrowed when he realised, I was being serious.

"You know how you said that you have been investigating a death, well I witnessed one," I declared with foreboding.

Blake's spine straightened as he sat upright, jolting away from me in shock.

"What?" He babbled, his mouth opening and closing again.

"You know the night of the fire at the school a year ago?" I started, prompting back the question he asked me that day at church and I refused to answer.

"Yeah," Blake answered, his voice a higher octave that normal.

"The fire that got most of my friend group expelled, including Jason Theodore, he was there that night. I am the reason he was expelled from our school, he must have moved to your school after. And the others including Sarah, Talia and Sarah's boyfriend they all now have a permanent sanction on their records which will stop them from getting into any worthy college," I explained, looking down to my knees which I tucked into my chest.

I peeked a look at Blake from under my eyelashes. He was staring down at me intently, a seriousness had taken over his expression that was scary. His eyes were wide and his eyebrows were pinched together in a worried, almost dread filled expression.

"I told you before that I chickened out when we got to the school and I waited outside to keep watch." I tapped my finger onto my knee from just the memories of it all and I remembered that night vividly. They needed to break a window to get into the school building, I knew it wasn't right after that, I knew I couldn't go through with it.

"But when I was waiting something happened outside and I called the police. They all thought I did it deliberately," I detailed shakily. I coughed from the lump that was forming in my throat, I had never told anyone my side of the story of what happened that night. Blake was quiet, I couldn't even hear his breathing, which was the opposite to my accelerated breaths. I glanced up at him to see how he was taking it all, he was watching and listening to me intently, his expression was serious.

"But why did you call the police if it wasn't to report them?" Blake puzzled, his eyes narrowed, perplexed. I tucked my chin into my knees, avoiding his eyes, trying to tuck away my fear. I needed to tell someone.

"I have never told anyone about this," I breathed and gasped, struggling to say my next words. I felt Blake take my hand in his, and I looked at him to see his calm, reassuring eyes and I knew I wanted to tell him. He knew what I needed in that moment. "When I was keeping watch outside the school, I saw something in the woods. I walked closer to see what was going on to find that someone was threatening this girl. I don't know who either of them were but they started fighting and the girl fell to the floor and didn't get back up." I shivered and a cold sweat broke out on my skin as I remembered the vision of the girl being hurt.

Blake was looking at me intently and as soon as we locked eyes, he dropped his head back into the wall and glanced up to the ceiling as he processed this information, I don't think he was taking it very well.

"I yelled when I saw it happen and the person who was still standing saw me there, they threatened me and told me that if I ever told anyone what I saw then she would kill my family. I didn't know who she was because she was wearing a hood but she knew exactly who my family was and I have been too terrified to tell anyone about it since," I revealed, pulling my legs tighter into my chest. Blake saw my anxious posture and wrapped his hand around my waist and pulled me into his chest. I breathed in his scent deeply which calmed my loud breathing and I tucked my head into his chest.

"That is why you have been having those nightmares?" Blake surmised.

"Yes, I had never felt so helpless. I called the police after because I was terrified, not even thinking about what it would mean for everyone else inside." I ran the back of my hand over my eyes, trying to wipe away the distress from around my eyes. Blake saw this and rubbed his nose through my hair, reassuringly.

"Rose, you should have told someone about this. The police need to know, this is serious." Blake's words took on a more sober tone, almost austere. I knew he was just trying to protect me but there was a reason I didn't tell anyone about this before him. Panic welled up in my stomach making my throat become dry and I jumped away from his chest so I could see his face, so he could see how serious this was that this was kept a secret.

"No! What if they do hurt my mum? I can't risk that," I panicked, jolting upright and grabbing onto Blake's hand in a frenzy for him to listen to me. "Promise me that you won't tell anyone." I stared straight into his eyes with a piercing intensity, he needed to listen to me. He looked back at me, I could see the turmoil swirling in his eyes.

"Rose," Blake objected, tilting his head to the side in agitation.

"Promise me," I forced, squeezing his hand tighter and bringing it to my heart. I knew he could feel how fast my heart was racing from the terror streaming through my veins at the thought of him telling anyone. After a few long moments his features resolved and he signed in resignation.

"I promise," Blake declared, wrapping his other hand around mine that was resting on his heart. The tightly coiled anxiety that was wrapping around my lungs released and I dropped my head into his neck in relief. Blake released my hand to wrap both if his around my waist. He pulled me down into him so we were both lying on the bed. I slid my hands around his neck and closed my eyes with my head on his chest.

My breathing was still jerky but from feeling the steady rise and fall of his chest and hearing his heart beat I slowly relaxed. With Blake's arms wrapped around me and with my head tucked into his body I started to fall asleep in his warm loving embrace.

****

Hello everyone!! How are we all? Well I hope x

So I am terrible and left it another 2 months again, I'm sorry. I have been finding it difficult to write this book. But don't worry I will finish it, it might just take some time.

We are now on the final stretch now!! :)

How are you all finding the story so far? Please let me know your thoughts, I love hearing them.

Love, Elaine Xx