There is this tree not too far from the bookstore, it was everyone's favourite. People would come into the bookstore, buy books, then go under the shade of this big tree, sit on the park chairs and read their books.

I never knew I was going to experience sitting under the tree, only that I wasn't there to read.

Dante and I were sitting side by side. It was quite empty out there, making the thick silence between us so obvious.

It was really cold. I wanted to find something to say, anything at all, to get rid of the silence.

My eyes followed his movement the moment I saw him get on his feet. He stood tall in front of me, removing his suit jacket only to cover me with it.

Getting down on one knee, he took my hands in his, blowing on them to warm my hands.

Tears rolled down slowly and a sob threatened to break. He looked up and saw as I cried silently.

"Dante I-"

He sat down beside me and wiped away my tears with his hands. It felt so comforting, to feel his touch after all this time. His hand moved from my eyes, to my cheek, palming my face and my eyes drifted close. I relaxed in his touch.

"Why did you do it?"

His voice was heavy, pain lacing each word that left his mouth. It only broke my heart further.

"Why did you leave me?"

His hand slipped from my face and I wanted to grab onto his hand badly- I was desperate to feel his touch again. I suddenly felt cold, even with his jacket covering my body.

"I was scared." My voice broke.

"Dante, you took a bullet for me. I blamed myself for it and God knows, I still blame myself for every hurt you went through. I left because it was all too much. Dante, I'm so sorry."

I started to cry, meeting him and seeing him again was harder than I thought. I held my chest, feeling a new pain there. My heart was breaking all over again.

Silence hit us again, and I thought he was going to leave. I cried, knowing I deserved every pain I was going through.

Still, it hurts so bad.

He pulled me into his arms, hugging me and I felt warm again. It only made me cry harder, especially when I heard him speak again.

"You would have done the same. You would have taken a bullet for me in a heartbeat, so why did you have to put so much blame on yourself? Why did you have to bear the pain all alone?"

"I was scared." I cried.

"I was so scared."

"Ssh, I know." His hand was patting my back, comforting me.

"Dante, I love you. I've always loved you. I didn't mean to leave-"

He released his hold on me, looking into my eyes as he muttered his next words.

"I know."

I watched as he was rushed to the ER, my hands were covered in blood.

His blood.

It felt like a nightmare. Cici fired the gun and Dante had taken the bullet for me. He was shot right on the chest.

I stood still, my body trembling on the spot. I couldn't speak, I couldn't move. I was in shock.

The doctor came out moments later, speaking to me in whatever language he was. I hardly heard him because I was lost. My heart was anywhere but here.

"He's stable now but not out of danger. We'll be operating on him soon."

The doctor was right in front of me, still his voice seemed so far.

"Madam? Can you hear me?"

Before I knew it, my eyes were shutting on its own and I felt like I was meeting the ground.

"This woman just fainted. Nurse!"

I opened myself and realised I was still in the hospital. I breathed a sigh of relief. I was surprised to find out I was on a bed, in what seemed like a ward.

Oh, I must have fainted.

The door opened and the doctor came in. I remembered what happened and my eyes went wide.

"Dante, how is he? Is he alive?"

I tried getting out of the hospital bed but the doctor and the nurses stopped me.

"I want to see him." I cried.

"Please take me to him."

"Madam, Mr. Moretti is out of danger. I can assure you, you will see him but not until you've rested and you are strong enough." The doctor said.

I was screaming but my words met deaf ears. The nurse injected some fluid into the IV and my eyes started fluttering close.

"Get some rest now." Those words seemed so far and it was the last thing I heard before my eyes went shut.

When I opened my eyes, I wasn't alone. Kay was fast asleep on the chair beside my bed, her head resting on the bed. I didn't want to wake her.

I left the room silently. At the reception, I asked the nurse for where he was.

"You still look so pale ma'am. You should go back to your room and get some rest." The nurse had said in concern.

"It won't take long, I'll just see him and then I'll be back." I told her.

She hesitated but I managed to convince her.

"Okay, come with me."

Dante was on the bed with oxygen placed in his nostrils. A sob threatened to break from my lungs. He seemed lifeless and I felt my heart shattering into pieces.

I gave the nurse a nod and she left. Walking to his bed, I took a seat on the chair placed beside his bed.

I held his hands before breaking down in tears.

"I did this to you." I cried.

"This is all my fault."

Different thoughts crossed my mind as I broke down. Thoughts that broke me along with each pain I felt.

He didn't deserve this. He would have been just fine if he hadn't taken that bullet for me. He would have been just fine.

This is all my fault.

---------------------------------------------------------

(DANTE'S POV)

"You did nothing wrong Dante. All you did was love me and care for me. And me?" A familiar voice had said.

It was her. Ria.

I knew that voice way too much. It was the voice that had laughed to my jokes and spoken to me a million times.

So why is she crying now?

I wanted to speak or comfort her but I couldn't move. All I could do was listen and it broke my heart.

"All I did in return was bring you to this hospital bed. I brought this upon you Dante. This is how I paid you back. It is all my fault."

Hey, now why is she blaming herself? This is all Cici Ferrari's fault. She was the one who shot me, not Ria.

I wanted to scream but I couldn't. I wanted to talk some senses into her and make her understand that it wasn't her fault.

I tried lifting a finger, or give her any sign but God dammit, I just couldn't.

I felt as if she was about to do something stupid.

"I can't stay here. I can't watch you this way. It breaks me to see you in pain, to see you like this."

No, No, No.

She placed a lingering kiss on my forehead. It lasted a couple of minutes.

Don't do what I think you are about to..

"I love you Dante."

"Goodbye."

Don't leave me, Ria!

With every strength I had left, I opened my eyes and all I saw was her retreating steps.

Her backview was the last thing I saw before my eyes drifted close. I felt tears drip from my eyes.

I felt useless and helpess.

She left.

She's gone now.