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“I am so sorry,” Daphne continued to repeat as she cleaned the blood from AJ’s face. “he’s stupid… I don’t know what could have gotten into him.”

AJ stopped Daphne from her task and stared at her, “I’m fine relax.” He let go of her hand and looked around the small place she called home. “I like it here its cozy.”

Daphne took a sigh of relief and smiled, “Thanks I had bigger plans for it but then I got sick again and things changed.” She pressed the wet rag back on his lip. “It looks like it’s going to swell.”

“It’s nothing. So I assume that was Chase?” he asked nonchalantly as he took her hand in his. “Very interesting persona.”

Daphne straightened her red dress as she got more comfortable. She bit her lip, “he is a great guy and his appearance does no justice to heart.”

“You love him?” Alex asked knowing by the look on her face she did.

“Do you love Rochelle?” she answered with a question of her own.

“You haven’t answered me.” Alex said trying to not feel the pain in his heart at the mention of her.

“YES.” She stated standing up looking out the window. “But with that same love I have for him, I can’t let him see me become so ill and then go.”

AJ swallowed the knot in his throat, “I love Rochelle… I want to marry her.”

“Then why are you here?” Daphne asked turning to face him.

He stood up and walked to her, “I don’t quite know Daphne all I know is I feel the need to be here with you and I am not going to let you push me away.”

Daphne wanted to smile but instead looked down, “After everything I told you, you still want to be my friend?”

“Well it’s kind of nice to know I have fans like you around. Besides I do enjoy your company Daphne… your the cherry the completes a sundae in everyone’s life. It’s sad how you can’t see that. I mean you have changed lives and you don’t want to see it.” He picked her head up and smiled as she looked at him.

“Platonic love.” She whispered to him. “You’re my platonic love.”

“Platonic?” AJ said in a quizzical tone. He then smiled at her and kissed her forehead, “I like it.”

**********

November came and with it colder days. For a place as small as Pardeeville it had many great places to go…

“These are sweet.” AJ said as he ate another wild raspberry.

“Yeah there great,” Daphne wiped her forehead. “We should head home… we have a long walk back.”

“You ok?” he asked in concern as he saw her clammy face.

“Yeah fine just need to rest.” Daphne gave him a small smile as she began to walk down the path back to her place. “I was thinking this year I want to cook for Thanksgiving.”

“I think that is an awesome idea…” AJ said smiling but deep inside he was worried. He had witnessed two major episodes since his arrival and it killed him to see he could do nothing.

“I was thinking a very traditional dinner turkey, ham, corn bread, mashed potatoes, and everything else.” Daphne closed her eyes as she pictured it all. Then just like that she felt the floor move under her feet.

AJ dropped the basket he had full of raspberries as he saw Daphne begin to fall. “Daphne!” he yelled as he caught her she was not conscious.

He took her in his arms and began his journey back toward the house where her parents lived. He didn’t know how he had done it but he had made it in record time. “She fainted.” He told her mother as he laid her down.

He watched silently as Daphne’s mother cared for her. Daphne was right this was not something to witness and suddenly he wanted to run. But he couldn’t he was never going to run again, he had done it once and missed saying goodbye to his grandmother he was not going to do that again.

*********

“Not yet don’t move.” Daphne demanded as she continued to draw. “Almost done.”

“I hate being still for so long.” Alex complained as he continued to sit still.

“There done.” Daphne said putting her brush down. She turned the canvas over for him to see it. “What do you think?”

“Very nice,” he commented as he stared at the portrait of him. It was unique and all black and white except for in the center it was radiant with color an auburn color.

“The color,” She began when she saw him staring, “Is your soul it shines right through you.”

Alex was speechless at her description; he really had never thought he was the nicest person in the world. In fact he had a lot demons that still found ways to find there way back to him in the oddest time. “You are so talented.” Was all he could get out.

“Well I can defend myself. We should head back,” she said as the wind began to blow. “I have a feeling we will get to see snow soon.”

“It’s still November,” Alex said as he helped her with her art supplies.

“Well this is Wisconsin you know.” Daphne smiled she was tired and she needed to rest the doctor had told her not to exert herself to much but she never one to really follow orders but her body was now making it impossible to disobey. She was really feeling this disease gain control of her body.

“You ok?” Alex asked when he saw her stop.

“Yeah just thinking how I hope it does snow. I’d like to see it one more time at least.” She smiled as she began to walk.

Alex didn’t know what to say, so he only followed. This was getting harder and he needed to talk to someone. He had called Nick but he had not been much help, he had tried but he knew who he really needed to talk to. Rochelle.