out in her backyard, gathering up herbs.

staggers to the back when no one answers the door. "Ly?" he calls weakly as turns around the corner of the house and into the backyard,_

leaning on the side of the house for support.

heard her name being called, calling back from her crouched position. " I'm here, Hey Ivan, what's u-OH MY GOD!"she turned to greet him_

with a smile but it quickly left as she saw his bleeding body, running over while dropping her tools to help him up." What the fuck _

happened?! Fighting AGAIN?!"

collapses against her. "Wasn't my fault... damned teleporter snuck up on me..." he mutters weakly.

"J-jesus christ..." she stuttered, almost kicking in the door as she barreled her way into her house, leading him into the emergency room._

"A Magician did this to you?" she asked, placing him down on the bed as she rips his shirt off to get a clear look at the bleeding wounds_

finding that most of the bullets exited, but a few got stuck around his ribs... puncturing his lungs and liver.. that she could feel.

groans in pain. "Some little bitch... I may have killed her, I don't know..." It feels like every bit of his torso is on fire, burning from_

the inside out.

"This is bad... "she tried to wash the blood off fast enough to get a better look. " Your beeding so much.."..*...Using Magic's the only way

to help him..* she thought, applying pressure to the open wounds.. " I... I am going to knock you out.. with a potion so I don't hurt you_

okay.."

"mm don't hurt yourself just to save me..." he mumbles. He's about to fall over the edge of consciousness into a pitch back abyss anyway,_

a potion won't hurt.

nodded, grabbing a cloth and lacing it with a clean liquid before applying it over his mouth. "I promise... you will be alright~"

makes a noise of agreement before slipping under. He's in Ly's hands now... He'll be safe.

watched the clock as she started to bandage him up. It's been at least 3 hours to fully heal him enough for him to move. Her fingers_

trembled as she finished the last of the bandaging, skin clammy and damp...damn magic.. Keeping herself steady, she finished and was about_

to snap her fingers to wake him, but thought it was best to try to gain some colour back into her face, so she sat, taking off her bloodied_

apron, and watched him for a while...wondering why men like him go out every day to get shot at... do they ever think about those who care?

still asleep, dreaming of sunny weather and sunflowers... Maybe he can take Ly here one day...

finally seeing some colour return, but controlling the urge to collapse was making it hard, she snapped her fingers to wake him.

pulled back to consciousness by the sudden sound. His back still hurts, but it's much better than it was, and he feels like he can function_

. "You don't look to well," he mumbles, looking up at Ly.

shook her head. "You shouldn't be the one saying that.. you're the one who got shot. Now I order you to stay in bed, you need to rest for at

LEAST, one day.."

nods, too tired to argue. He'd much rather be up and about, but he's caused her enough worry.

" Now, you can rest in my room, or here... I'd prefer it in my bed so you could be more comfortable, but it's up to you." she stated.

doesn't feel like thinking. "Whatever you want... you're the doctor."

brows furrowed, eyes dull and lifeless ,she walked over his side. " Up." she called out, and his body all buy hopped out of the bed, his_

toes just above the floor. " Follow." she called again, heading out the door.

would normally have complained about being magicked around, but it's better than walking, he supposes. That doesn't help him shake off the_

unnatural feeling of floating over floors and up steps and he's not entirely comfortable with it.

doesn't care, because she needed him to be settled and fast, her facade wasn't going to last much longer.. and she needed to get to another_

room before she broke down so he didn't worry. They reached her floor, his body still following. Placing him properly by the bed before_

muttering "down." for him to rest in her bed.

himself sink against the bed and closes his eyes thankfully. He reaches out and grabs Ly's arm before she can leave. "Stay with me?"

"I-I...ah.." she glanced to the door, then to his hand that clasped her arm. She could already start to feel her body convulse, but sits_

on the bedside for him, smiling warmly. hinding the pain she felt roaring inside her body.

pulls her down so she's laying next to him. "It's okay to be hurt... I'm a big boy, I can handle it. And then I don't have to see the pain_

hidden in your eyes, behind your smile."

shook her head. " Its.. a pain like you have never seen or felt.. ever..before..i-it's so.. intense.. so..inconceivably horrid..even the_

souls from hell cringe at thinking of the pain.."

looks at her seriously. "Ly. You have patched me up twice now, saved my life... I want to help you. No one wants to hurt alone."

's body starts to physically shake under the pressure, eyes searing with pain... skin paling again. " I-I can't.. I can't let you s ee me_

like that.." she managed to tremble out.

(( think of it as... a crack addict going through withdrawal but multiply that by 5 ))

((holy shit... Stay strong, both Ivan and Ly! >_< ))

(( yeah.. so.. Its bad XDD ))

closes his eyes. "I... I don't care. I won't think any less of you. Just let me be there for you. I don't want you to be alone."

((Well, wouldn't you know it, Ivan's a stubborn bastard. XD;; ))

(( and I LOVE THAT XDD ))

manages to smile. " Then be there for me.. but in spirit... I need to deal with this alone.. when it dies down... you can come for me.. _

okay..?.." she told him, almost in a plea, hoping this worked for him because it was teh best she could do..

hears the plea in her voice and know she wouldn't beg like that unless it was important. "... Fine," he says quietly.

"But the moment it's over, I am coming for you, no matter what you say."

nods, lifting a oddly twitching hand, trying to steady it to place on his cheek gently. " Thank you.." she whispered horsely, standing to_

walk out with all the will she had to keep a poised demeanor before quickenig her steps towards the bathroom, shutting it and locking it,_

turning on the shower and giving into the darkness.

waits for what seems like an eternity of hell until he hears the screams stop. He carefully stands, his back twinging a bit with the effort_

but it's nothing he can't deal with. "Ly?" he calls, looking for some clue as to where she went. He notices that the bathroom door is_

closed and it sounds like the shower is running. He tries the door, but it's locked. "Ly!" he yells louder, pounding on the door. He_

if he'll have to break it down, because if she doesn't answer, he won't have a choice.

was naked on the cold tile floor, it damp from the steam erupting from the shower that was still on, body aching, hair stringy, skin pale

and clammy. Ly heard a muffle pounding on her ears, though ignored it, but the sound grew, a voice starting to take notice. Ivan. " I-I.."_

she rasped out, barely audible over the running water. Her hands tried to find a place on the tiles, arms shaky as she lifted her body up_

saliva oozing out of her mouth, her whole body too weak to even swallow. " ...van.." she horsed out, dragging her body over to the door_

ever so slowly, one arm reaching up to turn the lock, but her other hand slips and she crashes to the floor again, completely drained.

hears the crash from her body hitting the floor from outside the room. "Ly!" He took a few steps back and lunges at the door, breaking it_

off it's hinges with his considerable force and weight. Throwing the broken door aside, he kneels next to Ly, taking off his coat so that_

he can wrap her up in it. "Ly," he murmurs picking her up off the ground and holding her close. "Ly..."

's eyes fluttered, them dull and lifeless look up blurry like at him, and smiled a bit. " I-Ivan... I'm sorry...for locking the door..."_

tears began to swim in her eyes, pouring over as she lip trembled..

"Shh, don't cry. It's okay, I'm here now, that's all that's important." He wipes away the tears, running his thumb gently across her cheeks_

and over her trembling lips, trying to soothe her.

"I-I... I am sick...Ivan.." she told him, a shaking hand lifting to touch his cheek. pleading eyes searching his.

presses a kiss to her palm. "What do you want me to do? I'll do anything, anything you need at all."

Shakes her head. "..I'm not.. sick... like ill... I'm... dying.." tears still flowing down. " I.. am at my limit at magic.."

"Oh..." Realization sinks in, like someone dropped ice chips into his stomach. "This is my fault..."

"no no no.... that's not your fault.. it's NEVER been your fault.." she smiled. " I knew what it would be like when I ebecame a doctor.."

isn't convinced. "Still... if I had been more careful..." He strokes her hair, needing something to do with his hands and wanting to_

comfort her.

" I didn't tell you think.. so you could feel bad for yourself.. or feel bad for me.. I told you this so you KNEW.. and that when I go past_

the point of insanity... I want you to kill me.." she swallowed, taking a deep breath. " because the insanity will take me faster than most_

other zombie's have it.."

somehow knew it would come to this, but hadn't wanted to admit it, even to himself. "What do you mean?" he asked, stalling his promise to_

end her life, even though he knew it was useless. "How long do you have?"

" I-I dont know... it would be a week... or a month... maybe more... it depends on how fast it wants to take me.. but.. please PROMISE me_

not to tell this to Johann... and please take care of him.. when I'm.. gone."

swallows. "A week... is not very long." His head is swirling, trying to find some way out of this, some way to stop it, but he has nothing._

"I'll... I'll do my best to take care of him. And I won't tell him," he mumbles.

tries to sit up. " I..wanted to do so many things.. get married.. have my own child.. go see the world.." laughs a bit. " but I guess_

having none of those is better... that way I wont want it as much.."

puts his arms around her waist to steady. "Don't talk like that," he mumbles, burying his face in her hair. One of her wishes echoes in his_

head... get married...

finally gaining strength she was able to slowly stand, not without his help of course. " its okay.. I'm fine.. I'm still healthy enough..._

and who knows.. maybe I won't turn as fast as I thought.." she smiled.

smiles weakly back at her. "That's the spirit." He kisses her forehead. "And now, you need to rest."

...looks up to him. " Will you sleep with me..?"

smiles down at her. "Of course." He picks her up bridal style and carries her to the bedroom, laying her down on the bed before climbing in_

himself and pulling the covers over both of them.

manages to laugh, being placed into the bed with the man she... loved.. Yes.. loved.. and even thought she found it late.. she at least_

found it.. and sure.. marriage wont happen, but this was just fine..

looks at her questioningly as she laughs, but doesn't say anything. Instead, he simply scooted closer to her, holding her so her head_

rested on his chest.

caressed his chest, sighing. " I...like this..." she murmured.. " I would like this.. every night..."

loosely wraps his arms around her. "Then I'll come back every night." He kisses the top of her head.

smiles.. snuggling in." ..Thank you.."

closes his eyes ad prepares to sleep. "You're welcome... but really... I should thank you...."

blinks, looking up. " Why's that?"

mumbles something borderline indistinct as he slips off. "Being here for me always..."

smiles softly. "... that's nothing to be thankful for... only to accept.."

makes a small noise before falling asleep. He needs to rest now, there's a lot to figure out when he wakes up.

pats his chest, quickling following suit.

quickly*