Regret Came Too Late

Outside, the snow kept falling. In the distance, the landscape was nothing but rubble, and beyond that, an endless stretch of bleak gray sky.

Ethan's fingers stayed locked with hers; the heat of his skin was a smoldering presence she couldn't ignore.

Grace didn't have it in her to be cruel-not when he asked so quietly to just be allowed this.

The minutes dragged painfully, and his fever only worsened.

Eventually, she couldn't sit still any longer. She reached for the bottle of water, ready to coax him into drinking again.

His eyes fluttered open-glazed, foggy, as if he wasn't sure where he was.

"Mr. Bennett's gone, Mr. Henderson. Let's head back first. Even if there's no medicine, lying down will be better than staying here," she reasoned.

Instead of responding, Ethan slowly dragged his tie, his movements sluggish from the fever.

Grace quickly pressed her hand against his chest to stop him and re-fastened the tie.

Normally, he was all sharp lines and strict precision, never leaving a button undone.

Grace lowered her eyes, fingers deftly tying the knot. She decided she wouldn't wait for Tim anymore-she would get Ethan back herself.

Just then, Ethan's scalding hand closed over hers.

"We're not going back," he rasped, his voice wrecked by the fever. "There are magnolias nearby... did you know?"

Grace had no clue where they were, only realizing more and more that he was completely out of it.

"Alright, magnolias. If you want to see them, I'll go pick some for you," she said, playing along.

But his eyes lit up instantly, hope flashing through the fevered haze.

"What?" he said, surprised.

Grace blinked in disbelief-seriously? In this frozen wasteland?

"Mr. Henderson..."

over, but he suddenly dropped her hand, staring

it," he

even the corners of

drew in a slow breath, pushed open the car door, and said, "I'll look. But if I can't

he gave a faint, weary smile as he hummed a soft reply. The snow was falling fast now, blanketing

Grace took crunched softly

after a few paces,

back to the car

flushed with the fever, and his hair

planned to fake it-wander a bit and grab

look at

looked like some feral, red-draped spirit-fragile, powerful,

somehow, he made her want to do

she would ever feel pity for him.

She

her gaze

bet

brisk instruction. "Close the window. Stay put. I'll go find it,

waiting for a response,

Ethan was delirious, making up things that didn't exist. However, after ten minutes of wading through the. snow

a wall. yel

against the ghostly white of

disbelief before stepping

the delicate bloom, a rush of fragmented memories tore through her

cave, two children

She instinctively glanced around,

about 65 feet, she spotted a

heart lurch,

stepping straight into one of

a little boy had been