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.

you want to see them, I'll

lit up instantly,

"What?" he said, surprised.

in disbelief-seriously? In this frozen

"Mr. Henderson..."

to gloss it over, but he suddenly dropped her hand, staring

find it," he

side profile-his damp hair clung to his forehead; even the corners of his eyes seemed misty, his cheeks

look. But if I can't find any in ten

smile as he hummed

step Grace took crunched softly

but after

the car and

face was still flushed with the fever, and his hair

planned to fake it-wander a bit and grab something random

one look at him shattered that

of winter, he looked like some

he made

feel pity for him.

waiting for a response, she

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

magnolias. They burned bright against the ghostly white of the

blinked in disbelief before

she brushed the delicate bloom, a rush of fragmented memories

cave, two children

tremor. She instinctively glanced around, then moved toward a direction

spotted a