Rubbing his hands, he looked at me. "You know I had a pickup line ready to go, but you are so hot it just left my mind."

"Really?" I asked in a soft whisper, slowly leaning ahead.

"Hey! You are not allowed to flirt. Sit back." he almost shouted. I laughed and stood to pour myself another drink.

"Can you also pass me a band-aid?" he asked me in a serious tone.

"Why?"

"Because I scraped my knee falling for you," he replied with a grin. I facepalmed myself. I actually thought he was hurt. Stupid.

"So, aside from taking my breath away. What do you do for a living?" It was a question but I didn't answer him.

"No? Okay, so next one." he thought for a minute before saying "Do you believe in love at first sight or should I walk back again?"

"Try harder Cal. You will lose if you continue this poorly." he scowled at me before thinking for a few minutes.

"Are you a wight? Because you are always in the back of my mind."

"You yourself are a wight, so you can't really say that." I pointed out. "But it was good, I will give you for it." I continued, which caused a grin to appear on his face. Smiling, he continued.

"Were we in high school together? I remember this class that we had together. What was it? Yeah, chemistry." I smiled at this one, covering it with my hand. Encouraged by my smile, he continued.
"I am no mathematician, but give me your number and see what I can do with it."

"What's with the subjects, nerd?" I asked playfully.

"You don't like it?"

"No," I said instantly but I knew my eyes betrayed me. Flirty and playful Callan was always a welcome sight to me.

"Liar." he said with a scowl "So, moving on. Are you a google search engine?"

"Why?" I asked thinking about his reply.

"Because you have got everything I have been searching for in life." When I said nothing apart from smiling a little, he continued. "Your wi-fi signals are really strong. I have never felt so connected to anyone before."

"Now you are being typical gadget fascinated Callan. You set my mood with one line but destroy it on the other. This way you will never win."

Callan rolled his eyes at me. "Alright! How about this one?" he said after a little brainstorming "I am not a weather presenter, but tonight is going to be wet."

"Because I am going to pour this drink on your face," I said raising my glass. "Don't you dare be vulgar again."

"Okay, sorry," he said raising his hands above his shoulder, mimicking surrendering. His face on the other hand held a grin telling me he was anything but sorry. Suddenly he started leaning toward me, making my breath hitch.

"You have got something on your face, let me get it for you. Oh wait, that's just your cuteness." he completed with a grin and before I could help it, I laughed.

"That's cheesy," I said in between my laugh.

"Just being civil," he said with a shrug.

"If I were to ask you out on a date, would your answer be the same as the answer to this question?" he asked me. I thought about it and was annoyed to find that he has actually cornered me.

"That's actually a complicated pick-up line."

"You are smart. You can figure it out." he mused with a wink.

"This compliment doesn't count," I warned him causing him to laugh.

"I know someone who likes you. If he wasn't so shy, he'd tell you," he smirked.

"You and shy?" I asked him surprised "My foot!"

"When did I say it was me?" he answered me in a playful tone. I shut my mouth realising I just played from his side. He chuckled before continuing.

"Are you a time traveller? Because I absolutely see you in my future." And this one did it for me.

"Yes, I am a time traveller." I grinned "and I guess I am going to the future because you win." I told him with a smile.

Callan's grin grew wider at my words. He jumped from his bed, punching the air. I laughed loudly and kept staring at him as he did his weird victory dance.

While our lives were being filled with happiness, sadness reappeared in form of Dora's disease. Two weeks after the proposal, Dora begins to show symptoms of her sickness. She would feel more tired than usual and have shortness of breath while doing her normal routine. For a week she thought it was her wedding shopping taking a toll on her until one Sunday evening.

She was sitting in her room with Bea, Ginny and her mother, finalising her wedding dress when she started feeling dizzy once again. She slowly touched her temple looking at her mother who was speaking something.

"...off white with flowers is already decided. The thing that is left is the length of the sleeves. Since the veil is also full length so I guess full sleeves work fine but if you want three fourth then..."

"Full sleeves be it" Dora whispered slowly interrupting her mother.

"Dora, are you alright?" Bea asked with concern seeing her position and hearing her voice.

"Felling dizzy aga..." Dora trailed away as the feeling grew. "Water..." she cried.

Ginny ran to get a glass from her nightstand. However, before she could reach her, everything started revolving and suddenly everything turned black as she fainted.

I saw all the three women running and panicking as Dora fell. "Ginny, go and call the physician. Bea, go and call your brothers." her mother ordered as she settled Dora on the bed. Then she herself left the room muttering about calling her father. As the door closed, I relaxed back waiting for them to return when I heard a gentle knock on the balcony door.

Grinning, I took control and opened the door to allow Callan to come inside. Before he could even greet me, we heard footsteps outside. I ran to the bed and immediately jumped, giving away my control. Callan also flipped the invisibility hook, just in time as Ginny and the physician entered. "...were talking when she suddenly just fainted."

Callan gave me a questioning look as the doctor checked Dora's pulse, heart rate and a few other things. The door again opened as Leo and Nick entered. After five more minutes, Ed entered with Bea. I was beginning to think when the doctor would stop when finally, Dora's father and mother entered.

The doctor turned towards them before telling the problem "Her sickness is re-emerging. Has she felt dizziness and breathlessness before?" he asked in general but it was Ginny who answered.

"Yes Sir." everyone gave her a shocked look but she continued. "She has been experiencing it for around a week."

"I feared it." the doctor said with a sigh. "She will wake up soon. Increase her diet, essentially water and reduce physical work. I am not giving anything else."

"Her wedding is in five days, sir. Should we cancel it or go ahead with it?" Ed asked with concern.

"Ask her. You can do whatever she wants. It would not matter on her health as long as she does not overexert herself." Her father thanked the doctor and went with him outside while everyone else turned toward Ginny.

"Why were we not told about her condition?" Nick asked her sternly.

"Miss Pembridge forbade me to. She thought it was just exertion and did not want anyone else to know about it." She answered her head bowed down.

"I am going back to work." her mother announced "Beatrice come with me. Genevieve, you will stay with her and send for me when she wakes up. Edward, I want you to personally go and tell Lord Haddington about the situation. He needs to know."

Edward nodded and left with Bea and his mother. Nick and Leo stayed for a few minutes before leaving as well, leaving only Ginny and Callan in the room. The latter who was standing near the bookshelf came towards me. I wanted Ginny to leave so that we can talk but she had other plans. She went to sit on the sofa which caused Callon to laugh. He bent and whispered in my ear. "I will leave, see you later." saying this he was gone, leaving me to get bored.

I lost the sense of time, laying there. After what seemed like hours, the door of the room burst open and I saw Lawrence enter. Seeing her lying on the bed, his footsteps came to a halt. The pain was clear on his features. Ed also entered the room behind him and gently placed a hand on his shoulder. "How much time has passed?" he asked in general.

"An hour and a half," Ed answered back. While Lawrence was looking at Dora, Ed silently ordered Ginny to leave.

"Can you also leave Edward? I wish to stay with her alone," he asked with pain. Edward saw the conviction on his face and left the two lovers alone without a word.

After the door closed, he came slowly towards her and sat on the bed near her legs, taking her hand in his. "Dora, wake up love. I am here for you. I know you have just fainted but please, it is really scary. Do not do this to me sweetheart." he whispered gently caressing the back of her hand. He then stayed in that position. He would keep repeating loving words to her. The agony and torment were clear on his features. It was after half an hour that she finally woke up. Larry stayed with her all that time.

She gently groaned and Lawrence stilled. "Dora..." he called.

"Larry..." was the first word she spoke. I silently felt pity for Ginny who had stayed with her for a whole one and a half hours. Dora opened her eyes to see Lawrence looking at her with concern.

"Water..." she called. Lawrence immediately nodded and after helping her sit up, gave her water.

"You are alright now?" he asked.

Her head still felt a little heavy but she managed a little yes. "Why are you here? What happened?" Thousands of questions were forming in her head.

"I am not entirely sure. Edward came to my house with the news that you fainted due to your sickness. I came here as soon as I could manage. It was really scary." he finished in a whisper.

"I am sorry." she squeaked.

"Do not be," he spoke immediately. Taking her face in his hands, he gently placed a kiss on her forehead. "I am always here for you. Just do not repeat it. For a moment, I felt like I had lost you. And you cannot leave me so soon. We have many promises to keep together." he scolded her gently causing her to smile. "Wait here, I will call your family," he said with a smile.

He opened the door and called a servant. "Theodora is awake, tell that to whichever family member you meet first." I heard him speak to someone. Dora also must have heard it for she chuckled at his behaviour.

He came back inside, closed the door and sat on the bed with her, gently placing a hand around her shoulders. She was wearing a sleeveless gown and the bare touch on her skin caused a shiver to run down her spine. This didn't go unnoticed by Lawrence who looked at her "Are you cold?" he asked.

"No." she shook her head. "It is just you," she whispered shyly. This caused Lawrence to laugh out loud as he again firmly placed his hand around her shoulders while she leaned on his chest. 

Vote if any line of the chapter made you go aww. Also, tell me in the comments, some of your favourite pick-up lines.