Jason woke up the next morning to sound of his phone ringing. He glanced over to see Evelyn was still asleep so he received the call and stepped out of the room.

"Jason, it's me Tim. Are you guys at the eye clinic? Because I went to Evelyn's place but no one's answering the door..."

He glanced at the clock, "oh yeah I forgot to tell you. We are still at the clinic. The doctor had to check her eyes in the morning too and then we'll be going home."

"Right. It will take me a few minutes to reach then. I'll come straight to the recovery room when I get there."

The call disconnected so Jason stepped back in the room and saw that Eve was trying to sit up. He rushed towards her and took her hand helping her to sit up.

"Where were you?"

"Tim called so I had stepped out to talk to him since you were asleep, he's on his way here."

The nurse came in shortly after to take Eve to the toilet and told her that they would be taking care not to let water enter her eyes for the next fifteen days so it was necessary to be very careful while washing the face.

Jason stepped out again and a while later the nurse called him back in when Eve was seated on the bed and her eyes were still closed. The nurse had also given the morning dosage of eyedrops to her and informed them that they could have breakfast and the doctor would join them after that. 

Eve and Jay were having breakfast together when the door was knocked upon. Jason went to answer it and Tim stumbled inside rather out of breath.

"I'm so sorry I'm late," he panted trying to regain his breath, "hi Evelyn, Jay..."

"You're not late, you're too early. I was asleep when you had called," Jason remarked.

"Yeah but then I missed the bus so I had to walk halfway here, no trouble though," he added quickly noticing the concern on Evelyn's features, "by the way, how are you feeling now, Evelyn?"

"I'm good, come have breakfast with us," she offered.

"Oh no I grabbed a quick cup of coffee when I was leaving and then another one from the cafeteria here so I'm good too."

Jason looked at him as if he had stated something absurd, "coffee is not food."

"For me, it is. I live on coffee."

"Not very healthy nevertheless."

Eve had a smile on her face as she heard their interaction. Jason had grown quite like an elder brother towards Tim just like the boy wanted. His protectiveness showed in rare glimpses as these and it was clear that he cared for Tim despite their initial differences towards one another.

"Anyhow," Tim changed the topic before Jay could lecture him further, "what happened when the bandage was removed? Jay had said the doctor would check your vision or something like that."

A smile played upon her lips, "yes, but I am not supposed to strain my eyes a lot so the doctor asked me to focus ahead at the table and the vase in front and then asked me if I could see it properly."

"And you could?"

"Yeah," pure joy had taken over features making her appear even more beautiful, "after so many years... I could finally see things. But the doctor asked me to close my eyes after that and I've kept them closed ever since. Oh and I almost gave Jay a heart attack earlier."

"No she didn't," Jay remarked quickly but Tim shrugged, gesturing him that he didn't believe his quick interjection.

"What happened?"

"I had fainted the first time I was asked to open my eyes. The doctor said it could happen but Jay got very worried."

"How would you know I was worried," Jason remarked, "you had fainted, right?"

 "Yeah but I know you so well that I know when you get worried but try to disguise it," she replied, a soft smile playing upon her lips.

"Jason, you really have to be very grateful that you have her with you," Tim remarked, taking the empty trays from the bed, "and since I am craving another cup of coffee. I will be right back. I'll drop your trays at the cafeteria too, no worries."

Right after Tim left the doctor came in and that once Evelyn was not as nervous as she had been the previous night.

"Miss Nichols, open your eyes please. Slowly and carefully."

She did as she was told and as the doctor was standing in front of her, her features swam into focus and shortly after Eve could make out her appearance, taking in the elder woman's greying hairs and white coat.

"I suppose you can see me now?"

"Yes."

"Good, I will just examine your eyes and then right before we discharge you, a short test will be performed. There's nothing to worry about, we will just check whether your lens has adjusted well or not, that's all."

Deep down Eve couldn't wait to see the rest of them as well such as Jason, Tim and her own self. But most of all she longed to see Jason because all she remembered him as was a boy of mere seven since after that she had never seen him, only heard the difference in his voice as he grew up.

She wanted to see how much he had changed and then he had once mentioned that his eye color was also different from what she remembered and she wanted to see exactly how he looked like now.

"Doctor, what are these red marks in her eyes?" Jason asked, concerned when he noticed the red area right beside her iris.

"These marks are where the laser cut through the lens. These will fade with time and we have given eyedrops to make sure it doesn't itch and the eyes remain clean. You have to make sure those are taken regularly."

Right at that moment the door opened and Eve's eyes flickered towards the entrant; a boy with a rather lean frame and extremely pale skin on which large blue eyes stood out and messy dark hair framed his thin face.

It didn't take her long to put a name to the person she was seeing and a smile broke out on her face, "Tim..."

"I'm so sorry I should've knocked," Tim noticed the doctor and his otherwise pale cheeks flushed red from embarrassment, "I'll step out if you want..."

"No please come in," the doctor smiled gently and nodded so Tim stepped in.

"Tim, when was the last time you ate?" Despite herself the question escaped Eve since he was so visibly precarious.

"See I told you kid, coffee is no real food," Jay added.

Tim merely shrugged, "that's not a very valid conversation considering Evelyn's eyes are being examined. Wait till that's done with Jay, then I'll answer you properly."

The doctor turned towards Eve again, "you can keep your eyes open from now on. However, while going out into the sun or in any heavily lit room, you must use sunglasses at least for this week so that your eyes don't sustain any damage from heavy glares. I will let you know about the test and the discharge time, until then you'll stay here."

The doctor left after giving the necessary precautions Eve had to follow for the next one month and also told her that she would be required to visit the clinic often so that her eyes are kept in check to see whether the recovery is going positive or not.

With the doctor leaving, Eve spoke up, "Jason, would you let me see you now?"

"Tim would you leave first?"

"Why? Scared Evelyn will tell you that you have a very large nose in front of me," Tim remarked and it made Eve laugh.

"I don't have a very large nose, you're being ridiculous."

"Or maybe that white hair up front look like a DIY hair dye experiment gone wrong...?"

"Oh shut up."

Tim was laughing too by then, "Jay when will you learn to take a joke?"

Jay's eyes flashed, "or I could kick you out and that would be much better than taking a joke."

The boy straightened, his laughter ceasing, "fine I will just go grab another cup of coffee then. Hasta la vista. And Evelyn I know you're going to scold me so I'm escaping but don't worry, I will get a sandwich with the coffee, happy now?"

Before Eve could reprimand him from being too addicted to caffeine, he had vanished out the door.

"He's a very nice person, isn't he?" Evelyn mumbled in a low voice but Jay heard her.

"A person who needs a nice kick in the ass every now and then too."

"Jason, no..." However, a light chuckle escaped her and she spoke up, "come here. You have been standing behind me this entire time and you have no idea how much I want to see you right now."

Slowly he came in front of her and saw that she had closed her eyes. She gestured him to sit beside her on the bed and then when he id so, she slowly reopened her eyes. Her light azure eyes were looking straight in his bluish green irises.

Evelyn held her breath as she took in each feature of his, from the white streak in his dark hair, to his sharp cheekbones and striking eyes. And then her hands gently cupped his face, reminiscing how much he had changed from how she remembered him as.

"Eve, what are you thinking?" Jason asked at last, getting slightly worried at how she was so silent yet her eyes were still looking at him as if memorizing each part of his face, lingering at the faded J shaped scar on his left cheek.

"Jason... You're beautiful."

He had not been expecting that answer so for a second he was quite speechless. "Beautiful, me?"

"Yes," she released the breath she was holding, eyes blinking twice for they had started to water again, "you're so much more handsome than I imagined you to be."

"And here Tim was thinking you would point out my very large nose."

She laughed leaning closer as she kissed his nose, her finger covering the J shaped scar, hiding it from view. "Oh come on, you and I both know he was joking."

Faint pink dashed across his cheeks for a second but then he entwined his fingers through hers, "Eve, you haven't seen what you look like yourself yet. And when you do, you'll see that out of us you're the beautiful one."

"But then when I really think about it, how we look like to one another still is the same," she mused, her hand gently caressing his cheek, "maybe because I always loved for who you are deep inside. Even though I couldn't physically see you, deep down I could always see your heart. And it's still the same for me, loving and caring. With a tough exterior but a very gentle soul underneath."

Jason kept silent letting her resume though his eyes too were reminiscent of the love and care he felt towards her.

"I love you Jason," she mumbled her eyes closing again for she feared she would tear up from all the emotions that were overwhelming her at the moment, "and I am so so glad I have you with me."

"I love you too, Evelyn."

He held her close and her hands rested on his chest, head nestled on his shoulder as she let herself dissolve in the comfortable feeling of his presence near her.

Jason made her feel safe and loved. And now that she could see him, still she loved him even more for all the things he did for her and everything he had come to mean to her by then.

***