Skylar didn't sleep more than a couple of minutes, and when she opened her eyes, she looked rested.

"Skylar?" He asked, almost whispering.

"Yes?" She looked at him with a fresh set of eyes.

"I have an idea".

"What?"

"We are going out...now!"

"Ryder...I...I don't think that's such a good idea" she had this strange expression on her face...Like fear, but not the obvious kind, as if someone spooked you, or anything like that.

More like anxiety. Or suspense.

"You don't have to sit in here 24 hours a day, right? You are allowed to go outside? You are not contagious?" He asked her, genuinely wondering.

She shook her head, his last comment made her laugh.

"It's mostly for my own safety, you know...I tend to doze off, and it can be pretty dangerous. Well, and I can't strain myself. That's not good for my heart, that's what they say".

By "they" she referred to the team of doctors, who had been handling her case from the very beginning. She didn't remember much from the early years, but she remembered all the faces. She remembered how scary it felt, going through the examinations, the blood work...needles...pain. No child should have to go through stuff like that. It was hard.

Too hard.

Having to deal with a decease she had no way of comprehending, was devastating to her parents. Through a haze she remembered her mother telling her goodbye? It felt like a dream...or more like a nightmare. She was drugged after a seizure, and everything was blurry, but hearing her mother's voice through the fog, she struggled, trying to open her eyes, but she couldn't manage, it was just too hard. But she heard her mother's voice. Telling her goodbye...she wondered if she was dying? But she wasn't - she was almost unconscious after a severe seizure - and her mother chose to give up on her, by leaving?

Ryder's voice brought her back.

"I can get a wheelchair, we can just go across the street to the park, and I'll buy you an ice cream? Come on...risk it. I am going to be there. I'll take care of you" he said, and his smile convinced her - just like that.

She nodded.

And so, that's what they did...Ryder received some strict instructions from the nurse, but as she sent them on their way, she smiled at Ryder, whispering: "Take good care of her".

"I promise...we won't elope!" He said jokingly, and that made the nurse giggle.

"You would make a sweet couple though" the nurse said, and continued to smile.

"I feel funny sitting in a wheelchair!" Skylar said anxiously, looking from one side to the other.

"Why?" Ryder asked.

"Lots of people are stuck in wheelchairs...should they feel weird about that?" He asked her truthfully.

Ryder didn't care what people thought, he didn't care about people's opinions...which was one of his better traits.

"No, of course not!" She said, and his comment made her relax.

As soon as they went outside, she closed her eyes.

"Are you sleeping??" he asked her, almost disappointed, worried she was going to miss their little field trip.

"No...no...I am just enjoying the warm rays of the sun...I forgot what it felt like, it has been weeks since I was outside, and it feels amazing. It's such a beautiful, warm day. Close your eyes for a minute...just a second Ryder...doesn't it feel like the rays are almost touching you? Caressing your face? Doesn't it feel amazing? Smell the fresh air, drink it all in!" She said with a nostalgic tone of voice, almost sighing.

Ryder had never thought about it like that before? Like suddenly the smallest thing, wasn't that small at all? Being able to go outside on a sunny day was a privilege...not a human right?

"I guess" he said, wheeling her across the road carefully.

"What flavors do you want?" He asked, looking at her, she looked even more beautiful in this setting.

She was really cute with her hair down like that, it wasn't completely straight, but it wasn't curly either. It just looked like she had gone for a swim, and let the sun dry it, rather than actually styling it? She just looked very natural. And the color, he couldn't define the color of her hair...it was sort of light brown? Or a dark blond, or a bit of both?

The girls he knew had fake lashes, fake nails, and fake hair colors too, but right now that didn't seem quite as appealing, for some reason?

Her voice brought him back.

"You decide" she said, and smiled.

He bought two ice cream cones, and they decided to go sit on a log of wood by some trees.

"This is amazing" she said, and had a taste of her ice cream, he chose strawberry for her. Most girls love that, he figured she would too.

"Are you tired yet?" He asked with some concern, instantly it felt more real, being outside in the real world. He felt responsible for her all of a sudden.

"Maybe we should go back?" He said.

"I'm okay. Sometimes I can go for hours you know...I just never know, when I am going to have a bad day, but no matter what happens, today has been the best day I've had in a long time Ryder...thanks" she looked teary eyed.

"We can do it again another day, being cooped up in that tiny hospital room isn't decent, you know...you should get out once in a while, to see stuff!"

"I guess you are right. Maybe that's why Dave brought us together, you know? Maybe he felt like you could wake me up".

"Yeah...maybe...and maybe he felt like you could get me to slow down?" Ryder said, and as he said those words out loud, he knew that was exactly what Dave must have been thinking.

Clever guy.

If you find someone, who wants you to stay...does that mean you won't leave?