I woke up with a start and looked around the hospital room. I felt drowsy and sick. I could've sworn I had just heard Rosemary's voice. And the words she spoke warmed my heart.

It was dark. The monitors I was hooked up to showed that my heart rate had increased. I don't know why I felt so terrified. It was a strange feeling. Maybe it was because the last vivid picture in my mind was of the car window shattering around me, and then falling into darkness.

I couldn't hear for a moment but I saw something flashing, and the nurses came rushing in around me. They seemed so relieved. But I wasn't. I wanted to see Rosemary.

"Welcome back! How are you feeling? We need you to--" And the rest I drowned out. Where was she?! I wanted my beautiful purple rose!

"I want Rosemary," I said to one of the nurses, and she looked to another who whispered something. Probably trying to clarify who Rosemary was.

"We'll get in contact with your family right now," she said, walking out of the room, while the other nurses pestered me with questions.

***

I found out that I was in a coma for close to three weeks. My brain had some swelling that put me to sleep. Obviously the swelling took some time to go down, and when it did, I woke. Rosemary must've felt awful. Was she worried about me? Where was she?

Tammy came rushing into my room and hugged me tightly. I hugged her back, trying to match her tightness, but I still felt slightly weak.

"Jeez woman! You're gonna kill him!" Eric said, pulling her away from me. I looked at him and he smiled at me.

"How ya doin?" he asked me.

"Great, now that you're both here. I'd be better if Rosemary was here with you guys too, though," I said. "Where is she?"

"She's not picking up her phone, but I talked to her aunt and she said she's fine, but she's locking herself in her room," Tammy said. "You being in a coma destroyed her. But I'm going to keep calling her and eventually go over to tell her the news. She'll be so happy!"

"How about you trick her into coming here?" Eric suggested.

"Why?" I asked.

"So she'll be even happier to see you," Eric said, smiling.

"Ooh, I have an idea," Tammy said, a little deviously.

"What is it?" Eric asked.

And that was how her plan unfolded.

***

Rosemary ran in my room, panting through tears. I suddenly felt sick for her, because I couldn't imagine how she'd be feeling if someone told her that the one she loved died of heart failure.

I pulled her waist to me, hugging her from behind. She turned around to look at me.

"Hello, my purple rose," I said, smiling.

"Brian, are you real?" she asked. "Am I hallucinating?" That question threw me off because why would she hallucinate about me? Before I could even answer though, Tammy ran in yelling surprise. That was a good enough answer for Rosemary, and she hugged me, tightly. I held back even tighter since my strength returned after three days of waiting to see her. She really did block out the world. I hate that I made her feel that way though it wasn't on purpose!

I doubt she noticed, but she was shaking. I pulled away from her slightly, and attacked her lips with mine, holding her waist. The kiss meant even more to me, because I knew she was in love with me as much, probably, as I was with her.

***

Rosemary and I lay on top of her quilt cover in her room. I held her tightly to me, and she was resting her head on my chest. It was a few days after and she and I were planning on falling asleep with each other. I wasn't planning on going to classes in the morning, though I should've since I missed three weeks of it by that time.

I didn't mention that I was in love with her and didn't say that I knew she was in love with me. It hadn't come up and I didn't know if I should tell her yet. Why was I so scared? I decided to give it a shot.

"Rosemary?" I asked.

"Hmm?" she questioned, lifting her head off my chest to look at me.

"I have something important to tell you," I said, "and I really think you should hear it now." That caught her attention, and she blinked away sleep from her eyes to look at me clearer.

"Sure, what is it, Brian?" she asked, kissing me quickly. It was cute, and almost seemed as if she was nervous.

"Well, we've been together for quite some time now..." her heart beat quickened, I felt it. "... and I just wanted to tell you that..." I stopped, becoming extremely nervous. There was an intensity in the stare we shared, and I just wanted to continuously kiss all over her face over and over because she was so beautiful.

"I'm in love with you Rosemary," I said, still holding the stare, because I wanted to see the reaction on her beautiful face. "I have been for a great amount of time by now."

"When you were in the coma, did you hear what I said? Could you hear me speak to you?" she asked.

"Yes," I replied, truthfully.

"So then, I think you know exactly how I feel about you," she replied. "That I am as much in love with you as you are with me." We both leaned in at the same time and kissed each other. It was soft, but filled with love. It may not have been the most passionate kiss we shared, but if you ask me, it was the best one yet.

***

My hands were sweaty as I led Rosemary to the ferris wheel. My knees were shaking but I didn't let her see that. She was giddy, and happy, talking, and skipping, and dragging me along around six flags. I'd never taken her on a date to an amusement park before, so she loved it.

The moon was out, and it was full. This would be perfect. I'd propose to her on the ferris wheel, and hopefully I'd be able to capture the moon in the hole of the ring. We were in love, and I felt like we were ready to make it official. To stay with each other forever.

"Come on, you're so slow," Rosemary teased, as we got on the ferris wheel, and started to rise on it. The ferris wheel glowed and changed colors. The lights shined off of Rosemary's face, making her glow, and she looked so extremely beautiful.

"Brian, something wrong?" Rosemary asked, sounding worried.

"Perfect, ma chérie," I replied, and gave her a soft kiss. I felt her smile, and she pulled away slightly.

"Are you positive?" she asked. "You really seem nervous."

"Maybe I'm afraid of heights," I joked.

"Oh, sureee," she said, pushing me playfully. I laughed and tickled her.

"Oh no, you don't wanna go there," she said, ready to attack.

"No, no, I surrender!" I said, throwing my hands up. I then caught sight of the moon.

"Ooh, that's beautiful," Rosemary said, seeing it too, almost in a dreamlike state. I quickly and discreetly got the ring out, and then held it out in front of the moon and her face, capturing it perfectly.

Rosemary's eyes widened.

"I love you, Rosemary," I said, facing her to the best of my ability, and holding out the ring to her. "I want to be with you for the rest of my life. Will you marry me, Rosemary?"