Beep. Beep. Beeep.

She lay there, her blue eyes dull, as she looked into the white ceiling of the hospital room. Her heart was aching, and she longed to see the one she loved most--Shadow. She knew he didn't carry the same feeling for her, but she couldn't live without him.

Hours had passed, and Carla had been impatiently waiting for Shadow, but he didn't show. They were close friends, after all, but she didn't understand why he isn't visiting her at a time like this. Slowly sleep overcame her, and her eyelids fluttered to a close as her breathing became steady.

The creak of a door opening signalled that someone had entered the room. Carla was still sleeping, her white and green fur fanned around her head. A dark hedgehog with red streaks entered, his dangerous red eyes darted across the room until they rested on the white fox, peacefully sleeping. He took purposeful strides to her bed, as he quickly grabbed ahold of one of her hands.

"Carla..." It was barely above a whisper, but she heard it. She stirred a little in her sleep, but kept her eyes closed, as if she was too afraid to face him. "Carla..." It came again, only this time she gave a small squeeze to his hand. "I love you Carla," he breathed out, and she could only sense his tenseness through the grip on her hand. Slowly and steadily, warm air became present on her face, before something soft collided with her lips.

Electricity shot through her bones as she opened one eye. Her vision became clearer, her breathing more steady, and the ache in her heart was gone. Shadow pulled away from the kiss, his facial expression still monotone, but there was something in his eyes that suggested another emotion, much stronger than friendship--love.

"Shadow," she said, breathless from the kiss, "I love you too."

"But I can't be with you,"

That was it. Carla officially had no idea what was going on. He kissed her, but said he couldn't be with her? She decided to voice this confusion. "Why? If you love me, and I love you, then it only makes sense to be with each other, right?"

"That is correct. But due to my work, I don't think it would be feasible for us to be together. You could get hurt, and I don't want that happening." He quickly got up and left, leaving a dumbfounded Carla behind.

She smiled, for she knew he would walk through that door again soon enough.