“You couldn't do it?" Rob Lynburn sneered."I know her," Ash said in a low voice."I can't... hurt someone I know.”

“The feeling of not being enough for someone, of knowing you would do anything for them and they not the same for you. I didn't want to, but I felt bad for her. I wanted to hate her, but I couldn't. I couldn't blame her for what she didn't know.”

“I just don't know," I said, my voice sounding bumby, not like mine, "how do you help someone who doesn't want your help. What do you do when you can't do anything?”

“I will keep fighting for you," Ash said in a low, intense voice. "Do what you must. I'll be here, whatever you decide. If it takes one year or a thousand, I will keep you safe.”

“You don't know me, but I know about you...I can't make you live longer. I can't stop you from hurting. But I can give you one wish, as someone did for me.”

“Even in all that darkness I could see her beauty. Still, I couldn't claim it for myself. Instead, I decided to hurt her."You loved someone," I said, "who was completely inappropriate.”