Angel ran around the corner of the hall in the hospital without looking and slammed into a tall, compared to her at least, good looking 23 year old guy. The eighteen year old was quite embarrassed, she knew these halls very well as she had been in the hospital most of her life, and this had never happened before.

"Hello," he said.

"Hi," she replied shyly, tucking a strand of her light brown hair behind her ear.

"What's your name?" he asked.

"Angel. What's yours?"

"Brian."

"Omigod! I know you!" Angel blushed at her outburst.

"I'd like to get to know you," Brian smiled looking into her dark chestnut brown eyes. "So what are you in here for?"

"Well, I'm going home," Angel smiled nervously,"when I was younger I had a weak heart but the doctors say that I'm going to be fine now. You're here for the check up before heart surgery aren't you?"

"Yup. It's all over though. Hey, do you wanna go get a bite to eat? Hospital food is horrible!!"

angel laughed and a greed to go with him to a pizza place around the corner.

Brian and Angel hit it off really well and in no time at all they realized that they were destined to be together.

"I can't believe we just met!!" Angel said a couple days later in Brian's home. "It seems like forever that's all.

"Oh I know," Brian said running his hand through her long hair, "I don't know how I lived without you." Brian leaned forward and kissed her.

"I love you,"Angel said kissing him again.

"I love you too," he replied.

A knock at the door startled them. The door opened slowly and Nick stuck his head in.

"Hey Frick, Angel," He smiled. "Did I interrupt anything?"

"No that's okay," Brian replied, "come on in."

Nick came in the room, closed the door behind him and sat on the bed. The water in the bed moved with Nick's weight and sent waves bouncing Angel up and down. She giggled.

"So are you nervous about the surgery tomorrow?" Nick asked.

"o my God look at the time!" Angel said looking at her watch. "the doctor told me to make sure that you got enough rest today." she got off the bed and walked towards the door. Nick followed. "I'll see you later." She blew him akiss, gave a shy little wave and quietly shut the door.

"What's wrong?" Nick asked, "Brian will be alright."

"I know," Angel said looking down at the floor.

"Then what's wrong?"

"It's just that.... I ran away. I'm still supposed to be in there."

"You What?!?!"

"Calm down. I'm perfectly fine now. I'm just afraid that if I go back the doctors will make me stay. They said I shouldn't get excited."

"Well aren't you going to be there for Brian?" Nick asked sitting down on the couch.

"I'm willing to risk it to be with him. I've never felt this way about anyone before."

Nick smiled

"Don't tell him about the running away thing. I don't want him to worry," Angel said urgently. "Do you promise?"

"Ok," Nick said, "but you have to go back."

"Fine," she said disappointedly.

The next day Brian, his family, Angel and Nick gathered in the lobby of the hospital. There were many nervous tears and hugs.

Angel's face was pale and her hand was clasped over her heart. There were tears of pain in her dark eyes.

Brian sat down in a wheel chair and looked over at Angel who was desperately holding onto a chair for support.

"Angel!! What's wrong?!" brian asked.

With that she collapsed to the floor.

Doctors rushed to her aid. An orderly took Brian to his room where he got changed and was wheeled in a bed into the hallway. Angel was also in the hall being rushed to the emergancy room. She was concious and as she came up next to Brian she took his hand.

Tears ran down her face and in her eyes there was a look of severe pain that brian knew all too well.

"I love you," she said, "don't worry about me I'll be fine. Just be strong for me k?"

"Ok," Brian said and Angel started to turn, they were separating. "I love you!" he called out to her.

Nick ran down the hallway after Angel. "You're gonna be ok," he said to her, "you just have to."

"Nick, you've been a really good friend to me. I need you to promise me something."

"What?"

"Give this to Brian when he wakes up."

He took a small folded piece of paper from her shaking hand. "I will, I promise."

She smiled, relaxed and closed her eyes for the last time. She layed there with a peaceful smile on her face. Nick stopped as he wasn't permitted to go any farther and she was wheeled down a narrow corridor.

Brian blinked and opened his eyes. Nick was sitting next to him in a chair beside the hospital bed.

"How are you feeling?" Nick asked when he realized that Brian was awake.

"A little sleepy," he said, "where's Angel?"

"She asked me to give you this." Nick said handing Brian the folded piece of paper.

Brian unfolded it and read what she had written. Tears filled his eyes as he realized what had happened.

I'm sorry Brian, I wasn't totally honest with you. The doctors told me that I had a very weak heart and wasn't expected to live through the week, so I ran away. When I met you, you made me so happy. You showed me things that I never knew, being in the hospital all my life. I'm sorry I can't be there when you wake up but in a way I'll always be with you.

"Are you all right?" Nick asked, "what did she say?"

"Let's put it this way," he said, a single tear running down his face, "she had the heart of an angel."