Proving

Here's what happened next. Garrett paused, leaning on one elbow as he looked at Elice, whose eyes were beginning to fade. She looked tired, but at the same time incredibly happy.

Elice's smile curved perfectly. With a hint of sadness in her eyes, she whispered to Garrett, "I feel like I'm going to fall asleep at any moment.

At that moment, Garrett realized that it wasn't just sickness that could be contagious. Instead of frowning, a moment after Elice said that, a chuckle came out of him, tickling the corners of his lips and causing Garrett to smile as well.

"I think I might fall asleep soon, too," he said, not at all with the intention of reassuring Elice, but rather feeling the heaviness in his own eyes. Garrett yawned, and in his sleepiness Elice chuckled.

Garrett wanted to respond to Elice's laughter, but his body felt incredibly tired now. So he settled for a stifled chuckle, shifting and adjusting the pillow under his head.

But before consciousness left him, Garrett made sure to