The hospital room was quiet, save for the sound of the machines keeping her alive. Ethan sat in the chair beside her, holding her hand tightly, praying for a miracle. She had been sick for a long time, and he had been by her side through it all. He had held her hand during the countless doctor's appointments, wiped away her tears when the treatments made her weak, and whispered words of love and encouragement when she felt like giving up. But now, as he sat there watching her, he knew that the end was near.