"Evadne, please don''t cry."


    Wake up andfort me again. I''m begging you.


    As Evadne wept, the door to the hospital room creaked open.


    Jareth walked in, carrying a bowl of warm chicken soup. He stopped in his tracks, momentarily lost, his hand trembling slightly as he held the bowl. A tall, strong man, Jareth''s heart had long been softened by Mari''s love.


    The scene before him moved him deeply, bringing an overwhelming urge to shed tears himself.


    Once Evadne''s sobs subsided, heposed himself and gently approached her bedside.


    "Evadne, you should eat something. It''s chicken soup-I remember you like it. I made it myself," he said softly.


    For a moment, she didn''t respond.


    Jareth nced to the side and noticed her untouched breakfast on the nightstand. A pang of sadness and heaviness gripped his heart.


    "Jareth, you must hate me," she eventually murmured, staring nkly ahead. "I caused Thaddeus to end up like this. He''s your best friend. I failed to take care of him, and now he''s in aa because of me."


    She paused, her voice barely above a whisper. "Jareth, I know you must resent me. Please, let it out. Your calmness just makes me feel worse."


    "But I don''t," Jareth replied, pressing his lips together. He moved to sit beside her, his eyes resting on Thaddeus''s pale, lifeless face. "Evadne, I respect every choice Thaddeus made. No matter the oue, I won''t me anyone."


    He continued, "Whatever the cost, whatever the consequences, I''m willing to bear them with him."


    Evadne''s heart ached even more as she closed her tear-filled eyes.


    "In a way, I''m d it''s him and not you," Jareth said with a bitter smile.


    Evadne looked at him, surprised.


    "Thad isn''t as strong as you think," Jareth''s voice cracked, his eyes reddening. "You grew up surrounded by love-parents, aunts, brothers—always there for you. It made you optimistic, resilient, able to face any challenge."


    "But Thad didn''t have that. He had nothing at one point. His mother fought tooth and nail to restore his identity, only for him to face betrayal and maniption, time and again. He''s had to fight his way to where he is now, battered and bruised."


    "Besides his grandfather, he only has you. So he''s more fragile than you realize, because he can''t afford to lose. If something happened to you, he''d lose his will to live. He battled depression when he was young-the scars on his left wrist are proof."


    "So, Evadne, you need to be strong and healthy for him. Otherwise, his willingness to sacrifice everything for you would be in vain."


    Moved by his words, Evadne finally took the bowl, her hands trembling as she spooned some soup into her mouth.


    "It''s good," she said, tears falling into the bowl with each bite.


    "Of course it is. My cooking has the Mari stamp of approval, you know," Jareth said, trying to muster a smile.


    "I need to see Avery," Evadne said, wiping her tears away with determination.


    "The medicine was his doing. He has to know what he gave Thaddeus."