-Double update everyone! Enjoy :) 

Alex was standing in the court dribbling with a basketball. A tall guy from the opposition team began to run straight at him. Alex tried to move but couldn't. His feet seemed to be glued to the floor. He concentrated hard, urging his neurons to carry out the action of running, but they just wouldn't. The opposing team player kept on running, he wasn't slowing down, just accelerating with every passing second. Alex had little time left. He had no idea what to do. His eyes were wide open. Why couldn't he move? Why isn't the guy in front of him stopping? 5 seconds and they'll crash... 4, 3, 2, 1.

Alex sat up in bed. Sweat was pouring down into his eyes and his breath was staggering. Although it had become pleasantly cold in the last few weeks, yet he felt uneasy and hot. He wiped his forehead from the back of his hand and then fell back into his pillow. They had now entered December and had their End of Term Examinations this month. But that hadn't been bothering Alex. What bothered him was his match today, the finals of the Inter-regional Tournament.

The only positive thing from the last whole month had been Violet's constant recovery towards health. After the unexpected Tuberculosis attack, she had finally become serious towards taking her medications regularly. Alex kept checking on her about whether she's eaten and slept enough, also making sure she doesn't skip any medicine. The doctors had at last cleared her of taking her mask off as there was no threat left that she could spread the disease to others. This made her feel over the moon.

Alex thought about it for a long time.

"Finally I've got rid of that stupid green mask. It didn't let me breathe! Like they wanted to choke me to death, Alex. And green? I mean of all the colours, it had to be green. Why not blue? Blue's a nice colour you know. But they had to make it mutilated, alien, boring green." Alex remembered what she had said. Her eyes made Alex feel hypnotized. In the last month, he had also learned to interpret Violet's emotions through her eyes. Her eyes shined when she became excited, widened when she was in shock, her eye-lids drooped when she was sad. Her eyes even smiled when she did. He smiled at the pleasant thought of Violet. Now that she was mentally and physically strong again, maybe he could tell her about himself.

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The doorbell of Mr. Brown's house rang a couple of times before Violet emerged from the door. Her hair were completely straight today and she had applied eye liner and mascara for the occasion. Alex was happy to see that she had prepared for this day as an important one. Finally when Alex could tear his gaze from Violet's face, he saw Violet's real preparation.

"WOAH! Where did you get that shirt?" Alex was completely flabbergasted. Violet was wearing a white t shirt which had been printed with "Let's go, Alex" And beneath it was a two months old picture of Alex lifting the Intra-regional cup.

"Well we've got fifty more of those, me and Edward. Gave them out free for today's match." She grinned broadly.

Alex didn't know what to say. He had never had support like this ever before. All his life, Edward was the only one to support him. But Violet's recent inclusion into his life had made everything more colorful and bright. He was simply lost for words.

"Come on! Let's go, Alex." Alex chuckled. Violet, after seeing that Alex was simply staring at her and not moving at all, pulled Alex's arm and dragged him out of the doorway into the open. Sparks shot up in Alex's spine at their touch. Although she couldn't possibly drag Alex, yet he let her. He liked to see her smiling and feeling in control.

When they were half-way through the stone path which led towards the road, Mrs. Brown emerged in the doorway.

"Alex my dear! You didn't come inside."

"Sorry mom! We're late for the match." Violet replied, while still tugging at the collar of Alex's jacket.

"But I've made your favorite apple pie, Alex darling. It'll just take a minute to serve. There's nothing like warm apple pie in a chilly morning."

Alex and Violet stopped in their tracks and looked at each other. Alex shrugged, then said.

"Can't turn down apple pies, can you?"

Violet looked disapprovingly at him before leaving his collar. While Alex was half-way through to the door, he turned around. A smirk was playing on his lips.

"You know what's the best thing about getting rid of that mask?" Alex challenged Violet with a grin.

"I can breath?"

"Yeah, that too, I mean I need you to stay alive, BUT-" He took a dramatic pause and focused deep into her eyes. "Now I can watch you smile again." He waited, because he knew it was about to come. "Yeah, that one!" It was after Alex said it that Violet realized she had started smiling.

"Go and eat your apple pie, idiot." Violet was unable to stifle the huge grin that had appeared on her face now and Alex muttered away. Violet could hear "Appreciation for flirting" quite clearly in his undertone.

Alex ate and ate and ate until he started feeling agitated. Eating this much before a match isn't supposed to be very healthy but well, an apple a day keeps the doctor away, imagine the power of eating two large apple pies then? At least this might ensure Alex that he won't have any physical injuries in this match, or will it?

After downing a couple of pies, Alex looked down at his Rado watch and realized he was late. He stood and picked up his jacket.

"Thank you so much for this Mrs. Brown!" He was so grateful to her. The last time they had met was in the hospital when Alex had thought of never meeting her again. But all of this, family breakfast, warm apple pies, just sitting down and talking. It was so homely. Alex, in all his life, had never had the slightest idea of what it felt to have a mother but now he thought that he might just know.

After biding farewell to Mrs. Brown, they walked off. They reached the road with it's cold air hitting them straight in the face. The breeze made Violet's hair ruffle. She was burying her head in the high-neck sweater that she had been wearing.

"Here." Alex took off his jacket. "Wear this. You'll feel better."

Violet was puzzled. The idea of wearing another jacket was inviting, but if the jacket also happened to be one of Alex's, then it simply became irresistible. But she didn't say anything, she just looked at him for a moment which seemed to last quite long.

"I have to wear a sleeve-less shirt and shorts for the match, so I'd better get ready for that as well." Alex's smile provided her with such warmth that she didn't require his jacket. But she still took it.

"How many people would have had the chance..." She thought as they strolled through the chilly road.

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