Summary: Short story/song fic. What enters my mind when I listen to the song. Kinda sad and it's a bit different than what you'd expect... Rating: G Genre: Drama Status: Complete

I strongely, vehemently urge you to play the song while reading this. It's amazing how much more powerful it becomes.

How Did I Fall In Love With You

A lone figure stands, unsure. His pained eyes scan the stark white rooms surrounding him, all so impersonal and lonely. This place's atmosphere seems to want nothing to do with the lives it houses within it, to offer no comfort. His breath catches and releases with a slight tremble, the emotions and thoughts tumbling in his mind impossible to contain. He closes his eyes and turns his head up, tears escaping and sliding into his hair. He comes to attention at the sound of his four best friends, each of them have come to help him through this, to show him he isn't alone in this place. He stares into their concerned and brotherly faces and a small smile turns his lips.

They all sit and wait together. Looking at them, he wonders if they could possibly know how much they all mean to him at this moment. He would not be able to handle any of this without them here right now, to be able to feel their support and love. How could this of come to him? This deep friendship? This extended family? He could not answer, but it's the very same thing he could lose with someone else if the worst happened, the worst being the very loss of that person. He couldn't even bare the thought, yet it still found its way into his mind. He's known her his whole life and just now he realizes what she means to him, now when it all could be taken away forever.

A tall, gray haired man dressed in all white stops before him and he stands, his pain filled eyes searching the gentle face for some answers. He listens as the words flow out of the man's mouth, feeling a comforting hand of one of his friends on his shoulder. Tears well in his eyes as the information piles up, the words optimistic but not for sure. The tears spill out of his distressed eyes, which now held, if even the smallest bit, some hope.

He questions the man before him, "May I see her?" He barely recognizes his own voice, it coming out warped with emotion. The man solemnly nods his head, saying he could but only for a small while. He looks to his friends, seeing their support and hope for the one he can't bare to lose. He gives them a slight nod of thanks, then follows the gentle faced man to the very center of his life.

They stop before a plain door, the man gesturing him inside. With slight hesitation, he carefully opens the door and gazes into the room. Pain crosses his face at the sight of his love lying so still and alone. He lets the door fall shut behind him, not noticing when it stayed ajar a few inches, leaving the room open to the starkness outside.

With pained movements, he brings a chair to her bedside. His eyes never leave her pale face, beautiful even now. He sits in the chair and leans forward, close to her fragile form. He stares for what seems forever, but is only minutes. His breathing hitches, then a sob escapes his lips as he brings his shaking hands forward to grasp her still one. His breathing is uneven with sobs catching in his throat as tears fall unhindered down his face. With one hand still threaded in hers, he moves the other to softly touch her face, brushing stray strands of hair from his angel's beautiful features.

A shaky sigh escapes him as he rests his chin on his chest, his shoulders hunched over in despair. His eyes shining brightly, he lifts his head and continues to stroke her face, feeling the need to let her know. He takes a deep breath as he lets the words flow the only way he knows how, he pours all of his emotions out as he sings in a hoarse whisper what he feels for the one lying before him.

"Remember when we never needed each other, the best of friends like sister and brother, We understood we'd never be... alone," his eyes gazed down at her, seeing everything they could have together.

"Those days are gone, now I want you so much, the night is long, and I need your touch," He stopped, squeezing his eyes. He brought his hand away from her face and to his own, running it through his hair, grabbing hold of it as he felt emotion build. His voice becomes stronger, his emotions giving it a husky edge, "Don't know what to say, never meant to feel this way, don't wanna be... alone tonight..."

Both hands now grip her one as he leans close, staring at her with a pained, pleading expression on his face as he asks her sincerely, "What can I do to make you mine? Fallen so hard, so fast this time. What did I say? What did you do? How did I fall in love with you?"

His voices softens again as memories drift into his mind, memories of times they've spent together, "I hear your voice and I start to tremble, brings back the child that I resemble..."

Again he stops, shaking his head, knowing he wouldn't be able to continue that, "I cannot pretend that we can still be friends, don't wanna be... alone tonight..."

He again pleads with her still form, praying for some kind of answer, "What can I do to make you mine? Fallen so hard, so fast this time. What did I say? What did you do? How did I fall in love with you?"

He pauses, staring, desperately wanting her to answer. One hand again cups her face, his thumb caressing it gently as he proclaims, "Hoo, I wanna say this right and it has to be tonight, Just need you to know..."

His voice breaks off, cracking with the realization of how much he needed her. How he couldn't bare to lose her, "I don't want to live this life, I don't want to say good-bye..."

He releases his hands from her, gripping them into fists as he squeezed his eyes tight, tears still falling. He begins to shake his fists in the helplessness he felt, his voice cried out what he desperately needed, "With you I wanna spend... the rest of my life..."

He broke down, hunched over in his despair, crying uncontrollably. Unknown to him, was that staff and his four friends have crowded outside his door, brought to his room by the heart wrenching song being sung. His four friends were openly crying, feeling everything their brother was going through by the emotion and words of the song.

Inside the room, he forced himself up, his bloodshot eyes looking upon his love. He leaned over her and gripped her hand, bowing his head. His next words were soft, sung with a tremble and catch in his voice, "What can I do to make you mine? Fallen so hard, so fast this time. What did I say? What did you do? How did I fall in love with you?"

He wanted her to answer, any kind of answer, just an answer... he pleaded, prayed, "What can I do to make you mine? Fallen so hard, so fast this time..."

Please, he prayed. Oh, please... "Everything's changed, We never knew..."

He waited. Receiving no answer. He slid off the chair and to his knees, his free hand stroking her hair as he leaned in close, "How... did... I... fall... in love... with you?" and then kissed her, closing his eyes.

When he leaned back, he again looked at her beautiful face. His breath caught and his eyes again filled with tears. Her eyes were open... she looked at him, her eyes shining.

"I love you, too," she whispered, then with a sigh she closed her eyes.

The End.

See? I told you it was different. Which BSB was it? Did she die or live? You choose...