Author's note: Hey guys! I'm really glad you enjoyed chapter 3 :) I especially wanna thank my boyfriend, Ian for helping me out so much with this chapter. Melinda and Jim's relationship in this chapter is kind of based off of Ian and I's at first. Anyway, I hope you all enjoy, and please review!

"Melinda?" Melinda awoke to someone saying her name softly, and she tried to open her eyes. They fluttered, but remained closed. "Mel, can you hear me? It's Jim, sweetie. Open your eyes."

Jim. It's Jim. What's he doing here? Melinda thought to herself. She tried to remember what happened, to remember anything, but she couldn't. Her mind felt blank. She tried again to open her eyes; her eyelids fluttered again, and then she managed to open them. The first thing she was aware of was a bright, blinding light hanging above her, burning her retinas, swallowing everything in white.

"Melinda? Hey, can you hear me?" Jim said again from beside her and, when the white dissolved from her vision, she saw Jim looking down at her with concern written all over his face. When he saw her looking at him, though, he smiled a weak smile. "Melinda, do you have any idea how much you scared me?"

Melinda was overwhelmed by guilt; she hated that she'd caused him to worry so much. Her eyes filled with tears. "I'm sorry, Jim. I'm so sorry...," she whimpered, wiping the tears from her eyes before they had a chance to fall.

Jim shook his head. "Shhh... No, no, no. Don't be sorry. I'm just glad you're alright," he said, and Melinda suddenly felt an overpowering love for Jim that completely caught her off guard. He's your dead fiance's best friend... You're not allowed to love him like that, she told herself, but she was surprised to find that she couldn't help it.

"Melinda?" Jim said softly, bringing her out of her thoughts. "Why did you do it? Why the hell did you take all those pills?"

Melinda couldn't hold it in anymore―her eyes filled with tears, and they spilled over before she could stop them. "It was... It was after the funeral. I had a fight with my mother after I got home from work, and... I just couldn't breathe, Jim. I couldn't breathe. The grief was suffocating. So I decided to end it."

"What was the fight about?" Jim asked, handing her a tissue. "The fight with your mother, I mean."

"She was mad that I didn't tell her I was..." She trailed off, her eyes wide in horror. Jim didn't know she'd been pregnant, either.

"You were what? You didn't tell her you were what?" Jim asked, suddenly anxious.

I can't backpedal now, Melinda thought. "Jim, I'm going to tell you something. And you have to promise not to make a huge deal out of it."

"Okay." Jim held up his hand. "I promise."

Melinda took a deep breath, preparing herself. "Ryan and I... We found out we were pregnant in January," Melinda sniffed, willing herself not to burst into tears, "but I found out I miscarried in March. That's what the fight with my mother was about―she was mad at me for not telling her about any of it."

Jim fought the urge to cover his mouth with his hand. "Oh, my God, Melinda. I'm so sorry." He covered her hands, which were folded in her lap, with his own. "I can't believe Ryan never told me... What happened?"

"I, uh... I slipped on a patch of ice outside the antique shop. I had an instinct, you know? A feeling in my gut... But I didn't wanna believe it." She looked down and swiped a hand across her eye. "Anyway, I went to the doctor, and they didn't detect a heartbeat."

"So your mother was mad at you for not telling her about this?" Jim asked, hoping his eyes didn't look as misty as they felt. "And that's when you took the pills?"

Melinda nodded and swiped her eyes with the tissue again, still looking down. And then after a minute she looked back up at Jim, her usually vibrant eyes dull and watery. "Can I ask you something?" she said so softly Jim had to lean in close to hear her.

He nodded, his lips pursed. "Anything."

"When you found me... after I took the pills... what were you doing at the house? Why did you come back?" she asked.

"You seemed really depressed after the funeral, understandably, and I just wanted to make sure you were okay," he said simply, and then he sighed. "God, Melinda, you scared me to death." He chuckled a little; a nervous gesture.

"I'm sorry, Jim. I really am. I'm sorry I scared you like that. I don't think I actually wanted to die. I think I just wanted it to end... for a little while."

"Promise me you won't ever try anything like that again," Jim said seriously.

She put her hands up. "I promise. I have no intention of touching those pill bottles ever again," she said with a giggle. "You know, Jim, you don't have to stay here with me. I'll be fine if you wanna go home."

"Well, what else do I have to do?" He shrugged and smiled, but then turned serious again. "And besides, I don't wanna leave you alone."

"Okaaay... If you say so." She laughed wholeheartedly, and Jim found himself laughing with her. I'm sure she hasn't laughed like that in a while. Neither have I. "Well, then, at least go get something to eat. You've got to be starving."

"Yeah, I might go to the cafeteria," Jim said, pushing back his chair and standing up. "You want anything?"

"No. I'm okay. Thanks, Jim," she said with a smile.

Jim nodded and smiled at her, and then he was gone.

Jim came back from the cafeteria fifteen minutes later, carrying a tray containing a different assortment of food. "Sorry it took so long," he said as he pushed the door to her room open. "The line was―" He stopped mid-sentence when he saw that Melinda was fast asleep, her arms resting at her sides, her breathing steady.

He smiled slightly before walking over to her bed, setting the tray down and sitting in his chair beside her.

He laid his head next to hers, although he had no intention of actually falling asleep, and closed his eyes, slightly lulled by the steady beeping of Melinda's heart monitor. And before he was even aware of it, he had drifted off into unconsciousness.

Melinda found herself in a strange dream; she was standing in she and Ryan's bedroom, with bright sunlight streaming in. Trying to figure out what she was doing there, she looked around, and then suddenly, a familiar voice came from behind her. "Melinda, what in the hell were you thinking?"

She whirled around to see Ryan standing in front of her, in the bathroom where she'd taken the pills. "Ryan?" she said, her voice fraught with disbelief. "What are you doing here? Why haven't you crossed over?"

"Answer my question first," Ryan said, a harsh tint in his voice, surprising Melinda. "What the hell were you thinking when you took those pills? Did you want to die, Melinda? Is that really what you wanted?"

Melinda looked down, trying to hide the shock from her face. "I don't... I didn't want to die, Ryan. I don't want to die."

Ryan sighed exasperatedly. "Come on, Melinda. You expect me to believe that you... that your intention wasn't to die when you took the pills?" he nearly shouted.

"Ryan, I didn't," she nearly begged. "Honestly. I just... I just wanted a break from everything, you know? I needed, and still need, an escape. First I lost the baby, and then you died, and then... then I had that fight with my mother. It was just too much, Ry. I couldn't take it."

Ryan's face softened, and suddenly, he was the old Ryan―sweet, gentle, patient. "You're right. I'm sorry," he said, hanging his head.

"So now will you answer my questions?" Melinda said, sighing. "What are you still doing here? Why didn't you cross over?"

"Because, I... I couldn't leave you. I couldn't." He looked back up at her, his brown eyes brimming with tears. "I saw how depressed you were, and... nobody was there for you."

"Ryan, Jim's been here for me." She fought the urge to cringe, having no idea how he would react. "You can go. I'll be fine."

Ryan said nothing; he just looked down at the floor, making the silence between them ear-splitting. And then, he surprised Melinda by walking up to her and wrapping his arms around her. Melinda's eyes filled tears, and she squeezed him tight, almost wishing she would've died.

Melinda gasped and shot upright in the hospital bed, breathing heavily, tears streaming down her cheeks. She still felt sad, as if she was still wrapped in Ryan's arms; and then suddenly, she saw movement beside her, and she turned her head to see Ryan looking at her, tears in his eyes.

"Ryan... Please," Melinda cried, more tears spilling out of her eyes. "Just go... for me. You're making everything a lot harder than it has to be."

Ryan shook his head stubbornly. "No, Melinda. I'm not crossing over until I know you're going to be okay."

"Ryan, I'm... I'm fine," Melinda lied, looking down at her hands folded in her lap.

"Fine!" Ryan said exasperatedly, sighing deeply. "Melinda, you're not fine. You just tried to kill yourself by shoving pills down your throat, and you expect me to believe you're fine?"

"Ryan, please―" she sobbed.

"Melinda, I love you," Ryan said, cutting her off. " I can't move on. I'm staying here."

And with that, he began to disappear, and Melinda put her hand out to stop him. "Ryan, wait," she said, but he was already gone.

Jim was awoken by a voice coming from somewhere close by. He sat up, rubbed his eyes, and then opened them to see a disoriented-looking Melinda, sitting up, tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Melinda? Who were you talking to? What's going on?" he said, still slightly groggy.

Melinda didn't answer for a moment―she just continued crying, attempting to hide her face with her hand. "Ryan," she said.

"What about Ryan? What's going on?" Jim asked again, confused.

"He was... He was just here."

Author's note: Cliffhanger! Sorry about that, guys. I honestly think this chapter sucks, but I didn't have time to write anymore. I promise I'll start working on chapter 5 tonight. Anyway, slip me a review, and keep an eye out for the next chapter. Big things are coming!