Feeling Annis’ chill vibe, he grinned.

He figured it was all worth it.

“I won't be buzzing around like a bee anymore. I'll be there for you, regularly," Alick pledged.

Annis was touched by his words.

She nestled into his embrace, swallowing the bitter taste that crept up. With a smile, she said, “Alright.”

The movie they were watching was a romantic comedy.

Love and joy filled the screen.

With Alick by her side, Annis felt upbeat too.

The next day, Alick was set to leave.

Annis hated to see him go but she hid this well.

"I'll drop by whenever I can," Alick promised.

Annis smiled back. "Sure," but as she watched the plane soar away, her eyes welled up.

At the Hammaslahti Research Center, Camila pored over data on an animal's physical changes post-heart implant.

ALL seemed normal.

“Are we there yet?" Hyman asked.

Camila shook her head, responding, "Give it another two weeks. Success means stable data for at least a month."

“Thanks to Dr. Lance, we're on the fast track," Hyman remarked.

Camila nodded in agreement.

Rugal had broken their deadlock, signaling their efforts were paying off.

"You're beaming!"