(Third pov):

It had been a month before Professor Gilberg found the strength to visit his friend's grave. A week after his visit, his friend has died of the same disease he had been investigating. All he could feel was the emptiness.

For years, there had been no contact between. John was dealing with his loss and Professor Eric Gilberg dealing with his family and work.

Just as John said, Gilberg had read the notes, taken by surprise. All John said made sense but by John's calculation, the disease would already be in hundreds of people. As John suggested in his notes, vaccines and cures were the only solutions when there's an outburst. But in worst cases, people had to be killed.

Gilberg placed the flowers on the grave.

"Oh John, what am I going to do?" he whispered, staring at the evening sky. It was getting dark.

Hey, grandpa, you okay?" Josh asked. Josh was Eric Gilberg's first and favorite grandson. Life hadn't been fair to them for the last couple of years. Josh had lost both his parents to cancer and now he was determined to save anyone from cancer. 

Eric had taken custody of Josh and had managed to get him to college. 

"I am fine, Josh" Eric replied, his voice sounding strained. A part of Josh was worried. His grandpa was the only person he had in his life. It had taken years before his grandfather had met his best friend and now his friend was dead, the reason still not disclosed to Josh.

"Where's Mellisa?" Eric asked, trying to change the subject. Josh let it pass. Mellisa was Eric's daughter and Josh's aunt. For some reason, she envied Josh and always made it a point to make him feel alienated. His cousins were no different.

"Aunt Mellisa left home" More like found the chance to slip away because funerals made her "sad". She hadn't bothered to stay when Josh's parents died. 

Eric's relationship with his youngest child, Mellisa was rocky and had been nonexistent after Eric's wife died. Eric and Mellisa had fought over his wife's heirloom. Mellisa had insisted on selling it while Eric only had that piece of his wife. It was sad how ungrateful and selfish they get after growing up. He suspected greed made most people like that.

"What's bothering you, grandpa?" Josh asked, not being able to bear the way his grandfather looked. 

"We just renewed contact last week and now I have only one promise to keep" Eric rambled, rubbing off the tears that were gathering in his eyes.

"What's that?"

"I will tell you when the time comes" Eric promised, before they left. Eric looked back for one last time before walking away. He vowed to fulfill his friend's last wish

Back in the car, Eric looked at the sky, his hands clutching the watch- a wedding gift from his late friend. He remembered that day so well like it was yesterday. Getting so wasted before the wedding, the vows. It had been magical and he had married the love of his life- Savanah. 

The after-party was delightful, with his Savanah in his arms as they danced and stared at John and Vanessa.

"Think he is going to ask her?" Savanah had asked, reading his mind.

"I bet they are next" Eric had replied. True to his words, John and Vanessa got married two months later.

"Grandpa, we are back home" Josh's voice interrupted his reverie. Josh stayed with his grandad or his old dorms outside his med school during the weekend.

His grandad had bought this house after two years of his marriage. This house was filled with memory and love, something Eric wouldn't find anywhere else. 

"How're the classes?" Eric asked absent-mindedly, taking his black coat in his arms. It was Josh's last year of med school. 

"This is not my first year" Josh replied, rolling his eyes, though he seemed like he was hiding something.

Now, that was strange, Eric thought, looking closely at his grandson.

"You are hiding something" Eric pointed out with a teasing glint in his eyes. It had been so long since Josh had that look in his eyes. The same look Eric had when he was around Savanah. 

Busted, Josh thought, trying to avoid his grandfather's eyes.

"It's nothing" he lied. He sounded so unconvincing even to his own ears. It had been a week since Josh tried to avoid the girl. Not that he was successful. He'd tempt himself to get a few satisfying glances before forcing himself to not look her way.

Josh couldn't afford to be distracted. Not by a girl, no matter how pretty or driven she was. He still had no idea what made him let her sleep in his room. Temptations were merely distractions in disguise. Yet, he had held her so close it had driven him crazy. She had sighed and burrowed in closer, so soft and delicate.

"Who's the girl?" Eric asked, surprised by the deep longing he saw in his grandson's look. This wasn't just a passing fantasy, that was for sure. Josh just looked at him in confusion.

"I know that look, Josh. You look smitten" Josh was sure he blushed after hearing his grandad point out the obvious. He couldn't deny it anyway.

"Ya, whatever" Josh said, before walking away from his grandad's scrutiny. His grandad already had enough ammunition. 

From his childhood, he had been close with his grandad, inspired by his grandad's works. It was another reason why he chose to study at Magnolia Med school, where his grandad taught. And knowing one of the most important members had its perks.

He was going through his laptop when a strange article caught his eyes. He clicked on it, surprised to see the word 'pandemic'.

Before he could talk himself out of it, he read the full article still reeling from what he had read. Well, if that was true, then he had to find out this person. He forwarded the article to Ethan, before calling him.

Ethan took the call in the first ring, sounding distracted. Josh had a feeling he had interrupted something. Too late to back away.

"I sent you an article. I need the writer's address, before hanging up. No need to make it more awkward. Distractedly, he scrolled down, a name getting his attention.

Harley Mcafree.

She looked flushed with excitement in her profile picture, her eyes bright and a small dimple. God, she was beautiful. And request sent. 

He looked at the picture longer than he should have before he turned off his laptop, not before noticing she has accepted his request. He smiled, feeling a little nervous as he sent the first text.

What are you doing to me, Harley? he thought to himself, before flopping down his bed and dreamt of her blue eyes.

Maybe she was worth the temptation. 

*****

And here we go. I tried to cover 2 povs at once. Hopefully, it wasn't confusing. So someone is smitten. What do you guys think?

Tune in for the next chapter

Goodbye for now ;)