I COULD HEAR voices. I wasn't sure how many though, as it felt like I was in the middle of a stadium and their voices were echoing around me. I felt like I was under a heavy blanket of sleep and struggled to wake up. But one by one, all my sense came back to me. 

"But what if she wakes up and I'm standing here shirtless?" The voice was light and bubbly and definetly belonging to that of one Noah O'Conner, "She might fall in love with my abs which will be absolutely tragic because I love Penny..." 

"She's not going to fall in love with your abs after a coma, Noah." The monotone voice explains, slightly amused though.

"She could though. I saw it in a movie..." Noah counters and I think I rolled my eyes behind my closed eyelids. This is damn deja vu. 

A wave of nostalgia washes over me. It felt like the very first time I woke up in the dorm, with the three of them arguing about waking me up. I start chuckling at the memory. 

"She's awake..." Noah mumbles before screaming, "She's awake!" 

My eyes open just in time to see Noah sprinting from the room, chocolate pudding running down his grey shirt. It made me laugh even more. 

I slowly adjust to the abundance of light flooding in through the floor to ceiling windows on the left wall. Levi sat on the chair beside me, chuckling to himself as he brings his eyes back to me. 

"Everyone just left to go get lunch a few minutes ago. If he's lucky, he'll meet them in the parking lot." Levi chuckles as I smile in peace and my eyes flutter shut. They then snap open a few seconds later. 

"Chase." I state before I take the wires from my hands, throw the pristine white covers off me and through my legs over the edge of the bed, "Where's Chase. I need to go see him. Where is he Levi? Where is Chase?"

"Hayden..." Levi trails off slowly as my movements slow and I glance over my shoulder at him, "Chase...he...he didn't..."

No. No no no nononono.

I felt like a million bullets at shot at my stomach in that very second. All I could do was stare at Levi's blank face as my hands grip the edge of the bed. Levi then opens his mouth to continue and I brace for the worst

"He didn't even get put in a room on this floor. The fucker is living it large up the top." Levi finishes as a large smile spreads across his lips. I almost collapse on the bed. Even though it was only for five seconds, it felt like a millennium. My heart has never felt like that before. I think that's what true heartbreak is like. That shit fucking hurted man. 

"You fucking asshole!" I shout as I hurl a pillow at his face, "You almost gave me a heart attack." 

"I'm sorry, I've just always wanted to do that." Levi shrugs indifferently and I remembered that Levi wasn't like everyone else. He was cold and uncaring and a sociopath. He was so fucking beautiful. 

"I need to go to him." I demand as I struggle to stand up. My body felt so heavy and tired and I could barely withstand it's weight. 

Levi quickly races around the bed to stop me. He places both large hands on my arms to keep me steady. I look up at him. 

"That's not the greatest idea right now Hayden." Levi explains as I glare up into his big brown eyes. 

"Levi," I say carefully, "I need to see Chase."

Levi just stares at me for a while. He was silent and still and I wondered what the hell as going up inside that gorgeous brain of his. Then all of a sudden, he bends down and wraps his arms around my waist. Now I was the one frozen. 

"I really missed you Hayden." Levi mumbles into my shoulder as I try to process all of this. Levi had never willingly hugged me before. It had always been me, jumping on his back in surprise or hugging Levi when he managed to surprise me. Slowly, I move my arms up and wrap the around his shoulders. 

I scoff, "I didn't know you could miss something." 

"Only you, Hayden." Levi mumbles, "And doc martins if they were to discontinue making them and my feet grow two sizes bigger than the pair I own." 

"I missed you too, Levi." I laugh at his bizarre paranoia, remembering all the times he told me about his nightmares. They weren't even nightmares at all, I just think Levi has never had a feel-good dream before. 

The door to my hospital room opens. 

"Holy shit. Is that Levi Addams actually hugging someone?" Noah chuckles as I take my arms from around Levi and step back, "This day just keeps getting better and better." 

Levi holds at middle finger up at Noah as he strolls into the hospital room. Mom and David enter after them and I felt like crying at the sight of my mother's sun kissed face. 

"Mom..." I hold onto the portable IV stand I was still connected to and step towards her as she rushes to me. 

"Oh my baby girl." Mom cries as she pulls me into her body. My eyes flutter close at her touch and I sink into her touch. She pulls back and examines my face, not doubt shredded by the broken glass. "We got on a plane as soon as Chase called us to say you were missing." 

I glance around the room at everyone, "Chase?"

"Lilith went to Chase when she noticed you hadn't come back to your dorm and Chase went straight to the police." Vera explains as she steps forward with her arms open. I step towards her and hug her tightly, her Chanel perfume making me much more calmer, "They wanted to wait a bit before officially declaring you missing, but Chase basically said fuck that and wouldn't leave the station until they did." 

"He slept in the waiting room of the station for an entire night before they did." Penn explains as I move to hug her and her fiery red hair that was half up and half down. She was so adorable. "He never stopped looking for you, Hayden." 

"His surgery was successful and he just got out two hours ago." Mom explains while grabbing a gentle hold of my hand, "You might not be able to see him for a while. 

I nod in agreement but I was sad. I just needed to see him, to touch him. I needed to make sure he was really alive, that I hadn't tripped too hard on the painkillers and was making all of this us. 

I hugged Noah and David after that, thankful that they were here with me. Mom helps me sit back down on my bed as everyone else stands around the room asking me about what happened. I could tell they were hesitant and they didn't pry or ask too many questions which I was seriously grateful for. 

"Yeah, Steak Sunday's weren't the same without you Hayden." Noah sighs while twirling a strand of Penn's red hair around his finger. Everyone glances at him with dead looks. He shrugs cutely, "What?" 

We start laughing at him as a knock at the door sounds and takes our attention. A nurse pokes her head into the room. 

"Sorry to interrupt, but there's two officers here to talk to Hayden." She explains as everyone begins to stand up from their chair. Noah lifts his arms to the roof and stretches loudly. 

"We're just going to grab some lunch, Hayden. We'll be back soon." Mom explains as she bends down and presses a sweet kiss to my forehead. I try not to flinch from the pain and instead smile softly up at her. They all file out of the door one by one. 

Noah turns and glances over his shoulder just before he steps out of the door, "And if you do go see Chase, which you probably will, remember he just got out of surgery Hayden. So that means no extreme activities, if you now what I mean." 

He winks as Penn rolls her eyes from behind him and basically shoves him out the door, "I'm so sorry Hayden." 

I can't help but laugh just as two officers walk into the room. It was a man and woman, both looked extremely intimidating as they stand at the foot of the bed. 

"How are you feeling Hayden?" The woman officer smiles softly as she asks. 

I nod, "I'm good."

"That's great to hear. Now, if you don't mind, me and Officer Whitlock here are just going ask you a couple questions, okay?" She queries as I nervously play with the sleeve of my grey waffle-material dressing gown. 

I nod once more, "Okay." 

 ♤♤♤♤

You never know how hard it is to sneak around a hospital until you actually have to sneak around a hospital. My nurse, an old cranky woman, had put me on bed rest after I had asked to leave to see Chase. When she left the room a whole fucking forty five minutes later, I took my chance, grabbed my IV stand and left the room. 

The officers were in questioning me for a while as well. They had informed me that Luke had been caught running through the forest and was now being held with an extremely high bail. They asked what he did and why he did it. I could only give them my perspective of it all. I mean, shit, I couldn't even comprehend why the fuck Luke did any of this. 

I also had no clue where the hell Chase was but Levi said he was up top so I was going to every floor above mine and asking for his name. 

I was standing in the elevator when the doors open on the second highest floor and I step out. It was quiet up here and clean. And...was that a fucking water fountain I could here. 

"Hi." The nurse in a place blue uniform questions as she sees me standing in front of the elevator. I smile as I walk over to her. 

"Hello, I'm looking Chase Everett? He just had surgery for a bullet removal." I question as casual as possible, trying to process what I had just said. Bullet removal. Never thought I'd ever say those words in my entire fucking lifetime. 

"And your relation to Mr Everett?" The petite lady ask as she begins typing on her computer. 

I panic and say the first thing that came to mind, "Son...I'm his mom." 

"You look a little too young to be his mother." The nurse presses as she slightly narrows her eyes at me. I drape my free arm across the elevated reception desk and send her a lazy grin. 

"Did I say son?" I question in a high octave, "I actually meant brother. Yup, that's it. I'm his sister." 

"You're his sister?" The nurse questions with a slight smirk on her face. She totally wasn't believing me but she looked amused. "Okay then. Your brother is in room 804, Hayden." 

I smile as I go to walk off, but something clicks inside me, "Wait...how do you know my name?" 

"I use to work at San Diego hospital and I helped David with a lot of his patients." She explains as she stands up with a pile of folders, "He said you'd come looking for him." 

I only smile, slightly embarrassed by my pathetic attempt to convince her I was Chase's sister. I make my way down the quiet hallway and past a nurse helping an old man walk. I grin softly at them before continuing to make my room to Chase's room. 

When I finally find room 804, I stand outside the door for longer than necessary. I was nervous as fuck to go inside. I mean, I had basically caused Chase to get shot and almost fucking die so I'd understand completely if he never wanted to see me again. 

Taking a deep breath in, I turn the handle and the door falls inwards. I quietly stroll in, the wheels on my IV stand the only thing making noise in the giant room. No wonder Levi was jealous of the room, it was so big and grand. His grandfather must've put him in here. 

His bed was perpendicular to the corner and the entire far wall was glass, looking over the city of Seattle. Chase was on the bed, the top half propped up so he was in a sitting position and  his eyes closed and hooked up to so many wires and cables. The beeping coming from machines gave an eerie feeling to the room. 

I silently place myself in the chair next to the bed and watch him for a while, as creepily as that sounds. I used to do it when I'd wake up in his arms, finding him so at peace and content. He looked like that now, just not as happy as I've seen him before. I reach out tentatively a grab a hold of his hands that had so many needles sticking into his skin. 

"I don't know if you can hear me or not but..." I trail off, before laughing and wiping away a stray tear from my cheek, "Only people in fucking movies or novels do this type of shit. It's so stupid. But I guess, I always do such stupid things for you Chase. I think I always will." 

I lean forward as I watch him. Fuck, he was so godamn gorgeous. Even on a hospital bed and inches away from death. 

"You're loving this aren't you, you asshole?" I chuckle at him, "All these young nurses would be fawning over you and basically jumping at the chance to give you a sponge bath." 

I continue to giggle as I hold Chase's hand with and lean forward, pressing my forehead to the edge of the bed. My laughter then turns to a quiet sob as I feel my body begin to shake. 

"Why did you have to step in front of me? Why did you take the bullet? You son of a bitch, why did you have to be my superman?" I question, laughing slightly through my uncontrollable sobbing, "I'm so fucking sorry you're here, Chase."

"Wow..." I hear a croak as I glance up through teary eyes to see Chase staring at me, "This is so not how I thought this would go." 

A large smile stretches across my face, "Really? And how did you imagine it going?" 

"Well, for starters I thought you would be shouting my name from the rooftop. Not calling me an asshole." Chase tries to laugh but I notice him wince slightly from the pain it caused. 

"Hey, I called you superman too." I smirk at him as Chase chuckles, "Yet another boost to your ego." 

Chase laughs softly as he stares at me with his big beautiful hazel eyes and intertwines his fingers with mine, "Fuck, I missed you."

"I missed you too." I reply as I bring his hand up and press my lips to his skin. It reminded me of the time I had fractured my hand in Holden Bay. Chase had always promised to teach me to punch but never did. Chase untangles his hand from mine and with the pad of his thumb, wipes away the tear sitting on my no doubt flushed cheek.

He looked distressed and worried, "Why are you crying, Jones?"

"Because of you. You're not suppose to be here, I am. I'm the one who's suppose to be shot and in pain." I explain as I lean back into my chair and stare at Chase. His hand falls to his side once more and I continue, "At least; I deserve to be." 

Chase shifts over and little, taking his time, and pats the bed beside him, "Come here." 

"What about your wound?" I question, halting before I made any abrupt movings. 

"I'm positive I'm high on pain killers right now. I'm not even sure if your actually here or not." Chase chuckles with a lazy grin as I roll my eyes and perch myself on the edge of the hospital bed. I hold Chase's hands in mine own as my legs dangle off the side. "It's on the other shoulder and just missed my lung by a fraction of a hairline." 

"Holy shit." I mutter as Chase's hands move to my waist. I lean forward and press my cheek to his shoulder as I loosely wrap my arms around his hips. Chase hugs me back with one arm, the other a little too tender to move obviously. I mumble into the white material of his shirt, "You said you love me, Chase." 

"I never stopped." Chase replies softly as he kisses me hair. He then continues, "And you said you love me."  

I lean back as I stare into his hazel eyes again. I smile gently, "I never stopped either." 

I move forward and slowly press my lips to his, careful not to move too quickly. Chase's good hand reaches up and cups my jaw as our mouths move in sync. I started to cry into the kiss, so fucking glad that he was actually here. 

When we break the kiss, Chase was staring at me again. I used to hate the way he would stare at me, it made my skin tingle and it made me really self conscious. I then realised that he's never looked at me any different. Since day one, it's always been the same look. His blank expression, his focused eyes, and his love for me right there on the surface. 

But at the time, it pissed me the fuck off. 

"But...I said I didn't love you. That it was a mistake. Even after all of that?" I question softly as Chase runs the pad of his thumb against my lower lips, his hazel eyes entranced by the movement. 

"Jones, I don't love you because you love me. Regardless of your feelings for me, I will always love you Hayden." Chase explains, causing my heart to enflame with so much passion and love for him. "You're so fucking brave and beautiful and goddamn amazing...yet another boost to your ego."

I laugh at his cocky smirk, "You don't know how painful it was, Chase. To actually utter those words, even the thought of breaking your heart breaks mine even more. Luke said he would've...he would've done such horrible fucking stuff." 

"It wouldn't matter." 

"Yes it would." I look up as I keep the tears at bay, "I would've ruined your life, Everett. You wouldn't be able to go to college, to work for your grandfather. I couldn't just sit there and watch as I slowly destroyed you." 

"I would have you Hayden. I only need you. I don't give a fuck about any of that other stuff." Chase shakes his head and takes a hold of my head with one hand,  "Only you, okay?" 

"Only you." I mumble back as Chase brings my lips back to his. 

The road ahead was long and windy. I could see that as clear as day. But I didn't give two flying shits about that right now. I didn't care about what would happen in the next five minutes, or tomorrow, or next fucking week. Everything just seemed so irrelevant. 

I was with Chase.  I was safe. I was home.

everything and everyone is okay people!

i wouldn't do that to you. i'm not the much of bitch...well....

but all joking aside, there's only like two or three chapters left of this book and i think it's now time to play those sad boi hours playlist :(

remember next chapter is on inkitt!