Blood was pounding in her head. Trying to sit up, she found, sent a wave of dizziness over her. She felt like someone had busted her head open. Oh yeah, I think someone did. She remembered. Opening her eyes, she saw she was in a dark room; moonlight streaming in from the window was her only light. Whoa, how long have I been out cold? She wondered.
She felt something warm and wet on her head, reaching her hand to her head only to pull it away. It was wet with blood. She felt all around her head, trying to figure out the spot she was bleeding at. She felt cloth. Whoever put her in this room cared enough to bandage her head properly.
She closed her eyes, trying to recall what happened that day and how her head busted open.
"Good girls don't talk back." He hissed. That was why she was hit, she remembered, she talked back. But to whom? Where was her sister? Where was she? "Bijou?" She whispered. "Bijou?" In the shadows, something moved.
"Nina?" Bijou stepped out of the shadows, face wet with tears. "Nina!" Dropping to her knees, Bijou hugged her sister tightly. Returning the embrace, Nina whispered, "Where are we? Why are we here?"
Bijou leaned back on her haunches and frowned at her sister. "You had me worried! We thought you were dead. I mean; you lost so much blood!" She said, not answering her sister's question because she didn't know the answer herself.
Her sister frowned. "What do you mean 'we'?"
"Good to see you're okay." Hesitantly, a young girl in a nurse's outfit hopped of one of the two beds. She had brown hair in a bun, a nurse's cap covering most of it. Her eyes, a piercing blue, were wide with fear and worry. "My name is Faye. My step-brother is the one that kidnapped you."
Nina frowned again, wincing a little. "Careful. To much movement will open your wound up again." Faye warned. "To late." She mumbled. She fixed a glare on Faye. "What do you mean your step-brother is the one that kidnapped us?" She demanded.
Faye sighed. "My step-brother is in serious financial trouble. All the money he inherited from his mother's will he already wasted. That's why, when he saw you two, he took a chance. He knew all about your father- everybody did.
Everybody knows about Mr. Antonio Ribbon, the successful lawyer and owner of the Ribbon law firm. I believe Nina's his namesake." Looking at Nina, she continued.
"So Ryan called up Buddy and Jake, two of his partners in crime, and told them his plan to kidnap you two and hold you for ransom, five million per Ribbon girl. Apparently, you smart mouthed Jake or something. Jake always had a temper.
So, from what Bijou told me, he grabbed the heavy lamp that was on the nightstand-the only source of light besides the moon, by the way- and slammed it down on your head, knocking you unconscious and therefore ridding us of light.
Not wanted to get blood every where, Ryan called me, and, when I got here, told me about the kidnapping, made me bandage you up, and locked me in here with you guys." She finished.
"Oh, so that explains pretty much everything." Nina mumbled. "Have they called Daddy yet?" Faye shrugged.
After a few seconds of silence, Bijou said quietly, "I miss Hamtaro." Nina reached over and patted her sister's arm. "I know how you feel. I miss Howdy." She mumbled, breaking her promise to herself. She had promised herself she wouldn't say his name until they got back together.
He needed a break, he'd told her so himself. Sure, he loved her. Sure, she loved him. They loved each other so much it hurt. He was one of the few people she actually opened up her heart to, Melody, Stan, and Bijou being the other three.
"I thought you said you wouldn't say his name until you guys picked up your relationship again." Her sister said.
Nina sighed. "I know, Bij, I know."
Why was this happening to him? There were plenty of other rich families, so why did they choose his family? "It's alright, honey. We'll get Nina and Bijou back. The FBI will make sure of that." Next to him, his wife sounded so sure, yet she looked unhopeful.
He couldn't look at her. She looked too much like Nina and Bijou, same white-blond hair, same small frame and pale skin, with only one difference: her eyes.
Her eyes were a warm cinnamon color, whilst Nina and Bijou's sparkled like emeralds, like his. "But why them? They're too sweet to go through something like this." He sighed.
They'd been waiting by the phone all day, waiting for The Call. The cops and FBI were still at the house, refusing to give up. He hoped they weren't hurt, or, for that matter, dead. Since someone reported finding both girls' bags on the sidewalk, everyone knew there was a struggle.
The last thing he wanted was to be alone.
He was even grateful that his daughters' friends and both of their boyfriend's were there, worried out of their minds, with the girls bursting into tears every few minutes. Then, finally, they got some peace.
Which came crashing down on them.
The Call came ten to nine.
After he got approval, Mr. Ribbon answered. "Hello?"
"Your daughters are difficult, Mr. Ribbon." A muffled voice said. His grip tightening on the phone he asked, "How?"
"Your oldest was giving one of my guys trouble. She ain't having any discipline. So he did it for you."
"What do you mean?"
"He crashed an lamp on her head. She was bleeding pretty bad, I think she's dead. My good-for-nothing-nurse-step-sister took care of her, but she came too late. So she's prob'ly dead. Five million for the one that's alive, and five million for the dead one, or else we'll get rid of her."
"You killed Nina!" He couldn't help it; he started shouting. Tears formed in everyone's eyes, and Melody, Howdy, and Stan fell apart, all three sobbing. "Prob'ly."
"Don't you have any consideration? She's only seventeen! She had her whole life ahead of her, but you had to cut it short! There were so many things she wanted to do… become a singer, finish her education… If you hurt Bijou, if you even touch her, I swear to on my mother's grave, my father's grave, on the grave of every ancestor I have that I will kill you."
One of the FBI agents grabbed the phone. "Where do you want us to meet you?"
"At that abandoned park, ya know, the one they're going to wreck. At five in the morning, I needin' some sleep. I want the father only. No cops. Cash only. Ten million smack-o-roos." Grimly, the agent nodded, even though the man couldn't see it. "I'll bring both girls, Ribbon bring the money. Are you sure you want the dead one?"
"Of course, so she can have a proper burial." Mr. Ribbon grabbed the phone again. "Let me talk to Bijou." He demanded. "Hold on a sec, will ya?"
"Which one of y'all are Bijou?" He heard the man shout. Stupid animal. A second later, Bijou answered.
"D-daddy?" Bijou sobbed. "Bijou, I'm so sorry. About everything, you, the situation you're in… Nina." He tried to remain calm, as to not to upset Bijou more. The poor girl just lost her twin. "Oh, she's okay daddy. The hurt and pain is gone. At least, she's not complaining." He couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic or not.
"Bijou, we'll get you. We'll bring you home safe and sound." His voice choked up as he said quietly, "And Nina." "Okay, daddy. Love you."
"Love you too, Bijou. Love you too." And our precious Nina, he thought.
The phone went dead. "They…. They killed her?" Melody asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Mr. Ribbon nodded. "She… they… they crashed a lamp over her head because... because she wouldn't listen to them, I guess. They said she was bleeding very badly, and they had a nurse come over. But… but I guess… they didn't make it in… time." Mrs. Ribbon collapsed in his arms, sobbing.
Melody's face tightened and she buried her face in Jingle's neck, sobbing. "It's not fair!" Stan burst out suddenly. "Just because Nina was being Nina, they killed her! They killed my best friend!" He froze. "Oh my god, they killed my best friend! They killed Nina!" Pashmina held him close, trying to sooth him.
"Don't worry, son, we'll get them." Kyle Kaneko, the head agent, promised.
"I wish I was there to protect her." Howdy mumbled. "You and me both." Stan said. Hamtaro looked sad as he said, "I hope they don't hurt Bijou."
"Daddy seemed to act weird." Bijou said after Ryan cut the phone dead. "He didn't want to talk to me?" Nina whined. "No, he said he was sorry about you. Which is weird."
"Maybe he knew about my injury?" Nina suggested. Faye had wrapped another piece of cloth around her head, since the one she had before was soaked with blood. "Daddy talked about you as if you were dead. It was hard for him to say your name."
Nina blinked. "That's not funny, Bij. Especially after what happened to me." Her sister shook her head. "No! I'm not joking, sis. He sounded as if he wanted to cry." She said. "Well, his only children are being held for ransom." Her sister said sarcastically.
"But they must have told him something to make him act like that!" Bijou argued. Her face froze suddenly. "Oh my God! What if they're going to kill us?" She started crying again.
Nina sighed. "That's why we have to fight." Faye shook her head. "That's a bad idea, considering your condition." She said. "I don't care! I should have stopped them before this happened!" Nina argued. "How did this happen?" Faye asked, sighing.
"I don't remember." Nina admitted. "They hit me on the head hard enough to forget the day's events. Well, excluding the part when they slammed the lamp on my head."
"I remember. It was yesterday night. Nina, you did try to stop them." Bijou said quietly, remembering.
Flashback, Yesterday Night, 11:57 P.M.
"It's almost midnight." Bijou murmured. "The witching hour." Nina muttered, glancing at the night sky. They were walking home from Pashmina's party.
"It would have been better if we stayed for the sleepover." Bijou said.
"And watch Howdy and Pashmina flirt with each other? No, thank you." Nina said angrily.
"They weren't flirting, Nina. And you said his name. Again. Pashmina is dating Stan, Howdy has you." Her sister said quietly. Nina snorted. "But did that stop Pashmina from flirting with my man? No."
A silence fell on them as they continued walking. Neither had thought to take their cars to Pashmina's house.
"Nina." Someone hissed. "Bijou." They ignored it. But it continued until both girls looked at each other with annoyance. "Stop that!" They snapped. "I didn't do anything!" Nina snapped.
"Well, neither did I." Her sister snapped back, annoyed. "Someone must have done it, and we're the only ones here."
"No, you aren't, sweeties." Someone said. A dark figure jumped out of the shadows, no, three dark figures. Bijou screamed, clinging to Nina as she reached for her pepper spray and dropping her bag. One of the goons reached for Nina, which was a mistake on his part. Their father had made them take self-defense classes. Dropping her bag, she kicked him, aiming for his kidneys but missed and hit his waist. "You little…" He mumbled, keeling.
"Run Bijou!" Nina shouted as Bijou sprayed the same guys face. Bijou shook her head. Suddenly, one of the goons grabbed her and clamped a hand over her mouth.
The guy Nina kicked did the same to her, holding her tight.
"Gotcha daddy's little rich girls." He snickered.
Flashback Ends
"Oh, yeah. I remember." Nina said. "That was awful for me. I was so scared." Bijou said. "Oh my god. I can't believe Ryan would do that. Oh yeah, I can. He's known for being violent." Faye said. "How did Jake end up hitting you anyway, Nina?"
"Well, you see." Nina began, looking to Bijou to help her when needed.
Yet another Flashback
"Gotcha. Not so tough, are you?" Jake sneered, pushing the girls inside the room. "Tougher than you." Nina shot back. "Shut up." He growled. "You wouldn't want anything to happen to you. Or your sister."
Nina scoffed. "I doubt you'd hurt two seventeen-year-olds." "Don't think twice, sweetie." He said, slapping her hard across the face. "Is kidnapping two teenage girls really worth it?" She asked calmly. No tears, no falling back. Just calm and strong. He gripped a lamp on the stand next to him.
The girl struck a nerve, but he didn't want to show it. He wanted to be somebody when he was her age. He had dreams. But people took away those dreams. They sneered and laugh at how hopeful he had been. He'd met Ryan, who told him his dreams were nothing. Not worth it.
And standing next to Ryan was the shadow of who used to be Buddy. Years of standing by Ryan erased all his hope, his dreams. Ryan, the dream eraser.
His teeth were clenched as he told her this. "That's-" She began but he cut her off.
"Shut up. You think you're so great, so perfect. You think that you'll get your dreams. But here's a newsflash: nobody ever gets their dreams."
Bringing the lamb above his head, he crashed it down on hers. "Good girls don't talk back." He hissed as she faded in and out of consciousness.
He walked out of the room angrily, looking back once. Only once. "Jake, you asshole!" Ryan yelled. "None of us can fix her up!" Jake sat at the kitchen table, gripping a bottle of beer he got from the fridge. He looked towards the room, where Buddy was kneeling next to the girl.
He swallowed hard as he took in her condition. He'd hit her harder than he thought. Blood was running through her long white-blond hair.
She looked as if she wouldn't make it.
He so badly he wanted to believe the blood was just red dye, that it was just a hair dyeing mishap.
He even said so aloud.
Ryan just laughed at him as he reached for the phone.
Flashback ends
"Wow, so you think Jake actually felt guilty?" Faye asked Bijou. "It was easy to tell, very obvious. The look on his face said it all." She replied. "Well, at least he could feel." Nina said, leaning her head against the wall and closing her eyes.
Her words were slightly slurred, as if she was drunk. She was shivering violently.
"Nina, are you okay?" Bijou asked, obviously concerned. "I don't feel so good." She slurred. Faye immediately grabbed the first aid kit she brought with her. "She lost to much blood. I'd say about two, three pints. Losing that much makes people dizzy." She checked Nina's blood pressure. Too high for her liking.
She stood up, striding over to the door. She pounded on it. "Ryan! She needs to eat! Her blood pressure is too high!" She yelled. Ryan opened the door, annoyed. "God, Fayette, what the heck do you need?" He demanded. "Food. Nina's not doing to well." Faye said coolly.
"She's alive? I told her pa she were dead." He said. "Not yet!" Nina called out. Rolling his eyes, Ryan reached into the cabinet and threw Faye a box of cookies.
"Cookies?" Faye glared at him. He rolled his eyes and tossed her a carton of milk. Sighing, she walked back to Nina. Ryan shut the door. "Cookies!" Nina smiled weakly. Faye handed her the milk and a cookie.
"Faye, can you tell me a story?" Nina smiles again, and she vaguely reminds Faye of a little child. Faye tried to smile, but it looked more like a grimace. Bijou reached for a cookie, eyebrows raised at Faye. "Well, it's a night of flashbacks, so here's another one."
Another Flashback begins
"Ryan?" Faye asked. She had just gotten home from an exhausting day at work only to be called by her stepbrother. "Fayette, I need your help." Ryan said. "With what?" She asked, sighing. Her stepbrother only called her when he needed a favor. The last time he called her was when he needed money, he needed to pay back guys he borrowed from.
"A girl has a head injury. I need you to help her. Come to my house."
"But Ryan I-" He hung up. She sighed. Her stepbrother still lived in a rotting one-story house they used to share before she broke free and started nursing school and moved to a decent town. A few minutes later, she grabbed her keys and headed out the door and began the hour drive. She doubted she'd be able to stay awake long enough to drive back, so she packed an overnight bag.
An hour later, Ryan was annoyed when she got out of her car. "If the girl dies, I'm blaming you." That was the only thing he said to her as they walked into the house. "Hey, Faye." Buddy greeted quietly. Jake gave her a nod, avoiding her eyes.
Mmm, strange, she thought as Ryan stopped at their old room, which they had to share when his mom and her dad were still alive and living in the house. He opened the door, and her eyes went wide at what she saw. A girl was sprawled on the floor, another girl, who looked similar to her, was kneeling by her, begging her not to die.
A 'head injury' was putting it mildly.
There was dried blood on the floor and on the second girl's hands. "Ryan, I knew you chased after young girls, but god, they look like they're fourteen!" She knew it wasn't the time to be joking. "We're seventeen!" The second one snapped. "Ryan, get me a first aid kit and a big bowl of warm water." Faye commanded, ignoring the girl.
A few minutes later, he returned with a first aid kit and Buddy carefully put the bowl of water on the floor. "Faye, promise me you won't run to the cops after this." Ryan said. "Why would I do that?" She asked.
"He kidnapped us!" The second girl said, fear in her eyes. Faye turned to Ryan. "What's going on?" She demanded. "These are Ribbon's two daughters. He's going to buy them back for five million each. I spent the past few weeks watching them." He said. She recognized the name. She lived in the same town as him.
"Ryan, that's crazy! You're crazy!" Faye yelled. "Faye, just fix her up and be good, and maybe you can go home when they do."
Glaring at Ryan, she kneeled next to the girl and proceeded to wash the blood out of her hair with the water. When she was done, she reached into the kit and pulled out a roll of cloth, wrapping it around the girl's head tightly, like a headband. "Sorry, Fayette. Really, I am. But you know you. You're stupid and you do stupid things." With that, Ryan slammed the door, locking it.
"Hi." The second girl said quietly, "I'm Bijou."
Flashback ends
Nina was already sleeping, having finished the rest of the cookies. "Hopefully, she'll wake up from that slumber." Faye murmured. Bijou swallowed hard. She was on one of the beds, looking tired yet wide-awake.
"Oh, Bijou, she's fine. Honestly, but she too much blood, and that explains her symptoms. Her body must not be making blood fast enough. When you guys get out of here, she'll have to get a blood transfusion."
Bijou looked horrified at the thought. Faye smiled lightly. "Go to sleep, Bijou. Don't stay up brooding about what might happen to you. I'll stay awake and watch Nina." Bijou nodded, shutting her eyes tightly.
"Why would anyone do this to Nina and Bijou?" Melody asked quietly. They were in their favorite pizza place, but their pizza was untouched. "Sickos." Howdy muttered. "Assholes are more like it." Stan said loudly. "I still can't believe they killed her. She was just being herself. I bet she wasn't even talking back. I bet they just killed her for the fun of it."
"Maybe they needed the money. Maybe they didn't plan to kill her." Melody suggested. She knew all about financial problems. Her family had plenty. "How can they not plan to kill her and not crash a lamp on her head without planning it?" Howdy demanded. "Because of them, the girl I love is dead."
"It's your fault!" Stan shouted suddenly, angry. "They wouldn't have left the party if you weren't flirting with Pashmina! My girlfriend! Nina saw that, she was so hurt. She loved you, but you treated her like shit! You told her you wanted to 'take a break'. I blame you for my best friend being dead!"
"Stan, it's okay." Pashmina soothed. "No, it's not." Stan said, trembling. "I just lost one of the few people who ever meant a lot to me. I just lost the only person who understood. I just lost Nina." In any other situation, Pashmina would be mad and jealous.
She just held her boyfriend close and wished this never happened. "I loved her, too, Stan. That's what you're forgetting." Howdy said quietly. "We all loved Nina. Whither it was romantic love or friendship love or family love, we loved her." Melody said, raising her glass. "To Nina, may she rest in piece. Goodbye Nina, we'll always love you." Everybody raised his or her glasses in silence, nodding in agreement.
"Wake up! We're 'bout to get paid for ya'll!" Ryan bellowed, throwing open the door and glaring at the girls. Faye blinked, rubbing her eyes. She must have nodded off. Bijou stood up instantly, happiness on her face. "You mean we're going home?" She asked, tears of joy welling up in her eyes.
"Sure, if you hurry the heck up!" Ryan said, rolling his eyes. "Nina, wake-y wake-y!" Bijou said. Nina stirred, rolling over. "My head hurts." She slurred, her voice barely recognizable. "Faye- what's wrong with her?" Bijou demanded, acting as if she couldn't see. Blood was on the floor, dried in Nina's hair.
"I'm sorry Bijou. I fell asleep." Faye said, kneeling next to the girl. "Jake, Bud, you guys have to carry the girl!" Ryan yelled. Buddy was already by his side, silent as he approached the girl. "It's okay sweetie. You'll go home and they'll fix you up." Buddy said soothingly.
Nina mumbled something he couldn't understand. Jake appeared in the doorway, avoiding everyone's eyes as he and Buddy carried Nina outside. "Come on Bijou, Fayette." Ryan said, pushing the girls in front of him. Outside, Faye's car was parked next to a small black ford. The license plate was torn off.
"We're goin' to the park." Ryan said. All three girls were squashed in the back seat with Buddy, Jake riding up front. "Yay, the park." Nina murmured. Bijou squeezed Nina's hand. "We're going home Nina, we're going home."
He was awake well before five. His little girls'… one dead, one alive. When he got Bijou back, he'd set up an alarm system, video cameras, the whole nine yards. Her friends even arrived, to greet Bijou at her arrival.
It sounds like we're picking her up from the airport. Mr. Ribbon thought. Mrs. Ribbon silently made the children breakfast, but no one felt like eating. "Hello, Mr. And Mrs. Ribbon." Agent Kaneko nodded at them as soon as they answered the door. He and several other agents were going to hide in the park. At the park, as soon as the girls were back with their father, one for the last time, they were going to move in on the kidnappers.
"Let's go."
"Wake up Nina. We're here." Bijou said. She had stayed awake for the hour car ride, thinking about how happy she'd be to see her friends and family again. Especially Hamtaro. Nina opened her eyes. Buddy helped her out of the car, supporting her as she tried to walk.
"Move!" Ryan barked. Sometime during the ride, Jake had handed him a gun. He poked Nina in the back to hurry her along. He saw her dad. Even though it was still dark, he could make out the silhouette of Mr. Ribbon. "Daddy." Bijou saw him too. She tried not to run towards him, holding back for Nina's sake.
Either one of you runs, your twin dies. Ryan had warned. He, Buddy, and Jake pulled on ski masks, nudging the girls ahead.
Mr. Ribbon blinked in surprise. He saw them all right. But really, did they need five guys just to hold Bijou back? He didn't see them dragging anything behind them. He didn't want to. That was why Mrs. Ribbon refused to come with him.
"It'd hurt to much to see them drag Nina in a trash bag. I wouldn't be able to take it." She'd said.
Meanwhile, the gang was waiting at the other end of the park, straining to see Bijou. The agents were a few steps ahead of them, guns loaded and ready, which made most of them nervous, even though they tried not to show it. They had to beg to be there, since nobody wanted them hurt.
But Bijou was their friend, and they knew she would be even sadder about Nina than they could ever be. Losing a twin is like losing an important piece of you. "Kidnappers in view. Ready your weapons." Agent Kaneko whispered, keeping his eye on them through binoculars. "Three boys, three girls. One of them must be the Ribbon girl that's alive. But who are the other two? Where is the deceased Ribbon girl? They don't appear to be dragging or carrying something."
As Ryan moved toward Mr. Ribbon, Agent Kaneko gasped in disbelief. "The Ribbon girls- both of them is alive! And the 'dead' one looks like hell!"
Nina did look terrible. Dried blood was clumped and matted in her hair, her eyes were bloodshot, Faye and Bijou had to support her while she tried to walk, and she kept on swaying back and forth as if drunk. "Daddy." They heard her say. Mr. Ribbon's voice was choked up as he said, "Nina, you're alive… oh my god."
Everyone hugged each other at the news. They thought she was dead. But looking at her, she looked as if she was.
"Enough with the emotional reunion." Ryan grumbled, "Hand over the money- or both girls are dead." He warned, waving the gun. "And trust me, from the looks of this girl-" He jabbed Nina with the gun "-it won't take much to kill her. She already bled all over my floor."
"I-I-I'll give you the money. Just give me my girls." Mr. Ribbon said, voice faltering at first but rising strong. He had a briefcase filled with the money. Just as Ryan reached out to grab it, Agent Kaneko yelled, "Fire!" The first bullet just missed Ryan's ear. Bijou and Faye, momentarily forgetting about Nina, ran to Mr. Ribbon, Bijou clinging to her father.
"Nina!" Mr. Ribbon shouted, jumping forward and jumping back after Agent Kaneko shouted at him. Nina, dazed, dizzy, and confused, tried to walk towards her sister, but her wobbly legs refused to cooperate. Ryan aimed his gun and fired at her. She collapsed in a heap.
"NINA!" Stan, Howdy, Bijou, and Mr. Ribbon ran to her, followed by Kaneko, who was calling for help as the other agents managed to tackle Ryan, Buddy, and Jake to the ground.
Bijou and Mr. Ribbon clutched her hands. "Daddy… Bijou… Stan… Howdy…love… all… you." Nina mumbled. Her breathing was heavy, her eyes darting around. "I don't… die… not… yet…" Bijou squeezed her hand harder. "You're not going to die. Nina, please. Don't!" She begged.
The bullet had hit Nina in the shoulder, and blood was streaming from it, almost like a water trickling down from a stream. "I… know… lost… blood… can't… make it…"
"You'll make it sweetie. You'll make." Mr. Ribbon promised. In the background, they heard sirens. "I don't want to die." Nina managed as the paramedics loaded her on the stretcher. "You won't, princess." Her dad whispered. Big words, he thought as they made their way to the nearest hospital.
"Well Miss Ribbon, you sure are one lucky girl." Dr. Rivers said, chuckling. "After a successful surgery and fresh blood, you're back to normal. You took a lamp to the head, had a concussion and head trauma, lost nearly half of the blood in your bloodstream, and got shot in the shoulder. Yet look at you. You looked like a victim of a horrible accident when you came in on Sunday. In a few days, you can go home."
Nina smiled. She looked tired, and her arm was in a sling, but the look on her face made up for it. "That's a relief." Her family exclaimed, smiling at her. "Nina has always been stubborn." Stan added. He was back to normal, along with his best friend.
"That's what kept her alive. But also what made her land in the hospital." Howdy agreed, smiling at his girlfriend. "Well, that and because she had me."
"Faye!" Nina and Bijou exclaimed, smiling as the nurse stepped into the room. "See Bijou, told you she'd wake up." Faye smiled as she hugged the two girls.
"I was so scared though. I had every reason to be. She was out most of the time we were held while I had to do most of the worrying!" Everyone laughed.
"Hey, Nina. We're injury buddies." Melody said, grinning. She had crutches; Nina had a sling. They both had something supporting one of their limbs. Nina laughed, nodding in agreement.
"Well, I know one thing for certain now." Bijou said. "What?" Hamtaro questioned, arm around her. Since she came home, he hadn't let her out of his site. "That Nina's not always the strong one, that I can be the strong one too." She said.
"I knew you could. When we were at the park, I could tell you were holding yourself together. I honestly thought I was going to die. I knew I lost a lot of blood. But I knew you'd say strong for me. Thanks, Bij." The two sisters had tears in their eyes as they hugged.
They were with their friends, family and boyfriends. They had each other. They were home at last.
Safe and sound.
Finally done! Whew, this took forever to finish! Such a cheesy ending, I know. But I'm a sucker for 'em. Hope you enjoyed this, it's my longest story yet. And, my first try at suspense. So, how'd I do?