Hey Everyone. Here's the next chapter! Hope you enjoy!

I do not own Private Novels; Kate Brian does

As much as I wanted to leave this cold, sterile hospital, I couldn't. Knowing Josh was in room 4007, holding Ivy's hand and waiting for her to open her eyes made me jealous.

I wanted Josh back. I wanted him to be the one taking me back to Easton. The one saying everything is going to be okay. I wanted him. That simple.

But I had already made a promise to myself that I wasn't going to think selfish thoughts. Ivy needed Josh. And, as much as it hurts to say, Josh needed Ivy. They needed to be strong for each other. I didn't know how strong Josh' feelings are for Ivy, but I know that they are there. He cares enough to not leave her alone. To be the only someone she truly has.

And standing in front of me, was the only someone I had. Noelle. Who had hope in her eyes, to rekindle our strained relationship. No, she wasn't Josh. But it was a start, back to my old life. I just had to take one step at a time.

"Yeah," I started softly, looking up at Noelle, "Let's get back to Easton."

I followed Noelle out the doors of Edward Billings Memorial Hospital, a chilling gust of wind slapping into my face. The skies a dark and looming gray, ready to open to let the welcoming rain fall.

There was a black Lincoln town car, waiting to take us back to Easton. Our home. Our home that is filled with deadly memories. A chill went through my spine just thinking about the past few months.

Noelle obviously had spotted my anxiety and stated in a soft and warm voice, "Don't worry Reed. The killers have been found. Sabine is going to the same crazy place as her sister. Everything is going to be fine now."

As much as I wanted to believer her, to trust her on her statement, there was a part inside me that couldn't. There was somewhere inside of me, I just don't know where, that knew this isn't over. That it would never be over.

But I didn't want to be weak. I didn't want to show Noelle that I felt scared and vulnerable so I lied, "Yeah. Everything's going to be fine."

An older man that looked to be in his late sixties who worked for Easton, opened the car door for us as we slid into the back sit. The driver slid into the drivers sit, and started the route back to Easton.

I sat looking out the window, watching the trees blend together as we sped away. Not many cars were out this Saturday morning.

After a few minutes of silence, Noelle decided to break it, "Reed, I think we need to talk." She had apprehension in her tone, and she sounded worried. I knew she wanted to talk about everything that has happened and me and where I stood with Billings, but I wasn't emotionally ready for that.

"I need a little time Noelle. I'm exhausted right now, and with everything that has happened I'm still in shock. We will talk, just later on, please," I practically begged.

She gave me a smile and said, "I figured you were going to say that. So you go back to Pemberley, get some sleep and when you're ready to talk you know where to find me."

"Thanks," I said and gave her my best smile.

"No problem," she said as we pulled through the gates of Easton. The old oak trees were towering as we drove up to the driveway in front of Bradwell. The first day I arrived here at Easton, I was intimated by these ancient block buildings, now knowing what went on behind them, made me feel full of pity.

Once we stopped the driver got out of the car, and went to my side as he opened the door he said, "Welcome back to Easton."

"Thank you," I said and smiled.

He smiled back and wore a shocked expression on his face, as if no one ever told him thank you before, "Well, you're very welcome."

Me and Noelle walked towards the quad together and before we had to make our separate ways she said, "Text me when you're ready. Get some sleep also, you don't want dark circles to form or stress lines."

I let out a light laugh and she followed along suit, "I will. See you later."

She gave me a slight wave and walked towards Billings, while I made my way towards Pemberley and my billings sized closet of a room.

I went to change out of my gold mini-dress and put on comfy Juicy Couture sweats and a Penn State t-shirt.

I washed my face and brushed my teeth, trying to make myself feel somewhat better. On my way back to my room from the bathroom, I had to pass Ivy's room. The door was closed, her roommate must have been with her at the hospital.

Pemberley and Easton itself was deserted. All probably sitting in the waiting room awaiting Ivy's awakening. I would go back to the hospital later once I knew Ivy was awake and try to face her.

She probably never wanted to talk to me again, I thought as I collapsed on my some-what comfortable double bed. Who could blame her? Her current boyfriend tried to save his ex-girlfriend, while she was stuck with no one left.

Skimming my memories of ever since I've known Ivy and now understanding that she was not the one to kill Cheyenne, I would say that she was a better person than me.

She was backstabbed by the Billings Girls a few years ago, in her junior year. Cheyenne, her best friend at the time, left her while she needed her the most. She blamed her own grandmother's death on herself, when in fact it wasn't. Her family didn't respect her for the longest time and she had no one.

Yet now, she had Josh. She never hurt Josh. She never hurt anyone. Me though, I had hurt Josh, even though drugged, I still had hurt him by kissing Dash. I hurt Noelle. I even hurt the Billing's girls. I put being president of Billing's in front of my relationship with Josh.

I didn't deserve Josh. He deserved to be happy with someone, without any drama. Ivy could be that person for him.

The only reason Ivy is laying lifeless in a hospital bed is because we teamed together to find Cheyenne's killer and our stalker. If she wouldn't have done that, she would probably just be waking up to a gloomy Saturday morning, a regular Easton day.

With all of these different thoughts flowing freely through my blank mind I couldn't sleep. Tossing and turning recklessly in this bed wasn't going to help me get the sleep that I needed.

I checked the clock that was sitting on my desk near my computer, and saw that it was 11:23 A.M.. Just fifteen hours ago, someone had tried to kill me. Just fifteen hours ago, I found the truth.

The text message ring of my iPhone brought my thoughts to a halt. I walked over to my desk where I put my phone and checked to see who it was from: Mark.

To: Reed

Just herd wat happened. R u ok? Call me once u get ths.

From: Mark

Mark. My other friend that tried to help me solve Cheyenne's death. Since he was on the newspaper committee, he was planning on doing an expose on Cheyenne's death. I dialed his number and it ran three times before he picked up.

"Reed," Mark's frantic voice said. I could just tell from one word he was worried.

"Hi Mark," I said, trying to sound somewhat sane.

"Are you okay? What happened? Are you at Easton or at the hospital? Did you get hurt? Well of course you couldn't be hurt because if you were hurt you wouldn't be on the phone right now," he was rambling, so I interrupted his out loud thoughts to answer his questions.

"Mark. I'm fine. I'm at Easton in my room. I didn't get hurt, only Ivy. But she's going to be okay," I said in a calm voice.

"Thank god! You have no idea how worried I was. You should see how crazy it is here at the hospital. Ivy just woke up! Everyone is trying to see her, but right now Josh is in there," he said the last part softly.

Ivy is awake though! Another weight shifted off of my shoulders and just lifted away. But Josh was with her. His probably is being the great boyfriend I once knew. Stop thinking like that Reed!

"That's great! It's good that she's awake," I said with happiness in my voice.

"Yeah it is. Wait, Josh just walked out of her room. Reed, I'll call you later," Mark said.

"Okay, bye," I told him and we hung up.

Josh left her room? Why would he leave her room? He was supposed to be with her. Not leaving her side. The boyfriend that I loved wouldn't leave.

My thought's once again were halted when my phone ran with another text message from: Noelle.

To: Reed

Ivy is awake. Just thought u shuld kno.

From: Noelle

I decided to text her back.

To: Noelle

Thnks. Mark told me tho. Herd its crazy at the hospital. She shuld be fine.

From: Reed

I received a text right away.

To: Reed

I thought u were sleeping?

From: Noelle

I texted her back the truth.

To: Noelle

I cant really. But we will talk later.

From: Reed

Once again, I received a text in an instant.

To: Reed

Ok. Try tho. Call me wen ur ready.

From: Noelle.

I decided to take her advice, so I placed my phone back on my desk and dropped onto my bed once again. Once my head hit the pillow filled with feathers, I fell into unconsciousness. And Sabine's face mocking me in my own nightmares.

Okay...So what do you guys think? I'm starting chapter 3 now, and it should be up in a few days! Please read and review and it will be up faster! That's all I ask!

-Marie