Chapter 2 - Hope you enjoy

CHAPTER 2

The mid-afternoon sun filters through gaps in the curtains casting light onto her face, the gentle warmth it provides is strong enough to slowly breathe consciousness back into her. A barely audible groan came from Alex's throat as she fought to pry her heavy eyes open. The last thing Alex remembered was laying in the Med Ward with Fletcher and Kaiden working to heal her wide assortment of injuries. But as her eyes started to register her surroundings Alex quickly realised, she wasn't in the Med Ward anymore. Instead of the harsh white lights decorating the ceiling enhancing the already blinding bright blue ceiling Alex was all to accustomed with seeing, the room she was in now had a soft natural light from the afternoon sun bouncing off the walls lighting up the room.

Alex slowly blinked her eyes open and began to take in her surroundings. If she wasn't in the Med Ward any more than where was she? The room was too unfamiliar to be the dorm she shared with D.C., the usual scent of perfume and the wide array of books scattered everywhere missing. Just as it wasn't Jordan and Bear's room, there was no faint blue glow of various technological devices, nor the discarded packets of various food items.

"Oh no." Alex sighed, as she noticed the various photos stuck on the wall beside the bed she was laying in – or more specifically the people pictured – Kaiden and Declan. As realisation finally set in as to where she was Alex sat straight up, heartbeat erratic, but when her head pounded in protest, she promptly collapsed back down onto the pillow closing her eyes tightly to ward off the sudden dizziness and nausea.

"I would suggest that next time, maybe try not sitting up quite so fast," in her panic from realising where in fact she was, Alex failed to notice Declan – who spoke – and Kaiden enter the room. The former of which was leaning arms crossed against the wardrobe, and the latter walking further into the room holding a plate and a pale green vial that she was all to familiar with.

"Uh… one of you wouldn't want to fill me in on why and how exactly I'm here would you?" Alex asked wincing form both the pain of maneuvering herself into a seated position and the hoarse sound of her voice.

Both boys released a small huff of laughter at her obvious confusion, however instead of answering Kaiden placed the bowl and vial on the beside table and took a seat on the other bed facing her before asking a question of his own. "What do you remember."

"I remember…. Getting injured," Alex began, deliberately skipping the explanation of how she got injured – that was something she definitely didn't want to get into right now. "Then you and Fletcher treating me in the Med Ward, he gave me a vial of pain relief and said I should be fine and all that I needed now was rest, I don't remember anything after that except vaguely Jeera for some reason…. but… I honestly didn't think that Fletcher meant rest outside of the Med Ward… and even if I couldn't stay in the Med Ward then why am I here instead of my room?"

"Okay," he began settling into a more comfortable position before continuing, "after Fletch gave you the pain relief and you fell asleep an urgent influx of patients – chem lab gone wrong – meant that he needed all the beds he possibly could…"

He spent the next five minutes explaining every detail of how she ended up in their room including an explanation of how her new wardrobe was the result of a visit from Jeera and that he slept on the floor; both facts which Alex was extremely grateful for, since the alternative caused her breath to hitch and her heart to beat wildly in her chest.

"We've come by after every class to check on you. You took your time waking up Alex," Declan added throwing her a teasing grin, still leaning casually against the wardrobe.

"Sorry for the inconvenience," Alex returned sarcastically, causing both boys to release a short laugh.

"Now that the explanation is out of the way," Kaiden said, moving to pick up the vial and offering it to Alex. "When you didn't reawaken this morning, we stopped by the Med Ward, Fletch gave us this to give to you when you eventually woke up."

Alex drained the contents of the vial before swinging her legs around so they hung over the side of the bed and begun eating the bowl of cereal Kaiden offered after she handed back the pain reliever.

"Eat up Alex, your going to need the energy for this afternoon," Declan said.

"Why? What's this afternoon?" she responded spooning another mouthful of cereal.

"You woke up just in time for combat. Kaid and I ran into him earlier this morning, he did not seem to be in a good mood, even worse than usual. I have a terrible feeling this afternoon will be utter torture. You may just end up right back in the Med Ward, along with the rest of us."

Alex was sure that her face showed the growing alarm and trepidation she felt building inside at Declan's words; a fact which was confirmed when both boys tried to conceal their amusement.

*A Few Minutes Later*

"Alright, let's get what promises to be a hellish afternoon over with." Alex said rising from her seated position on Kaiden's bed.

The three of them began down the hallway but as Alex went to continue on to the stairs and out the dorm building Kaiden gently grabbed hold of her left wrist and guiding her down another hallway. Just as Alex opened her mouth to ask where they were going Kaiden explained.

"As comfortable as they are, I really don't think that my jumper and those pants are appropriate attire for a combat class," his eyes danced with humour as he caught the expression on Alex's face, her having completely forgot what she was wearing.

The three of them arrived at Alex's dorm right as Bear and Jordan rounded the corner, looking far too amused at the sight of her for her liking.

"Hey Alex, how was your night?" Jordan asked, glancing briefly at Kaiden before returning his gaze to her and grinning.

Alex didn't respond verbally but her gaze did narrow enough for both Jordan and Bear to get the hint, if their matching grins and quiet chuckles were anything to go by. Declan too seemed to share an amused glance with her two best friends as she pointedly nudged him and Kaiden into her room.

"You're hilarious," Alex said with an annoyed and embarrassed smile as she shut the door. She could still hear their laughter as she walked across to her wardrobe picked out a navy-blue t-shirt, black leggings and sneakers and moved into the bathroom to quickly change.

When she came back out Declan was sprawled out across her bed and Kaiden was leaning casually against the wall, they both looked up at the sound of her re-entering the room.

"Ready?" Declan questioned, pushing him self up into a standing position.

"I'm not entirely sure "ready" is the right word considering your earlier description of Karter's mood, but let's get this over with." Her response prompting snickers from both boys.

"You'll be right Alex, I'm sure of it," Kaiden said as he draped his arm casually over her shoulder and guided her out the door with a grinning Declan following close behind.

After a few minutes chatting with the rest of their classmates upon arrival at the arena Alex quickly realised that Declan's predictions for how their afternoon would go hadn't been too far off. The only difference being that Karter's mood was even worse than they described. By the end of the class all six of them were in the Med Ward with broken ankles, concussions and everything in between. Thankfully this time Alex's trip to the Med Ward ended with her remaining in her own clothes and sleeping in her own room.