Chapter Eight: Alright, Maybe

Huh, that's odd. I'm not freezing, in pain or generally miserable. Okay, so that second one's a lie, but pain is much subdued. Really counts as gone. That's really very odd. And it's so dark. Never been a fan of dark. Can't see whose about to jump out and drop you in the dark. Wonder why…

Oh, eyes are closed. Right. I can fix that.

Huh? Is this a… girl's bedroom? Oh! I know this bedroom, it's Ella's. I'm back in Arizona. Wonder how that happen. Last thing I can remember is Iggy and something about a plan… and running… and getting shot.

Again.

Really shouldn't be making a habit out of that. Should take up knitting, much less fatal a hobby.

I don't know, with your luck you'd manage to spear yourself through with the needles.

Well, at least we know YOUR fine.

I am you Nudge. Therefore I can only be fine if you are fine. Now sit up, I want to look around.

Ugh, okay. Pull into sitting position. It defiantly looks like Ella's room. SO either this is an elaborate plot of Itex's to lure me into doing something I'll regret or I'm home.

You are not home. You don't have a home. This is Dr. Martinez's home and Ella's home and maybe even Max's home. But not ours. We don't have a home.

Ever heard the saying "home is where the heart is"?

You mean hope is where Iggy is.

No.

Uh huh.

You know I think I read somewhere that arguing with voices inside your head is a sign of insanity.

I know, I don't think there's hope for Max either.

Well duh, but that wasn't my point.

It's only a sign of insanity when you lose… So yeah, no hope for you either then.

You know what? I'm not going to argue with you anymore.

Only because you know I'm right.

No, because arguing with voices in my head is insane.

Besides, I can't possibly love him. I simply can't. It's impossible. What do I really know about him anyway?

You grew up together. Gasman and Angel were siblings from the start and Max and Fang always have had each other. I think you know him better then you think.

When this become a civil conversation? What happened to all that nervous energy?

I think it might have something to do with being shot and then pumped full of pain meds.

Oh, there's an IV in my arm. That explains that.

Not very important at the moment, Nudge.

Well I guess Iggy's plan worked. I'm alive at least. I'm going to say not dead and home equals success.

So either the plan worked, or we're trapped in a very convincing hallucination.

What about the others? Are they okay?

I don't know any better than you do.

Hey, listen… Are those... voices?

They're out the hall. Lean over a bit to see better.

Fang (he's fine! He's alive! Where are the others?!) is talking quietly with Dr. M on the other side of the door. They both look very grave.

No kidding. Fang looks like he's contemplating murder or something. Sheesh.

Try to swing legs over the side of bed.

Ack! The room is spinning and still have IV in arm. Bad Nudge, bad!

"Ugh…"

Dr. Martinez rushes to my side and starts gushing something that's probably reassuring.

Not really paying attention as I yawn heavily.

Totally nap time, worry about current state of being when again conscious.

*****

Conscious again. Less groggy than before. More alert and slightly more mobile.

Not alone either. Angel's here.

Well, that's nice. She's such a great sister and here she is, standing at the foot of my bed. Come to offer me moral support, to lift my spirits, to-

"Wow, Nudge. You look like hell."

Okay. Maybe not.

Thank her snarkily for her obvious show of support. She just chuckles while she glances toward Dr. M and asks for an update.

Apparently I lost quite a bit of blood, but luckily, the bullets didn't cause any real damage. Somehow managed to miss all my vital-

Am only mildly aware of what Dr Martinez's saying as Iggy enters.

Dynamic suddenly changes. Not entirely sure what happened while I was out cold but something's off between them.

Iggy's talking to Mr. M, and now Angel's talking to me.

Angel smirks as she catches me looking at Iggy.

Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

And he's still dating Ella technically. This could prove to be a problem for everyone involved.

Shoot.