"…Am…I really… that…important?" Apollo groaned, he was in a daze and Ema could see the chestnut tint in his half opened eyes.

"Apollo!" She cried joyfully. "You're ok!"

"How long have I…ya know…?"

"You've been asleep for three days." She whispered in his ear. She leant back and gently caressed his tender pink skin, making him jump and swat her hand away. "Easy…" She replied to his groan. "You saved us…Red Eyes."

"I…did?"

"Yeah, you had a knife in your leg and hundreds of cuts and bruises but you somehow still managed to get away from Gant and save us!" She exploded with joy. That's a side to Ema I never thought I'd see. "We found Klavier's contact details for Germany and rang Phoenix. They're coming over as soon as they can. Leia and Joanna filled us in on how you got the wounds on your neck and chest."

"So…you know I'm Leia's 'son'?"

"Indeed. She told me how you saved her from being sent to jail and she adopted you back about a year after the trial where you were attacked."

"Where are the others? I heard other people…"

"Leia and Joanna went back to work. Lana went to check on Jake." Ema looked at her watch. "I have to make a few calls to tell everyone you've woke up."

He struggled and moaned as he used the bar on his left hand side to sit up then the headboard to stand. He yelped in pain as he tried to put pressure on the leg which had the blade stuck through it. Now there was just a layer of blood soaked bandage. He stumbled, yelping occasionally and staring down at his unbuttoned pants – only held up by the loosely fastened belt and his shirt left fully open, exposing the bloody bandage wrapped around his torso.

He found Jake in the hall just a few yards away from the door which led to the rest of the hospital. He was eating a packet of mints.

"Cowboy what the hell you doin' up?" He reached out to steady Apollo and let him lean against him.

"Sorry…"

"C'mon, back to the bed with y'all" He guided the boy back to the bed and forced him to lie back down. Apollo bit back the pain as the pressure he put on his back was horrendous. "What's wrong with ya?" He offered Apollo one of the few mints left in the pack and Apollo feebly chewed it and felt a short pain as he swallowed.

"Did I prove to you that…Angel was a cheater?"

"Yeah. Lana is stayin' with me to keep an eye on me for a few days."

"You've waited more than a decade for the opportunity to lavish her…I hope you do a good job…and look after her." Apollo noticed the handle of the door was moving.

"Apollo…" Lana spoke softly.

"Lana." She looked a lot healthier than her sister at the moment. Ema looked sleep deprived.

"Ema's here now." As if on cue she walked in. Apollo felt a sharp pain as he tried to breathe in. "Easy honey."

Ema was so exhausted it terrified Apollo. Even though he'd been asleep for three days since he passed out Apollo too was exhausted.

"Excuse me. Visiting hours are over." A nurse peered around the edge of the door. "If you'd all like to make your way into the corridor for a minute while I talk to the patient."

"Ok…"

"Mr Justice, I've spoken to the head doctor and you can have one visitor stay with you for the night." She lifted his head gently then fluffed his pillow. "That is of course if you want someone to spend the night with you."

Uh…thanks nurse…Ema…I want Ema."

"Of course sweetie."

In the dim light of dusk Ema came back in and took the seat beside Apollo's bed again.

"Apollo…Why'd you ask to bring me back…don't you want peace from me?"

"I don't want to be lonely." He felt his antennae being pressed down onto his forehead, he noticed no matter where she touched him she made sure not to put too much pressure on him.

"I was told to give you some news. Pick good or bad."

"Good first."

"Angel has been arrested and Gant put back in solitary confinement. Angel's father has also been arrested and all three will be charged for assault." She sat back in the chair and watched the sun as it began to set.

"What's the bad news?" He groaned.

"I was given a list by the doctor of everything they found wrong with you." She pulled a slip from the pocket of her lab coat. "Let's see… they had to remove the knife from your leg; you have bruising on effectively every part of your body and 150 or more lacerations – mainly on your chest and arms."

"Geez…" He groaned as he rolled onto one side so he could face her. "Did I suffer any head trauma?"

"No. What makes you think that?"

"You look much more pretty than usual."

"…" She was shocked.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel uncomfortable…" Apollo tried to hide the hurt in his eyes at her lack of approval (although he sincerely meant what he just said).

"Can I try something?" She rolled him softly onto his back.

"Uh…Sure…" She leaned over him and gripped his chin softly with her free hand. As she tenderly pressed her lips against his own and pulled back into the chair they both got the answer to the question that had been bugging them since their dreams.

"Chocolate." Apollo exclaimed.

"Peppermint." Ema did the exact same at the exact time. "Hang on, you've been asleep for three days, how can your breath smell like mints?"

"I dunno maybe you were dreaming it."

"Then I'm going to have to check." She leaned in on him again. "Nope definitely peppermints."

"I got the mint of Jake." He smiled slyly before yawning. "The sun sure is pretty in the evening…" he was staring out the window at the swirling colours of orange and yellow fighting for superiority in the sky as the sun set.

"I think we should get some sleep…" Ema yawned.

"When was the last time you slept?"

"Properly? Four days ago."

Apollo fell asleep first, lying flat on his back, if he slept the pain felt less. During the night Ema had fallen asleep resting her head on the edge of Apollo's bed and stretching her arms softly over the attorney's bandaged torso. As soon as she was asleep beside him the pain was nothing, it had been replaced by the love for the girl.

-x-x-

On the other side of town, despite all that had happened Jake had taken Lana to dinner. Neither drank any alcohol so they knew the other wanted this.

"We should continue from the other night." Lana purred as she gripped the collar of Jake's shirt and pulled him close to her.

"I think we should start over." He walked forward until Lana's heels hit the soft material of his couch. "Shoes off now, I don't want you killing the poor couch." He had already kicked his boots off and climbed on top of her legs.

He was lavishing her with kisses wherever he could, her lips, her cheeks, her neck. Both had desired this for so long, both of them urged to do this for the same two reasons:

1. They wanted to replace Angel

2. Both had waited a long, long time for this.

As they fought for dominance and the kisses became rougher they knew what was going to happen.

-x-x-

In the morning, Lana was roused by a scent. A scent she was not used to, one she never smelt in her own house. It smelt fresh, like the ocean after a heavy storm. She knew this wasn't her home. She was only positive of that fact when she rolled over to be even closer to Jake. The sheet on top of them barely covered either of the pair's exposed flesh. She stayed in her new position, feeling his hot breath as he slept peacefully. She caressed his skin along his arms and eventually worked her way across his chest to his abs. She knew she wouldn't regret what she had done with him the night before as she scanned what little of the room she could see from her cramped position on the couch.

Scattered clothes littered the floor and she felt a soreness on her neck where the kissing had turned to nibbling and biting each other. She curled into his arm again so her head rested just beneath his and as she and he lay naked together and she gradually entered the realm of dream, one thing passed through both their minds.

It was well worth the wait.

And that's the end folks. Hope this is what you wanted Dragonridingattorney43 and thanks to all you readers and reviewers (you know who you are!). Keep reading my stories xx