Hi guys, I'm glad to be back writing for you again. I've had a lot of work recently, but I finally got to write you a new chapter! This chapter is a lot calmer than the last. Also, I got a review asking about how Arianna ended up with Katheryn as her alter-ego when they were supposed to be sisters. When Ari was younger, she was told about the sister she lost, so she made her into a bigger sister type imaginary friend. Certain events (that may or may not be mentioned later) happened causing Arianna to take on her imaginary friend/sister as her alter-ego. A child's imagination is a powerful thing, remember that. So, anyways, I hope you like the new chapter, and expect the next one soon. ;) ~Enjoy ^_^

Arianna

Blinding lights, the scraping of hurried shoes, a warm hand, and familiar face greeted me as I emerged from layers of unconsciousness.

"What happened?" I mumbled.

"You're in the hospital," Elliot murmured. "You had an attack."

The memory my brain had tried to bury came flying back. Halfway through my attack, the pain made me back out, but there was a girl, she looked just like me, but wasn't me. She had smiled, and waved, and promised me she'd protect me. Then she vanished into a light.

"The girl," I wheezed. "She stopped the pain. She helped me."

"No one would let you suffer," he smiled. "Not even in yours dreams."

It hadn't felt like a dream, but I let it go as a doctor walked in.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"Like someone knifed me," I replied, trying to catch my breathe still.

He nodded and motioned for Elliot to follow him. As he stood, he squeezed my hand reassuringly. I watched his face so intently as the doctor talked to him. Wanting to see any sign of negativity.

"You like giving us heart attacks, don't you?" Hardison's voice made me jump from the chair beside me.

"You shouldn't sneak up on sick people," I growled.

"It's not our fault you weren't listening," Parker huffed.

I rolled my eyes in amusement.

"Babe, she was being sarcastic," Hardison explained.

"Oh."

"So, how you doing?" Hardison asked.

I groaned. "This is the beginning of everyone asking me how I feel every four seconds, isn't it?"

They nodded.

"So you'll be okay, right?" Parker questioned. "You'll be home soon?"

"I don't know, Parker," I sighed, bursting what little hope she had. "This is the worst attack I can remember having. Then again, I did forget my medicine this morning, which didn't help."

If looks could kill, I would have been dead in two seconds flat. They were about to start scolding me when the doctor appeared at the door.

"Your vitals look better now," he stated. "I would take it easy though. You're condition isn't exactly standard procedure, and proper help may be further away next time. You're lucky you got here when you did."

I nodded, looking past him as I listened. Elliot had on hand clenched firmly on the hair at the back of his head, but seemed relieved. It burned me to know what he was thinking.

"If you want him that bad..." Hardison began before being silenced by my scowl.

"He found me, didn't he?" I asked.

Hardison smirked and motioned to Elliot.

"I don't think me and Parker can help you much from here, so we'll be heading back home now," Hardison said, much to Parker's obvious dislike.

"I'll miss you!" she called as Hardison steered her to the door, past the entering hitter.

"You rang?" Elliot growled sarcastically, and I motioned for him to sit.

He took his place in the chair beside me as I looked up into his blue eyes.

"You saved my life," I murmured, smiling

He looked away. "It wasn't just me."

"You're a poor liar," I laughed, resulting in a coughing fit. "You were the only one home."

He stayed silent.

"You never tell me anything!" I accused, feeling rage begin to bubble inside me. "You keep quiet whenever I need an answer from you, and you never let anyone in. It was that woman who found me, wasn't it?"

He nodded, and I scowled.

"I guess she must be important to you if you let her come and go as she pleases," I growled.

His silence intensified as he kept his eyes averted.

"If she's so special, why aren't you with her then?" I growled, trying to get some reaction.

It worked. Hi head fell into clenched fists as he groaned.

"Why would you say that?" he moaned into his hands. "You've got this all mixed up, and the worst part? I can't even explain myself because for that stupid woman."

"Why won't she let you tell me?" I asked, calmer now.

"Because she's a selfish bitch," he spat, finally meeting my gaze. "She thinks she knows everything then forces me to do what she can't."

"Like what?" I continued questioning as his words overflowed.

"Like protect you when she can't," he finally admitted, half shouting by this point.

I didn't understand what he meant. I reached out to sooth him and he took my hand.

After a few minutes silence, he said, "I'll tell you everything, but promise me you'll trust me. I swear she'll kill me for this."

Elliot.

She sat there patiently as I told her all about the alter ego she didn't know she had, as well as all the conversations that had gone on between Katheryn and I. She sat silent as she let the information sink in.

"So she wasn't a dream," were the first words she said.

I nodded.

"She's been desperate to know you again," I sighed. "But she just can't get through that barrier. You have up. You should have seen the look on your, err, her face, when you finally saw her."

"This is gonna get confusing, fast," she giggled.

"You're taking this surprisingly well," I said in awe.

She shrugged. "It seems plausible. I mean, thinking back now, when Mum was telling me about the events of my life before I lost my memory, she would often mention that my personality would change at the drop of a hat. She also said I'd used the news of my lost sister to create an imaginary friend based on an older sister."

I sighed but remained somewhat nervous at how easily she'd believed my stories.

"Hey, you told be to trust you, so stop fidgeting," she snapped.

Her mad tone made me laugh for the first time in what felt like forever. She smiled up at me from her cot.

"So what do you think she'll do to you?" she teased.

I shrugged. "Probably slap me for calling her a selfish bitch."

She laughed and I checked the machines surrounding her.

"You bounce back fast," I commented.

In just a few hours she's gone from a wheezing mess to sitting up in bed and acting as if nothing had happened.

"My attacks normally don't affect me past recovering from the heart problems," she admitted in agreement. "This time was different."

"How did you manage to have such a bad reaction?" I asked.

She smiled sheepishly. "I kind of forgot my medicine this morning, and I was having trouble with some emotions."

I poke her in the arm.

"Ouch!"

"You are an idiot, never do that again!" I scolded her.

"Oh shut up mister stays up all night then falls asleep in the gym," she teased, poking her tongue out.

"I though you weren't in the gym."

"Maybe I was, maybe I wasn't," she responded secretively.

"Okay, so if you're going to be secretive, I won't tell you the best part," I said, baiting her.

She caught; hook, line and sinker.

"What?" her face lit up.

She looked adorable. I stopped, shaking my head. That crazy woman had gotten in my head too. Arianna looked at me curiously, but I spoke before she could ask.

"No, you have to answer a question first."

She pouted but sighed. "Fine"

"What emotion would trigger such an intense reaction?" I questioned.

She froze slightly and looked away grumbling, "Why did you pay attention to that?"

I waited and she looked back.

"Are you blushing?" I asked, amused at her reaction.

"No!" she snapped. "I just- I'm not sure what emotion it was, entirely."

I could see she was trying to hide it. She was bad at lying when caught on the spot.

"So you're not going to say?" I smirked.

She shook her head.

"Okay,"I chuckled. "Because I don't have a best part to tell you."

The look I got almost made me lose my seat. II checked my watch and realised it was almost the end of visiting hours.

"I should go," I groaned, stretching to regain blood flow past my lower backside.

She pouted. "Do you really need to go?"

"Yeah, I'll be kicked out sooner or later anyway," I replied. "Do you have your earpiece?"

She nodded as the biggest grin spread across her face.

"I'll talk to you, okay?" I reassured her. "Now get some rest, you need it."

"You too. For me?" she said, giving my a puppy-dog look.

I nodded, trying not to laugh. I headed for the door and let myself have one look back. She looked too happy to be in a hospital, and too young to have such a terrible condition. I only wished I had the miracle cure.

Hardison

I was still up when Elliot came home. I expected a wreck of emotions, but he had this serene look to his face.

"So she's doing well?" I guessed.

He nodded.

"Man, you got the goofiest, most un-Elliot-ish look on you're face right now. What happened?"

"We talked," he replied before heading for his room, completely missing the plate of food Parker had left for him.

I groaned as I got up from the couch and followed him. I went to knock on his door, but stopped when I heard him talk.

"Yeah, I got home okay. You should be asleep. I'm different. Please, you are so obvious when you lack sleep. Yeah, yeah, so I couldn't handle it one time, big whoop. Are you going to ever let that go? Thought so."

I couldn't hear any return voices from a cell phone, and there was only one other person that could be on the end of a conversation through my earpieces. I went against my better judgement and, muting my microphone first, stuck my own earpiece in.

"I really miss you," Arianna's voice came through clear.

"Yeah, we do too," Elliot's voice echoed.

I moved back to the lounge.

"You should really sleep," she sighed. "I don't want to keep you up two nights in a row."

I gasped but breathed when I heard, "That wasn't even you."

I pulled my earpiece out. I'd already managed to cause trouble with rumours, and no-one needed a repeat of that.

I found my way back to my room where Parker was, unexpectedly, sleeping like a regular human on my bed. I climbed in and she snuggled sleepily up to me. I kissed her forehead and tried to sleep, but had trouble with worries for Arianna and Elliot circling in my head.

Elliot

I woke the next morning to find my earpiece still in with a stream of soft snores issuing from it. I remembered the doctor coming in to check on Arianna at around 11P.M, telling her that she seemed well enough to go home the next day. I checked the time. Six o'clock. Six hours sleep was good enough for me. I got up and headed for the kitchen before realising I was still in the clothes from the day before. I had a shower , then started cooking breakfast for everyone. Parker usually did exercises at seven, and Hardison would soon be waken my said Parker to the announcement of breakfast being ready.

"You're up early today," came her voice, just as I was thinking this.

"Ari's gonna be out of hospital today," I told her and she began bouncing on the spot.

"I'm so glad she's okay," she smiled as she stole a piece of toast and bounded from the room.

As predicted, a tired looking Hardison followed the her back into the kitchen just a few minutes later.

"G'morning," he said, stifling a yawn. "How was you're sleep?"

I shrugged and continued cooking.

"You know you looked like you were on some happy meds when you came back last night."

"Well, Arianna was looking heaps better when I left the hospital," I replied nonchalantly.

"That's good," he said, chewing on the piece of toast he'd stolen as well.

"Can't you two ever wait 'till I'm done?" I asked mockingly.

They both shook their heads and I groaned.

"So you want to go get Arianna by yourself?" Hardison asked.

Both Parker and I rounded on him.

"Why wouldn't I want you to come?" I growled. "Ari is our team member. We are all part of this team."

"Look, I'm just saying that if you two need some alone time-"

I slammed the breakfast dishes down on the table in front of them and left. No-one followed me to my room or tried talking to me for a while after that. Everyone seemed to be telling me that there was something there between me and Arianna. Sure, I was protective of her, but I was of the whole team. Even if she seemed to always find me over the others, and make me smile, and laugh and...

Oh.

Have you ever had a friend who keeps asking you if you like a certain person, and you absolutely refute it? It goes on until you actually take the time to think about it, and you realize those assholes had a point. Yep, me too, and now, so has Elliot. XD I can finally get some more romantic stuff going. Also, I'm debating whether or not to keep Katheryn around. I have two possible routes I can go, one where she disappears, and one where she doesn't. (I honestly can't choose) Check out the poll on my page to cast your vote! As always, any ideas, opinions and spelling error reviews are encouraged. Can't wait to hear from you guys. ~^_^