Chapter 10.

A/N: As of this chapter we are about ΒΌ of the way to the ending.

The ambulance arrived rather quickly. As I am screaming Lucy's name a paramedic is holding me back.

"You cannot go with her unless you are family!" The paramedic with glossy black hair says. I let myself loose, knowing that I would not win this fight.

I sigh as the door to Anubis house makes an ungodly creak and it comes to my attention that all the house residence is sitting in the hallway. Waiting for me.

"Are you okay, Nina? I heard about what happened." Fabian says. His voice calms my tense muscles.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I can visit her tomorrow, right?" I whisper, burrowing my face into Fabian's neck. He wraps his arms around me.

"Sure. You can stay for as long as you want there. Mr. Sweet is even excusing you from school tomorrow to go visit her. You may not be aware of this, but you are her only friend." He whispers back to me. Any chance of staying calm shattered.

"Fabian...she has no one? Except me?" I say. My eyes tear up. Just the thought of having no one except family and me is heart breaking. No one else. I push away his warm body and I dart up the stairs, avoiding any conversation from him, Amber or anyone. No sibuna meeting today.

I jump onto my bed, and slip under the cool covers. I start to think about Lucy, hoping she is okay. I think about what I will miss at school tomorrow, and then I think about Christmas. Oh no. Christmas is in a week and I haven't thought of anything yet. A wave of worry washes over me and my thoughts become distorted. I think about murder, and when I close my eyes I can see blood. My hands, they are covered in blood. Oh no. Someone has died. Have to find a way out...a blood curdling scream is let out...someone has a knife. Then, my eyes fly open. I sit up in my bed, in a cold sweat. My heart is pounding, that usual after a nightmare feeling.

"Only a dream..." I whisper to myself while sighing.

"Only a dream..."

The next morning, I skip breakfast. I want to get to the hospital as soon as possible, I need to see Lucy. Then, Trudy jumps in front of me. She startles me, and I take a step back.

"Where do you think you are going without breakfast, young lady?" She interrogates. I let out a sigh of irritation, and she takes notice.

"Here, at least take a banana." She hands me a banana. I run my hand down its smooth yellow skin, and I open it. As I am chewing, Trudy tries to make conversation.

"Do you even know when visiting hours start, Nina?" She asks.

"No, but if I am early I can just wait in the lobby." I respond. She scoffs.

"Oh no, no, no! You will wait here until visiting hours start. You have an hour. Find something to do while I call a cab." She orders. Wow, she has a strong trait of a housemother. Annoying.

Fabian's POV:

I sigh while chewing on my breakfast biscuit, tearing the warm bread in half.

"What's your problem, fabes?" Joy asks. I give her a half smile, to hint that I want to be left alone, but she does not listen to it.

"Oh, nothing. I just can't think of anything to get Nina for Christmas!" I say. Joy looks away. She is in deep thought on helping her old friend.

"Hey, why don't you get her something that would mean a lot to her? Something she could not thank you enough for." She suggests. It takes me a moment to process the suggestion, but I know what I am going to get Nina now.

"Thank you, Joy. You have been a great help." I give her a hug and I get up from my chair. I make my way over to Amber, in the living room who is sitting down talking to Alfie.

"I still don't forgive you, now leave." She commands. Of course, Alfie complies and goes away.

"Amber, I know what I am getting Nina for Christmas!" I say in an excited tone.

"Ooh, are you getting her a cell phone? A new pair of shoes? A new outfit? Because she needs one..." She keeps listing.

"No, Amber! I am getting her the next riddle for Christmas! Isn't that a good idea?" I ask hoping for an "Amber Approval". Her smile fades.

"Wow, if I was dating you, I would have dumped you if you even thought of getting me that. Good thing I'm not, then." She says. Wow. I'm glad I'm not dating a girl who is that high on the high maintenance chart. But she agrees.

"All right, let's go searching for the next clue! Well, after school of course."

In the main entrance hall I can hear Trudy yelling.

"Your cab is here, Nina! It is best that you hurry!" She announces to not only Nina, but also to the whole house at the same time. How unnecessary.

Nina's POV:

"Your cab is here, Nina! It is best you hurry!" Trudy yells across the house. Why does she have to yell? It isn't a good day. Besides the sun shining, nothing is good about today. I say goodbye to Trudy, and I leave the house. I walk down the rocky path away from Anubis house, and to the black cab. The car rolls off toward the hospital. I am excited to see Lucy, to see how she is doing. It was just yesterday she was sent to the hospital, but yesterday felt like a thousand years ago. The cab rolls up to the hospital, and I get out as soon as it stops.

"Thank you for the ride!" I exclaim. I give him the money I owe him and he drives off. I fasten my pace as I get closer to the main lobby doors. I open the door, now jogging up to the lobby desk. It is then that hospital smell hits my nose. Gross.

"Hello, I am here to see Lucy Hale." I say. The nurse looks up, her green eyes sparkling.

"Sure! Go right in! She is accepting visitors at the moment. Her room is to the right. 24B." She instructs.

"Thank you, I say. I walk down the hallway, reading the door signs. 10B, 12B, 19B, 20B, 22B, 24B. I open the door, smiling seeing Lucy awake.

"Hey!" I say, excited. Her eyes shine with joy, happy to see me as well.

"Nina, you're here!" She sits up in bed, and lets out a nasty cough.

"Careful, Lucy. What did the doctors say you have?" I question.

"I have a severe case of the flu. They said I will be all right if I stay in bed, but they let me stay overnight just in case." She says. She is really happy to see me. It stands out a lot.

"Lucy, I also came to speak to you because Fabian told me something." I say with a serious expression. Her smile loosens, and her loose smile turns to a frown.

"He's right. You are my only friend. I started this year hoping I could make more friends, but I was wrong. People hate me just as much as last year." Her eyes start to tear up.

"Well, why does no one like you?" I ask. She sighs, trying to hold back tears.

"They all think I am ugly or fat. Sometimes both." She looks out the window. I feel my eyes starting to tear as well. She may be a little fluffy, but she is no where near fat. Or ugly! To think in such a young grade people are so fast to judge. I feel so bad.

"Oh, Lucy. You are not fat. You are beautiful as well. You are perfect." I say sincerely. Her smile comes back, but only a little. Then I remember her crying in the hallway a few months ago.

"Lucy, around the beginning of the school year, I saw you crying after you talked to me. Was it something I said? Can you tell me why you were crying?" I ask and almost demand. She looks at me, studying my face.

"That was my birthday." She says. Why would she be sad about her birthday?

"It was supposed to be my amazing 12th birthday, but it wasn't. That was the day I found out I was adopted."

A/N: Thanks for reading! What is going to happen next time? O0o0o0o0o.