We all sat in the waiting room of the vampire hospital, quietly awaiting the news of Emery. I stared at the opposite wall emotionlessly, though my mind was running in circles with anger, hurt and worry. Mom had her arm around my shoulders and dad kept sighing.

Nobody moved until Chandler stood up. He looked at my dad, and then my dad stood and traded places with him. Chandler took my hand in his and I felt his calming power flow through me. I nibbled on my lip anxiously however. Not even his power could control my emotions right now.

After a couple more minutes, a nurse came in with a shining smile on her pale face. Instantly my heart leapt into my throat. She was bringing us good news. "Emery will be just fine. His healing powers had kicked in, and he should only have to stay here a couple nights. Family is allowed to see him right now."

All of us at once stood up. The nurse frowned and looked at all of us. "Only family through blood, please." she murmured. I resisted the urge to glare at her. So we all sat down save for Calixto, Jelani, Nydia and their grandmother who I had never met before. Nydia and their grandma had arrived shortly after we did.

They left the room after the nurse and I heaved a heavy sigh and leaned against my mom. "I'm so glad he's okay." I muttered against her hair. Mom let out a nervous laugh she had been holding and nodded.

After a few more minutes, Emery's family and the nurse walked back. "Is it our turn?" Mom asked the nurse. The nurse shook her head.

"I'm afraid you all will have to go home. Come back tomorrow, Emery is tired."

I felt cold hatred bloom inside of me. I stood up quickly and was in her face faster then I thought I could move. The nurse went from surprised to warning when she bared her fangs at me. It was instinct. "I want to see him! He would not be too tired to see me!" I hissed at her. Someone grabbed my arms and pulled me backwards though, and I continued to glare at her.

Her face went soft again. "I'm sorry, but it's by hospital rule we need to let the patients rest." she told me, and then quickly added, "plus all that werewolf blood is making every vampire in this hospital agitated."

She had a good point. We were still caked with the dry blood, and I sighed in defeat. "Whatever." I mumbled. The nurse apologized again and quickly left the room. It was dad who had grabbed me and I glared back at him.

"It's time to go, quit giving me that death glare." Dad growled at me, and he pulled me after him and out of the hospital. Everyone followed. We all split up in our cars, Lucas, Autumn, Tayte and Chandler left to their house, and Talon and Giselle went back to his place to talk about the broken peace treaty, and the rest of us -excluding Emery's grandmother- went back to our house.

It was a silent drive, save for the classical music my mom put on to soothe us. I was nearly asleep by the time we pulled into the driveway of our house. They allowed me to take a shower first since I was the most exhausted. It was two in the morning, and I knew dad and mom wouldn't let me go to school tomorrow.

I stayed in the shower for a good hour, washing my hair and body three times. When I finished, I dressed into my black boy shorts and a loose tank top. I fell asleep not even minutes after my head hit my pillow.

*

When I woke up, the sun was shining brightly into my room. I sat up, all my muscles aching and my bones popping as if I'd slept in one position all night. I yawned and stretched, then looked at my clock. I had slept sixteen hours.

Memories from the night before came flooding back, and I remembered Emery was still in the hospital. I could see him today! I quickly stood up and walked down stairs quickly.

"Mom? Dad?" My voice was hoarse. Instead of my parents coming out of the kitchen, it was Chandler. He smiled softly at me.

"Hey, you want me to take you? Your parents went to the store."

I froze a moment, looking into Chandler's deep blue eyes. My heart was already torn in two. One side was yearning for Emery and the other for Chandler. I slowly nodded. "Yes, please." I murmured, and Chandler wrapped an arm around me and lead me to Tayte's car.

The ride was silent, and like usual, Chandler's hand had made its way to my thigh. "How are you feeling about this whole thing?" he asked.

"About Emery? I've never felt more broken." I told him seriously. Chandler's grip tightened a bit on my thigh.

"No, not that. I already know that. I meant about us."

"Me and you?" I asked, surprised beyond belief. Chandler threw me a curious glance and then looked back at the road. "Is there even an us?"

This time Chandler glared at me. "Are you saying that that moment in your bedroom and our first kiss in the bathroom was nothing?"

I was speechless. What was I supposed to say? Instead of opening my mouth, I turned and looked out the window, not giving him a single answer. I heard him make a sound of distaste and I nibbled my lip some more.

When we arrived at the hospital, Chandler let me go see Emery by myself. I walked in the preen smelling room, and saw Emery forking distastefully at his hospital food. When he sensed me, he looked up, his black eyes narrowing in on me. He was propped up against a pillow, and his chest was bare.

He was wrapped in white bandages from his abdomen to his collarbone, and his shoulder had been padded with thick adhesive pads and gauze. I breathed a sigh of relief when he smiled at me. "Hey, I never thought I'd see you." he set aside his yucky looking tray of hospital food, and opened his arms as best as he could with his shoulder being wounded.

It took my whole being and self-control not to tackle hug him. I carefully wrapped my arms underneath his and pressed my cheek to the bare skin of his unwounded shoulder.

"I'm sorry. The nurse yesterday was being a bitch. I just now got to see you today. I'm so glad you're okay!" I almost started crying, but his hand went up and touched my cheek, right underneath my eyelid.

"I'm glad you're okay. All I remember seeing was you attacking Kai and then I was in your arms."

I laughed, though it came out shakily. Then I grew angry with him. "Are you insane!? You could have been killed!" I pulled away from him and crossed my arms.

Emery smiled softly at me. "Ren, you're only a half-blood. I'm a full shifter, which means I have a better chance of living. Had he attacked you and done to you what he did to me," he motioned to his shoulder and chest, "you would be dead right now." he finished in a strained voice, and he looked distressed.

I sighed and leaned forward to kiss his cheek. When I pulled back he was blushing slightly. It was adorable. "How are you feeling right now?" I asked. I pulled up the wheeled stool and sat next to his bed.

"What are you, my new nurse?" he joked, and leaned back on the bed. I laughed, a little more freely, and leaned my chin in my elbows which I rested on the mattress. He sighed and closed his eyes. "The nurse gave me a bunch of medication and the sedatives are just wearing off. So I feel no pain, but I'm clouded."

I smiled up at him. "Chandler is here too, but he's giving us time to talk."

Emery raised an eyebrow. "You mean he doesn't care you're alone in here with me?"

I shook my head. "He's holding back, I'm sure." I replied. Emery's face went grim.

"Ren, can I tell you something?"

I lifted my head up and raised my eyebrows. "Of course, anything, Em."

"Did…Um… That night when you cried and I held you, did you hear me say anything before you fell asleep?"

I thought a moment, trying to think hard. That was the same afternoon when Chandler and I had gotten into an argument. I remembered Emery letting me dry sob against him, and then I had fallen asleep. I also remembered hearing him say something, but I hadn't comprehended the words.

"I heard something, but I don't remember what the words were… why?" I asked curiously, sitting up in case I had to interrogate him.

"Oh, well then never mind." he picked up his tray and started poking his spoon at the disgusting looking jell-o. Now I was curious.

"Wait, tell me. What did you say?"

He glanced up at me and shook his head. "It wasn't anything important. Don't worry about it."

Before I could say anything else, the annoying nurse from the day before walked in. The smile on her face faltered slightly, but she kindly told me it was time to check up on Emery and that I could come the next day when they let him out.

I bid my goodbyes with Emery, giving him a soft hug, before leaving. Chandler met me in the waiting room, and we left the hospital. "So… how is he?" Chandler asked, climbing into the drivers seat and starting the engine.

"He's doing great. I'm so thankful he's alive. I would probably never be the same had he…" I bit my lip. I couldn't say the word. Died? Death was a scary and horrible thing to think about.

Chandler hadn't pulled out from the parking spot. The low rumbling of the engine running was the only sound. I glanced over at him to see him staring at me with sad blue eyes. "What?" I asked.

He leaned over me -with faint realization I noticed he hadn't buckled himself up- and then took my face and planted his lips against mine. My eyes widened, and he pushed his cool tongue through my lips and met mine. A couple days ago, this would have been heaven for me.

But now, it felt wrong.

"Chandler!" I said against his lips, and pulled my head away. His eyes opened and bore into mine. "Don't." I breathed, not knowing what else to say.

"I thought you loved me." he muttered.

The way he said it made my heart crumble to bits. I hated it. I hated the feeling of being torn between two people that each made my heart beat faster then it should. I was speechless. Chandler took that opportunity and leaned forward again, this time a bit rougher.

I closed my eyes tightly, waiting for the kiss to end. His tongue still made my stomach warm, and the feeling was unbearable. I wanted his body -not his heart. The realization hit me like a ton of bricks. I yanked away this time, and put my fingers to his lips to keep him from moving forward more.

"Stop. No. Please Chandler, just drive me home." I wanted to cry. My voice was shaky and cracking octaves.

Chandler stared at me a few more seconds, and then pulled back to drive. The rest of the ride was utter silence between us. When we got to my house, I saw my parents were home. Chandler made no move to get out, so I leapt out of the car and into my house -not looking back.

I ran straight to my mom. She was in the kitchen, humming to a tune and cleaning the dishes. When she heard my entrance, she turned, and just barely managed to catch me as I flung myself against her and started crying.

"Ren?! Oh my God, what happened?" she led me to a chair by the dining room table and sat me down. She stayed in front of me, and ran her hands through my hair, trying to shush me down. "Can you explain what happened?" she asked, looking at me.

I managed to sniffle and wipe my eyes before I could tell her what was wrong. My dad walked in the kitchen when I started talking. I told them how I felt with Chandler, but how I was starting to gain feelings for Emery. I told them how it made my heart hurt when Chandler looked at me and said things like, "I thought you loved me?"

My mom held onto me the entire time. When I finished crying and explaining, I leaned against her quietly, staring at the opposite wall. "Like mother like daughter." Dad mused. I turned to him and sat upwards. Mom slid into the seat next to me with a faint smile on her pretty face.

"What do you mean?" I asked, sniffling a bit more.

Dad sat on my other side and twirled the wine glass in his hand. He was smirking. The wine sloshed silently against the glass walls. "Well, has Lucas ever said anything about your mother and him?"

Now they had my attention. Were they finally going to start hearing more of their past together? "No, he hasn't said much." I replied.

Dad's smirk went wider. "Lucas and your mother were together before her and I ever were." he said. My eyes widened.

"Really?" I gasped.

We talked longer, for at least a couple of hours. I learned that Lucas and Liam's father hated mom, and that he had tried killing her before. Mom had tried to change Liam and had slowly succeeded, and I had never expected Liam to be emotionless or angry all the time. Then Lucas had fallen in love with mom, but she didn't return the feelings completely. I laughed when dad told me the first time Lucas gave mom his credit card.

After some more talking, I had learned a lot about why my parents never liked to talk about the past. It was weary and dangerous. Interesting, definitely.

Later that night, I laid out an outfit to get ready for school the next day. I decided to wear my skinny black Tripp pants and a plain black t-shirt with red designs and swirls. Then I talked to Nydia a bit before we both headed to bed. She asked me how the fight went with the werewolves, and I told her every bit of it.

By the time my head hit my pillows and my blankets went to my chin, all my thoughts were on Emery. I was excited he would be out of the hospital tomorrow. Then there was still the Kai concept. Was he still alive? Or had he died not much longer after he ran away from the fight? Was he going to at school tomorrow? It was all a mystery to me. The questions were giving me a headache, so I shut my eyes and willed myself to sleep.