This chapter is angsty. And someone dies. Sort of. But it's sad. You may need to have tissues or something close if angst makes you cry, or you just cry easily.

I do not own National Treasure or anything else except our dear Lyssie.

So, I won't keep you any longer! Go read!

Lyssie stirred in her bed as she regained consciousness, the sunlight from the window nearly blinding her as she pried her eyes. She bolted upright in a confused panic. She could feel tubes and wires connected to her. Where was she? She didn't know, and that was exactly what bothered her. And the tubes in her nose were making it difficult to breathe.

"Miss, please, just lie down and relax."

A female nurse was standing by the bed, checking some of Lyssie's monitors. Lyssie lay down, trying to relax.

"It might help to breathe through your nouth." The nurse suggested, doing some things with the IV. Lyssie nodded.

"Is anyone here?" She asked.

"For you? Well, there were two men here, but one left about half an hour ago. The other one is still here."

"Ben and Riley." She said softly to herself. She paused. "Can you send him in? The one who's here?"

"I think I can arrange that." The nurse smiled, showing a small gap between her front teeth. She bustled out of the room. A few minutes later, Ben walked in.

"Hey." He greeted, standing in the door way.

"Hey." She smiled weakly. "Where's Riley?"

"He left. He said he had to do something to do. He should be back soon." Ben paused a moment. "How you feeling?"

"Awful. I've got a really bad headache, and…." Her voice trailed off.

"What is it?" Ben asked, concerned.

"I'm not…." Lyssie suddenly stopped because of a sudden pain her stomach. She winced. "I think you should get someone!"

"What's the matter?"

"I don't know!" Lyssie's voice sounded panicky. Ben quickly left to find a doctor, leaving Lyssie alone as the pain intensified.

Riley walked into the hospital, panicking. What had happened? He nearly ran down the hall to where his friend was sitting.

"Ben! What happened?" He asked.

"I don't know. I was just talking to her and she suddenly started panicking over something."

As if on cue, the doctor walked out of her room, approaching Ben and Riley, looking apologetic.

"What happened?" Riley asked hoarsely, his eyes wide with fear.

"It seems that Miss Matthews has suffered a miscarriage."

Riley blinked, confused. A miscarriage? "What? That's impossible. I mean, she's not…" His voice trailed off with sudden realization. "Is she?"

"She was. I'd say about 8 weeks. It seems the strain on her systems were too much." The doctor nodded. Riley fell back numbly into one of the plastic chairs. "I'm sorry." The doctor looked apologetically at Riley again before walking away.

Ben put an arm around Riley's shoulder, while friend stared at the floor, no emotion on his face whatsoever.

"I didn't even…know." The words sounded hollow.

"You want to go talk to her?"

Riley nodded, wordlessly, standing up and walking down the hall. He opened the door. She lay down facing the window, her knees drawn close to her chest. He could hear her crying softly to herself. He quietly shut the door behind him, approaching her.

He wanted to say something, but couldn't find words. He sat down on the bed next to her, gently touching her arm. She sat up, her face tear-streaked and her eyes red and puffy from crying.

He pulled her close, rubbing her back while she cried into his shoulder, trying not to cry himself. He shushed her, the silence almost unbearable.

"It's not fair." Lyssie spoke at last, her voice cracking. "I know he meant to kill me, but this… It's just not fair!" She shouted angrily.

"I know."

"It didn't do anything wrong!"

"I know." Riley repeated. They sat in silence for another long moment before he spoke up again. "Did you know?"

"Yeah. I'd found out the night before. I was going to tell you at dinner, but…." Her voice trailed off as she broke down again.

After another long silence, Lyssie's cries finally died down. As she pulled away, Riely could see the scars on her arm, knowing Ian wasn't the one who'd caused them.

"What happened to your arm?" He asked softly.

"Nothing." Lyssie lied, looking down at her hands.

"Lyssa." There was a warning sound in Riley's voice.

"I used to do it in high school, OK? My mom died when I was 16, and then I did it some after September of 2001. There was just too much emotion and pain, I couldn't handle it!" Lyssie cried, fresh tears spring to her eyes. "I've done it once since then, a few days ago, but I felt so damn helpless without you there!"

Riley listened to her, only pulling her back into an embrace. "I'm right here now. And I'm not going anywhere."

"You don't know that! I was afraid when I met you, I didn't want you to care about me!" Lyssie cried angrily. "Everyone who's cared about me has left!"

"I'm not leaving. I promise." He paused a moment. "I love you."

"I love you too." She swallowed, her head resting on Riley's shoulder. And somehow she knew it was a promise he'd never break.

DARN YOU ANGSTY PLOT BUNNY!!! –stabs angsty plot bunny- It's dead now! This story is officially angst-free from this point on!

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