A/N: thanks for the alerts, everything! Sorry for waiting so long to submit this chapter, I've been busy and had a lack of internet… I'll submit next chapter faster, but still, more reviews equal faster chapters!!

Oh, and if you're reading my Twilight fanfic, Bittersweet Blood, I'm so sorry for not updating… I've had writers block in a way, I just don't know how to convert it from my imagination to words… I'm working on it though, so hopefully chapter 2 will be up soon!! :D

XII

I'm alive! Oh my gosh, I survived. I did, didn't I…?

I dared not open my eyes. I was afraid of where I would be, how I would be. Was I somewhere safe, or back at the School? Was I even alive? I had to be alive, because my whole body was sore all over. I tried to recall events.

Brent. The name hit me. That jerk, he got me into this place. If he hadn't caught me… If Brent hadn't caught me, I would have been dead. But he did get me into this place, and in the shape I was. I remembered his claws digging into my skin, the gun. That awful gun! I hated him for that.

I stopped thinking about the things I already knew, and tried to figure out where I was. With my eyes still closed, I took a deep breath, and almost gagged. The smell made me want to curl up in a ball and cry. I smelled the faint scent of antiseptic; the same smell of the School.

I tried not to cry. No, no, no! I can't be back at the School! After all I had done, I had escaped from the School, nearly gotten killed by an eraser, and back to where I started?

It couldn't be, but it was possible. I forced myself to relax. I tried to imagine where I was. I wasn't in a cage, and I felt a blanket on me. Nice and warm. Was I in a bed? Why would I be in a bed?

I found my hands were unshackled, but I could feel the indents from them. I was so confused, nothing made sense at all.

Finally, I allowed myself to slowly open my eyes. There was a bright light that made me want to close my eyes again, but I forced them open. I saw the bruises and scratches on my arms. I noticed the blankets, they were a light bluish color, and the walls were covered in a flowery wallpaper. Is this some kind of test, is this all real? It looked like a normal room, in a normal house. It wasn't right!

My shredded, ruined nightgown was replaced by a clean light-pink nightgown. The more I looked at the room, the more I believed it was all fake, a joke or something.

Then I looked over, and saw the tube running to my arm, leading to an IV containing some kind of liquid. I wanted to scream, to cry, to tear it out. Tears formed at the corners of my eyes, and I blinked them away.

I closed my eyes again and buried myself into the pillow. I was tired, but I couldn't fall back asleep. I heard soft voices in the next room.

Suddenly I heard a girl's voice say "she's awake", and then there was silence.

I sat up, listening as quiet voices started whispering. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I knew it was about me. As the whispering continued, a chair scraped the floor, and I could hear footsteps. I tried to breathe, and my heart was thumping faster. What was I anxiously waiting for? Some kind, helping person, or another sick, twisted whitecoat?

The doorknob twisted, and I nearly stopped breathing. I shrank back into the pillow, like I was back in my "cage". A woman with a friendly smile on her face stepped into the room.

She reminded me of the Lipstick Lady, but even she was evil, so I kept on my guard. She was dressed in normal clothes, a purple blouse over neat jeans. A wide smile and caring eyes were pasted on her face, it was hard to think she was completely untrustworthy. Maybe she was.

"You're awake! How do you feel?" she asked me. I bit my lip and refused to answer. I was clearly awake, but how long was I out? And I felt just dandy, thank you very much. She looked at me with such caring, loving eyes, waiting for the answer.

I bit my lip hard, but I blurted out, "who are you?" I immediately took my outburst back, but she just smiled.

"My name is Dr. Martinez. I am a vet, so helping you wasn't too hard. You were in pretty bad shape, but everything was treatable. That IV in your arm is to just help with the pain. Does anything hurt to you, or should I remove it?" I stared at her, not knowing where I would start. So she was a vet, so I guess some experience would help. But the way she said it…

"Umm, I have a small headache, but that's it. And can you please take it out? I… I don't like IV's." She gently removed it, and I exhaled deeply. She studied me for a moment, but I didn't want to meet her eyes again.

She stepped closer to me, and I absentmindedly leaned away slightly.

"Are you hungry? I just finished cooking breakfast. And, there are some people here I think you would like to meet. You don't have too, you can go back to sleep if you want, but just in case you're hungry."

She turned around and started to the door, looking questioningly back at me. I didn't want to meet the people, but I wasn't tired and my stomach was growling. I slowly took off the blankets, and slipped out of the bed. I was a little dizzy when I stood up, but I continued towards Dr. Martinez.

I kept behind her as she opened the door and walked towards the voices. She stopped abruptly, and I peeked from behind her. On the table, there was a plate full of delicious smelling food. Seated at the table, were not at all what I was expecting.

There were six kids, and a dog sitting, and now staring at me. Three girls and three boys, two looked younger than me, three looked older than me, and one of the girls looked around my age. The dog was a small black dog, but it was looking at me with intelligent, knowing eyes.

All the kids though, had wings. They were folded on their backs, and I couldn't help but staring with wide eyes. Were they also from the School? I desperately wanted to run back to the room and to hide under the covers, but instead silently sat in the empty chair, feeling the kids'- and the dog's- stares burning into me.

Will you look at that, it takes 12 chapters for her to meet the flock… introduction and everything next chapter, bla bla bla… keep up the reviews, alerts, etc, and I'll submit more and more and more! :)