Okay so it has been a VERY long time since I posted anything... honestly I wasn't sure if I was going to but there have been so many reviews asking me to continue and it really meant a lot to me that you all seem to be enjoying this story. It has been awhile since I read the book so I hope I am still doing justice to these wonderful characters and I hope that you will be honest in your reviews as to whether I should keep going. I may need to take a couple of days and read the book again (I have lost count of how many times)

Thank you all for reveiwing and I will try to be better at updating quicker (damn real life getting in the way all the time)

Jared was standing in front of me and Ian now watching the men retreat with his back to us. I could hear Kyle cursing behind me, I think I could hear Mel calling my name as well, but my focus was on Ian as he lay under me. I could feel his chest moving under my weight and his breath through my hair, but he hadn't said a word. I placed my hands on the cement beside his head to push myself up but when I shifted my weight to my hands they slipped, causing me to fall back onto his chest.

I used his chest to push myself up instead, pressing my hands against his new white t-shirt. I shifted myself so I was now kneeling beside him. I moved my hands to turn him towards me, but as I took them off his t-shirt I found myself staring down at two small red hand prints.

I turned my hands palms up and saw that they were covered in something red and sticking. My mouth dropped open and my head snapped to Ian's face. At first glance his features we calm and unmoving, like he was in a deep sleep. It was what was pooling behind his head that scared me. He was laying in a puddle of blood.

My hands flew to his head as I screamed out Kyle's name, lifting his head gently so I could feel the back of it. His hair was matted in blood but my hands were able to find the large gash that was causing all the damage . I could barely cover it with both of my small hands. I applied as much pressure as I could, my body somehow knowing what to do on its own. The only evidence of my panic was the frantic beating of my heart, which I was sure you could actually see beating through my shirt.

Kyle let out a string of curses – many of which I didn't know existed – as he knelt beside his brother. He yanked his shirt over his head in one swift movement dropping to his knees, bunching it together in his large hands. He pushed my hands out of the way roughly as he pressed his shirt against the back of Ian's head.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and I knew Mel and Sunny were now behind me. Jared had turned around to stand behind Kyle but his eyes were darting around the parking lot. I looked desperately at Kyle. "Is he going to be okay?" I asked him, my voice shaky.

"I don't know..." Kyle said in barely a whisper. He sounded so much like Ian in that moment.

Jared's eyes met Mel's behind me and I knew what he was going to say before he opened his mouth to speak. "We have to get out of here."

"We can't move him like this!" Kyle shot a look over his shoulder that would have made anyone else cower in fear. Jared held his ground. He knew what had to be done and he would do what he needed to do to get us out of here safely.

"Would you rather be here when the seekers arrive?" His eyes searched the parking lot. We were still far enough from the souls but with all the commotion we had caused it was likely that someone had noticed.

I clung to Ian's hand. I would not leave his side, no matter what they decided.

Jared didn't wait for Kyle's answer before he started giving the orders. Mel and Sunny were to take Ian's legs while Kyle and him shared the majority of Ian's weight on either side of his body. "Wanda, can you hold his head?" I nodded my head, but Kyle looked at me sceptically.

My hands shook as I took Ian's head in them. I grabbed onto Kyle's shirt and could feel the blood starting to soak through. I took a deep breath to steady myself. I had to be strong for Ian, who had been strong for me so many times. I willed my hands to stop shaking and I cradled his head as they lifted him off the ground.

"We'll use the truck," Jared said as we made our way across the parking lot, carefully. "It'll be easier to hide if we get stopped. Sunny you will have to drive." I looked at Sunny. She had a panicked look on her face but she nodded despite the fear I knew she felt.

Jared looked at me next. "Wanda, can you drive the van?"

I looked at him dumbfounded. Before I could say anything Mel spoke up. "Jared! How dare you ask her that." She fumed. "She is in no condition to drive. We can come back for it later."

They held each other's gaze until we made it to the back of the truck. Kyle threw the back open with one arm while holding onto Ian with the other. A feat of strength I was sure was the product of pure adrenaline. We struggled to get Ian's large body into the truck but managed to eventually slide him in; luckily without the last supply run we had enough room.

I cradled his head in my lap, letting my pants absorb the blood Kyle's shirt could not. I looked up at Mel. "I need the medical supplies from the van."

She was out of sight before I could even finish the sentence and back again before with 2 boxes in her hands. She jumped into the back of the truck and turned back to Jared.

"Close the door and get moving."

He looked at her with concern etched across his face. "You're staying back here?"

She leaned forward and gave him a peck on the lips. "She would stay with me if it was you."

He nodded and closed the door, leaving us in darkness as he went to sit with Sunny in the cab of the truck. Mel cursed as she bumped into something as the truck rumbled to life. I heard two clicks as Mel turned on the flashlights she had grabbed with the medicine and dim light filled the dark space. Mel passed a flashlight to Kyle and held one herself.

"Kyle, can you turn him over please?" I asked still clutching the back of Ian's head.

Kyle turned Ian's body onto his side, lifting one knee to help balance him. Melanie kneeled by Ian's chest, holding some of his weight while Kyle kept on strong hand on his shoulder. I gently turned Ian's head and pressed his cheek to my thigh.

I rummaged through the box at my side, Kyle providing my light. I pulled out the medicines I would need, taking a moment to go over the order I should use them in my mind.

I took the canister of deep heal first and sprayed it in front of his nose and mouth, hoping he was able to inhale enough of it in. When I pulled out the bottle of no pain Melanie gave a small tilt of her head, though she didn't say anything. I placed the small square in his mouth and looked up at her for a quick moment.

"In case he can feel this, or wakes up before I am done." She nodded.

I turned my attention back to Ian and closed my eyes to take a deep breath. Thoughts of losing him started to creep into my mind, but I knew I had to push them out. He needed me right now and I would not let him done. I couldn't survive failing him. I knew that if I did it would be my last moment in this universe. There would be no reason to stay.

My hands were shaking as I reached for more supplies. The rest of the steps became a blur – like my body was going through the motions without my direction. I applied the clean and the heal until there was none left to use. When I was finished with the seal and smooth I dapped my shirt to the wound to make sure I had gotten it all.

You could feel a collective exhale in the dark back of the truck when it came away from the wound clean. A strand of blond hair blew across my face as Kyle let his breath out while leaning closer to his brother to get a look.

"I think he still may have a scar," I admitted, bowing my head. "I don't know if I was able to get the smooth in through all of his hair."

Kyle chuckled. "Chicks dig scars."

His voice was filled with relief.

Ian was turned onto his back his head still cradled in my lap. I leaned down and kissed his forehead, half expecting to see his blue eyes staring back at me when I opened my own. They stayed closed.

I reached for the awake but my hand was stopped by a smooth olive toned hand. "Wait for Doc, Wanda." She reasoned. "He may not be ready to wake up yet."

I nodded and put the bottle back in the box, settling in for what felt like the longest wait I had experienced in my entire existence. Never once letting go of the man I loved.

I recalled the time, months ago now, that I had been in this same room sitting by this cot holding someone's hand. This time both the hand I was clinging to and my hand holding it were different, but there was a strange familiarity to it.

Months ago it had been Walter laying in this cot. The memory still weighed heavy on my chest. It had pained me so much to lose him, to say goodbye to my dear friend. One of the gentlest humans I had met and one of the reasons I held hope for this species and this planet. This hand I held now belonged to the main reason for my life here on this planet and the closest human – no, being of any species – to show the same kindest as a soul. My anchor to this planet.

Ian.

My Ian.

I missed him so much.

It had been days since he had opened his eyes. Those sapphire blue eyes that seemed to burn right through windows to his soul.

Doc had explained his injuries that first day. The medicine had been able to heal most of the superficial wounds, his face, arms, legs and the large gash he had on the back of his head leaving barely a scar. He had a couple of broken ribs from his tussle with my assailant on the ground, Doc thought, but he could not do anything about them. He didn't know how long it would take for him to wake up as head injuries are hard to diagnose especially while living in a cave. He explained things like how his pupils were responding to light but I had no experience in that. I just wanted him to wake up.

I had been by his side the entire time. Not leaving for food as I couldn't even think to eat. I had lost count of the days. My eyes long void of the tears that flowed for days. Everyone had tried to get me to take a break, offering to stay in my place.

First it had been Doc, concerned for my well-being that had tried to get me to leave to get some sleep. I had refused but eventually allowed him to put one of the cots up against Ian's, so I could lay by his side keeping my hand in his. Listening to his every breath. Whispering to him to come back to me. Begging. Pleading with him.

Next it had been Jaime. His sweetness and concern for me was comforting but would not wear me down. He hugged me and told me his missed me. Missed Ian. It hurt me when Jaime came to visit as I hated to see him in pain. I wanted to protect him now from the pain as much as I wanted to protect him while I was in Melanie's body.

Even Jared and Jeb had given it a try, but I shot them down as well.

Only two people had come by the sit with me and never once asked me to leave. They would sit either in silence or talking to Ian. Doing whatever they could think of trying to get him to come to the surface.

One of them was my best friend and who for the longest time – for the majority of my human life – was literally the other half of me. She knew my thoughts and feelings like they were her own. She also knew love, true love. Love that you would search to the ends of the earth for. Love that you would trade your own life for. Most importantly, Mel knew that if it were Jared lying on this cot, she could not bear to leave his side either.

The last person was Kyle. It should be obvious that he would be upset about his brother, but to see the extent of the emotion on his face was surprising to me. There was a kindness that was in his voice when he spoke to him, it was the same tone that Ian used. I had forgotten how much they sounded alike when Kyle spoke with a light tone, not just when Ian was angry. I caught myself closing my eyes often during this time, imagining that it was Ian talking beside me. That everything was okay. That tone was there even when he would jokingly make fun of him trying to get him to wake. It made me think of the closeness these two shared. The brotherly bound that I often overlooked.

Kyle was there the most, other than me. He left only at night and to get food to bring back. Sunny would come back with him to eat together but she had a hard time staying for too long. She didn't like being away from Kyle but the human sadness in this room was often too much for her to handle.

One morning Kyle cam to sit beside me instead of on the other side of the cot he always used. I looked up at his face and saw the dark circles under his eyes, a look I was certain that I mirrored. It had been a week and neither one of us was getting any sleep.

"Do you think he is still in there?" he whispered, almost afraid Ian would somehow hear his doubt.

"I believe he is," I responded. "He promised he would always be there for me and I don't believe he would break that promise. He is the strongest being I have come across."

"Do you think he would have survived an implantation like Melanie did?"

My body let out a small giggle at the question. Startling me as I felt like I hadn't heard that sound in forever. Kyle looked at me confused.

"You know, he actually asked me that same question once when we were hiding in the cornfield from you."

"Hmmm, I wondered where he kept you hidden those days," he said with a smirk on his face as he looked at his brother. "What did you tell him?"

"I told him that with everything he knew about the souls, his mind would be strong enough to stop the soul from completely erasing him," I paused, a small smile forming on my lips as I remembered his expression from that day. "He looked so proud when I told him that."

Kyle placed his hand over the one I had on Ian's. His touch surprised me. It was soft and gentle, not words I would have usually use to describe him. I looked at him, his face solemn, and I found it hard to imagine that this was the same man that only months ago had tried to kill me.

"You would do anything for him, right?

"Of course I would," I said without hesitation. "I would trade places with him myself if I could... Why?"

He broke his gaze from mine and looked at Ian, taking a deep breath. "I never thought I would say this but... I want to you to be inserted into him." His eyes never left Ian's face.

I pulled my hand quickly from his. I couldn't believe he was actually asking this. Kyle of all people. Not that the same thought hadn't crossed my mind during these days at his bedside, but to hear it coming from Kyle was shocking. "What?"

"You said it yourself," he started to explain. "He is strong and he would have survived an implantation."

I shook my head. "But that was when he was healthy and alert. I wouldn't know how he would react now."

"But you would be the one going in, you could be careful. Melanie was injured when you were inserted." he looked at me with desperation now. "I just need to know that he is still there."

"I was inserted by a healer in a medical centre with machines that could monitor the host." I had gone over all of this over and over again in my own mind. I placed my hand back on his. "I understand where you are coming from Kyle, but have you considered the risks?"

"The risks must outweigh the not knowing."

"What if he is in there, but I knock him out? What if I make him disappear forever?" My voice cracked but I had no more tears left to shed. "I have thought about this and I couldn't do it. I won't risk him... I can't lose him."

Kyle didn't say anything. He rose from his spot and walked out of the room.

He came back an hour later, looking more worn than before. He took up his usual spot on the other side of Ian's cot and returned to trying to coax his brother out. I didn't bring up the conversation again and he didn't ask any more questions of me. There seemed to be nothing else we could do.

So we waited.

That was until finally one morning it happened...

He woke up.

There was only a slight change in his steady breathing and his eyes fluttered ever so slightly. At first I thought I was imagining it. That my mind was just making me see what I wanted to. It was Kyle that made me realize it was really happening.

He squeezed his brother's hand and spoke with such hope in his voice. "Ian? Ian?"

Ian barely breathed out a moan but it was enough to have Kyle practically jump out of his chair, while I just froze with my eyes glued to his face. I didn't look up as Kyle barreled out of the room mumbling something about Doc.

I held both my breath and his hand as I waited for him to open his eyes. To once again find the comfort in the sapphire, midnight and snow that I had been missing so much.

"Kyle?" It was strained and quiet but it was like music to my ears. I could feel my throat thickening and the tears that I thought had dried up coming back to my eyes.

I smiled down at the man I loved, leaning over him my free hand stroking the side of his face. "He's getting Doc. He'll be back in a minute." I said with a shaky voice.

His eyelids fluttered at the sound of my voice and his head tilting gently into my small hand.

My body felt warm, like I was basking in the sun in the desert. It felt like the sunrising after a never ending night. "Can you open your eyes for me?"

To my relief his eyes started to open and my smile grew as the happiness started to overwhelm my petite body. I let out a giggle, no longer being able to contain myself. His eyes scanned the room slowly stopping when they meet mine. Looking into his eyes felt like I was taking a breath after drowning. I opened my mouth to speak but words were failing me as I just stared back at him.

His eyebrows furrowed together as he took the sight of me in. "Who are you?"

Okay that's it for now. Hope I haven't lost all you guys from the long wait just to end the chapter like this... I have a plan though, don't worry.

Read & Review (and I am gonna go reward myself with some homemade cake)