'Shut up she's waking up'

Little by little Rowan began to open her eyes, only to close them once again as the bright light burned her eyes.

'Cali close the blinds' Rowan recognised the voice of her friend, she willed herself to open her eyes once again. Carefully she opened her eyes, this time the room darker than before, she found herself in a room she did not recognise. Her eyes wandered around the room, she found Cali and Eva looking back at her from the foot of the bed, to her right she was shocked to find her mom standing by the bed. However she was more surprised to find Leo staring back at her, she was sure they were done for when the mad man managed to track them down.

'Where am I?' Rowan's voice was gravely and her mouth was dry 'Can I have some water?'

She waits patiently as she watches her mom pour out a small glass of water before placing it in Rowan's waiting hand, taking a big gulp she allows the cool water to run down her throat.

'Your in the hospital, jesus Rowan you scared the shit out of me' her mother answered, tenderly brushing away the stray hairs from her face 'Don't you ever do that to me again, Leo told me what you did'

'I'm sorry, but I couldn't let that man kill Leo. He saved our lives, he didn't have to'

'Rowan…'

'Mom it was really bad out there, after everything we had been through, I couldn't just stand by and allow it to happen'

'Rowan when you got to the hospital you died, they had to bring you back'

'I died?' Rowan asks softly, looking at her friends who nodded back at her.

'I don't want to lose you, you are the most important person in my life and if I lost you I wouldn't know what to do with myself'

'I'm sorry that I put you through this, but I would do it again. I don't regret what I did, if it was you, Cali, Eva or Leo; I would do anything to save you'

Her mother sighed as she looked over to Leo at the other side of the bed for a moment before looking back at Rowan, Rowan can sense that her mother was angry with her actions but decided to hold her tongue and not say anything else about the matter.

'We went back to the apartment, it was totally trashed. They let us get some of our things until we are allowed to go back, they said it could take a couple of weeks' Eva told her as she walked closer to the bed.

'How long have I been out?'

'Almost two weeks' Leo answered, Rowan looked over at him and noticed how exhausted he looked. It looked as if he hadn't slept in days, Rowan felt guilty leaving her friends and her mom to worry about her, it was the last thing she wanted to do.

'Shit, my apartment?'

'Same as ours, they must have been searching the apartments one by one and killing everyone they found. That is...except from us' Cali answered, her arms crossed across her chest.

'I can't believe they have gotten away with it, no one is ever going to believe what happened to us'

'Who said they won't?' Cali asks 'Carmelo can help us, to get the word out'

'The NFFA have their hands in too many pockets' Leo added

'We can't just do nothing, it's going to happen again and again until people like us are wiped out'

Rowan grimaced as Cali and Eva started to argue with one another, the raised voices making her head ache.

'Cali….'

Cali ignored Rowan and continued to fight with her mother, the anger from what they had gone through clear in her voice. Rowan was angry too but felt as if no would take notice with what they had to say or that their lives would be in danger if they spoke up.

'Can you just shut up?!' Leo asked.

Eva and Cali look over to Rowan as she began to massage her temple, the fire still present in Cali's eyes however Eva looked guilty at realising she was causing her friend pain.

'I think you guys should head out and get some rest' her mom told them 'I need to get back to the hotel and call Tom, let him know that you're awake'

'You going to be okay?' Eva asked.

'I'll be fine, you guys get out of here. You all look like you could use some sleep'

'I'll come by and see you in the morning' her mother tells her, leaning close her mother pressed her lips to the side of her temple.

'Bye mom'

'Bye Row' Eva adds as she follows her mom out of the room, Cali walks closely behind before waving goodbye leaving her alone with Leo.

'How long have you been here Leo?' Rowan asks as she looks at him.

'Few days'

'I think you should head back and get some sleep too'

'I can't'

'Leo you look exhausted, please. Go home, have a shower and get some sleep'

'Are saying I smell?' he asks with a smell.

'You look like shit'

'Hey, you hurt my feelings'

Rowan laughs as Leo places his hand over his heart.

'I mean it Leo, I'm okay. You look like you could use it' she tells him 'I'm not going anywhere, i'll still be here'

Leo looks hesitant to leave her alone, Rowan can see it in his eyes, she didn't blame him at all.

'I was so scared that I wasn't going to see you again'

'I'm sorry'

'I should be the one to say sorry, I never should have gone there. It was all my fault'

Rowan places her hand onto his, her hand still hooked up to an IV, she could barely look at it. The idea of a tube in her hand made her feel uncomfortable and queasy, she hated hospitals and needles.

'Leo it's not your fault, you didn't pull the trigger'

'You almost died and that's on me'

'Listen to me Leo, and listen well. I don't blame you, not at all. Like I said earlier I would do it again'

Leo is silent for a moment, not saying anything at first, Rowan is worried that she may have said something to upset him. His next move surprises her as he crashes his lips against hers, Rowan is frozen for a moment until she responds to his kiss. With her other hand she rests it against the back of his head, her fingers running through his dark hair. The world begins to vanish, the sound of the machines being droned out, Rowan couldn't believe that he was kissing her again. However this time she wasn't so nervous, her heart was racing in his chest as the kiss deepened, his tongue slipping into her mouth and massaging hers. Their kiss in perfect rhythm, Leo is the first to pull away as he rests his forehead against hers.

'Why do you have to be so perfect?'

'I'm far from perfect'

Leo cups her cheek and presses a final kiss to her lips, looking down at her their eyes meet.

'I'll come by and see you tomorrow'

'Okay, go and get some rest please'

'I promise'

Standing straight Leo turns his back to her as he grabs his jacket from the chair by the bed, before he leaves he takes her hand into his, raising it to his lips he presses a kiss to her knuckles. Rowan smiles at his gesture, he releases her hand and steps away from the bed, her eyes follow him as he heads towards the door.

'Leo…'

'Yeah?' he turns to face her.

'I'm glad I met you that night'

'Me too'

'Be careful out there'

'I will, see you tomorrow'

'Bye'

'Bye'

Rowan sighs as she watches him leave, her body relaxes against the mattress as she tries to calm her beating heart. The beeping of the heart monitor soothes her, slowly coaching her back to sleep, she had never felt so tired in her life. She felt safe for the first time since the purge, feeling happy that she had her friends and family around her.