Disclaimer: I don't own any of the original Lizzie McGuire characters in this story. Hey, wouldn't you know it! I own something. I own Tara, Jack, and Ben.

A/N: This Lizzie fanfic is a sequel to my story "Everything at Once."

Chapter 18

LIZZIE'S POV:

Early the next morning I woke, but it had felt like hours. The sun was shining through the windows into the room that I was sleeping in, and I gently began to rub my eyes. I crawled over to the nearest window and looked outside. Everything seemed to be full of life. It had been forever since I had seen anything look happy and lively. I couldn't understand why life couldn't be happier for Tara and Ben though. Truly their life must mean more than all of the life outside the door. I sank back down into the couch and fell back asleep. I didn't sleep for what felt like too long, before I felt that I needed to get up and walk around.

I crept down the hall to the waiting room. It seemed deathly quiet in there, so I crept into another nearby room. I passed by Ben's room, peeking into the window to see hopefully a living body there instead of a dead one. Suddenly a hand touched my shoulder and I spun around.

"Doctor!" I exclaimed.

"Slept well?" he asked quietly.

I nodded. "But that doesn't really matter. How is Ben?"

"Well, he's doing much better than anticipated," said the doctor.

"How is that?" I asked.

"I think he's going to make it. I am almost certain, but I can't say that he will for sure. But it looks like he'll do much fine. I'm actually really surprised. I didn't think that he'd even last the night. It looks like we got that miracle," said the doctor grinning.

I smiled and my heart leapt for joy. "Really? How's Tara?" I asked.

"She's right in Ben's room. She slept there over night, right next to his bed," said the doctor.

"We lost him!" exclaimed a nurse stepping into the hallway. My stomach turned. Ben? Dead? But I thought he was doing well.

"Jack," she said, "we did what we could, but he just couldn't make it. We thought that he might've, but he would've been paralyzed for the rest of his life, from the neck down. But, we just couldn't keep him alive. I don't think he had the will...his body just gave up."

"Jack?" I asked. "Dead?"

"Yes," she said. "Do you know him?"

I started softly crying. "Yes, I know him. He...he kidnapped me."

"Dear heavens!" shrieked the nurse, while reaching for her throat.

"I know this is a hard subject, Lizzie, but do you know of any relations of his that I could notify of his death?" asked the doctor.

"I do, but don't have any address on me right now," I said. I wasn't quite sure how anyone back home would handle all of the new happenings. I just wanted to shut myself in a box, and stay locked up forever. But I did want to see my family. "I need to call home," I said, "and tell my family that I'm alive."

"By all means do so then," said the nurse.

So I picked up the phone to dial the number, but there was no dial tone. I wandered to the next nearest phone and picked it up. Yet again, no dial tone...no nothing. "Isn't this odd?" I asked myself aloud. I checked the outlet to see if it was unplugged, and it was. But the chord was also cut. "Who would do this?" I thought. A sudden chill ran up my spine, and my blood ran cold. Was there someone else in this building that I didn't know about? I ran down the hall into and passed by a dark room. That's when I got the feeling that someone was following me. I turned my head back several times to see if I was alright, and it surely seemed that I was ok. I took two more steps, and then shrieked as someone grabbed me from behind.

"Why are you yelling, sis?" asked a familiar voice. It was Matt who had grabbed me.

"Matt!" I exclaimed. Then I gave him a great big hug. Even though he was my little brat brother, I still had missed him very much. "How did you get here?"

"Mom and dad can tell you that," he said, "but you should go sit down." Then, taking me gently by the arm, he lead me to the nearest chair, where I could have a rest. I was wondering how badly I looked if he thought that I needed to sit down right away. Isabella, mom, and dad approached me with huge looks of relief on their faces. My mom was the first one to hug me.

"Oh, honey! I missed you so much," she said. Tears formed in her eyes as her eyes slowly scanned up and down my body from head to toe. Then I heard her choke back some words that she mumbled to herself.

"Mom," I said quietly, "mom, what's wrong? What's wrong?"

"I-I'm just happy to see you dear, that's all," she said while looking me dead in the eyes. Her voice cracked as she said, "I just love you so much!"

My dad came next, and gave me a hug. "I missed you so much," was all he said. I thought that he probably was just so shocked at everything that if he said much more, he would've burst into tears.

Isabella gave me a hug, and was very silent, saying only in a cracked voice, "The house is lonely without you."

"I think we're all ready to go home," said my dad quietly. Then he stroked my hair, and for the first time in years, he picked me up like a baby, and carried me to the waiting room of the hospital. As he was about to take me out, I remembered about Tara and how she had literally saved my life. Both she and Ben had helped me to escape from Jack.

"Dad, stop! There's someone I have to say goodbye to," I said. I tugged on his sleeve, and he slowly placed me on the floor. I crept into Ben's room and went by Tara's chair and gave her a hug. "Thank you for everything. I'm not really sure h-how to thank you, and I wish there was something I could do to repay you."

"Just seeing you safe with your family is satisfying enough," she said with a smile on her face.

"I just wish you..." I started to say, but Tara interrupted.

"Had a family," she completed. I nodded, while blushing with embarrassment for saying something like that. "I've got Ben," she said. "And, he meant a lot to me before, but almost losing him made him mean that much more to me. He truly is all the family I need. And the doctor's are expecting a full recovery, which is a miracle." I smiled. "You know what?" she asked. "Let's keep in touch."

"Sure," I said. "And one more thing before I go. My family wants to say something to you."

Hesitating to leave Ben's side, she finally arose from her seat and went out to the waiting room.

"We just wanted to say thank you for saving our baby girl," said my dad.

"We can't thank you enough," said my mom. "You are a remarkable young lady. If you ever need anything, please call us...we'd like to return the favor."

Tara smiled at a loss for words, so she gave my mom a hug instead, and that said enough. Then, saying goodbye, she left to be once again by Ben's side. I knew she always would be there for him. I quickly thought about the cut phone chords before we left, but was too tired to worry about them. I'd just have to ask later. We were on our way home, and it felt good to be with family again.

A/N: I just want to take a moment here before I start blabbing on something else. You people make my day so happy! I love you all...really I do. I just want to say thank you to everyone who has ever read this story, and especially to the people who give me kind reviews. You are the best and have no idea how much happier it makes my day to see your review in my inbox. Thanks! Ok. Now my senseless blabbing. In case any of you are wondering, I had a great time in Florida. It was really fun, and some of the best time that I've ever had. Ok, my computer is being really odd, so I'm not going to do responses to each person individually today. Oh, don't worry. No weirdo is around the hospital ready to attack Tara. I promise.