This isn't home. The bright lights……the white walls….. Dude, its way cold in here….where am I? And more importantly, how the hell did I get here? My eyes, hurting like mad from the bright light, attempt to adjust. I turn my head to see my guardian angel sitting by my side…woah….God, she looks more amazing than ever. My groggy eyes glued to her, she smiles at me. Seemingly happy to see me..nice…

"What….what happened?" I yawn, slowly sitting up..dude, my body is like in shut-down mode. I look down at my bare chest, "Hey….where's my shirt?" Dude….oh, right….my right arm is heavily bandaged. Ah…and so is my left shoulder. But, thank God for these painkillers 'cuz I don't feel a thing…just tired…and kinda out there…

"You fainted." Tori speaks differently. Her voice is thick and pure. Real. No artificial sweetening. She gently holds my hand in hers, "I'm sorry."

"Sorry? I don't get it.." I ask. Why is she sorry? Oh man..the whole beach incident…dude, I almost forgot….she's sorry she doesn't feel the same way… I totally blew it! But…wait…..she told me she loved me…I remember…

"I'm sorry I put you through all of this…I'm so sorry this happened..and its all my fault.." Tears build glossy, transparent walla over Tori's beautiful blue eyes.

"Tori, seriously….what are you talking about?" I don't really understand why she should be sorry…I don't even think she knows what happened…that it was totally Blake…that he just….snapped..

"Well.." Tori sighs, grasping my hand tight, "I guess this is a day of confessing the truth…altogether…you see, Blake came out of nowhere today to see me. I had no idea…and he just..shows up. Well, he finally built up the courage to ask me out. I mean seriously.."

"And…what did you say?" I nervously ask. I feel my heart attempt to speed up through all this medication.

"I just had to tell him the truth.. I just had to.."

"And…what's the truth?" my eyes study Tori's face. Her eyes studying mine.

"That I am in love with Dustin Brooks." She pauses, "And not Blake Bradley." A tear trickles down her smooth pale cheek. I wipe it away with my hand.

To hear her say those words is to hear the most beautiful music ever played. My whole body tingles as my heart skips a beat.…Tori loves me…she loves me… I gaze at her in disbelief and happiness all at the same time.

"You are?" I double check. I am hearing her right, am I? Dude..you know…I am kinda doped up.

"I am." Tori lets out a giggle, "God, I so am."

"I love you, too… Oh dude, so much..More than you'll ever know.." If the words I speak at this moment were any more true… I just don't know…

Tori's face lights up. She blushes. Then, her smile fades to a look of guilt.. "Well…so, Blake didn't take the news very well at all…he threw a fit and got highly emotional. He scared me…totally freaked me out…then he said,'You know, one day you'll regret ever saying that.' And he walked away. I didn't think anything of it… I mean I just thought he was just hurt and speaking nonsense…that he'd just get over it in time and be himself again..I mean, I didn't want to hurt him.. I hated to have to hurt him…Then when I saw you..when you ran up to me, bleeding and hurt…I just knew it…I knew it was Blake..and it was all my fault….all because of me.." Tears run down Tori's cheeks like crazy…awe… I hate it when she cries.

"Awe..baby…come here.." I motion for her to sit with me on the hospital bed. I grab her and hold her in my arms. She wraps her arms around me and buries her head into my bare chest, "Nothing is your fault..nothing…don't apologize for Blake! He's fucking insane dude! He's crazy… I … I just.. I can't believe him…he…he's….he's totally fucked up!"

"I'm afraid of him, Dustin… I'm afraid of what he'll try to do to us" Tori confesses, " He called my cell phone, Dustin… He told me everything..he was a wreck.. he said he was sorry…he didn't know what came over him.. he didn't think.. but that's the same thing he said before, when he first flipped out on you… I don't trust him." She pauses, "Do you want to press charges?" Tori is shaking. Her tears splashing against my skin. I don't want her to be upset. I don't want her to be afraid.

"Tor…It's ok…as long as we're together…everything is ok.." I say. And as stupid as it sounds, I don't care about anything but her right now. But what else is new…

" It's not ok! He attacked you!" Tori barks. She squeezes me tighter, "What if he… I don't even want to think about it!"

"Blake is not going to kill me… I swear it….that dude is like, 4 feet tall!" I joke. No more drama. I'm done with the drama..

"But.." Tori sniffles.

"Look…we had a fight… It's done… I don't like him…he doesn't like me..that's that. I'll stay away from himm the same way I've been doing..It'll boil over…wait til hunter finds out..trust me." I sigh, "Can we just go home and be together now? Finally..without the drama..the lies…the tension. Please…It's about time we stopped worrying about what to or not to say and just…relax.."

"Sounds great." Tori looks up at me with watery eyes and grins, "So..are you gonna introduce me as your girlfriend from now on or what?"

My face brightens up, out shining the hospital lights, "Oh God, I love you!" I bring her in for a deep passionate kiss.

"Is that a yes?" Tori asks, as we part, eager to make this official.

"Yes. Hell yes!" I hole her close to me. I wont let her go. Ever.. I am so…like…woah…A huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders. And Shane was right.. I would've saved myself so much anguish and stress. But I wouldn't change any of this for the world. Any of it…

"DUDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! OH SHIT, DUDE, ARE YOU OKAY???????????!!!!!!!!!!" Shane busts through the door. Followed by Kelly, Cam and Ivette. And this time, me and Tori don't have to pretend. Holding her still, we both look at our friends.

"I'm fine..just a little doped up…" I laugh, "It's kinda cool!"

Cam shoots a smile towards me and Tori. He nods and I understand.

"Dustin, I was so worried! Oh my God, I didn't know what to think! All I heard was that you got stabbed and you were in an accident! My heart is going a mile a minute!" Kelly puts her hand to her heart and sighs.

"Kel! Who's watching the store?" I quickly blurt..Dude, all of her employees are in this room.

"No one.. I kicked everyone out and closed. I left a sign on the door that said 'be back in an hour.' Dustin you're more important to me than a few sales..and anyway, I own the place, I can do what I want!" Kelly laughs with relief.

"What happened?" Ivette blurts. Her arms are crossed in front of her and her eyes look red. She looks like she's been crying.

"It's a long…weird….story…can we just get outta here? I'll you on the way.. I'm worked.." I say, gently caressing Tori's back. This feels so amazing.. I'm still in shock…dude…

"Yes, you need to get some sleep.. I think you're way overdue…c'mon lets get gone." My girlfriend takes my hand and helps me to my feet. Yes..lets get outta here…

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A/N: Hey!!! Only 2 more short chapters to go and then this is so over…well not completely…but the first installment…back in school if I had to write a 2 page paper I would write a 5 page .. I cant help how long my stories are…sorry!  In my next one I'm gonna try not to drag it on as much… I said try…lol so don't hold me to it! So anyway, the story is basically done…and I have brainstormed for the next one..if you like fics on drama, angst, romance, sex (woop), as much as I do lololol than you should def look out for it! Thanks so much for reading!

Cyn