Author's Note: Thank you to everyone who has reviewed this story. I don't own these characters. Blah blah blah.
"Mom," whispered Zoe her eyes filling with tears. The nurses had given her a few minutes alone with her mother as they didn't believe she would live. Her mother lay there with tubes sticking out and her eyes closed. "I love you," Zoe whispered.
She saw her mother move. She faintly opened her eyes and said, "Zoe I love you and none of this was your fault. It would have happened anyway. Keep living your life. Don't give it up before you have even lived."
Zoe didn't know what her mother was talking about but she nodded. "I love you," her mother said and her eyes closed for the last time. Zoe collapsed on the floor sobbing. She knew that her mother was dead. Two nurses bustled in and checked her heart rate and pulse.
"She's gone honey," said one of the nurses to Zoe. Zoe didn't move. She just lay there beside her mom. She gripped her hand and whispered, "I love you mom." Then she fainted.
When Zoe woke up to her surprise she found herself in a hospital bed. Her father sat in a chair beside her bed. His eyes were red and bloodshot. Zoe tried to sit up but felt a searing pain in her head.
"Stay still honey," said her dad.
"What happened?" she asked him.
"You fainted and when you fell you bumped your head," he said gently.
All of a sudden the memories came rushing back to Zoe. Her mother dead. She would never see her again. Zoe felt tears trickle down her face. She lay her head down and shut her eyes. "I'm sorry," she said to her father.
He looked at her and said a bit harshly. "None of this was your fault Zoe. It was a bad thing but you couldn't have done anything to help her."
"I could have noticed the symptoms earlier and maybe she would have lived," Zoe managed to choke out.
Her father took her hand and said, "No Zoe, that's not the way it was meant to be. I could have noticed too but maybe we weren't supposed to notice. Maybe this was meant to be."
Zoe nodded. Her father handed her a glass of water that had been on the table beside her bed. "When am I allowed to leave," she asked her father softly.
"You are allowed to leave when ever you are feeling better. Zoe shut her eyes and fell asleep. She dreamed of her mother and her mother repeated what she had said to Zoe before she had left. "Zoe I love you and none of this was your fault. It would have happened anyway. Keep living your life. Don't give it up before you have even lived."
This time when Zoe heard it she smiled for she knew that he mother could never truly leave her for she would always be in her heart to help her in her times of need.
When Zoe woke up this time she saw the boy Luke sitting by her bed. There was also a nurse in there tidying everything up. "What are you doing here?" she asked Luke.
"I asked for some time with you and your father said it would be alright."
Zoe nodded and shut her eyes. "I have to tell you something. Don't shut everything out like I did. Keep living your life. You can grief but don't mope about for the rest of your life," he said gently.
Zoe stared at him angrily. "That's what my mother said and I don't get it," she spat out at him. "Why does everyone order me around like I'm some stupid child?" she asked him.
"We are just trying to help Zoe and what I mean is that you are allowed to have happiness in your life. You don't have to be miserable forever. You can smile and laugh if you want to."
Zoe nodded. "Thank you Luke. I'm sorry I yelled at you. Could I just have some time alone to think?" she asked him. He nodded and went out the door to her room. She lay there thinking. Thinking about her mother and Simon who's lives were both taken from them.
They were both innocent kind people who didn't deserve death. Even though Simon was a vampire who sucked people's blood she had loved him. She had loved her mother yet they had left her.
She heard someone knocking on the door. "Come in," she called. The door opened. It was her father.
"Zoe, I've come to take you home," he said. "You've been here long enough."
"How long?" she asked.
"Seven days," he said. Zoe opened her eyes in amazement. It felt like only a few days.
"When they got home Zoe's dad said, "There's a surprise in the house. I'll be at the store. If you need me call my cell phone."
Zoe got out confused. What was the surprise? Why was her dad going to the store. She opened the door and was attacked by something.
"Zoe!" said her friend Lorraine.
"Lorraine!" said Zoe. Her friend engulfed her in a huge hug.
"I'm so sorry Zoe," she said. Zoe nodded. "I missed you so much!" she said to Zoe.
"I missed you too! I thought you were in Oregon," he said to Zoe.
"Well once I heard that something was wrong I flew out here immediately. Dad wasn't so happy but too bad for him!"
Zoe smiled with tears in her eyes. She knew that she had the best friend in the world. Lorraine could always cheer her up.
"I hope you haven't gotten any more hickeys since last time missy," said Lorraine in a fake stern voice wagging her finger at Zoe.
Zoe laughed and shook her head. "That's sucks," said Lorraine in her normal voice that just made Zoe laugh more. "Zoe, tonight is going to be a girls night," Lorraine informed her. "I already told your dad and he agreed that it would be good for you."
Zoe nodded. "Okay."
"First we're going shopping!" Lorraine announced.
After they had been to all the stores in the mall they decided to go to Zoe's house and watch a movie. They watched 3 movies and didn't fall asleep until 6 in the morning.
The next day Zoe announced that she had to go back to Oregon or her father would come out here and look for her himself. Zoe hugged her and said, "Thank you so much Lorraine." Lorraine shrugged. "It's my job, I'm your best friend." Zoe waved goodbye to the car until she couldn't see it anymore. Then she went back into the house.