I heard the sounds of muffles. So close yet so far away. My body wasn't yet awake but my mind was... I tried to turn on my senses, before operating my body. I heard voices... I listened closer only to hear I've been caught in the middle of a heated conversation. The voices of people so familiar, people who were once close... The sounds of my mother's lullaby surrounded me. She sounded so close but I knew it was only my conscience. Yet the words continued..

Just close your eyes

The sun is going down.

You'll be alright.

No one can hurt you now

Come morning light.

You and I'll be safe and sound...

The sound of her voice.. so sweet, soft and innocent. I didn't know what else to do but cry. My senses coming to me but I didn't dare let the people possibly in the room know I was awake. Coming from the commotion in the room, they already knew.

"There's now brain activity, but she's still not up" The voices were unclear, unknown.

"Great, she's up but she's not up" His stuck out. The voice was deep, concerned yet mostly angry; Butch.

"She needs to wake up soon, we have business to handle" I knew that voice anywhere. The voice I heard before I even knew myself; John

"Business? Your daughter, give basically gave her LIFE for you and you can't stay in her hospital room for more than an hour? Do you know how many things are wrong with that situation?!"

"Butch, mind your business. You don't know what I go through"

"You don't know what Blossom went through. You NEVER do. You ship her off, and doesn't bitch about it. You're on the brink of death so she risks her life for you, and I'm sure she's not gonna bitch about it. Blosoom goes through the agonizing pain of not knowing what's going on. Your wife is-" I heard some hard knocking, as if Butch got pushed.

"Don't talk about Sedurita. She's your mother"

"Oh PLEASE, I wouldn't classify her as my mother even if I DID come out of her infected vagina. Thank God I didn't!" I heard another noise, then another. "You're such an asshole. She used to look up to you, now you're what she deeply despises. Is that what you want to be from your little girl? You're ONLY girl?"

"I don't have to take this.." He seemed to have left. By mind was so boggled and so much was going on. I didn't know what exactly was going on but I knew when I opened my eyes the world would seem to fall on me. I just wanted to let go..

"You have to take it, John. This is what you created for us. This is what you put our family in!" Butch's voice was fading so I'm sure he left the room. Maybe the coast is clear, I opened my right eye. Hoping no one was around, I did a quick scan of the room. Clear yet there was a lump in the bed next to mine... I sat up as i thought of it to be another patient. I noticed all the cords hooked up to me, What happened? I scanned my brain for answers, yet I got a headache instead. I laid back down, with the hopes of it going away. I didn't want to deal with this. I closed my eyes, images flashing through my head. The explosion...My father on the brink of death... Butch on the floor bleeding to death...Killing Robin and Sedurita only to find out that it wasn't them... I gave blood and- AW. My began pounding faster and the images flashed quicker and quicker. I felt a pair of eyes on me so I stayed super still.

"I know your awake" I open one eye as I recognized the voice. His face was the last I remember seeing; Brick. I tried to sit up as I saw him, but he motioned otherwise. "Relax, relax. I can't be here long, Butch would surely kill me. I just came to check on you."

"Brick, I've only been here for a few hours what are you talking about." His blood-red eyes widened in laughter.

"Pinky, you've been here for about 2 and a half weeks. I dont' know all the details of your condition but it was severe and serious. Enough of that though, how are you?"

'In a hospital bed what do you expect. Where's Brent? Boomer? Robin? Sedurita?" He grabbed my hands for comfort and looked me directly in the eye.

"Don't worry about any of that. You focus on getting better, we will talk about that later." I pulled my hand away.

"Don't tell me what to do. Get me Brent, asap. I need to get out of here."

"You will, when you get better"

"No, tonight" He stared at me in disbelief.

"Are you crazy? Are you trying to run yourself into the grave?!"

"I have business that needs to be handled! " I tried to sit down.

"You need to focus on you!" He gently pushes me back down. "Stop helping everyone else for a second Blossom, and help yourself. Or before you know it, you will end up in the worst condition or worst. Dead" He looked so serious, yet so caring. "Not to be disrespectful but your mother. She put EVERYONE before her, she didn't take care of herself... She couldn't.." My eyes began to water at the mention of her.

"Stop, talking about her. Shut up!"

"Are you listening to what I'm saying?" I nodded frantically. He went away for a second, I didn't follow where he went. I was focused on my mother. Boy how I missed her... Brick appeared back in from of me again. "I'll be back later, okay?" I didn't say anything. I couldn't. I physically couldn't... I watched Brick walk away with worry written all over his face. Something he's not telling me... Before I could do anything he was gone...


The lump next to me was Boomer. He stayed with me these whole 2 weeks... "Are you sure there's nothing I can do for you Blossom?"

"Boom, I'm fine. Gosh, you're worst than the nurses in this place." He slightly laughed.. A nurse came into the room, with a happy look. That meant good news,

"Ms. Untonium, you are doing well. So well if we can get the doctor to sign off, you could leave tonight and get to your fiancé!" Before I could say anything, Boomer scurried her out the room.

"Boomer, what the hell is she talking about?"

"Nothing, she's a loon. Hehe" He avoided my eyes, trying to bury himself in something else.

"Boom w-" He interrupted me.

"Let's watch some t.v" he turned the tv on, seemed to be breaking news.

That's right ladies and gentlemen, you heard it here first. The feud is over. John Utonium and-

"Crap" Boomer scrambled to find the remote, trying to hide something. Little did he know, I had it.. I turned my attention back to the television.

Yes. You heard me. Blossom Utonium and Brick Jojo! Their wedding details haven't been released but their father's have announced their engagement and with hope we may receive more information. Now with the city at peace, everyone has hopes of living happily. We, from Townsville News want to congratulate Blossom and Brick. The best of luck to you two. Now to-

I didn't notice that Boomer got the remote from next to me. My eyes were glued to the t.v as i tried to comprehend what the hell just happened... I heard boomer's panting next to me. I turned my head to face him, "Boomer WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!"

"Bloss, calm down. Listen-"

"I don't want to fucking listen! I don't want to hear shit! You had all this time to tell me. You, Butch ANYONE. No one wanted to tell me that The Asshole shipped my hand off in marriage?! I-" I stopped talking as I saw Butch in the doorway.

'Hey Bloss, I-" He had bags in his hands, seemed to have my favorite but I didn't care for anything right now. I felt so betrayed and alone. I wanted to just go.

"Butch, leave. Boomer, you two just leave. NOW" The did as I asked and scurried alone, the nurse came back,

"I guess news spreads fast around here. I got the papers signed, and you can leave. Do you need me to call your brothers back in?"

"No, I have someone else coming to pick me up."


I quietly leaned my head against Brent's truck window. We haven't exchanged any type of words since he picked me up from the hospital. He must have seen how upset i was. How could someone so close, slime in my face knowing that something so life changing has been going on. I'm engaged with no ring! My anger flared. How could he marry me off like that? My father may have not made the best decisions in the past but this has DEFINATELY made the list. How could he do something so stupid! He has practically ruined my whole life! I refuse,REFUSE to marry Brick. How dare he comes to see me! he cares about me, his eyes and words were nothing but lies. If a person really cared they would have told me... They would have been there for me... My whole world is in a woodwind right now. I didn't know what to do with myself. One moment I'm trying to figure out who tried to kill my family, the next I'm practically in a coma for 2 week then I'm engaged. This is the crazy life of Blossom Utonium...

"Bloss, c'mon" I haven't noticed the car came to a stop. I looked over to Brent with drained eyes. That's what I was, drained. People have taken so much of me... I need to work on myself. No matter how much it pains me to say so, Brick is right. I need to work on me... I let Brent lead me into his apartment. I sat on the couch as he went into the kitchen only to come back with some refreshments. He sat everything on the coffee table and across from me on the opposite couch. "How you feeling?"

"Drained. Sick. Humiliated. Alone.."

"Typical, Blossom. Good" I looked at his masculine face.

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"That's how you always feel Bloss. It's typical..." He's right. These feelings never go away, just in this moment they are heighten. "Now that I know you're fine, we need to talk. I've handled what you left behind. Yet I have some unfinished pieces, I need you to get back inside.." He was talking about get home...

"Hold your horses buddy. Let's hear what you have first."

"Sedurita and Robin are alive and well. Back at home, well Sedusa is. Robin is supposedly on vacation. Everyone has been found and police has closed the case of the bombing calling it a reaction in the cooling system. No one asked questions, even though all the evidence wasn't completely there. Everyone was found, and no questions were raised about where they were. Cover stories were made and vouches were made. Everything clear. Sedusa controlled everything for a week while your father was in recovery. Things haven't been the same. I've watched all your family assets, you're going broke. She put so much money out there, that nothing is coming in. Suprising the drug deals have stopped and that has made alot of people angry... Your family isn't the only one going down. The Jojo's payed off everything with 10 million. He's dealing with Buttercup and Mitch, that hasn't been going to well since she's rumored to be pregnant. Mojo's wife is threatening to leave him because she's tired of being second-hand. If she leaves, she's taking three-fourths of his money with her. Oh and Bubbles and Boomer have been linking up lately. Butch has been in complete solitude... Brick has been taking over his father's duties while he tries to handle the wife situation. Not to say anything but Brick's doing a horrible job handling the family business... They are losing money and family secrets. The only smart thins to do. Unite the two families with the hopes of a solution." I furrowed my brows at this information Brent just threw on me... Now I feel the weight of the world.

"Wow that's alot."

"That's just 2 weeks worth. I need more. I need you to get in there"

"I don't think I'm ready"

"This goes beyond you Blossom. The Utonium and Jojo's aren't the only mob families in Townsville. All that has happened is effecting everyone. Somehow another family has gotten involved but I don't know enough. That's where I need you. I need to get more information, starting with the roots"

'The parents"

"Exactly. I need background on all of them. My data base gives me with basics but there's something we're missing."

"I'll get you what you need but in my time. I need time to heal." I grabbed a cookie off the tray and curled up on the couch.

"I heard about it. I knew that it wasn't true, you would do that would you?"

"Seriously Brent?! OF COURSE NOT! I can't imagine anything like that. I don't want to be with him, I don't know him. Plus he's the enemy! This goes against everything. I'm so bobbled.." I held myself tighter as Brent got up to comfort me. He wrapped his arms around me and held me close. I listened to his heartbeat, slightly in sync with my own. "Thank you for coming to get me on such short notice."

"No short notice as all, I was waiting on your call. I know my best friend like the back of my hand. When she's thinking about me, I'm thinking about her. When she needs me, I'm there. I always have been and I always will be." I leaned in closer to him. He was so warm and comfortable. We stayed like that for a while. Just listening to the sweet subtle sound of each other's breathing. "Bloss, you're falling asleep. C'mon , I'll help you upstairs." He picked me up bride style and lead me to his room. He laid me on the bed. "Sleep tight, I'll be on the couch." As he was leaving, I grabbed hold on his arm.

"Stay with me" My voice sounded slightly more seductive than I intended but either way I didn't want to sleep alone. Brent looked as if he was about to say no, but I pulled him closer to me. He gave in. I moved over and he got under the sheets. As he got settled, I moved closer. Letting him wrap his arms around me, in comfort. He kissed my forehead, "Goodnight, Blossom"

I leaned in closer, "Goodnight".I felt needed, wanted, loved in this moment. Only if it was temporary, it was necessary. I'm taking care of myself. One step at a time.