Hey everyone! I'm so, so, so, so, so incredibly sorry it took some long to update. I'm the essence of vexation, I know. My sister got married yesterday! I've been really busy doing bridesmaidy stuff, so I didn't get a chance to write. As an apology for getting this chapter up so late, I'm going to update the next chapter sometime tomorrow. I promise!

Anyways, I like this chapter, so I hope all of you like it too. As always, read and review and I will try to get back to everyone. I love you all so very, very much for reading along with me even with this large gap in time. You rock, so, so hard.

Eleven:

Ellie lay motionless in her hospital bed, enjoying some quite and alone time before Marco and Paige would come in. Nothing was making sense to her, as if everything that was happening was actually happening to someone else; A complete stranger. She was hearing bad news after bad news more quickly then normal, so she feels like she can't even get a chance to take a breath. She wished more then anything that she could find out what was to happen to her. Even if it was bad news, she had to know. She hated being left in the dark, especially with things that were about her. Nobody seems to get that.

Just as Ellie began to think even more morbidly, the door swung opened to reveal her best friends Marco and Paige. It annoyed Ellie that they were trying much too hard to look cheerful. It was plain as day obvious that they weren't. Paige's eyes were so dark, it looked as if someone tried to push them farther into her head, and Marco had the most unconvincing smile Ellie had ever seen. She felt it almost to be pathetic, and she would have told them exactly that if she didn't have a conscience.

Ellie just shook her head, then took Marcos outstretched hand and entwined his fingers with hers. "It's okay—you guys don't have to act like the sunshine twins. It's actually kind of nauseating honestly."

Paige then put on a sarcastic serious face just to amuse her. "This better Eleanor?" She teased in a stuffy sounding voice. "So—how is the weather?"

"Quite splendid actually." Ellie mimicked the voice quite accurately, causing everyone laughter.

As Paige stood, her stature looked awkward. As she looked around it looked as if something was missing, and her body had no language left within it, like she didn't know what to do with it. She needed to be either saying or doing something to keep her mind off crying. Ellie noticed this, and deeply didn't want any tears, in fear of joining in. Ellie lifted her blanket on her bed and spoke softly. "Get in here, Michalchuk."

Paige obliged, laying next to her but with her back still in a sitting position against the wall. Marco joined them by sitting at the foot of the bed. He then began to speak for the first time. "I feel obligated to tell you this. We're not gong to share you with anyone. We're going to force you to hang out with us this entire time, got it Nash?"

"Got it Del Rossi" She replied.

"Yep, anyone wanting to see you will just have to do it with us here because we're not leaving you sight." Paige added.

The room went quite as they all smiled to themselves. One thing that Ellie knew was that she would always have the best friends anyone could ever ask for. She knew that they would never leave her no matter what happened, and that they were the only people she could turn to when she was in need, or just spill her guts to when she felt it necessary. They never judged her, they never asked questions when it was important not too. When they knew she wouldn't allow it.

"So—" Ellie spoke again, her voice slightly coarse. "Is my mom here?"

Marco was silently staring at her for a long while before gathering up his speech. He wasn't exactly sure how to say it because he felt he needed to choose his words carefully around her. "She was currently—unavailable." He said quite plainly. Ellie knew what this meant. She knew that her mother was just drunk.

"Right—unavailable." Ellie echoed. "Well when she is—available, will you guys tell her I really need to see her? To talk to her?"

"Of course, Hun." Paige responded, combing her fingers through Ellie's thick, fiery hair. It waves at the moment were almost enchanting and probably the only thing appealing about Ellie's appearance at the moment. Paige then gave Ellie a light kiss on the forehead, before continuing to comb through her hair. It was strange, but Ellie felt this to be extremely comforting. Like since her mother was never a comfort to her she had one woman in her life, her best friend, which was.

Marco then began digging in his rather tight pocket for something, mumbling to himself. He then pulled out a deck of cards and set the on the bed. "I thought we might get bored, and could play some cards."

Ellie chuckled lightly and took the cards into her hand. "Alright, what do you want to play?"

"How about poker?" Marco asked, raising an eyebrow.

Paige sighed and took the cards into her own hands. "No—not poker. I'm terrible at poker, and you know that Marco."

Ellie laughed. "Yeah Marco, and aren't you a recovering addict? We wouldn't want you to get into old habits again, would we?"

Marco then snatched the cards into his own hands once again at being ragged on. "It's not like I wanted to put any money on it. I just thought it would be fun. Oh well—speed again?" He asked shaking the cards in the box.

"Deal em' Del Rossi." Ellie said, doing her loan shark impression. A deep wispy voice that made them all laugh.

About an hour and a half later, they were all still playing cards, but starting to get pretty tired of it. Paige was now in a full laying position like Ellie, and getting really tired.

"Well—that's three games, time to change the game again." Marco said, the most awake out of all of them.

"We've already play speed, poker, black jack, hearts, bridge, rummy, spades, o fish and Old Maid. What other card games are there?" Ellie asked. "And besides, my eyes are still really soar."

Paige through her hand of nothing cards on the bed. "Yeah, I say—cards are out. I think we should—"

She was then interrupted by a small moan of pain Ellie let slip out as she held her hands over her face. Paige was about to ask if she was alright, when she saw small droplets of blood hit the bed sheets. "El—Hun, is your nose bleeding?"

Ellie lift her head let her hands drop from her face. Small tears of blood were coming out from her eyes. Ellie was shaking and her breath quickened as she yelled in a strong, but croaky voice. "My—my eyes! I c-c-can't see anything!"

Oh no! What could this be all about? You'll have to review to find out. Only time (and reviews of course) will tell. It would be extremely kind and motivating so I can post the next chapter. As promised I will have the new chapter up tomorrow, so I won't be holding any secret ransoms, I still hope that you all review! It's encouraging!

Once again, a great big heap of thanks to Greg Styles, hudsygurl, S.L. Gunn, ScreamsInTheDark, Brooks's-Babey, Dahlia Faith Black,XALLOWspuffyBuFf, breathe-in3, rocklesson86, carrebear14, tribalranger, emo.kid1992, sparkle587, Chelsey, Allie, fiercebiatch, iLoveyou and MAGRADY03! Your reviews are lovely and so are you!