Disclaimer: I don't own anything.

Author's Note: I know, I know, the end of the last chapter…that wasn't the way I initially planned it, but…anyways. Well almost to the end. So….thanks for still reading this.

What We Need Now

Tori slowly opened her eyes, it was dark out. She sat up and looked around, she was in her room. How did she get there? Maybe it had all been a bad dream? But as she looked down at the black gown that was still on her she knew that it had all happened. She got up and decided to change out of those clothes and into one of her dresses. As she got dressed images from the past few days began entering her mind. Upon finishing getting dressed she remembered the last thing she saw: Blake falling down, dead? Was he dead?

Quickly heading out of her room she tried to figure out where he would be. She asked a few soldiers that she found in the hall and none of them seemed to know. Was he gone and she had slept during it? Blake couldn't be gone, he just couldn't. Running to his room she noticed that there were no guards by the door. She entered the room and prayed that he would be in there. Instead she was met with nothing.

Exiting the room she felt her heart fall. Where was everybody anyways? Kelly. Hunter. Giving herself a small amount of hope she went over and knocked on Hunter's door. She stood there until the door finally opened. Hunter stood in the doorway; it looked as though he hadn't slept for a few days. Two thoughts entered her mind, one, that she couldn't have been asleep that long, and two, that if it's distressing Hunter then Blake must be…

"What?"

"Blake. Is—"

"Look, I think you should go."

"I'm sorry about what happened to Blake, but it's not like I—"

"Save it." Hunter folded his arms. "None of this would have happened if it weren't for you. You sent him over there."

Tori was speechless. What was she supposed to say to him? She had told Blake about the other land, and if he hadn't gone over there or come to get her. As Hunter began to shut the door Tori touched his shoulder, "Please. Where—what—Hunter I didn't do it on purpose. I would take it all back if I could."

"But you can't."

Meaning...what then? "No, I don't suppose I can." Tori turned and headed off. Slowly she made it back to her room and lay down on her bed wishing that she could go back in time.

Tori had been laying in the dark for about half an hour when she heard a knock at her door, "Come in."

She sat up and squinted in the dark at who her visitor was. "Tori."

It was Hunter. "Hunter, what are you doing here?"

"Look, I'm sorry but how am I supposed to trust you anymore?"

"It's not like we were in a relationship."

"Blake is my brother. He was that before you ever saw him. I take care of him. And now…"

Tori got up and walked over to Hunter, "I'm really sorry. How do you think I feel? It was my fault and I should've been able to stop him."

"Look, this isn't going to happen again right?"

"Well, no, you killed Lothor didn't you?"

Someone else walked into the blonde's room this time carrying a light. "Tori!" Kelly set down the light on the dresser and walked over and hugged her. "You're awake."

"Yeah." She looked back and forth from Hunter and Kelly, "What's going on?"

"Tori, you've been asleep for three days." Kelly said stepping back next to Hunter.

"Three days?"

Nodding she continued, "King Raidon gave you something to drink to help you over everything and to rest or something, your Father already knew about it."

"The war?"

"After Hunter killed Lothor, everyone was out of his control. So within a couple of days, everything was as fine as it could be. At least that's what Cam told me."

"So that's it? Nothing else?" Tori didn't want to hear about Blake but she braced herself.

Hunter turned and walked off Kelly watching as he left. "I don't blame him for hating me. I hate me."

She turned and sat down on her bed. "Why do you hate you?" Kelly walked over and stood in front of her.

"Well if it weren't for me Blake wouldn't be dead."

"Dead?"

"Yes, dead."

"Tori, oh my gosh, you believe that?"

"Kelly I told him that stupid story."

"No, that's not what I meant. I meant that, come with me."

Tori followed Kelly through the halls until they got to a wing that was set aside for the visiting Kings. She still didn't see anyone and she didn't much feel like seeing Blake's Father at the moment. They got to the end of the hall and Kelly quietly opened the door, "Go on in."

Tori walked in. The room was dimly lit by a light in one of the corners and on the bed laid Blake. She swallowed and looked back at Kelly, "What? I thought…"

"That he had died?"

"Yeah, he fell and…"

"King Raidon and your Father had dealt with Lothor before. When King Raidon got here he checked on Blake. Apparently Lothor's and the other two had poison on their swords. Blake was stabbed with it twice, and well…he's been healing."

"Has he woken up?"

"Not that I know of, but they're keeping this quiet so, go on, you'll be fine."

"Thanks." Tori started back into the room and then paused, "Go on, you don't need to stay here, I know that there's someone else you want to check on."

Even by the dim light Tori could see Kelly's cheeks turn a bit redder which was followed by a smile, "Thanks."

"You're welcome."

"Kelly," Tori waited until her red headed friend turned around, "Hunter's not here. Since Blake is his brother…"

"His Father finally got him away and to his room to sleep, that was a couple of hours ago, he had been by his side since it happened."

"Oh. Thanks."

"You're welcome." And with the Kelly took off.

Tori closed the door and walked over to the bed that Blake was in. She sat down on it and noticed how still he lay. She gently picked up his hand which was surprisingly warm. Not sure of what to say or do she sat there for a long time just watching him and thinking about how things had gone since the whole thing with Lothor started.

After sitting there for a few hours she decided that maybe it would be best to leave. Leaning over she gently kissed him on the cheek and starting to get up when she felt someone touch her hand, "You're leaving."

Looking down in the light that was starting to come in from the rising sun Tori saw Blake's eyes slowly open. He moved to start sitting up and Tori put her hand on his chest, "Hang on. I should get the doctor, well King Raidon."

"What?"

"I'll be right back."

Tori got up but was stopped when she heard him call her name; turning around she walked closer to the bed, "Yeah?"

Blake looked away before looking back into her eyes, "I just…wanted to say…"

"You were poisoned. That's why you went down. King Raidon has been helping you. I promise I'll be back."

"Where's Hunter?"

"I'll get him too."

"Alright."

Tori slowly left the room wishing she could spend more time with him, but knowing that getting King Raidon was the smartest thing to do.

Tori found herself at Hunter's door. She had already told King Raidon and they quickly made it into the room that Blake was in. And now she was going to tell Hunter. She had to wait a couple of minutes for him to answer the door.

"Yeah."

"It's Blake, he's awake."

The relief that showed on Hunter's face mirrored exactly how Tori felt. "Thanks." And he took off running towards Blake's room.

"He's awake?" Kelly asked as she came out of Hunter's room.

"Yeah. Come on."

Tori hurried down the hall with Kelly after her. But when they got there they saw that they were denied entrance and Hunter was giving the guards a hard time until finally his Father came out and told him to wait and he'd be able to see Blake soon enough.

A couple of hours had passed and Hunter was still standing straight with his arms folded glaring at the guards. Kelly and Tori had found a place to sit next to Blake and Hunter's Mother. Cam sat on the other side of Tori allowing her to rest her head on his shoulder, and Leanne was on the other side of him, the two holding hands. Hunter's Mother had already asked her son to sit down a few times and he would be a few seconds and then go right back where he had been.

Finally the door opened and everyone stood up as the three Kings, a few doctors and some servants stepped out of the room. The Queen quickly went over to her husband, "Is he well?"

Upon nodding Tori watch Hunter slip into the room and wished she had the bright idea to stand next to the door. Even though everyone was talking it all sounded muffled to Tori as she wait to see Blake. She was going to say that she loved him, but, she wasn't sure how it was going to come out. Besides that what if, after everything, Blake had changed his mind? As the thoughts kept circling her mind she waited as more and more people left.

Finally Kelly brought her into the room. Hunter was still there talking with Blake who was now sitting up in bed. "Hey. How are you feeling?"

Blake smiled at Tori, "Good. Thanks."

Kelly turned to Hunter, "Can I talk to you outside?"

The tall blond looked at his younger brother and turned and walked out with Kelly who shut the door. "What?"

"I think they want to be alone."

"But he's my brother."

"Yes, but come on Hunter, you know how Blake feels about Tori right?"

"Yeah, he loves her."

"Well Tori loves him. And I think if we leave them alone for a while they'll tell each other."

"Alright." Hunter sighed and ran his hand through his hair, "Do you want to go for a walk?"

Kelly was taken aback by the question, "Hunter, it's during the day. You know we can't."

Looking down Hunter reluctantly agreed, "Well then, go back to my room?"

"Yeah, I could do that for a while."

"Great. Let's go."

The two walked off towards the room seen by a pair of eyes that the two young people were unaware of.

After seeing the door closed Blake looked back at Tori. She smiled at him which brought a smile to his face. The two were quiet for a while before Blake decided to say anything, "So." He wanted to hit himself for being so eloquent.

"So." She smiled and looked down at the ground.

"So, why did you originally go over there?"

"Because I wanted to show you I could do it. I assumed you had."

"Me?" Tori looked flattered.

"Did you want to sit?" He asked gesturing to the bed.

"Umm…sure."

She sat down and Blake scooted closer to her, "I'm glad you're okay."

"Me. You were poisoned and it's all my fault."

"How is it your fault?"

"Well I told you that stupid story."

"You told me that story to get back at me for the walk that I left you on."

"Sure but it was because I was so mean to you about the dance afterwards."

"I wouldn't blame you; I wasn't paying attention to it."

"It was Shane's cousin."

"I still should have noticed."

Tori turned more to Blake, "It's not a big deal, like you leaving without saying good bye."

"When I first came here?"

"Yeah."

"No, we had to leave in a hurry; I thought you didn't show up because you were trying to insult me."

"No, I wasn't told you were leaving until after."

Blake moved closer to the blonde, "I also assumed you still wanted to stay away from me since you know you poured water on me."

Tori's mouth opened in protest, "You deserved it. Besides you poured it on me."

"Afterwards." Blake's hand rested on Tori's hand causing his heart to beat just a bit faster. "You didn't show up."

"And yet you still came after me."

By this time both of their voices were more like whispers and they found themselves leaning closer together.

Blake ran one of his hands through her hair and watched as she closed her eyes for a moment before opening them and looking back at him. "Of course I did, I love you."

Smiling Tori bit her lip and looked down before looking back up into Blake's eyes, "I love you too."

With that said the two leaned in and shared a kiss unlike the other ones that had had. This was filled with everything from the past days and all that they wanted for the future. Blake put his hand behind Tori's head and with his other hand put it on her waist and gently pulled her closer to him. One of her hands went to the back of his neck and lightly touched it while her other hand rested on his leg right above his knee.

When they finally pulled away they only readjusted so Blake was leaning against the headboard and Tori was sitting next to him, her head on his shoulder with his head on hers. The two didn't need words because now all they needed was each other.