Jup, next chapter as promised.

Next promise: you will be surprised

Enjoy

Nick PoV

I almost jumped out of Kevin's car, before I got stopped by… Joe.

'Easy tiger. Stay cool.' He urged. I took a deep breath and laughed at him. 'Good, go!' he said.

I walked, fast but not running, in to the hospital straight to the elevator. I knew where her room was.

At the fourth floor, the floor of the intensive care, I saw dad.

'Hey dad!' I said, catching up with him, quickly followed by Joe and Kevin. 'How's she?'

'She's, doing good for what happened to her.' Dad answered my question. Okay, that didn't sound good, but it was better then nothing right?

'Where's mom?' was my next question. 'With Angel, naturally.' Was my response.

'Oh okay.' I muttered and we spend the rest of the walk to her room talking about nothing in particular.
Dad stopped at room 717. 'Nick, how bout' you go in first?' He said, holding the door open. I nodded and walked in.

There she was, the same image as last time.

Way to stiff and unmoving, the weird needles and tubes sticking out of her. Strange coloured liquids dripping their way in to her bloodstream.

Next to her was my mom, staring at Angel's face. Eyes puffy. I put my hand on her shoulder and smiled when she looked up.

'Oh Nick.' She sobbed and embraced me. I patted her back. 'Shh, mom. It's going to be okay. She's tough; it takes more then a stupid knife to get her down.' I said, repeating what Kevin had told me earlier. 'You're right, as usual, honey.' She said, rubbing her eyes. 'It's so hard; I've grown to see her as my daughter. She is really.' More tears made their way down her Latino cheeks. 'I know mom, all of us have.' I soothed her.

She smiled. 'I look horrible don't I and you probably want some time with her. You two are so...' She didn't finish the sentence, but kissed me on my forehead. 'Be good honey.' She told me, before leaving.

I looked over at Angel. I've seen enough television programs and I've read enough books to know that unconscious people sometimes hear you. Or when they don't it helps them to find their way back to life. So I sat down, wondering what I would say.

But without deciding I just followed my instincts for once and started singing.

Pick up all your tears
Throw em in your backseat
Leave without a second glance
Somehow I'm to blame
For this never-ending racetrack you call life

Turn right
Into my arms
Turn right
You won't be alone
You might
Fall off this track sometimes
Hope to see you on the finish line

Driving all your friends
At a speed they cannot follow
Soon you will be on your own
Somehow I'm to blame
For this never-ending racetrack you call life

Turn right (turn right)
Into my arms
Turn right (turn right)
You won't be alone
You might (you might)
Fall off this track sometimes
Hope to see you at the finish line

I did all I could
And I gave
Everything
But you had to go your way
And that road was not for me

Turn right
Into my arms
Turn right
You won't be alone
You might (you might)
Fall off this track sometimes
Hope to see you at the finish line

I looked at her blank face. Remembered previous times I'd sung her back to life, or sang soft lullabies to make her go to sleep. It always worked. Music had influence on her. This time it left me, this time she didn't got back to me.
I couldn't make her turn right. Her shadows were too big for me. Her pain too much, her silence unbreakable.

I sighed and just held her hand. 'Come on Angel. You can do this. You don't need me, you're strong. Fight the shadows, fight.'

''—''—''—''—''—''

Once again I laid, crawled into a ball, my back against a wall. Shadows looking and sneering at me from everywhere I looked.

My father, mother and Stephen clearer then ever.

'I got to you again; I can do that whenever I want. You know what they say. Three times…' my father threatened.

'Why don't you just go away already, everybody is sick of you.' My mother growled.

Shephen just stood there and looked at me. Hate and disgust written on his face.
The knives they send through my body were more vivid then ever. Pain, everywhere. Ugly shadows crawling over each other. Moaning and screeching. Hate and pain surrounded me.

The rhythm of their insults, their sneers, their threats, their growls, was pounding through my body.

Images of my mother, dieing, light leaving her eyes. My father, drunk and passed out on the couch.

Mom, covered in blood. Stephen, scared and screaming. My father, his fists slamming into my body. Steven, dead.

They all flowed through my mind. Each of them hurting more then the knives.

The shadows crawled over me, consuming me. Pulling me into their darkness. I knew I wouldn't get away. They finally got me…

Then, through the rhythm of the screaming shadows, came the most heavenly sound I've ever heard.

'Turn right.' The words said. 'Turn right, you won't be alone.' They said. The shadows backed away from the words.
I wouldn't? But I was always alone. I'd always be. I thought, the shadows pulling me down deeper, drowning me.

I would always be alone; everything I loved was taken away. Why would anybody care for me?

Deeper, deeper. Everything was pitch black… the beautiful sound was gone.

The last thing I heard were soft, whispering words. Almost echoes. 'Come on Angel.' They said. 'You can do this.'

I couldn't

'You don't need me, you're strong.'

Was I?

'Fight the shadows, fight!'

I started struggling. Moving my body in twists, trying to get the shadows to release me.

New memories erupted. Joe, making jokes I just had to laugh to. Kevin, putting his jacket around me, leaving himself in just a t-shirt.

Mom, trying to make me eat more, telling me how beautiful I was. Dad, winking and giving me a pair of sneakers to replace the stiletto's mom bought.

Nick, strumming on his guitar, smiling at me.

My father, ruffling my hair, telling me how much I looked like my mother.

My mother, telling me and Stephen stories.

Stephen, smiling and hugging me.

They cared, they did.

I struggled even harder now. Kicking around, even though that hurt. I'd take the hurt, they were not getting me.

If what I was, was good enough for those people. It was good enough for me. It was good enough to live.

I was good enough.

I fought my father hadn't I? Because he had no right to hurt Nick, no right to hurt me. No right to hurt Stephen.

'He didn't huuurt, sssteepheeen.' The shadows whispered. Pulling at me and trying to drag me back.

This time, their voices weren't clear, they sounded weak and desperate.

No! I thought. My father had hurt Stephen, because my mom died, because he went insane!

'you are guiiiiilty.' They tried again.

No I'm not. I told the shadows sternly. I tried, I really did. I did everything I could. I loved Stephen with every bit of my heart.

I still do

The shadows backed away from me. They wouldn't get me. I would go back; I would find the voice that loved me.
I wasn't the reason Stephen died, I wasn't a brat, I wasn't worthless

I am Angel. I am strong. I fought. I did and lost. And still… they love me.

'Noooo, they doooon't' the shadows tried one last time.

Yes they do! And I love them too, with all of my heart!

With that, the shadows vanished, disappeared in piles of smoke.

I floated up, back to the light. The faces of my Mother, my father and my Stephen waving at me. Smiling.

I reached the light.

I opened my eyes.

I've never seen so bright

''—''—''—''—''—''

I sat in the chair next to Angel. In the last couple of hours, her heartbeat had sunk to almost nothing. After that it went up in an alarming range.

Doctors came and went. I just sat there, holding her hand. Like I held her here.

Mom was sitting on the other side of the bed. Joe sat in the window frame. Switching his gaze from outside to Angel and back.

Dad and Kevin were sitting in a two person's seat.

We were all waiting. For the worst, but hoping for the best. Or at least better then the worst.

'What did you do exactly Nicky?' Joe asked out of the blue. 'When did I do what?' I asked back.

Joe rolled his eyes. 'What did you do after mom left that caused her heart to go crazy?' He clarified his question.

'I... I sang to her.' I answered. Had my singing caused this? Had she really heard me?

My mother shot op. 'Maybe you should sing again, all of you.' She said. 'Maybe it'll reach her again!' She continued, hope in her voice.

'Who sing what?' One Stella Malone asked. Walking in to the room. Joe's head shot up when he heard his best friends' voice.

'Stella!' we all yelled. She just laughed. 'Yeah, it's nice to see you too.' She got serious. 'How's she doing?'

We all looked back at Angel. 'We don't know.' Kevin answered honestly.

'Who doesn't know what?' one Macy Misa asked. Walking into the room. Both Kevin and Joe's heads shot up.

'Macy!' We all yelled, again. She blushed. 'Hi!' she softly said.

They both found a place to sit. Stella next to Joe and Macy next to Kevin. They started talking to their best friends whispering.

I sighed and looked back at Angel's face. I never whispered with my best friend, though I wish I could.

'Her heartbeat's gone up again.' My mom said concerned as we all looked up to the heart monitor. The knife had almost hit her right lung and slightly damaged some fleece by her heart. The doctors said that was causing the heart malfunction.

The atmosphere in the room dropped to below zero.

'Um, so.' Macy shyly said. 'You still gonna sing at the CCC's with Nick Stella?' she asked eventually, trying to easy the tension.

'Um yeah, I think so.' Stella answered, looking at me. Half asking if it was true, half asking if it was alright to talk. I nodded and answered: 'Yeah, I think I got the lyrics somewhere around here.' I searched through my pockets with one hand, the other not leaving Angel's.

'Here you go.' I said, as I gave her the lyrics.

She read it, everybody trying to read over her shoulder. 'Oh Nick, this is beautiful!' she smiled, pressing the paper to her heart.

I slightly smiled and moved my attention back to Angel. 'I'll learn them for the CCC's.' Stella muttered.

'Thank you Stella.' I answered. Making sure she understood.

We sat in silence, good silence, but way to quiet silence for another half hour.

That's when it happened. Angel's body trembled and she took in a large gasp of air. Her head moved from left to right and then went completely still again. We all watched her in fear and hope. Looking at her face.

And her eyes opened. Now we were the ones taking gasps. Her eyes, they had always been a beautiful colour of green. But the orbs looking at the ceiling and then to us were more then beautiful.

They were a wonderful and shiny emerald colour. Like spring leaves and morning grass. Like the most beautiful gems you've ever seen.

'Angel.' I whispered, forgetting her eyes and happiness rushing through my body. 'You're awake!'
She nodded and smiled. A real, vivid smile. Like an invisible blanket had been removed from her face.

'Are you… okay?' My mother asked. She once again nodded and closed her eyes, creating a picture of peace before reopening them and looking around in the room. Obviously curious. She smiled at Stella and Macy and tried to wave at Joe, Kevin and my dad, but failed.

Then she looked at me, hoping, begging I would understand and with looking in her eyes I knew.

The shadows normally clouding her eyes, they were gone. She had fought them and won.

What did that mean? Was she better?

I looked in her eyes again and saw the answer.

No she wasn't better, not okay, but she was ready to heal.

I smiled and spoke, knowing she wanted me to: 'She's fine' I said, everybody switching his or her attention to me. 'She has fought, she won.' Everybody started to smile. 'She's fought the shadows of her past, she isn't better, but she's ready to heal.'

I got another look from Angel. 'She loves us; with our support she fought the darkness life's given her. She's…' I paused. I was amazed.

It was there, but I couldn't believe it. 'She's what? Nick!'

'She's ready to tell her story in her fathers' trial.' I finished my sentence.

I smiled at her. I kept forgetting what an amazing creature my little sister was.

She carefully sat up, wincing, trying not to move the needles and she softly embraced me.

She was okay; she had been strong, like Kevin had said. She finally saw what we saw all along.

It was good, damn was it good.

Oh yeah it was!

Damn, I'm proud of this chapter, I hope you enjoyed.

If you did, I'd really appreciate it if you'd review.

Because this story has more to it! This isn't the end.

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Love, silver