Thank you for the awesome reviews and messages for the last chapter, it means the world. I'm also very sorry for this late update. I'm going on a schedule now that I'm starting school again next week and I think it'll be the best thing. Every Friday I'll be updating Fallen in Grigori's POV, every Saturday I'm updating my new fanfic Broken Wings, and once month on the 8th I'll be updating The Past Lives.

Love Never Dies,

Bella

Chapter 10

x

Rude Awakening

"How come never pink peonies? Or maybe red ones? You know – To spice things up a bit?" Arriane teases lightly to Daniel, who was sitting beside Lucinda's bed. He didn't know why he was in here, he shouldn't have been. She could wake up and see him here any moment now, with the wild white peonies in his hand. Daniel didn't bother replying to Arriane, she already knew the answer to that and he also knew she was playing around.

Daniel toys with the steams of the peonies, his gaze locked on Lucinda's resting face. He wanted to reach over and cradle her, to kiss her, and give her words of encouragement. But, Daniel wasn't even supposed to be here, he wasn't supposed to be sitting here with flowers in his hands, expecting her to wake up.

"Are you going to explain to us what happened?" Roland asks from the other side of Lucinda's bed, slouching in his chair as he watched Daniel. Daniel hadn't gotten around to explaining what had happened yesterday evening, he was still semi-confused. Why would Lucifer be trying to mess with Lucinda now? How had Lucinda survived by Todd survived?

"I found them in the west hallway, they were heading for the stairwell to get out. . . When we got to the stairwell - I was just going to leave, but, an Announcer came, and exploded." Daniel curls his lips in between his teeth, watching Lucinda. "Todd broke his neck with the impact but. . Luce lived, somehow." Daniel's violet eyes were filled with wonder, curiosity as to how she had lived at all that night.

"I just saw Randy, you should probably get to the waiting room." Gabbe said, poking her head into the room and interrupting Daniel's thoughts.

"Alright. Roland?" Daniel stands up, glancing in his direction. "Come with me?" Daniel asks, which Roland nods and follows Daniel out to the hallway and then towards the waiting room. Neither of them uttered a word along the way or when they were sitting in the living room. Daniel drowned into the sounds of the hospital; The buzzing of pagers, the beeping of monitors, typing, erratic talking. . .

Erratic talking that spoke Lucinda's name.

"We thought Luce would be safe at Sword & Cross," A man asks, maybe about two sections away. Both Daniel and Roland look over their shoulders to see what was going on. Randy was standing in front of a middle-aged couple.

"We assure you she's safe at Sword & Cross, a fuse in the light fixtures in the library must have blown or. . . "

"Are you suggesting my daughter started the fire?" The woman asks, her pale eyes narrowing at Randy.

"She has a track record, it's best if we ask her first. A boy she was found with was dead on the scene, they're examining to see the cause right now. The police are here to question her, and they'd like to ask you some questions as well." Randy spoke professionally, but it still sounds as if he was a bit nervous. Daniel had the urge to stand and defend Lucinda, to tell them what had really happened – But, he couldn't. Randy and Luce's parents had at it for a few minutes before they finally came into an agreement to talk to the police and to have Luce talk to them as well.

"Daniel?" Gabbe's voice startles him, making him turn back to her. She had sat herself beside Daniel, her hand clasping Daniel's knee in encouragement. "She's doing okay, she hasn't woke up yet." She tells Daniel, who sighs of relief at that news and sank back into his seat. He hadn't even realize that he had been stressing over Luce, but he was – As usual. His mind wanders to Todd, who had died all because of The Announcer, all because of Lucifer. His eyes went around the waiting room to find a couple crying, being talked to by two men who were in police uniform. It was obvious they were Todd's parents, they were the right age and Daniel hadn't heard anything about any other deaths that needed a police investigation this afternoon.

"That boy didn't deserve to die," Daniel suddenly broke out, taking a pause as he thought for a moment. "We should do something." Daniel says and turns to Gabbe, who nods in agreement.

"I'll talk to Randy later about doing a memorial service." Gabbe says, rubbing Daniel's knee. Daniel gives her a small smile and looks away from her, glancing over his shoulder at Lucinda's parents, who were now alone and congregating quietly.

"I'm going to talk to her parents," Gabbe tells him, but Daniel only nods, watching her stand and walk around the row of chairs over to Lucinda's parents. Daniel didn't bother listening in, he didn't want to. His thoughts drowned out the bustling of the hospital, his head settling into his hands, feeling the wet stems against his lips.

He was supposed to be calling it off, not sitting in the waiting room with flowers waiting for her to wake up. He was tired, he was tired of watching her die, tired of her not getting the life she deserved. The time at the frozen lake was the one that made Daniel realize what was happening. She was leaving behind a family, friends, a life – All because of him. She was going to go to college, she had two brothers and perfect parents that loved her more than anything, and he took her from them, he took her from the most normal life she had ever had.

A thought then came to mind and made him glance up from his hands, looking around until his eyes met with a sign that pointed in the directions of different wards. Daniel then rose to his feet, pedals from the white wild peonies falling on the seat behind him as he went to approach the sign. His eyes scanned over the directions before finding the one he wanted to see and turning down the hall.

XoXoX

"Any of them yours, kid?" A deep, croaky voice asks Daniel, who was leaning on the other side of the hallway, his eyes locked on the glass that opened up the baby ward. Daniel blinks, looking at the aged man who was now standing beside him.

"No," Daniel shook his head, looking back at the glass. It wasn't that Daniel wished he could be a father, but it was the fact that Lucinda could never be a mother because of him that haunted him. Daniel sighs, shaking his head and running his fingers through his tousled hair.

"You want a kid or somethin'? Girlfriend don't want one? Not into women?" The old man probes, but in a gentle and joking way that puts a small smile on Daniel's face and makes him chuckle softly.

"No, no – Nothing like that." Daniel shakes his head. "It's hard to explain really." He shrugs, toying with the stem of the flowers in his hands.

"You seem awfully young to be looking as sad as you do, kid." The man said, clasping Daniel's shoulder. "What's on your mind?"

Daniel shakes his head, sighing. Daniel wasn't the type of person to give his story off to a stranger, in fact – To tell anyone anything. He was a quiet person, he kept himself and kept his problems to himself unless he need to say something, he never asks for help when he needed it, he was just someone who wanted to do it on his own. The old man obviously noticed that Daniel wasn't going to talk anytime soon so his hand fell and he nodded.

"Suffer in silence type, eh?"

"Something like that." Daniel mumbles and glanced at the clock that was ticking over the window. "I need to go check on someone," Daniel says, standing upright but pausing, "Thanks for the small talk." He glances at the old man once more before starting down the hallway, switching the peonies around in his hands. He had to see Lucinda now, he wanted to know how she was feeling, was she awake, has she left? Daniel's mind filled with questions, but one shouted in want. He had to see Lucinda, there was nothing else, he needed to see her.

XoXoX

Daniel turns down the corridor and slows until he halts in his tracks. The door to Lucinda's room was halfway open, exposing Arriane who was perched on the bed beside her, twirling a cup in her hand. He could also see the subtle movements on the hospital bed. She was awake. Daniel suddenly felt the pull that dragged his feet in the direction of the door, but stopping himself from walking in and pausing to hear the conversation inside.

"Fine, just still recovering, I guess." It was Luce's voice that first filled Daniel's ears, making him sigh with relief.

"When we heard about what happened, we sweet-talked Randy into letting us come visit, we didn't want you to wake up alone." Gabbe then returns, making Daniel smile. Gabbe and Luce were close in their past lives, nearly inseparable. It made a warm feeling spread through him knowing that Lucinda was apparently getting close to Gabbe now. Daniel sighs, raising his closed fist up to the door, hesitating before slowly knocking once. He heard a shuffle from inside and footsteps to the door, making Daniel step back so whoever was coming could come out. Gabbe emerged from her room and slipped out into the hallway.

"How is she?" Daniel whispers, his eyes looking over Gabbe's head, in hopes to maybe see her, but only seeing Arriane's head.

"She's alright, I told her about the memorial and everything – She's taking it well." Gabbe whispers back, "She actually-" Gabbe starts but was cut off by a snarl.

"What is all this congregating?" Randy steps up to Daniel and Gabbe. "Whoever talked me into letting you hooligans tag long gets a detention." Daniel began to raise his flowers, to explain that he had been giving to Lucinda. "And no, Grigori, I will not accept flowers as bribe. All of you, get in the minivan."

"No, I – We just got these for Luce, we were going to give them to her," Daniel says finally, Randy raises his eyebrows in suspicion but taking the flowers from Daniel's hand. "Fine, then I'll give her the message, get in the van." Randy pushes passed the two and into the room – But Daniel made no move to leave, as Lucinda's sweet face came into his view. He leans back against the doorway, his eyes filling with concern as he went over her frame, trying to see how she was some how. She had a bruise along her baring arm, a few scuff marks on her face along with a few bandages. And then their eyes locked. Daniel couldn't help but give her a small smile as he felt his heart swell, brushing his hair from his eyes to see her fully. Her hazel eyes bored into Daniel's, the gaze unbreaking it seemed.

Then the guilt seeped in. It was Daniel's fault she was in here – At least some of it, and It pained him. She didn't deserve this, she didn't belong here, she didn't belong in Sword & Cross, she didn't deserve the pain she was enduring because of his choice. (Though Lucinda had also chosen the same choice with Daniel)

Randy busts through the door, ushering all four of them away, but not before Daniel could raise his hand and mouth a quick 'I'm sorry' towards Lucinda, who was still staring. A part of Daniel wanted to also add 'I love you', but he couldn't find himself to do it – He was already in too deep. He wasn't supposed to be here anymore, he should have just left without saying anything at all. Her seeing him along made things worse.

Daniel turned his head back to the group and shoved his hands into his pockets as he walked behind them, but he couldn't help but glance once more over his shoulder. Then, Sophia Bliss and the two officers he had seen talking to Todd's parents came into view, forcing Daniel to stop in his tracks. A part of him was angered, angered that they had thought now would be the best time to question a girl who had clearly just been through trauma, and another part was guilty – Guilty that he could have easily done something, he could have even said that he was the one who did it.

"Dani, come on." Roland tugs on Daniel's elbow, pulling him along with the group that had also stopped a few feet ahead when Daniel had. "There is nothing we can do," He whispers. Daniel sighed and closed his eyes, nodding slowly and turning his heel and walking back with the group. He didn't respond to Roland, there was nothing to be said – That, and Daniel didn't want to talk at all.

He just wanted to be with Lucinda right now, he wanted to be the one holding her hand and patting it, giving her soft words of encouragement, caring for her – And he couldn't do that.