Alice was barely conscious when we jumped back to her but she was conscious enough to wear a horrified expression on her face when she saw our injuries. Her horrified face had no match to her father's face which wore shock, horror and fear all in one expression. He looked at Alice then back to me but didn't say anything even though I know he would have wanted to say something.

'What happened to you, guys?' Alice didn't sound angry but hurt; I thought to myself perhaps it was because she was injured that she had lost the will to sound angry.

'Nothing really, the usual' Griffin stifles a laugh and his hand lightly brushes Sophie's hand.

'The usual…!? You look like you have been dragged through a bush backwards, hit by a car and then ran into a wall to finish it' Alice looked at us quizzically but I returned her look with one of happiness. Alice was back and as injured as we both looked; we are alive.

I walked toward Alice without a word and just embraced her in my arms before bending down and kissing her forehead. The forehead I thought I would never kiss again; I closed my eyes and tried to ignore the burning feeling in my eyes.

Feeling awkward Alice's dad probably said to Griffin and Sophie, 'I think we should give them some time alone'

I heard a few shuffles of feet and the silence indicated that we were alone. I still refused to let go of her but she wriggled out of the embrace and stared into my eyes.

'Jamie…' her voice cracked as she said my name and I heard the longing and pain in her voice.

'Shhh, I'm okay. I promise' I softly whisper and gently kiss her lips. As we kiss softly I feel her neck and my finger traces a bruising followed by her wince. I break away from our embrace and bite my lip nervously.

'I can't stand this' I fall onto the hospital bed and bury my head in my hands, 'it seems like we both always seem to be hurt'

'I know' Alice agreed, 'but I don't care… I still have you and that's all I care about'

I smiled and looked up at her through teary eyes, 'You're all I care about and you're all I want'

Alice smiled back at me and ran her hands through my hair, 'I know' there was silence for a minute as she kissed my swollen skin around the side of my eye. 'So, are you going to tell me how you got these bruises?'

I slid my fingers into Alice's and told her the story in as much detail as I could remember. She looked worried throughout the story especially when Griffin or I were being attacked by The General. Idly, I put my hand into my pocket and produced a picture. My face turned white, I nearly forgot about the picture I found of my mother.

'Who's that?' Alice asked moving closer to see the picture better.

'It's my mother…'

Alice sucked in a quick breath before replying, 'why does it have an X over it'

'I think it means she's dead' I say dryly my face going pale.

'What? Where did you find it?' Alice asked softly.

'In the paladin's lair' I sigh, 'I went into this room by accident and there were picture of loads of people all over the world. I assume they are jumpers or people who know jumpers; we we're there. Alice they even had you're phone number which is how I think they found you. In this room I found this picture and a few others of my mum, I think she was on the run because the pictures were all over the world. From security cameras mostly but then I read the description above the picture 'on the run for 13 years for being in the paladin resistance by association'. That wasn't the scariest part though, it was that I had the weirdest feeling of déjà vu and then The General said that me and my mum escaped from their before which is why I remembering running down the halls'

'Wow, plot twist' Alice jokes but then gets serious, 'she might be dead now, you should ask Sophie if she knows about it'

'That's a good idea, I'll go and ask her now' I stood up and stretched my arms.

'Wait, don't leave me' Alice looked at me really upset all of a sudden.

'I was going to come back but you can come if you want' I shrug not understanding her pained expression.

'I don't just mean now, I mean ever. I appreciate that you brought my dad to come and see me because I've been missing him but you can't leave me here with him' Alice's voice was shaky.

'He was in bits Alice and he's not going to let us leave here without him and he must have a lot of questions for us' I respond.

'I know that' Alice took a deep breath, 'but I want to be with you wherever in the world that is. When I woke up Jamie, I thought you were gone forever and I felt lost and alone with my dad. I've thought about this, we should leave now because a goodbye will be too painful'

'I would never leave you. This is crazy Alice… look at the state we're in?' I ask her, 'do you seriously want to just leave your dad forever?'

Alice slid out of her covers and she was still in her clothes which were blood stained. She stood firmly on the ground and closed the gap between which because of our height difference meant that Alice had to look up at me. 'We're not in a state and even if we are at least we're not dead. I thought that you might be dead Jamie and that would have killed me. We can come back for my father but he also needs to learn to live without me and have a life of his own without me. I told you, I've thought this through'

'Okay, let's go' I bend down and kiss her cheek where a fallen tear hit my lips. I traced her jaw with my lips and then moved to her lips and I kissed her with love that said a million words in one. I broke from our embrace and finished, 'let's find the others before your dad comes back'

Alice's lips smoothed a smiled and she slid her fingers into mine then we walked out of the hospital room.

We walked down a few corridors; avoiding Alice's dad at all costs until we get to the reception and we see Sophie and Griffin. Sophie is perched on Griffin's lap kissing his lips passionately while digging her nails into the back of his neck.

'A bit much for inside a hospital you think?' I smirk to stop myself from laughing at Griffin's tousled hair from the kissing.

'Yeah guys, get a room' Alice laughs gently.

'We'll we can't get one here and we were waiting for you two' Griffin smiles and he looks genuinely happy as if a sort of light had been restored inside of him.

'We're here' Alice laughs and I think to myself that maybe she is at her happiest when she's with me.

'So, what do we do now?' Sophie asks and it occurs to me that I need to speak to her.

'I need to speak to you actually' the words come out more serious than I intended.

'Okay' Sophie mutters awkwardly and stands up to face me.

'Alice and I will get something to eat or some coffee' Griffin suggests and they leave.

I feel my serious face slip to a more sombre one as I pull out the crumbled picture of my mum and show her. My hands shake slightly as I hand it over; I didn't realise I had made an attachment to the picture – but I guess I have.

Sophie takes a breathe and whispers, 'I didn't know you had this'

I slump onto one of the chairs next to us and sigh, 'I found it in a room from the lair. It's my mum.'