*** YEEAWWWW. ONE MORE TO GO AFTER THIS. I just realized how many spelling mistakes and stuff there is. LOLOL Fail.

Alek's eyes opened to a slit. It was dark but against the full moon, he could see a silhouette standing over him. Instinctively, he jerked up and tried to get away but only succeeded in flipping over and vomiting blood.

"Young master!" cried a familiar voice. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Hans Bauer kneel beside him and he felt a gentle hand on his back. The young man's eyes were wide with concern. Alek stopped retching and panted hard, blood pouring from his mouth. Bauer tugged him away and laid him on his back.

"Calm down, sir," he said soothingly. "Your badly hurt."

"Where's Dylan?" Alek rasped weakly. Bauer put a hand on his throat, feeling his pulse. He stayed like that, silent and intently feeling the feeble lub-dub of his heart.

"Dr. Barlow is helping him," he said finally. "He was worse off then you. Had
a huge piece of shrapenel of the grenade in his guts, internal bleeding, and his right arm was crushed it bits." Alek was silent, eyes wide. Would Dylan- or Deryn, whoever it was- be alright?

"D'you think he'll be alright, Hans?" he asked quietly, unable to speak any louder. Hans gave him a reassuring smile.

"I know he will be, sir," he said. "Just sleep now." Alek obliged. His head lolled to the side and he fell into a dreamless slumber.

* * *

The next time Alek woke, his head pounded. He groaned and flopped his arm over his eyes. His chest and stomach ached. Gingerly he removed his arm from his eyes and felt his torso. He craned his neck and he saw blood-flecked gauze covering his chest down to his hips. His pants were cut off midthigh and gauze was wrapped tight about his leg down to his calf. He leaned back, breathing slowly.

He wanted to talk. He didn't really care who, preferably Volger, Dr. Barlow, or Dylan.

"Young master!" chattered a voice. Alek looked up. Bovril was scampering along his desk and come over to sit on his chest.

"Young master!" said the beastie again, bouncing once.

"Bovril!" He coughed and moved the loris to next to his head on the pillow. "Hallo."

"Guten morgen!" replied Bovril.

"How have you been, Bovril?" he asked scratching the beastie's head. "Better then me?"

"Good!"
Alek chuckled to himself. Having a conversation with a beastie! What on Earth next?

Alek heard his door open and click shut. He struggled onto his elbows. It was Volger. He looked pleasantly surprised. The man hurried to his side. Alek noted the drag in his right leg and the sling holding his left arm.

"Alek," he said. "It's nice to see your awake." He sat down in the desk chair.

"Hallo!" greeted Bovril. Volger gave the loris a look of disgust. Alek ignored the Count's expression.

"Me too," he said. "Do you know if Dylan is alright?" Volger smiled, amused.

"I believe she told you the truth, your highness," he said, his mocking tone more prominent then usual. Alek sighed, clumsily sitting up.

"I hoped I was hallucinating when she said that," he said. "How is she though? Hans told me she was hurt pretty badly." Volger grimaced.

"She was indeed," he said. "Nora told me she has massive amounts of internal bleeding and a large concussion on top of the shrapnel and her arm. But when I saw her she was her usual self. So yes, I think she's fine." He smirked. "She was extremely lucky that her secret wasn't found out. It took a very heated argument between Dr. Busk and myself before he would go away and see to you."

Alek blinked. He was pretty surprised Count Volger had advocated for Deryn. But he supposed that he owed her for saving his life. But what also boggled his mind was that Deryn had said she loved him.

"Are you alright?" he asked. "And Dr. Barlow?"

"We both got off easy," answered Volger. "My leg got pretty shot up and my arm got a bullet through the elbow. Nora is a little shaken and she won't leave me alone for more then ten minutes but she's only scraped up."

"Misana?" Volger wore a stoney expression at the mention of the ambassador's name.

"I don't know. He's not dead," he said gruffly.

"You don't like him much, do you?" smirked Alek.

"Really?" snorted Volger. "I didn't exactly hide it, Aleksander." He crossed his arms over his chest. "Tell me, when did you figure that one out? Honestly, you had to be told by Miss Sharp herself," He grinned smugly. "when I figured it out without half as many hints."

Alek glared at him.

"May I ask why?" he said in annoyance.

"No," said Volger curtly.

"Why not?"

"Personal issues."

"Define 'personal', Count."

"'Intimately concerning a person's body or physical being'," recited Volger with a raised eyebrow. "One of many definitions."

"And you chose that one?" smirked Alek knowingly. Volger's face reddened embarrased.

"Is it Dr. Barlow?" he asked triumphantly.

"No!" said Volger too quickly. "Why would you ask such questions?" Alek grinned broadly and he laughed cruelly.

"Your little secret is safe with me..." he said, steepling his fingers. "For now." Volger glared at him in undisguised loathing,

"It's only fair!" protested Alek, squirming under his gaze.

"I will get you if you spill," Volger snarled through gritted teeth, jabbing a finger at him then stood, limping out the door without a murmur of goodbye. Alek smiled to himself, thinking of Volger and Dr. Barlow together. He had to admit they were perfect for each other but wasn't Dr. Barlow married?

Alek tsked, shaking his head. Oh, Volger.