Rosalina POV

I braced myself for what was sure to be the longest story of my life. I tried craning my neck around the two nurses, to peek into the hallway.

"Don't worry, Rosalina. They're out there. We just needed to make sure your vitals were fine." I nodded slowly. I felt fine, except for my stomach, or any part of my abdomen for that matter. I paled at the thought of how much blood I lost. The doctors attempted to explain what had happened, but everything else had me wired, and there was no way I was able to understand hospital talk.

"Okay, Rosalina. We need to know. We…we just want to know what happened." Cooper started carefully.

"The whole truth. Nothing left out." Alex added sternly. I laughed…When had he grown up so much? I took a deep breath.

"It started right after the Naked Brother's Band's last tour. We had done spectacular – It was the first time everything went right in a long time. You guys probably remember; we wanted to take a break from touring, at least for the summer." Quassim nodded.

"We wanted to be kids. We wanted a whole summer to ourselves for once, without any pressing tour dates." I nodded.

"Except we never said that. And Matt Pinfield took the chance to appear again. The first text came when you guys started the "Boys Only Night" again. That Thursday, this anonymous number kept sending me threatening texts, saying how this summer was only the beginning, and the band was going to be destroyed.

"Of course, I blew it off. I thought they were just the random haters and unknown tabloids, trying to scrape up stories. Except the next morning, when I went to get the newspaper, there was a tape recorder. I thought maybe it was one of you, dropping off the new song at my house so I could practice it. But when it started playing, the only thing I could hear was Pinfield's laughter. And his threats…and your voices. They were random recordings of conversations, studio time: There was even a minute or two from the practice we had, just the day before. He just kept laughing and saying over and over that he would ruin us, and this tape was just proof that he was stalking us, trying to get closer."

I saw the guys open their mouths angrily so I hurried on.

"I didn't want to worry you guys: Newscasters got recordings of us that we didn't know about all the time. I wanted to make sure I wasn't overreacting. And part of me just didn't want it to happen. I wanted this summer to be stress free, like we all promised each other. So I waited until I knew that Matt Pinfield was telling the truth.

"Two months later, the proof came. When Matt Pinfield showed up on my doorstep."

"Miss Tai, if this telling is too trying for you, then feel free to rest."

"No, it's okay Dr. Pelletier, it needs to happen."

"Yes, but Miss Tai, your vitals are going haywire. Just take a breath." I only nodded.

"He had heard that we wanted to go on tour again. For the first time we were all cleared to miss school for a fall tour, and we were so excited. When I heard him break in,"

"HE BROKE INTO YOUR HOUSE?!" The girls freaked out. "He is such a creep!"

"I got scared. I ran to my fire escape, hid out for an hour. When I heard my door close again, and I finally gathered the courage to come back in, everything in my house had been ruined. All my books were ripped or on the floor, my kitchen was ruined, and my floor was…well. He had written on my floor in paint:

If your puny little band goes on tour, then they won't be coming back.

"I was scared, but I wasn't about let Pinfield carry through with his threat. It was different, when it was just me he was threatening, but I wasn't about to let him threaten you guys, and ruin what was supposed to be the best tour ever."

"But Rosalina, we could've cancelled! We could have gone to the police, got him arrested!" I shook my head.

"He was too powerful. I thought about telling you guys, until I noticed he had staked out my house. There was always a stranger roaming up and down my street, with a camera and a gun. At night, sometimes I heard him rattle my doorknob…that's why I started crashing at your houses and stuff. I was trying to be brave, but everything was so scary. I didn't know what to do…

Until the painted message. I called Matt Pinfield, and struck a deal: My leaving for your safety. He thought me being gone would be enough to send the band into a downward spiral. He promised if I moved away, if I quit the band and," I took a breath, "severed all ties with people in the band, then he would stop threatening me. And he would leave you guys alone, and no one would get hurt." Nat, whose hand had found mine, had tightened his grip considerably. The rest of them had their mouths in thin lines, and Thomas' hands were shaking. They were angry.

"I knew it was a good deal, so I avoided everyone. I packed my bags, found a school in Tennessee, with one of the best high school music programs in the country. So I left. I broke up with Nat, cut Alex off, and stopped playing games with the guys. I hopped on a bus to Tennessee, and met the Star Rockers. They heard me playing bass in the music room one day, and asked if I wanted to join. But I knew before I did anything, I had to make things right. I was hoping Pinfield wasn't tailing me anymore, and I thought it was safe to at least give you guys a proper goodbye, however long overdue that was…

"When I saw the congratulations, I just panicked. I didn't want to mess up your lives with your brand new bassist,"

"Except the banner was for Juanita and her win at a boarding competition." I sighed, and nodded.

"I was just worried you guys had already moved on, and I didn't want to enter your life just to explain that I had to leave again. When I had got back on the bus, another text came, and I knew I made the worst mistake:

Now you're really going to regret that. – M

"So I ran. I ran away from our life and never looked back, thinking distance was the best thing. But when our bands met each other at that concert, and Cooper and Trina announced were going to tour together, I knew I was screwed. I thought for sure that I had kept Matt of your backs, that I had saved NBB, but I knew everything I did was for nothing. And to top it off, Christa had been dragged into this mess, even though none of you knew you guys were in the middle of it."

"All tour I battled Matt. He kept threatening me through phone calls and texts, and when we were in Miami, that reporter who wanted a 'private interview' was just one of his men reminding me in person that someone would get hurt if I didn't stop you guys from performing.

"I freaked. They gave me a deadline: The Boston Concert. You guys had to refuse to perform in Boston, or someone was going to be hurt. And then…it happened. The concert happened, and both bands played great. At the end of the show, I went to the dressing room to change, and that's when they grabbed me. They kidnapped me and stuffed me in the back of their van, blindfolded me, and suddenly, I was gone.

"But I still thought it would be okay. Even in that stupid storage closet at the warehouse, I figured it was better me than anyone of you,"

"Rosalina Tai, how could you say that!" Quassim interjected angrily.

"Because I knew if I was the one kidnapped, then you guys were safe. I've told you guys a thousand times over, I wasn't about to let him hurt any one of you. Family, remember?"

"And family works problems out together, Rosalina." I sighed at Alex's comment.

"I know. But I was so worried about all of you, I couldn't let something I did be the cause of one of you guys getting hurt. I thought he'd stop there, but the day the girls rescued me, I had heard Matt talking to his men. The whole time in the warehouse, I knew he had hired the policemen to keep the boys and Christa in jail…I knew they were corrupted. And then when I was released from the warehouse, I realized that Pinfield wanted the boys to know who had destroyed their careers. I knew he went to the jail to gloat, and by the time we got there, there was already fighting.

"When I found Nat and Alex, they were right in the middle of the fight, and we were all trying to run towards a safe area. But I could feel that something wasn't right, and when I turned around, Deagan had his gun trained on Alex.

"And everything seemed to slow down, you know? Like instant adrenaline, I just reacted. I pushed him out of the way, but when Deagan fired, the bullet went straight through my torso, ripping an organ. And then, I just passed out. Everything hurt so bad, but I just needed to make sure Alex wasn't hurt."

"And then, the rest of the story is what we watched on television. If it makes you feel better Rosalina, Matt Pinfield and his goons are in jail, and probably will be for a long time. And better yet, his qualifications for reporter has been stripped, for the rest of his life. He can't bother us or hurt us anymore." Cooper was explaining.

"We're just glad you're okay." Trina added.

"And by the way, Rosalina Tai. If you ever and I mean ever pull something like that again without letting us help, you'll be in huge trouble!" Maya and Cati screeched.

"Okay moms." I rolled my eyes playfully as they nudged my shoulder.

"But seriously, Rosalina. You could have told us." I sighed.

"I was afraid you wouldn't believe me."

"And we might not have. Rosalina…I'm sorry. I really thought you were just overreacting, I didn't know about all of this. I only heard the phone messages. I'm such an idiot!"

"Quassim, shh." I held up my hand to stop his rambling. "I don't blame you for anything. After everything I had done, all those things I said to push you away…if I was in your place, I might not have believed you either. It's okay."

"Except it's not! Rosalina, come on. We're family. Family does everything together, no matter what. If this ever happens again…"

"I won't abandon you guys, I know. OR any of you for that matter. Rosalina looked at the Star Rockers, and held up her hands. Because now you guys are my family too." The girls smiled.

"You got that right, girl. You better believe we're not going to let you do anything that monumentally stupid ever again."

There was an awkward pause, and a sudden realization came over the guys. I knew they had been talking as if I was still part of their band, and they were starting to remember I wasn't anymore. I changed the subject quickly.

"But, after all this, I have some really good news!" I smiled cheerfully. "I get to leave this hospital in three days!" And this time, everyone cheered, the moment of awkwardness forgotten.

"Actually, Miss Tai, I said you could leave in three days if, and only if, you got the necessary rest that you need. Which means…" He looked sternly around at my friends, and I chuckled.

"I know. It means I actually have to rest."

"Minimal talking, lots of water, lots of vital checks. And did I mention, minimal talking?" Everyone laughed.

"Well, Dr. Pelletier, we just want to thank you, for bending the rules and all. We understand that this isn't how hospital protocol works, and we are in debt for you allowing us to spend so much time with Rosalina. Thank you."

Mollified, my doctor smiled. "Well, it is understandable. You had given all of us at the hospital quite a scare young lady. And your friends are the most determined kids I've ever seen. They didn't leave this hospital once, and they were always waiting for you."

"I told you when I first met you, doctor. I'm lucky in more ways than just surviving this. Because my family is the best one I could ever ask for.