Here is the new chapter and I can say that we're about halfway through. I've thought out the plot a lot more and there will definitely be a sequel to this story, but more about that as we come closer to it.

The song for this chapter is "Running Up That Hill" by Placebo.-Link in my profile.

Chapter 10

Shock

For what seemed like forever, my mind was plagued with strange dreams, but they all coursed together in a continuous stream, suddenly changing without my realizing it. The dreams were both happy and sad things. I saw a funeral, with everyone I knew there except one person, the person who really mattered. I saw a wedding, with everyone looking happy and sad at the same time. I saw a child with bright blue eyes and another with green, both looking up at me. I saw myself in pain, and then laughing. Tyler's face appeared and stayed longer than the others had. He was pictured, clear as crystal, smiling and laughing like he always did. I studied his face, never wanting to look at anything else, but when he too disappeared, I cried out at the loss. The blackness that replaced him was unyielding, and I couldn't help but reach out and try to pull him back to me. When my fingertips only grasped air, I let out a frustrated moan, like a wounded animal.

Someone was calling my name but it seemed so far away. I tried to follow the voice, but as soon as I felt I was getting close it would fade away and I would have to start searching all over again.

"Murphy," It taunted. I was near tears trying to find it, trying to get out of this black hole to something familiar and real.

I felt something grab me, and my eyes finally shot open. I sat up so fast that it made my head spin. It took me a second to figure out where I was, and to focus on my surroundings. Plain white walls surrounded me; that standard, horrible antiseptic smell clinging to them. The events at the barn started to filter back to me and I could feel the blood drain from my face. I looked to my right, and saw what had woken me up. Caleb was sitting in a chair next to my bed, his hand was still on my arm. He looked like he hadn't slept in days, with a worried expression on his face.

"Are you alright?" Caleb asked, concerned. It took me a minute to catch my breath.

"Where's Tyler?" I asked forcefully. He was all I could think about. Caleb ignored my question, but I knew he heard me.

"You've been out for two days. I heard you making noises like you were in pain." He took my hand now and it was comforting. Do you remember anything about the other night?"

"I guess," I answered vaguely, trying to recall the horrifying events.

"You got burned pretty badly but the good news is you won't need skin grafts and your burns are already healing pretty well. The bad news is you'll have scaring." He was telling me about my injuries, but I wasn't really listening, my mind was elsewhere. I was done being selfish.

"I need to see him, Caleb," I pleaded. He looked at me with softness in his eyes.

"You need to rest, Murphy," he said in a soft voice.

"You know I can't. You know that if the last time you saw Sarah was when she was dying in your arms, you would need to see her," I reasoned. "Just tell me if he's alive," I pleaded slightly hysterical. The look on his face was scaring me and I feared the worst. There was a long silence.

"He's alive," he finally said. Relief washed over me.

"Can I see him?" I asked.

"You're not supposed to leave your room," he started as he glanced over his shoulder through the open door, looking for any nurses, "but I'll help you."

"Thank you," I said as he got a wheel chair from the corner of the room. He slid the covers off over my legs, exposing an ugly, thin hospital gown, and a big bandage around my thigh. I knew it was going to be there, but I was still shocked to see it.

I reached over with my bandaged hands and yanked the IV out of my arm. Caleb looked at me like I was crazy, but didn't protest. The pain medication was in full effect, because I couldn't feel anything, but it made me dizzy and light headed. Caleb carefully lifted me out of my bed and gently lowered me into the wheel chair. He quickly pushed me out of the room and to the elevator.

"How is every one else? Did you take care of Chase?" I felt bad that I hadn't thought of everyone else before.

"I finished off Chase after you passed out. Reid took you and Tyler to the hospital. Sarah's fine. There wasn't a scratch on her. Kate has recovered fully, and Pogue still has some broken bones, but will be okay." Caleb left out the one person who I was dying to see.

"And Tyler?" I prompted

"He's in a coma, and the doctors can't wake him up; we don't know when he'll wake up. It could be minutes," He paused, his eyes boring a hole into the back of my head as he gauged my reaction, "or years. Or never." I took this in silently, not wanting to show Caleb how upset I was. What had I done?

We reached the fourth floor, and Caleb pushed me out of the elevator. I was really grateful for everything he had done for me. Talking to me about Tyler, and helping me now. He was like the older brother I never had.

We turned the corner and Caleb pushed me straight into Tyler's room. Reid was sitting next to Tyler and telling him every detail about what sounded like Caleb's defeat of Chase.

"You've told him that story a hundred times," Caleb joked as Reid looked up.

"The doctor said that he could probably hear us, and I want to make sure he gets it," Reid responded as he walked over to us. He took my bandaged hands in his and kissed me on the forehead.

"Thank you for saving him, little sister." I smiled at him as Caleb pushed me over to Tyler's bed.

I grabbed his limp hand the moment I was close enough and held it tight, ignoring the dull pain in my hands.

"I'm sorry," I whispered to him, leaning over to kiss his cheek. "I love you," I whispered again. That was all I needed to say to him. As long as he knew that, I would be okay.

Sarah burst into the room a moment later carrying my duffel bag.

"You're awake!" she exclaimed. She came over to me and gave me a soft hug. "I brought your favorite sweat pants and a sweat shirt," she said, walking over to me. "Do you need any help?"

"I think so," I said, hating to admit it, but I could hardly stand.

Sarah pushed me into the bathroom that was connected to Tyler's room. Once we got in there, she closed the door. She took out my favorite pair of Tyler's sweatpants that I had stolen from him when we'd started dating, and rolled up one of the legs, waiting for me to put my foot in it like she was dressing a little kid. She carefully rolled the pant leg up, and paused when she got to where the bandages started. I lifted my butt a little bit out of the chair, and she slid the pants over my butt.

"I still can't believe you pulled him from the barn," she said, trying to make small talk. "You saved his life, he was lucky you were there." I had to resist rolling my eyes. Every one was calling me a hero when I wasn't one at all. I was the reason he lost focus in the first place. I didn't deserve them being nice to me.

Sarah pulled a sports bra, a t shirt and my favorite sweatshirt out of the bag. She took of my hospital gown and threw it in the trash. I held up my arms and she pulled them over my head gently. When we were finished, Sarah pushed me back into Tyler's room.

Caleb and Reid were gone, and there was a woman sitting in the chair next to Tyler's bed. She had clear blue eyes and she looked tired and stressed. Sarah wheeled me over next to her, and secured the break on my wheelchair. She looked at the woman, and it seemed like they communicated telepathically for an instant.

"I'm going to see how Pogue is doing, but I'll see you later," she told me giving my shoulder an encouraging squeeze.

"See you later," I responded as she retreated towards the door.

"I'm Rose, Tyler's mother," the woman said as she stuck her hand out and I shook it, feeling awkward with the bandages on my hands.

We sat in an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes, with her gazing at Tyler. She pushed his hair out of his eyes and looked like she was trying so hard not to cry, and that broke my heart. It was all my fault that he was here. If I had just listened to him, he would be alright.

"We tried to call your parents, but we couldn't reach them," she said seriously.

"I'm not too surprised," I told her. She looked at me curiously, and I covered my tracks. "They're really hard to reach, that's all." She could tell that there was more to the story, but she let it go.

"Since you're a minor, the hospital is letting me be your temporary guardian, so I'm having you released today. I've talked to Mrs. Danvers, and you'll be staying with Caleb and until your fit enough to go back to school," she explained. "I would let you stay with us, but we're not sure when Tyler's going to wake up," she cringed, "so I thought you would be more comfortable staying with a friend than with me."

"Thank you so much," I told her. "I know you've done a lot for me while I've been out."

"It's the least I could do after what you've done for me."

"But it's because of me that he's like this," I choked out. She looked up from him and met my eyes, taking my hands in hers.

"Don't you blame yourself for one minute," she scolded me like I was a small child. "You saved his life and that's all that matters. If you weren't there, he might have been trapped in the barn anyway, and he would surely be dead; there's no way of knowing." Tears began to fill her eyes. "All I know is that you gave him the chance to live and that's all anyone can ask for, so thank you for saving my boy's life." I swallowed the lump in my throat and looked down, not wanting to cry. She made me feel a little better, but the guilt was still overwhelming.

"But if I only listened to him…" I said mostly to myself, but she heard me.

"Tyler would never blame you," she said softly, and crouched next to me, giving me a hug. "Just know that."

She squeezed my hands, and then placed them on my lap as she stood up. She ran her fingers through Tyler's hair, and then kissed him on the forehead.

"I'm going to talk to the doctors again," she said to me. "Talk to him. I know he'll hear you."

She crossed the room and closed the door behind her, leaving me alone with Tyler's sleeping form. I sat for a moment in silence, not knowing what to say. Could he really hear me?

I used my wrists to push myself out of chair, and stand shakily next to his bed. I leaned back so my butt landed gently on the side of his bed. Then came the hard part. I ignored the pain and swung my legs onto the bed, and then flipped over onto my stomach, laying my head on his chest. The pain it took me to be near him was part of my punishment, and I accepted it.

"If I could make a deal with God and trade places with you, I would. This is all my fault and I'm so sorry." There weren't enough ways for me to apologize. What I did would never be alright.

I didn't realize how tired I was until then. Despite my best efforts, sleep overcame me and I drifted off into uneasy nothingness, still curled into Tyler's still body.

I woke up later to someone stroking my hair. My heart jumped to my throat as my eyes connected with two beautiful bright blue ones.

Still to come are big plot twists, unlikely allies and LOTS of family history.