Everybody actually turned out to be almost all of her old friends from high school. Dirk and Jake had been the first to arrive after Aradia from LA; Sollux had taken a plane from his home with Aradia. She'd gotten a phone call from Vriska saying that she and John were on their way from the mid-west. Rose and Kanaya got a hold of her to let her know they were on the Amtrak's Coast Starlight from San Francisco and that they'd be there sometime that night. Nepeta smiled to herself as her room filled up with her old friends. Dave wandered in at some point from Texas, followed by Jane and then Roxy, who was fresh out of her second year in AA. She grinned, and Jane held up a large basket of cupcakes and other baked goods for her and Equius.

Nepeta had talked to the police early that morning to build up the case, giving them a description of her attacker and as much information as she could. Aradia had come back with smuggled IHOP pancakes and syrup for her to eat. A nurse had let her know that she would be able to see Equius that night, which made her extremely happy. She thought about what they were going to do about their home. They couldn't very well stay in their house now that he knew where they were. She wondered what other places would be as nice and peaceful to live in. She thought about asking some of her friends where they would think was a nice place, and she figured half of them would say right next door to themselves.

Aradia had already mentioned that there was a sizable apartment in their complex they could move into.

"Yeah but I don't really want to move all the way across the country, not with his injury. I don't really know what we're going to do but I don't really think moving that far is necessary," Nepeta explained as she picked at her pancakes, "I'll have to ask him when he wakes up I guess."

Aradia nodded thoughtfully, "well it almost seems like it isn't safe to stay in the state, or even on the west coast. There are a lot of people that would be willing to arrange for your moving near them I'm sure, so even if you don't want to come live with us on the east coast there are still lots of choices as to where you can go."

"I know, and it makes me very happy that I still have friends that care about me so much still after all these years. I'm just sad that a reunion has to happen from something so scary. It's just like last time. Everybody came to see us while we healed and even before I woke up. I sure do love you guys."

There was a knock at the door and then Feferi poked her head through the door, "Hey girls I hope I'm not too late to the party," she skipped into the room, bubbly as ever with a huge basket of goodies, "if I remember correctly you really liked stuff like this," she handed the basket off to Nepeta with a grin and sat on the edge of her bed.

"Wow Fef I haven't had stuff like this since high school! Equius and I don't normally do extravagant things like this wow," Nepeta beamed at the amazing array of chocolates and bath stuff in the basket, "I hope you aren't too tired from the flight or anything."

Feferi waved a dismissive hand and giggled, "I'm perfectly fine! Eridan's the one that fell right to sleep the minute we hit the hotel room! He's never been one for flying I think."

Aradia turned to Nepeta, "so when are you going to tell Equius the good news?"

"As soon as I'm able to, I haven't been told that he's ok to visit yet, so I'm waiting until then."

There was a knock at the door. Nepeta assumed it was probably another friend or a nurse coming in to check her charts. When the door opened and a friendly, excited face popped in she cocked an eyebrow at the woman. She smiled, "Equius is out of recovery now. If you like we can take you to see him, but only her sorry ladies."

Aradia and Feferi stood up, "that's quite alright ma'am, we'll use this time to go and grab a coffee and some lunch," Feferi chirped cheerfully.

"That sounds delightful! Would you like us to bring you anything back Nep?" Aradia smiled as the smaller girl scrambled out of her bed, "do you want a cocoa or a tea or something?"

"That would be nice guys, thanks," Nepeta, now completely untangled from her sheets stood up and hugged them both, "thanks for coming in, I'll see you in a little bit."

"Are you going to tell him right now?"

Nepeta shrugged as she picked up the little black and white photograph, "I guess now's as good a time as any. Maybe it will cheer him up a little."

"Just seeing you ought to cheer him up, he's been through a lot but he'll always come through because he's so strong," with that Aradia mimicked a body builder's stance, Feferi laughing quietly under her hand. She grabbed the other girl and drug her out of the room, "c'mon she wants to go see him and we're holding her up. I really do want that coffee."

They waved again once as they headed down the hallway, Feferi going around the corner first and Aradia stopping to turn and give her thumbs up. Nepeta smiled and waved back at them and then turned to the nurse, "shall we then?"

The nurse nodded as she directed her the other way down the hall, "he's healing surprisingly well. There's no sign of any infection or inflammation anywhere. We were concerned for the longest time that there would be, with the extent of the damage done by the bullet but he's a fighter. We moved him to his own room from the recovery unit just this morning, and he's been awake for a few hours. We just wanted to make totally sure he was able to be visited before we let you know, so he wouldn't just fall right to sleep from medications while you were there. We hope that all of your friends can visit too, because he needs contact, you know what I mean?"

Nepeta nodded, "I was thinking the same thing. Laughter is the best medicine."

The nurse laughed as they rounded a corner, "that's the truth. That man is very brave, taking a bullet! I don't know anyone that would do that, it's almost like it's from a story book. It's like an old fashioned love story oh, it's too lovely. I'm sorry; I didn't mean to make it sound like I thought any of this was romantic."

"It's ok; I understand what you mean entirely. Things like this just don't happen in real life. They should never happen in real life. Although I totally know what you mean."

They stopped in front of a door just like her own. The nurse smiled and knocked on the door, and an endearingly familiar voice gave them permission to enter. The nurse cracked it open with a smile, "there's someone here to see you, sir," before opening it with a flourish and letting Nepeta walk in with tears in her eyes. The nurse shut the door, leaving them alone.

"Come here, don't cry, I am really quite alright," Equius gave her a tired, lopsided smile and took her hand in his when she came close enough, "I've missed you."

"You've been asleep, how could you have possibly missed me?"

"I miss you every second you are not with me. It's like I am missing a limb," he chuckled, "or like being shot in one. I can feel the aloneness and it's almost painful."

Her eyes watered again, "I missed you too, and I've been awake to feel it. Our old friends have come to see us, so when you're able to everyone wants to see you too. I've been spending my days with Aradia; she got here soon after we did. I'm amazed at how amazing she is," she pulled the chair over to the side of his bed and sat down, "I guess Sollux will be here soon, and Feferi and Eridan got here today. Dirk and Jake are going to come up at some point! She called everyone I guess, and those that can are going to come and visit. There are some serious things to discuss you know."

"Serious things such as?"

"Where we're going to live after this, we can't keep living in the house Equius, that's only asking for more trouble. I've gotten a couple of offers already, but I'm not going to take them seriously until everybody is here and you're there to think about it too."

Equius looked down at his hands as he thought. They had only had the house for a year; they weren't buying it luckily, so it wouldn't put them in debt to move away. He turned his dark indigo eyes to her battered face and sighed, "It makes me very angry that we have to move so soon. I know you love that house Nepeta, we've only just begun to make it our own and then this happens. Let him come back, I'll take him out before he has a chance to do anymore harm."

"No Equius, we're going to move. I don't know how he found us, but like Aradia said it could be unsafe to even live on the west coast. I'm worried Equius."

"Don't be, I will never let the man harm you again. What he's done already is too much; I can't let this happen again. If moving is what it takes I will be glad to."

Nepeta smiled and squeezed his hand, "I have good news though, do you want to hear it?"

"Of course, please tell me what it is."

She handed him the picture and waiting quietly as he stared at it. He pointed at it, ran his finger over it, and then looked at her, "is this what I think it is?"

She nodded and smiled, "we have more than just ourselves to worry about. We also need to get a bigger house anyways, kill two birds with one stone if we just move away now."

He stared at her speechlessly, looking back at the photograph again, "are you totally sure here?"

She laughed at him and shook her head, "it's right there in front of you silly! It can't be any clearer than that!"

"Oh, but it is still very unexpected that's all," his crooked, nervous smile widened, "this is really the best news. I'm very excited and sort of anxious at the same time."

"You'll be fine. We'll both be fine don't worry about it. Relax before you soak your sheets please. I don't want them having to move you to change them," she stood up and gave him a hug, "you'll be better than fine, you'll be amazing and I know it."

"I'm glad you believe that to be true, but it does not ease my nerves that much. I know you'll be great too."

((Oh I know, I didn't outright say it but if any of you are fancying the thought you're right so shoo and be happy.))