Chapter 7: The Hell is over

On the other morning they all met at "Rikki's" at 7.30 am again.

Except for Bridget. She had told them she'd come at 8.00.

They were drinking their shakes when Emma suddenly spoke up.

"I think we made a mistake. We shouldn't have let Bridget in. We shouldn't have told her everything. It doesn't feel right."

"She's Rikki's twin." Bella said. "We didn't have a choice."

"It's not a coincidence that we all had the same nightmare of Rikki shouting "traitors" at our faces." Emma reasoned. "When she finds out about Bridget it might get ugly. Rikki will hate her. She'll never forgive us for telling Bridget everything. She'll hate us too. And I don't know about you, but I can handle anything but Rikki's hate."

Everyone looked and Emma. They knew she was right, but what was done, was done.

"I agree with you." Zane said to Emma surprising everyone. "I also think we made a mistake."

But before he could say something else, his phone rang. He picked up. Someone on the other end of the line asked him if he was Zane Benett and he confirmed. Whatever the other person told him next, Zane became as white as sheet.

"Zane? Are you ok?" Lewis asked, but he didn't answer.

He jumped off his seat and said to the person on the phone, "I'll be there in a few minuites." And he hung up.

Everyone were staring at him with worried faces.

"What's going on?" Bella asked.

"It's Rikki." She said and they all stood up from their seats. "She's been found and she'sbeen brought in a hospital."

Without him having to say anything else they all ran out of the café. They took Zane's car and went to the hospital.

"Where is Rikki Chadiwck?" Zane asked the receptionist.

" Room 307." Was the answer.

They all hurried at the direction of her room when they saw a doctor coming out. He was surprised to see them.

"How is she?" Zane asked.

"As you know, Miss Chadwick had suffered a severe accident. She had a massive blood loss, several broken ribs, a concussion, and she had hurt her spine very badly. She was brought to the hospital in a deep coma. We did all we could to help her. Now we can only wait."

The girls burst into tears. Will and Zane were shaking and tears were running down their cheeks. Lewis and Ash were in complete shock.

After the doctor's permission they all pushed the door and came in her room.

When they saw her they thought they would faint.

Tubes with various size were inserted in her body, in order to keep her alive. She was very pale. Her face and the parts of her body that could be seen were covered with scratches and dry blood. She looked like a doll that would break if you touch it.

They'd never imagine they'll ever see her so fragile. She was the strongest person they've ever known, and now she was lying there, having fight of life and death for her life.

Zane ran to her bed, sat on the chair next to it and took her hand in his, whispering beautiful things in her ear. The girls, who now could do nothing else but cry, came to the other side of her bed, sat on the other chairs and started fondling Rikki's arm and cheek speaking to her and just telling her how much they love her. Will sat on the chair opposite Rikki's bed, but before that he walked over to her and kissed her forehead. Lewis and Ash said on the chairs next to the door just watching at her. They were just watching Rikki and everyone else paralyzed.

Rikki's POV:

I saw my dearest friends coming into my room. But there was something weird. I was sitting on a cloud at the sky and was watching down to them. I could feel their touch and I could hear the beautiful things they were saying. I screamed and screamed to them desperately, but they couldn't hear me. Then suddenly I heard a voice next to me.

"Don't bother trying. They can't hear you."

I looked at my left. A boy with black hair and dark brown eyes was sitting next to me. He was wearing white clothes and…a pair of wings? Then I looked at myself. I was wearing a white top and a pair of light blue shorts. I didn't have scratches or anything and I was feeling…good. Actually I was feeling great, more than excellent. Then I turned to the boy again.

"Who are you?" I asked.

"My name's Darren."

"Are you…are you an angel?" I felt stupid asking that question, because I knew angels didn't exist. But before a couple of years I didn't believe in mermaids either.

"Yes." He nodded.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm waiting for you to make your choice." He answered gently.

"Make my choice? What do you even mean?"

"I'm waiting for you to choose whether you want to come with me or stay with your friends." He said.

I looked down to my friends. I realized how much I loved all of them. The girls – Cleo, Emma and Bella were like my own sisters and the boys I loved and cherished like brothers. Except Will. Him I loved differently. Before I didn't understand what exactly I was feeling for him, but now I knew: it was love. I didn't want to go away from them. I loved them more than my own life and I knew I couldn't go. Then again, here I was, where there was no pain or sorrow.

I looked at Darren.

"I can't leave my friends. I care too much about them. I..I love them. I'm sorry." I said.

"Don't be." He said with a smile. "Not everyone has the chance to find so many wonderful friends like you. And not everyone has the strength to care so much for their friends. You're very special and very lucky person. Don't forget that." He said and we both stood up.

"When I grow old and it's time for me to go, I want you to be the one to come for me." I said to him with a smile. He smiled back.

"I promise." He said and he did something that surprised me; he kissed me on the cheek.

Then everything disappeared in a dense smoke and I felt like I was falling down.

No POV

Rikki slowly opened her eyes. Cleo was the first to notice.

"Rikki!" She screamed and a smile appeared on everyone's faces.

For the first time in a very long period they felt really happy. Because they all knew: the hell was already over.

You should know that I have many many ideas for this story, and I'll keep writing it until my inspiraion is over, but I want at least 10 reviews more, to post the next chapter. Thank you for the reading and the reviews. :)