Thirteenth.
There was no burning sensation when I was roused from the black. No unimaginable pain, no blood, no blisters or sores. I was too weak to open my eyes but I heard voice all around me. "Make sure her head if comfortable," "Keep those big pillows under her feet," "Do you think this bed is too hard to be lying on for so long?" "Surround her with pillows so she's comfortable when she wakes." I could feel my body being lifted gently as they arranged the bed and then placed back down on a mountain of pillows. I could hear but not distinguish voices and I could feel but the pain had not hit yet. I couldn't move. My eyes refused to open. I wondered if maybe I was dead. For a fleeting moment I thought that maybe I would see Maddie and my mother when I was able to open my eyes.
"What was she screaming when you grabbed her?" asked one voice, female I think.
"She was calling out for Lexi to come help her," said a male.
"Why would she call out for Lexi, she knows that Lexi is dead," another female.
"They were best friends and the only family that either of them had for three hundred fifty years. Even when Lexi was here with me it was always obvious how much she missed her. They were the only constant in one another's lives." Stephan! That had to be Stefan! Where was I, how had Stefan found me? Where was Lexi? I wanted to scream!
I was drifting in and out of the black, each time I woke I expected the pain to start, but it never did. This time I wanted it to stop, "Let me wake up, please," I would repeat over and over in my head but I wasn't strong enough to fight off that ever present oblivion, so I stopped trying. It seemed like a cosmic joke, the moment I stopped fighting things started coming into focus. I could hear and recognize voices, I felt my hands and feet starting to move a little. Everyone kept trying to get me to open my eyes, but it was too hard. I would try and try but they were stubborn and wouldn't even crack open.
They knew that I could hear them when I moved, but when I lay perfectly still and they thought I was asleep they would talk. Some of them thought I'd run off and gone mad, others blamed Katherine. One voice was noticeably absent. I hadn't heard Damon since the day that I hit him. I listened to the others as they threw around theories, Elena, the voice of reason telling everyone to back off and they would ask me when I woke. I felt a great kinship to her at that moment, but I knew that even she had a theory.
I stopped listening to them and thought about Lexi. Where had she gone, and why had she left me all alone in those woods? It wasn't like her. We would have given our lives for the other one. There had to be an explanation. Something must have happened to her. I could feel the tears escaping the corners of my eyes. They were still talking but had moved to another room. I felt someone grab my hand and squeeze, then a whisper in my ear. "Open your eyes Norrah, please open your eyes." I gave it everything I had and they started to open. I couldn't believe it. Tears were clouding my view but I could see her blonde hair, feel her squeeze my hand whispering "You can do it, c'mon Norrah." As they popped open.
"Lexi," I managed to croak out, but she was up and off the bed. I heard someone yelling out that I had opened my eyes and tried to talk and then a flood of people came into the room. Elena grabbed a tissue and wiped my eyes so I could see. I looked around at all the faces, but where did Lexi go? I scanned the room desperately as everyone again talked over me. "Do you think she can swallow?" "I'll go get some blood." "What did she say?" "Norrah, can you see us?"
I wiggled my fingers and looked down at my empty hand. I wanted someone to take it and tell me it was okay. I needed them to assure me that Lexi was fine and it was all a mistake. There was too much commotion, too many questions, too many, too much…If I hadn't gone mad before now, I was about to.
"Can everyone just quiet down for a minute," Elena spoke up. "This is all probably a bit overwhelming, give her a chance to breathe."
"Elena's right," Stefan chimed in. "Let's all just give her a chance to wake up. It's been a rough few days for everyone." He said as he ushered them out of the room. Elena remained on the bed next to me.
"Are you okay, I mean really okay?" She asked me. I shook my head. No, I wasn't okay. I didn't know if I'd ever be okay again. I looked down at my hand and wiggled my fingers. "You want me to hold your hand?" I nodded. Moving was taking a lot out of me. She took my hand in hers, it felt so warm, so alive. "Norrah," she asked me, "Did you really see Lexi?" I pushed my lips together tightly trying not to cry. I looked up at her and nodded, letting one tear escape. She wiped it away with a tissue and whispered. "I believe you."