I woke up sometime later, still in the dark. I was comfortably warm, the blankets pulled up to my chin. I sank further into my pillows, relishing the feel of the soft, fluffy pillows under my head, the warm, thick blanket wrapped around me, and the mattress underneath me. I closed my eyes in the hopes of more sleep, but reality caught up to me. Adrian had been rescued but there had been serious repercussions; Adrian had died, Sonya had used her magic to bring him back to life; which we later found out it was actually me who had brought him back with my resuscitation skills, but unfortunately, due to his injuries he'd slipped into a Spirit-induced coma. We'd brought him back to Clarence Donahue's house, where Adrian was currently being taken care of. Rose and Sonya had forced me to go to sleep seeing as I was on the brink of unconsciousness. I'd made them promise to wake me if Adrian had woken. But, seeing as how I'd woken up on my own, he obviously wasn't awake yet.
Throwing back the blankets, I swung around, placing my feet on the floor. The floorboards were cold under my feet, my toes curling away from the coldness. I stood; bracing myself against the bedside table, then took the few steps to the door and opened it. Bright light filled my vision and I blinked rapidly. Slowly, my eyes got used to the light and I realised the hallway light was on. Tentatively, I began walking, stepping out into the lounge room. All the Guardians must have left, because there was only Jill, Eddie, Angeline, Dimitri, Sonya, Rose and Clarence in the room. They all looked up as I entered relief evident on their faces.
"How are you feeling?" Sonya asked me concerned. I managed a small smile.
"I'm okay. Still tired," My stomach gave a loud rumble, making me laugh. "And hungry." Dimitri silently stood up and walked into the kitchen, returning a moment later with a kitchen chair and a small cardboard box. He set the chair down, removed the box and sat on the chair holding the box out to me.
"No one wanted to cook, or wanted Dorothy's cooking, so we ordered pizza." He said. I took the box from him and peered inside; a few slices of Hawaiian pizza sat inside.
"Thank you." I said and sat in the spot Dimitri had been sitting in only moments ago. I took a small bite of the pizza, a small moan escaping from between my lips. We sat in silence for a while, me eating the few slices of pizza. My head was starting to hurt a little and I pressed a couple of fingers to my temples and began gently massaging them. I wondered how Adrian was. Whether he was doing okay, and if he would ever wake up.
"How is he?" I asked looking around the room. My question was met with awkward silence. I sighed. "Guys, come on. Just tell me how Adrian is." Jill stood up and held her hand out to me. I cautiously took it, not liking everyone's silent reactions. It made me uncomfortable and worried. Was he alright? He had to be doing better, right? Jill led me to Adrian's room. I stepped past her and my eyes fell straight on the bed. Adrian was laying there, eyes closed and looking pale, though not as pale as he had been when his heart stopped. I moved slowly towards the bed, playing with my finger nails. I stopped at the end of the bed just standing there, watching him. I hadn't realised Jill had moved until she was standing right next to me, sadness in her eyes.
"They didn't want you to see him just yet. They still don't know when he'll wake up, if he wakes up." She said. I snapped my head in Jill's direction.
"He will wake up, Jill. I know he will. He's strong. A fighter. He'll pull through. He has to." I'd whispered that last part. There was a seat beside his bed. Someone must have been sitting with him. I moved to the seat and sat down, pulling my legs up and wrapping my arms around my knees.
"I sat with him for a while. So did Sonya and, surprisingly, Rose. He'd only been alone in here for about ten minutes before you woke up." Jill had sat on the edge of Adrian's bed, hands clasped tightly in her lap. I reached out and placed my hand over hers. Touching vampires had once freaked me out, but now, after being around them so much, I'd gotten used to it and didn't think anything of it.
Jill smiled at me and stood up, "I'll leave you two alone for a while. I'll tell the others not to bother you." I smiled at her and watched as she left the room, shutting the door behind her. I looked back at Adrian. He was so still, so pale. I reached and grabbed one of his hands, holding it in my own. Warm. He was alive, but still comatose.
"Please wake up Adrian." I said as I shifted closer to the bed. I held his hand up and pressed it to my cheek, my hand holding it there. "Please wake up." I turned my head and kissed the palm of his. I sat like that for a while, my hand still holding his to my cheek, until my back started to get sore and I started to fall asleep. I was tired, so tired but I didn't want to go back to sleep. I didn't want to leave Adrian. So I crept into his bed, curling up against him, wrapping one his arms securely around me. I turned over so I was looking at him. I brushed a hand over his hair, my fingers getting stuck in knots.
"You have to wake up. I know you can hear me Adrian. Everyone knows that comatose people are aware of some things going on around them. So hear this; please wake up. You need to wake up. There are so many things you haven't done, people you haven't met. You need to finish college and live your life the way you want to. I'll be there every step of the way...if you still want me, that is. You're parents are Moroi again, just like you asked." I cupped his face and pressed a kiss to his lips. "Please Adrian? There's something I need to tell you, but you need to wake up first." I was still holding his hand, while my hand was still cupping his face, when I felt a slight pressure on my fingers. I sat up straight. Had he just tried to squeeze my hand? I waited expectantly for it to happen again, but when it didn't, I lay back down, my face inches from his. Even comatose, he was still gorgeous. I traced the outline of his jaw with the tip of my finger before letting my hand drop against the pillow. I stifled back a yawn as I snuggled in closer to Adrian. I closed my eyes and let myself fall asleep.
I awoke again to people talking, I couldn't understand what they were saying and quite frankly I didn't care. I only cared that I wanted to go back to sleep and for Adrian to lie back down. Wait...Adrian to lie back down? My mind pushed roughly through the sleepy haze it was in and I bolted straight into a sitting position. Everyone was in the room, smiles on their faces; smiles which grew wider when they saw that I was awake. The bed shifted and I twisted dangerously around and found myself staring into the most beautiful pair of emerald green eyes.
"Hey Sage." Came the voice I'd been waiting anxiously to hear.
"You're awake?" Was all I could say and it came out sounding like a question. Adrian smiled warmly and affectionately, green eyes sparkling despite Adrian looking haggard and sickly.
"I am. No tha-" I flung myself at him, effectively cutting off anything else he was about to say, arms wrapping tightly around his neck. I'd taken him by surprise, but he still wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close. Again, I couldn't help but notice how warm and alive he felt. Adrian put his mouth inches from my ear, I could feel his warm breathe as it tickled the strands of hair covering my ear. "Thank you, Sydney. If it weren't for you, I'd be dead, or worse...Strigoi. So thank you. So much." He whispered. I tilted my head slightly sideways brushing my lips across his cheek in a ghost of a kiss.
"You're welcome. You would have done the same if it were me." I could feel him smile and I knew he wore his trademark smirk. I looked up at him an expression of outrage on my face. I shoved him. Hard. "Don't you ever scare the hell out of me like that again! Do you hear me, Adrian Ivashkov? Never...do...that...again! Or, I'll kill you myself!" I was breathing heavily after my rant, and I could feel hot, angry tears filling up my eyes. I had to look away so he wouldn't see the tears. But it was too late. He'd seen them. He cupped my face, thumbs brushing gently under my eyes, wiping away the traitor tears. He opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted by Rose.
"We'll give you guys some privacy." She said. The others all got up and filed out, Rose the last to leave. She paused in the doorway and looked back. "We'll visit later, when you're not busy. So glad to have you back amongst us nutcases, Adrian. Sydney's right; don't scare us like that again."
"Thanks Rose." Adrian said. She smiled and left the room, shutting the door behind her. Adrian still had ahold of my face and he turned my head so I was looking at him again. His emerald eyes were filled with pain. "I am so sorry, Sydney. Really, I am. No words or actions could ever describe how truly sorry I am for hurting you." He said softly. I leaned forward and rested my head against his shoulder. His arms wrapped around me again. "I promise to never, ever put you through that again. I dread to think about the sort of crazy stunts you guys would pull without me." He said. I laughed. Adrian was back. I lifted my head to say something but Adrian stopped any words I was about to say when kissed me. His lips crashed into mine with a force so strong that I was knocked back a bit. He tightened his hold on me, drawing me up flush against his body. I slid onto his lap, straddling his hips, all the while still kissing him. One hand curled itself around his neck, while the other was on his chest, fingers splayed out over his heart. I could feel its steady beat under my fingers; more proof that he was alive. He slid his hands up under the back of my shirt, running his fingers lightly over bare skin. It tickled and sent a shiver down my spine. We pulled apart, but kept our faces only inches apart. There was that familiar smirk again and I knew he was going to say something only he would have the guts to say.
"So, I heard you did CPR on me? Do mouth-to-mouth?" He said winking. I laughed and swatted him.
"Adrian's back. Everybody run!" I laughed. He grinned and kissed me again. I pulled away. "But seriously, I did do CPR. And yes, it involved mouth-to-mouth. In fact, I positioned exactly as I am now." Adrian looked down to where I was straddling his hips then back up to me.
"You were sitting on me?" He asked.
"Yes. But you were lying down and not breathing." I looked away tears filling my eyes again as I was reminded about Adrian's lack of a heartbeat. The realisation that he had no heartbeat had been the worse moment of my life. And I told him so.
"When I saw you there, not moving. My heart stopped. I stopped thinking. The world stopped moving. And when you had no pulse, no heartbeat and weren't breathing, my heart shattered into millions of tiny pieces. The only thing I cared about was getting your heart started, bringing you back to life. Bringing you back to...me. Everyone gave up on you. But not me. Not even Sonya; who had tried to bring you back, only to find you were already back. I refused to give up." My voice shook. Adrian was staring at me in wonder.
"I remember you saying that I had to come home alive because you had something to tell me, while we were in the Spirit dream with Sonya. What was it you were going to say?" I looked away but Adrian turned my face back towards his. "What is it?" He asked softly.
"My mom and Carly had made me accept something; how I feel about you. I do have feelings for you Adrian. And I'm sorry it took me so long to figure it out. And then, when I got the call you were taken, I was already on my way back to Palm Springs. Dimitri rung me while I was driving and told me you were missing. And when we raided the house in San Diego and you weren't moving, and then when you died, I realised something else; I'm in love with you. Adrian Ivashkov, I love you." Adrian took a long time to answer, but when he did, it wasn't in words. It was in the form of more kissing. But this time, the kiss was harder, fiercer, and full of passion. But, it was filled with love more than anything else. His love. For me.
"I love you too. I'm never letting you go." He whispered against my mouth.
"Then don't." I whispered back. His lips collided with mine again and I let go.
We were cuddled together against the headboard, not saying anything, just wanting to be in each other's presence.
"I'm going to have to leave for a while." I said breaking the quiet.
"What? Why?" He asked pulling away to look at me. I pulled him back to me, my head resting in the curve of his neck.
"Just some Alchemist stuff I need to deal with, that's all."
"How long will that take?" He asked. It took me a while to answer.
"I don't know. Hopefully not too long."
"Will you be back for Sonya and Mikhail's wedding?" His finger traced patterns on the back of my hand. Sonya and Mikhail's wedding? I hadn't thought about it.
"I hope so." I answered as honestly as I could.
"If you do come back; will you go with me?"
I smiled, "Are you asking me out Adrian Ivashkov?" His lips were pressed against my hair and I could feel them curve into a smile.
"You know it. So, will you?"
"I'd love to go with you." He kissed me again and we soon fell into silence, eventually falling asleep.
When I awoke, I carefully tried to slip out, but Adrian must have felt me move and had grabbed my waist, pulling me back to him.
"Where do you think you're going?" He asked drowsily. I rolled over and was greeted with one emerald green eye looking at me.
"Bathroom. When you gotta go, you gotta go. And I haven't gone in a long time. My bladder hurts." I rolled over and got to my feet, trying to ignore the painful feeling in my bladder. "Plus I'm hungry. I need food. You want any food?" I looked back at him, arms spread out across the bed, eyes shut and quietly snoring. He'd gone back to sleep. Smiling and shaking my head, I quickly made my way to the bathroom.
Afterwards I walked out to the kitchen, the house was quiet. Everyone was probably in bed asleep so I made my trip short. As I waited for the toast and the coffee pot, I grabbed my phone off the bench and dialled Donna Stanton.
"Miss Stanton? Sydney Sage here. Letting you know that Adrian Ivashkov is back safe and alive."
"Thank you for the update Miss Sage."
"No worries ma'am. Also, there were some things I would like to discuss with you, but I'll come to the facility and talk to you there."
"That's fine. When shall you arrive?"
"In a few days."
"See you then." I hung up and put my phone back on the counter. A pair of arms snaked their way around my waist and I shrieked.
"Geez, Sage. It's only me." Came a familiar voice. Adrian.
"Don't do that!" I said swatting at his hands. He let go and I reached over and grabbed the coffee pot and poured some of the liquid into a mug, adding milk and sugar.
"I'm sorry. Didn't mean to scare you." He was smirking.
"Liar. You did mean to scare me." I said taking a sip of the coffee.
"You're right. I did mean to scare you." He grinned and leaned against the kitchen counter.
"I've made plans to go to the Alchemist facility and talk to Miss Stanton. I leave in a few days." I blurted out.
"Just make sure you're back in time for the wedding." He said. The toaster popped and i grabbed the toast, buttering them and taking a bite out of one. I buttered the other and offered it to Adrian who opened his mouth.
"I'm not sticking in there. You stick it there yourself." I said smiling. He glared at me and took the piece of toast. When everyone was awake, I told them what I was doing. They didn't particularly like me going on my way, but nevertheless, they let me go. I would've gone anyway. Even if they didn't want me to.
The few days had passed and I was getting ready to leave. We were all standing outside by my mom's car. I told them I would be back soon and gave them all a hug goodbye. Adrian was the last to say goodbye.
"It's not goodbye, you know?" He said, his tall frame standing over me.
"I know. It's only 'see you when I get home.'" I replied. He gave me a small smile. "Adrian, what is it? What's wrong?"
Adrian sighed and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, "Just be careful and come back, okay?"
"I will be careful. You know I will. And I promised I'd come back didn't I?" I said. Adrian nodded and pulled me in for a hug. The hug was over too soon. I got in the car and saying goodbye one more time, I drove off to the Alchemist facility.