Bro picked up after a while. "What?"

"Dave knifed Jade." Was the first thing out of his mouth, "I stitched her up but can't feel anything right now."

"Wait, how?"

"He fucking broke in when she was alone downstairs." He sighed, "He dragged her outside and sliced her stomach and fucking dug his knife in her shoulder."

"Is she alright? Did you get ahold of him?" He grabbed his keys.

"I don't know, that's why I'm calling you. I'm worried it could be shock." He sighed, "And no, he got away while I was running downstairs. He bolted as soon as I spotted them."

"Alright, I'm on my way there."

He smiled, glad Bro was coming to help him. "Thanks Bro." He hung up the phone and went back to where Jade was. "How are you doing baby?" He asked her softly.

She opened her eyes to look up at him. "I don't know," she murmured.

"Can you feel anything yet?" He asked softly, grabbing her hand.

She shook her head.

He sighed and sat next to her, "Bro is on his way over. He'll be able to help you."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded, "Positive. He knows what to do."

She nodded a bit, reaching for his hand. "I-I'm scared."

Takes her hand. "Don't be baby. You'll be fine."

"Promise?"

He nodded, "I swear on my life. You will be fine, Bro knows how to help you. Nothing bad will /ever/ happen to you when I'm around."

She pulled him down for a kiss.

He kissed her back, hugging her close.

"How can you promise things like that?" she asked quietly after a moment.

He pulled her onto his lap,"Because I will protect you, no matter what it takes." He whispered, kissing the top of her head.

She closed her eyes, nodding slowly.

Bro walked in at that point, a bit panicked. "Alright, what's the problem?" he asked as he walked over, dropping his keys on the coffee table.

"She still can't feel anything." He sighed, "I was able to fix up everything he did but I don't know what to do now."

Jade opened her eyes to look at him, still scared and trembling.

"Okay, uh, fuck..." He ran a hand through his hair, tossing his hat aside. "Maybe we should just take her to the hospital."

"No!" Jade shook her head. "I can't!"

"That's why I fixed her up myself, they ask too many questions." He sighed.

"Well... What else can I do?"

"I don't know, that's why I called you. I don't even know what's wrong with her." He sighed.

"Maybe she can sleep it off."

"That's a stupid fucking idea." He got up, gently putting Jade back on the couch. "Bro, can I talk to you alone?" He asked, walking out of the room.

Bro followed him. "What?"

"We need to bring her to the fucking hospital, can you help me convince her to go? Or if she still refuses can you help me force her to go?" He asked.

"... Who's gonna pay for that? She's a fighter, Karkat, I really think she'll be fine."

"I would find a way." He sighed, "It's easy to scam credit cards. But fine, we can wait. But if she gets worse I am fucking dragging her ass to the ER whether she likes it or not."

"Give it a day, alright? She'll be fine."

"Fine, but if anything happens I will be taking her, okay? I would need your help though, she won't go very willingly."

"Yeah, I get it. It's fine."

Karkat nodded and went back to Jade. He sat down and pulled her on his lap. "Bro thinks we should wait and see how you are feeling tomorrow."

She nodded. "Alright.."

"How are you feeling?" He asked her softly.

"I'm not." She looked up at him. "But... I'll be okay, right?"

He nodded, "Okay baby,just...tell me if anything changes please." He hugged her tighter, still worried for her, he had a foreboding feeling in his gut that something bad was going to happen to her.

"I will." She clung to his shirt, closing her eyes. "Can I sleep...?"

He looked up at Bro, wondering if it was a good idea. "Uhh...just for a little while, okay sweetheart. I'll wake you in a couple of hours."

Jade nodded, wrapping her arms around him and resting her head on his shoulder.

He rubbed her back gently, watching her closely. He kissed the top of her head, "Sweet dreams darling."

She smiled a bit, drifting off to sleep.

After a couple of hours Karkat gently shook Jade away. "Wake up Jade." He whispered, brushing her hair from her face.

Jade's eyes fluttered open after a few moments. "Huh...?"

"It's time to wake up darling." He smiled.

"Mmm... I don't wanna..."

"You can go back to sleep in a few minutes ,okay? I just want to know how you are feeling."

"I... Can you poke my shoulder or something? My shoulder was what was hit, right?"

He nodded and gently poked her shoulder. "Does that hurt?"

She winced a bit; it was still pretty sore. Good.

."I'm sorry." He whispered, noticing her wince, though he was glad she was feeling again.

"Don't be. I can feel." She smiled. "I'm okay."

He smiled back, "I'm so fucking glad baby." He hugged her tighter.

She reached up, kissing him. "Is Bro still here?"

He nodded, "Yeah, he's in the kitchen. He'll be leaving soon though, the gang's going out today. But we can stay here if you don't feel like going out."

"I wanna get out of here."

He nodded and got up, "Then we should be leaving soon." He sighed, helping her up. He still couldn't shake the feeling that something bad would happen; he pulled Jade into a hug, feeling like this would be one of the last times he ever held her.

She blinked slowly. "Karkat...?"

"Yeah?" He asked her, still not letting her go.

"What's the matter?" She looked up at him.

He shrugged, "I don't know Jade. I just have a bad feeling about today."

"... Why?"

He shrugged, "I don't know, it's just a feeling in my gut." He sighed.

"Well... Maybe if we go out it'll take your mind off of things."

He nodded, "Yeah maybe." He grabbed her hand and walked into the kitchen.

Bro glanced at them. "Ready?"

He nodded, "Yeah, where are we going?" He asked.

"Bar, as usual."

He nodded, "Okay, I'll drive." He walked outside and got in his car.

Jade followed him out, holding his hand tightly.

Karkat drove them to the bar, getting out of the car and grabbing her hand again. He walked into the bar with her, greeting the gang.

The gang greeted him back as usual, Bro taking his usual seat at the end of the bar. He watched the door carefully.

Karkat sat with Jade, wrapping a arm around her waist. He ordered a beer, assuming Jade didn't want anything after last night.

She watched his glass, seemingly zoned out as she sat on his lap.

"You okay, baby?" He asked her softly.

"I'm... Scared," she murmured.

"Why? What's wrong baby?" He asked her softly, hugging her a little tighter.

"I have the same feeling," she whispered, turning and pressing her forehead against his.

"It's okay baby, everything's going to be fine." He whispered, trying to ignore his own feeling of dread. "I promise I won't let anything bad happen to you."

She nodded a bit, kissing him softly. "Promise?"

"I promise sweetheart." He smiled, kissing her back.

She smiled, eyes darting over to meet Bro's hidden gaze. It was then that she looked at the door. Her face drained of color when she saw Dave, again, in the doorway. A cigarette hung from his mouth. "Thought I'd find you here," he called across the bar.