Okay so I'm really sorry for all the mistakes. I was really just to lazy to go back and correct it all -_- sorry. And I might be a little slow on updating because I'm sick ;-; Well I hope you liked it! Tell me what you think ^-^

Barnaby took me to the hospital that night, just to make sure I was okay. I had various tests run on me, to see if I'd caught anything or if the drugs had damaged me. Amazingly enough, the drugs hadn't affected me too badly. With continued non-use of them, the doctors said I should be just fine. Also, much to everyone's surprise, I hadn't caught anything form all that unprotected sex. So, I was relatively unscathed, except for some mental scarring and malnourished. The doctors insisted on wrapping my wrists and arm so that they wouldn't get infected as well as keeping me at the hospital until I was stronger.

Barnaby waited close by the entire time for support, until he was informed that Andy, who Barnaby later told me he was recovering nicely, was in this hospital as well and went to go see him. When he left, they wrapped my wrists ad got me settled into a room, attaching an IV to my arm. I ended up falling asleep before Barnaby rejoined me.

xXx

The next morning, I woke up in the hospital, panicking slightly at the unfamiliarity before I remembered where I was. I seemed to panic a lot lately. I was relieved to see Barnaby close by. The blonde had fallen asleep, chair slip up next to my bed, and was bent over sot that his upper half was resting on my bed while his lower half was in the chair. It looked extremely uncomfortable. Trix was also close by, looking equally uncomfortable, sleeping in another chair.

I reached over resting a hand lightly on Barnaby's head, thinking about what he'd asked me the tother day about letting me in... He was pretty and seemed nice... I just dodn't know if I could ever love him. I didn't know if I could ever love anybody at all, or what love was even supposed to be like. The last person I'd ever even cared about had been my wife and my daughter, but I wasn't even sure if what I'd felt for them had been love...

I smiled at Barnaby, running a hand through his hair and watching him sleep. I wondered what would happen next... Where I'd go, What I'd do... "Why didn't you tell me, Kotestu? I would have protected you." That's what he'd said. Would he protect me still, even if I wouldn't accept his feelings? I mused.

I must've subconsciously gripped his hair, thinking about it more, because he grimaced, muttering something groggily, before opening his eyes. "Kotestu," said Barnaby, smiling at me when his eyes focused in on me as I let go, "How are you feeling?" He asked, sitting up, grimacing again as he stretched.

"Alright," I said softly, pausing for a long moment debating whether or not to give him an answer to his question yet... "Look, Barnaby, about dating you..." I began but stopped when he gripped my hand.

"It's okay, Kotestu, you don't have to think about that, or answer now. You've been through so much already," he said squeezing my hand tightly.

I took a deep breath, leaning back against the pillows to make sure I kept form crying about the past again. Barnaby was being so kind to me... he was the first person to be nice to me in a long time.

"Hey Kotestu," Barnaby said, running his thumb along the top of my hand.

"Yeah?" I asked eyes still closed.

"Trix told me about what happened to you, your friend or dad, the abuse... Craig," He started. I pulled my had away quickly, making him look at me. He looked like he felt sorry for me, but it was quickly replaced my shock when he saw the look of anger on my face. I had opened my eyes and was glaring at him.

"Don't you dare pity me," I spat at him angrily before looking away. I saw him smile out of the corner of my eye as I continued to sulk.

"Fair enough," He said quietly before going quiet for a long moment. "Will you stay with me after you're discharged from the hospital?" he asked, making me look at him wide-eyed. "I mean, you don't have to if you don't want to, if you'd rather live with someone else... or you can join my gang if you'd like..." he continued, looking like he was wondering if he'd said the wrong thing.

Join his gang huh? "Why would you want me to stay with you?" I asked, confused. I wasn't quite sure what he could possibly hope to gain form helping me. Well... Besides changing my mind about him for the better...

"I want to protect you," Barnaby stated, staring straight into my eyes as he grabbed my hand again. "And I don't want anyone to hurt you again."

I looked at him, this time I was the one who was shocked.

"What do you say?" Barnaby asked, patiently waiting for my answer.

I squeezed his hand looking at him gratefully. "...Okay," I replied nervously.

xXx

I ended up staying at the hospital for three days. Barnaby didn't leave until I did, occasionally sneaking in candy from the vending machines for me and sharing it with me, much to the nurse's disapproval. I'm pretty sure it was because they didn't like the fact that I got candy while the other patients didn't, but I think that they were too afraid of Barnaby, knowing who he was, to stop him.

"Barnaby?" I asked on my second day in the hospital as he handed me some skittles.

"Yeah, Kotestu?" he asked, eating one of each color at once.

"How old are you?" I asked

"Twenty," he said leaning back. "Why?" he asked. I smiled at him.

"Just wondering," I said. A ten year difference, huh?

"Hey, Kotestu," Barnaby said, interrupting my thoughts.

"Yeah?" I asked, looking at him again.

"You're not eating your candy," he said, I gaped at my hand. It was already becoming rainbow colored. I must've looked funny to Barnaby, who had a good laugh at my expense while I pouted at him a little.

His laugh was the most beautiful sound I'd ever heard, I thought, looking over at him, never wanting him to stop. I wanted to hear him laugh like that every day if possible; it was nothing like I'd expected it to be. Even more unexpected to me was Barnaby in general. I didn't think any gang member, much less leader, could be anything like Barnabywas.

"What's wrong Kotestu?" Barnaby asked playfully, smirking at me as I stared at him.

"I'm just not hungry right now," I sad, handing him my skittles.I audibly protested when he promptly ate them.

He laughed at me again. "If you didn't want me to eat your candy, don't give it to me," he said amusedly, laughing lightly when I pouted at him again. "I'm sorry, Kotestu," he said, sitting next to me on my bed. "Can I make it up to you?" he asked.

"Yes, actually," I said, smiling up at him. "Will you take me out for ice-cream later?"

"Of course," Barnaby said, "What's your favorite flavor?"

"I, uhh, I don't know, I don't remember trying it..." I said, looking down so he couldn't see the look on my face as I absentmindedly wiped my hand on the sheets. Barnaby placed a hand on my chin, lifting it despite my efforts to stop him.

"Guess I'll have to get you some of each flavor then, won't I?" he asked, beaming at me when I smiled at him happily instead of looking depressed.

xXx

The first thing Barnaby did when I got out of the hospital was take me to an ice-cream parlor. I swear, the person taking out order looked at Barnaby like he was draft for ordering one of everything. I probably would've too.

"You could've just take me here another time to try something new," I said, laughing at him a little. Barnaby laughed as well.

"Yeah, I guess I could've," he said, resting his chin in his palm and smiling at me from across the table.

"Barnaby," I said, reaching across the table and grasping his free hand. The blonde looked more than surprised by the action.

"Kotestu?" He questioned.

"I want to join your gang," I said, staring into his eyes. I'd been thinking about it ever since he'd mentioned it. Barnaby looked like he were about to protest, but I squeezed his hand, quickly adding, "Don't try to talk me out of it, besides, you already said I could."

"You're mind's made up?" he asked cautiously.

"Yes," I said determinedly.

He smiled at me, which surprised me a lot. "Aright then," he said, sitting back and letting the hand that I wasn't holding fall across his lap. "May I ask why?" he asked.

"I want to be part of something... I want to feel like I have a purpose for once in my life," I said, and I do't want to rely on you fully to feel save... I want to protect myself.

"Are you sure you don't want to do something else instead?" he asked.

I laughed a little bitterly. "I never even did anything useful in my life." I said. I knew that he was just making sure that I really wanted to do this, but I'd made up my mind already and didn't really want to be questioned about my decision.

"Okay, as long as you promise me that you'll stay out of trouble and dangerous situations," Barnaby said. Even now he was trying to protect me.

"I promise," I said.