When I wake Hannah is curled up in a chair in the corner reading a book.

'Hi baby, what time is it? Did I sleep long?' I ask her. She smiles and comes over to hug and kiss me.

'Only a couple of hours, it's just after one. Taylor dropped off some lunch that Mrs Jones made. I'm sorry Matt but I didn't wait for you to eat though because I didn't know how long you would sleep.'

'That's ok; I'm a bit unpredictable at the moment. Did you save me some food? I'm hungry.'

'Of course. She sent loads. You've got…..'

'Let me guess, peppered turkey sub with salad and mayonnaise, fruit salad, chocolate cake and fruit juice.' I say grinning at her.

'Correct, you're so spoilt, not just by Mrs Jones but all your family. You do realise how much they all love you.'

'I know, I'm really lucky.'

'They're spoiling me as well, Mrs Jones made me a tuna salad, fruit salad and I got carrot cake. She certainly got to know what I like quickly. Your mom has been so good, explaining everything to me about what you can and can't do and making sure that I'm happy with everything before she leaves me alone with you. Ana, Kate and Mia have adopted me like I'm their little sister and are fussing over me the whole time. Elliot just makes me giggle lots when he's around.'

'And Christian?' I ask

'Hmmm, overprotective of me already.' She says smiling. I smirk at her knowing just what she means. 'He was giving Ana instructions about tonight. We had to let him know where we were going, what time we expected to be home. Ana asked if he owned the place where we're having cocktails and he said no but he was smirking at something, a bit like you do at times.'

'Where are you going?'

'The Zig Zag bar. I'd never heard of it before but the others were raving on about it. Do you know it?'

'Yes I've heard of it.' I say smirking, knowing why Christian was. He doesn't own it but I do.

'See you've got that smirk now.'

'I'm only doing it to tease you baby. Seriously you'll have a great time' I say before adding quietly 'Maybe one day we could go there together.' I pick up my sub and start eating.

'Would you rather I stayed here with you?' Hannah asks.

'No baby, I want you to go out and have a good time. You've spent the last two days in here with me and I've hardly been good company. When I've finished lunch will you come and sit with me again.' I ask and Hannah nods at me with a big grin on her face.

We are sat on the bed together Hannah once more between my legs, her back to my chest, my arms hugging her loosely round her stomach. I feel totally relaxed and happy, the best I've felt for a few days. I nibble her ear and whisper to her 'I'm desperate to be inside you baby.' The door opens, mom and Mia interrupt us. Hannah turns a bright red, she's totally embarrassed.

'Hi you two, what have you been up to?' Mia asks.

'I've just got back from the office and had a work out with Christian' I say sarcastically to her before shouting 'What the hell do you think I've been up to Mia?'

Mom and Mia stare at me and Hannah climbs off the bed. I eye them all warily before getting off the bed and heading to the bathroom, slamming the door behind me. I grip the side of the sink, staring at my reflection in the mirror. Slowly I pull my t-shirt off and look at my chest again. I still can't get used to seeing it like this.

Mom is quizzing Hannah but I only hear parts 'How's he been today?'

'Good mostly, he's horrified about the scar and was worried about my reaction.' Hannah replies. I sink to the bathroom floor, resting my back against the cool wall. I draw my knees to my chest and the tears start to flow. Someone knocks on the door but I ignore them. A few minutes later they knock again.

'Matt, can I come in?' mom asks.

'No mom, I want to be alone.' I reply. I'm not sure how long I sit on the cold hard floor but I hear a commotion outside.

'Christian you can't just barge in there, he wants some privacy and we must respect that.' Mom says.

'Mom, Hannah called me. I told her to if she was worried about him, she obviously thinks it's something serious for her to call me at work because I never expected she would. If he's been in there for as long as it's taken me to get here he must be hurting and I told him a while ago that I'd always be there for him. I've let him down a few times but today I'm here because he needs me right now.' Christian says softly. The door opens and in he walks. I look at him through my tear stained eyes. He pops his head back round the door and says to mom and whoever else is left in the room 'Go and get coffee, I'll call you as soon as I can.'

He looks at me and there's no mistaking the love in his eyes. 'I'm sorry, you had meetings all day.' I say.

'I only had one left, it can be rearranged. You are more important than a meeting. Let me help you up and then you can get settled somewhere more comfortable.' He says. He gives me his hand and when I am back on my feet he gives me a quick brotherly hug and with an arm draped round my shoulder he leads me back to the bed.

'No' I say and Christian looks at me questionably 'Not the bed, I've had enough of it.' He turns me round and sits me on a chair by the window and then pulls up another chair opposite me. With a leg crossed across his knee and an elbow resting on it, he holds his chin and watches me. I stare back at him through guarded eyes.

'Do you want to talk?'

'I don't know.'

'Well that's a start, at least you're speaking.' He says smiling at me. 'What happened?'

'I was sat on the bed with Hannah and Mia came in asking what we'd been up to and I just exploded, I was so angry with her. I've been in this room and nowhere else for days and I've had someone babysitting me the whole time so haven't been up to anything.'

'I understand angry better than anyone.' He says calmly.

'I ended up slamming the door on the way into the bathroom and then took my t-shirt off to look at this.' I say pointing to me chest 'It looks so bad, I can't get used to looking at it without being horrified.'

'Matt, it's not that bad. It's because it's so new but when the stitches are out and it's healing properly it will fade.'

'That doesn't help me for now. I'm scared Hannah might leave me.' I whisper.

'Matt, she's besotted with you and totally in love. You're so lucky; you two have something really special. She might have freaked at first when she saw all the machines but she was just in shock. She would be here with you all the time if we didn't make her take a break or come back to Escala to sleep.'

'Really?'

'Yes really. You're just having doubts because you are stuck in here. Once you get out and things start returning back to normal you'll feel much better.'

'Thank you for looking after Hannah. I'll pay you back the money you transferred to her account and Dr Greene's bill.' I say.

'Don't insult me, it was no problem. I didn't want you to worry.'

'But Hannah said it was a huge amount and she wouldn't need to check her bank balance for the next year.'

'Matt, it was only twenty thousand dollars. I thought it would see her through a few weeks until you could help her. Mia would spend that in a week if I let her.'

'I know, but Hannah isn't used to having that much at her disposal. She's always had to work for what she's had.'

'She'll have to get used to it.'

'I haven't told her anything yet. She's knows about the house and that is it. I don't want to frighten her away and technically it's not mine yet.'

'Does dad give you an allowance out of it?'

'No not yet. I just get my weekly allowance from him, it's still fifty dollars. Luckily he doesn't make me stand in his study every Friday evening like he used to, I never did get the full amount each week.' I say grinning at him 'Was I really that bad, I heard Mia tell you how embarrassed she was by me at school.'

'You were just mischievous. You heard the conversations?'

'Only parts of some when I was regaining consciousness. Do you remember going in a helicopter with daddy, dad and me. Apparently it was the first time the four of us went together. You were in the front with daddy and I sat behind next to dad but I kept wriggling and then announced that I was getting out.'

'That was funny, you would never sit still or stand still, you were so cute then'

'And I'm not now?' I say pretending to be hurt.

'Hannah thinks so.' Christian says smirking at me. 'Why don't you go and shower, it might make you feel a bit better.'

'OK, thanks for coming to see me and chatting with me.'

'No problem little bro, anytime.' He says smiling again and as I stand he hugs me again.

I stand under the shower, the water hammering my head and my bad mood away. By the time I emerge I do feel better and smile that Christian was right again. I wrap the towel round me and go back into the room with the bed I've come to hate so much. Christian is sat in the chair still; he is on the phone but finishes the conversation when he sees me.

'Better?' he asks and I nod. 'I got you some fresh clothes out. I'll leave you to get dressed; you've got five minutes on your own, make the most of it.' He says grinning at me. I smile back at him and once he's out of the room I let the towel drop to the floor and dress. I drag on what he's left, jeans, shirt and converse. Again this feels better than the pyjama bottoms and t-shirt I seemed to have lived in for days. Christian is back exactly five minutes later.

'Ready?' he asks, 'I thought we could go and surprise the ladies and meet them for coffee.'

'Really, we can do that?' I say

'Yes, I've just checked with the doctor and it's fine as long as you take it easy. No running down the hospital corridors.' He smirks.

'OK, let's go 'I say smiling back at him. At the door I hesitate.

'What's the matter?' he asks.

'I've come to hate this room and now I'm nervous about leaving. I feel like everyone is going to be staring at me.'

'They won't know about your chest. They'll only be staring at you because you are with me.'

'Mr Arrogant.' I say cheekily and then leave the room with him. As we walk slowly towards the hospital coffee shop Christian keeps the conversation light hearted to keep me relaxed. Mom sees us straight away and is immediately on her feet.

'Darling boy' she says hugging me.

'I'm sorry mom for my behaviour earlier.' I say to her.

'Don't worry, it was just a wobble. You're bound to feel frustrated over the next few weeks; you've just got to learn to control that temper that has suddenly appeared.' She says smiling lovingly at me.

'Did I upset Mia and Hannah?' I ask.

'I think you just shocked them both, I don't think they have seen you angry before.'

'I'll go and apologise now.' I say and give her another hug and kiss her cheek. As I leave she stays where she is to talk to Christian. I see him take her in his arms; I think she's more worried about me than she's letting on.

I go to Mia first 'I'm really sorry Mia; I shouldn't have got angry with you earlier.' She stands and hugs me and I hug her back.

'Don't worry; it's good to see you somewhere other than that room. I was so excited earlier when I came to see you. I wanted you to be the first to know that I've enrolled at the university. I start next semester and am going to study history.'

'Oh wow Mia. I'm so proud of you.

'And it's because of you. After you talked to me yesterday I had a good long look at myself and thought that I needed to do something. I'll leave you alone with Hannah whilst I go and tell mom and Christian.' Mia says. As she leaves she gives me another hug and kiss.

I look at Hannah shyly and go and sit next to her. I take her hand in mine. 'I'm sorry for earlier baby, did I scare you?'

She nods at me and I don't know what else to say. Tears spring to my eyes. I've ruined everything. She won't want me anymore. I kiss her cheek and whisper 'I'm sorry' before I stand and move to leave. I start to walk.

'Matt.' I hear her say and I turn. She is crying 'Please don't leave me'

I can see mom, Christian and Mia watching us speculatively but I don't care. I go back to Hannah and as she stands I hug her. 'I thought I'd scared you away and you didn't want me.' I whisper.

'Oh Matt, no. I've never seen you angry like that before but you won't get rid of me that easily.' She says kissing my cheek and smiling at me.

'Will we be OK?' I ask her.

'Of course. It will be easier from tomorrow, we just need some alone time.'

'Hmmm, I'm desperate for alone time.' I whisper in her ear. She looks embarrassed again as my family are close and she glances at them.

Christian smirks at us 'I'd like to know what you're whispering to Hannah to make her blush like that.'

'Christian, don't embarrass them further.' Mom says.

'I want to swear at you but mom will get angry with me' I say to him.

'Matthew Grey I will be angry with you for just thinking about swearing.' Mom says with a smile to show she is joking.

'We need to make a move back to 'that room' as you call it, before the doctors start worrying that you've been gone too long.' Christian says.

I take Hannah's hand and we follow him, mom and Mia back. I walk slowly, trying to delay as much as possible. Hopefully I will be discharged tomorrow and then things can start returning to normal.