January 14, 1967 - New York - Hospital

I had been awake for hours, I knew that much. I didn't want to open my eyes. I didn't want to see what could have been the worst thing I could imagine.

A hospital.

A place that costed too much money. A place where there is no such thing as peace and quiet. A place that always smells of death or disaster. There is nothing good about a hospital. And I knew better than anyone that I was fine. I was just fine. I could see from both eyes. I could move all of my toes, fingers, and other important body parts. I was breathing normally. My heartbeat was steady. None of my senses seemed to be working funny, or slow.

Why was I still here?

What where they keeping me for?

There was a soft knock on the door, and I closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep, just incase it was a doctor. Of course, it wasn't. I could tell by the hesitant steps that this person was no doctor. I knew it was Donna. She had a comforting aura around her that I could feel. It was like her compassion rolled off of her in waves. I relaxed more when she fell into the chair beside the hospital bed.

"Irene?" she whispered.

I didn't respond, and I could almost feel her tear up.

She choked. "I'm so sorry," she exclaimed, pulling my hand to her lips and kissing it. "I'm just so sorry. It's all my fault." Hearing her cry made something snap inside of me.

"Donna," I whispered, scowling at how raspy my voice sounded. I opened my eyes to see Donna's puffy eyes, unkept hair, and the guilt planted on her face. I looked away, not able to look at her. She was crying because of me. "You're so stupid."

Donna was silent for a second, and then she giggled. "The first thing you say...you insult me." She was quiet for a moment, then suddenly fell on top of me. "I didn't ever think I'd be so happy to hear you call me stupid!" She giggled again and wiped her eyes. "The doctors said you wouldn't be awake for a couple more days. You got a nasty blow to your head."

I groaned, and looked back over my friend's face, putting a hand on her lower back to give a slight pat. "Yeah? Well the doctors here are stupid. It's nothing."

Donna smiled and pulled away. She grabbed my hand as she settled back down into the chair next to me. "I don't think you know how much I missed your negativity."

"I don't know, you seem to be negative enough for the both of us." I stared at her, watching for her reaction. Her smile got smaller, her eyes hazier. "It wasn't your fault. Don't be stupid. You didn't do this to me."

"Yes it was. Had I just-"

"What?" I snapped. "Predicted the future?" My voice softened. "If I can recall correctly, I had refused to let you take me home. Therefore, this is my fault." I stuck my chin in the air and sniffed. "My fault Donna. End of discussion."

"But-"

"I said-"

"I know what you said," Donna snapped.

I narrowed my eyes at my friend and slowly said, "End of discussion."

Donna fumed for a moment before her shoulders crumpled and she began to cry again. "Oh my God, if you do this to me again, I'm going to be the one who kills you. Do you understand me, Irene?"

I softened my features as I watched Donna cry over my hand, putting it to her cheek, cherishing it's warmth. The sign that I was alive.

"I can't lose my best friend." She sucked in a big breath and shook her head. "I hate you."

I flinched at how harshly her words had came out of her mouth, but it took me a second to realize that I was laughing. Of course she'd say something selfish at a time like this. The always-selfless-when-it-doesn't-matter Donna chooses to say something so selfish when all I needed was to be there for me.

The irony made me laugh, but I couldn't blame her. I'd say the same thing in her position.

I'd hate Donna if the roles had be switched. I'd hate her recklessness, her foolishness, and how I hadn't forced her into the car to let me take her home.

I'd hate myself, just like she hates herself.

~ x - X - x ~

It was night time now. Donna had gone home, and I'd fallen asleep shortly after she had left. But, six hours later, something had startled me out of my sleep.

I looked around sleepily, suddenly aware of how cold it was in the room. I looked to the window just as a gust of wind blew and pushed away the standard white hospital curtain to allow yellow light to illuminate a dark figure leaning on the wall opposite of the bed.

I was startled to see someone in my room, and I almost screamed, but I was too terrified to make a sound other than a wheeze. The breath caught in my throat as the man stared evenly at me, face morphing in sinister shapes then back to darkness as the curtain cut off the light source.

Then I just heard his gruff voice. "The man who attacked you was part of new drug deal." The masked man paused, and I heard him shift; clothes rustling and shoes unsticking themselves from the floor as if they had been there for a long time. "Broke out of prison with others last night. Came to warn you. He'll most likely try to somethin."

He peeled himself from the wall and made his way to the window. He was about to stick a leg out when I snapped out of my fearful daze, and hissed, "W-wait!" He didn't turn around, but his head slightly turned towards me. The words caught in my throat, but I managed to force them out. "W-what-how do I pre-prevent it?" I cursed myself mentally for stuttering, but I felt so small and powerless so close to this man. If he noticed though, he didn't show it. Instead, he looked forward, and for a split second, I thought he was going to say something heroic and cheesy like, "I'll save you."

But instead, all he said was, "You don't." And then he was gone.

It took me a moment for the words to sink in, and when they did, I started crying. I felt hopeless. What was I supposed to do? How was I to defend myself when I didn't know the first thing about self defense?