Vince cracked a smile when Amie slipped into the hospital room, trying to move himself up a little into a comfortable position. She couldn't stop herself from smiling back at him, at the warmth in his eyes. The pure happiness and joy from seeing her pushed Amie's inner struggles and doubts aside for a moment. "Hey there," she said, approaching his bed.

"Hey to you too," he grinned, carefully opening his arms wide. His recovery was going remarkably well, maybe too well. Though he had lost a lot of blood from his wounds, the doctors and nurses took amazing care of him. Apparently, he was a big and healthy young man and full of strong will to live, at least that's how one of the older nurses worded it. Nothing could stop his recovery. "Come here, lil one."

Amie crossed the room and nestled into his arms, glad for the warm welcome. It took her quite some time and self-persuasion to come and see him for the first time after it all happened. She worried Vince would send her away, hating her for good after they lost Jesse. But oh, how wrong she was. Vince couldn't be happier to see her. She took a deep inhale, but immediately wrinkled her nose. "Man, you gotta take a shower."

"Oh shut up."

She smiled and hugged him tighter despite the sweaty stench coming off him. "Don't they know personal hygiene is important while recoverin' from injuries?"

Vince grunted. "Ah, the nurses here are small."

"So?" she leaned away from him, running fingers through her hair to put it back into place. "What's that gotta do with that?"

"I need help to get off the bed still. Pretty embarrassing, man, lemme tell you that."

"You were shot, man, no need to worry about your ego."

Vince scowled at her a little, tilting his head aside. "Yo, that's nothin' like that alright. Just don't want the poor girls to hurt themselves trying to lift me up."

Amie blinked. "You are silly," she commented. "So you are not doing that well?"

"Oh no, nothin' to worry about, A. It is not the greatest, but I should be able to go home soon," he paused, looking at the wall behind her as if suddenly he couldn't stand to look into Amie's eyes. "For a bit."

"Alright," Amie felt her throat clench a little and she had to take a deep inhale. The plan will have to move pretty fast. I need to get the supplies. She worried the hem of her t-shirt, falling silent as she started creating mental lists.

"A?"

"Yeah? Yeah, all good," she forced a smile, as a thought crossed her mind. "Do you wanna stay with me? I can help you and take care of you."

Vince quirked his eyebrow at that. "Don't ya have enough to deal with as it is?"

Amie ignored the obvious hint. "Why, I would love a hand in the café. You can watch and make sure nobody steals from us."

"Oh. You still keep it runnin'?"

"Of course. Don't really have any other choice, do I?" Amie paused, taking a big interest in the hospital bed sheet. There was a loose thread that was calling to her to pull on it. "Yea, they kinda kicked me out of the hotel, y'know. Things aren't ideal. But maybe I should shut the café down and look for a proper job."

"It ain't easy on your own."

Amie's eyes flashed up to meet Vince's in surprise. "I don't hold it against them."

"Neither do I."

But they left, flashed in Amie's mind and somehow she felt as if he thought the same thing. She attempted to pull the thread again, but Vince's hand stopped her. His touch was warm and familiar, and so, so nice, but she wished somebody else held her right now. Pushing the thought aside, Amie wiped her eyes and smiled up at him. "Is alright."

"Y'know you still belong with us. You are part of our family," he said seriously, so unlike the usual Vince. "You belong there no matter what."

"Vince…"

"It's true," he shrugged a little and then he reached for her cheek, gently tracing a thumb up and down. "We have been through a lot, and look at us. Always made it through. Might be some punches thrown around, but we always stick together."

She chuckled sadly. Vince was right. There have been so many fights in their little gang through the years, especially between the boys, Dom taking the lead. Letty was never too far from a well-aimed fist if needed, leaving bruises on the lad's shoulders and her tongue could turn into a sharp knife. Amie herself was no angel. Still, she felt this situation was way too different from anything they had ever encountered. "So who is going to punch me then?" she asked, trying her best to sound teasing. "Better not be you or Dom, as I think you would snap me in half."

"Nobody punchin' ya," Vince said, offended. His hand fell back next to him as his frown deepened. "Not if I can help it anyway."

The air stilled between the two of them and unwillingly, Amie's heart started beating a lot faster. "You can't protect me."

"Why not?"

"I… I don't deserve this. Look at the mess I have made… I chose… I picked… somebody else over my blood… over my family."

"You stayed behind, haven't ya? You could have taken off with them or just vanished, but you are here. That's all I need… all they should need."

Amie frowned at him, searching in his eyes. It made her pause to see how much he believed his words, how much faith he was putting in such a small gesture. "It's not as simple as that, is it..."

"C'mon A."

"Who are you and what happened to Vince?"

"Well, I will have you know, lil one, that I was always wise and all grown-up shit," Vince smirked a little, his eyes flashing. "Maybe the painkillers seem to be loosening up my tongue."

She had no answer to that. Amie stared at him with wide eyes and somehow the world seemed to tilt aside, as if the scales were thrown off balance. She has seen that expression numerous times before. That little smug smile, that tone… that was Vince flirting. She doubted she could take another surprising, unexpected change in her life. He was always crushing on Mia. He must be joking.

"Cheer up, A." Vince laughed out loud. Suddenly Amie realised how awfully close their hands were. Amie tried not to move or look at her hand as she thought Vince would pick up on it. "Just glad I am not alone here."

"You are not alone," she heard herself say. Amie wished she could say what Mia told her – what the gang was planning so he didn't have to be locked up, paying for their truck jobs alone. But she couldn't.

"Oh, I know," Vince winked at her. "I think spending my last days of freedom with you is a good plan. Just don't make me prepare those nasty sandwiches at the café."

Amie laughed a little at his comment. "You are ruining my master plan."

Vince smiled, however, it didn't reach his eyes. For a moment he stayed quiet, observing her. "Y'know, the hospital has really messed my head. And the fact I nearly died. It opens your eyes y'know? To all of that stupid shit and blindness."

"What do you mean?"

"I am not surprised Tran tried to take you away from us," Vince said. "We've never allowed you to be free and fit with us as you wanted."

"Stop talking nonsense," Amie stopped him, heart beating like mad. She felt her mouth go dry, tongue sticking to the top. She wasn't ready for such a personality change in Vince. Maybe, asking him to stay in her house wasn't the best idea.

The house was awfully quiet and Amie had to admit she hated it. From the bottom of her heart, she hated it. With nobody else inside it made her remember all the good memories she created over the years with her family, and those memories were like a dagger to her heart. As if I don't have enough to mourn already. She could honestly say she was starting to drive herself crazy.

As Amie collapsed on the sofa in the middle of the mess, her phone rang. She ignored it for the first time, and even for the second time. With not a single care in the word left in her, Amie thought that grasping the phone and talking to somebody was way above her capability.

But the fifth time she lost her cool. "What?!" she barked into the phone. "Isn't it obvious I do not want to talk to anyone?!"

Her sharp question was met with silence. The only giveaway was a small intake of breath, just as she was about to end the call, thinking it was a prank. Her insides twisted.

"Hello?"… "Hello? Who's there?"… "What in the actuall-"

"Amie," came a male's voice from the other end, making Amie freeze. She straightened up on the sofa, listening carefully. "Amie, I… I… I don't know what to say."

"Dom?"

"I had it all prepared in my head…-"

"You shouldn't be calling me."

"I know, but-"

"No buts Dominic. Have you lost your mind?!"

"I can't go on for another day without tellin' you how sorry I am. You were so right in so many things, but I was so stubborn. I thought I am doin' the right thing by you."

Amie was speechless, as her brain tried to understand her brother's words. It felt impossible – unreal. But he was not meant to call her. "Dom, what if they track you down…"

"Don't worry about that, I am careful," he interrupted her this time. "I love ya, lil sis, alright? I hate us being separated. This shouldn't have happened and I know I have fucked it up…"

"No, you haven't. I love you too. I love ya all so much," Amie whipped at her cheeks when she realised she started crying. "But please be safe. Don't call me anymore. Be safe."

And with that she ended the call, throwing the phone away from her as if it burned her.

I will keep it short and sweet this time. Thank you, thank you all sooo much for all your nice words. You are the stability building up a writer, watering her ideas and luring her fingers to touch the keypad. THANK YOU! Love you all so much!