JAY POV
The first thing I noticed was the ceiling.
White.
Plain.
Boring.
I stared at it for what felt like ten minutes.
Then blinked.
Still there.
Okay.
Still alive.
That was nice.
I tried moving my arm.
Nothing.
Well—
Not nothing.
My fingers moved.
Barely.
Like my body had forgotten how to listen to me.
I tried again.
One finger.
Then another.
That was it.
My entire body felt heavy.
Not normal tired.
Not I stayed awake all night tired.
It was the kind of tired where even breathing felt like work.
My throat was dry and sore.
I swallowed carefully.
Big mistake.
My face scrunched up.
Okay.
Definitely not talking today.
I turned my head slightly.
And there he was.
Kiefer.
Sitting beside my hospital bed.
Again.
Of course.
Apparently, this man had decided the chair beside my bed was his new permanent home.
His hair was messy.
His shirt was wrinkled.
His eyes were still red.
He looked like he hadn't slept properly since the whole nightmare started.
He was staring at his phone.
Probably pretending he was doing something important.
I moved my fingers again.
His eyes immediately snapped toward me.
keifer: You're awake.
I blinked.
He leaned forward.
keifer: How are you feeling?
I stared at him.
Then looked down at myself.
Then back at him.
He understood.
keifer: Weak?
I nodded.
keifer: In pain?
Another tiny nod.
His expression immediately became worried.
keifer: Your throat?
I nodded again.
keifer: Don't talk.
I gave him an annoyed look.
He smiled.
keifer: I know that look.
I rolled my eyes.
keifer: And no, you're not allowed to argue with me.
I lifted one finger.
Then pointed at him.
He raised an eyebrow.
keifer: What?
I pointed at myself.
Then at him.
Then made a dramatic talking gesture with my fingers.
Kiefer stared.
keifer: You want me to talk?
I nodded.
keifer: About what?
I shrugged.
He sighed.
keifer: You're impossible.
I smiled.
His smile softened.
keifer: I missed that.
He reached out for my hand.
For a moment, neither of us said anything.
Then—
BANG.
The door slammed open.
Keifer nearly jumped.
I stared toward the doorway.
And immediately regretted having functioning eyes.
Because standing there was—
Ci N.
David.
Yuri.
Calix.
Felix.
Drew.
Rory.
Edrix.
Eren.
Josh.
Blaster.
Kit.
Mayo.
Eman.
And several more people packed behind them.
I stared.
Kiefer stared.
The doctor standing behind them stared.
Angelo at the very back with the expression of a man who had accepted that his life had become a punishment.
David: Before anyone says anything...
He took a deep breath.
David: I tried to stop them.
Felix raised his hand.
felix: He did.
Rory nodded.
rory: Very passionately.
David: Thank you.
Felix looked around.
Mayo: How did all of you even fit through that door?
Drew shrugged.
drew: Determination.
Josh: Stupidity.
Eren: Teamwork.
Blaster: Mostly stupidity.
Kiefer stood.
keifer: What the hell are you all doing here?
Ci N pointed at me.
ci n: Visiting Jay.
keifer: The doctor said—
Ci N cut him off.
ci n: We know.
keifer: Then why are you here?
Ci N smiled.
ci n: Because we're Section E.
Kiefer stared.
Ci N stared back.
Neither moved.
Finally, Kiefer sighed.
keifer: Fair.
The doctor walked in behind them.
doctor: Five minutes.
Everyone nodded.
doctor: Quietly.
Everyone nodded again.
doctor: And nobody touches any equipment.
Everyone nodded harder.
doctor: And nobody—
Rory: Got it.
doctor: I wasn't finished.
Rory: Sorry.
The doctor looked at them suspiciously.
doctor: Five minutes.
He left.
The second the door closed—
ci n: JAY!
Ci N rushed toward me.
David grabbed the back of his shirt.
david: Don't jump on her.
ci n: I wasn't going to!
david: You absolutely were.
ci n: I was going to hug her.
david: She's barely moving.
Ci N stopped.
He looked at me.
His eyes immediately filled with tears.
ci n: Oh.
I blinked.
ci n: You're really weak.
I gave him a tiny nod.
He swallowed.
ci n: Okay.
He carefully walked closer.
Then sat on the chair beside my bed.
ci n: Hi.
I smiled.
ci n: You scared ten years off my life.
I raised one eyebrow.
ci n: Don't look at me like that.
I pointed at him.
Then at myself.
Then made a little ten? gesture with my fingers.
He understood.
ci n: Yeah.
He wiped his face.
ci n: Ten.
Then he paused.
ci n: Maybe twenty.
David sighed.
david: He means he was scared.
ci n: I WAS.
david: We know.
Ci N looked at me again.
ci n: You better not do that again.
I gave him an innocent look.
ci n: I'm serious.
I blinked.
ci n: Stop blinking at me like you're innocent.
I smiled.
Ci N's eyes watered again.
ci n: She smiled.
Felix groaned.
felix: Here we go.
ci n: SHE SMILED!
david: We can see that.
ci n: She's okay!
I lifted my hand.
Barely.
Just enough to make a tiny thumbs-up.
Everyone went silent.
Ci N stared.
Then his face crumpled.
ci n: SHE DID THE THUMBS-UP.
Felix: Bro.
ci n: I'M HAPPY!
Felix: You're crying again.
ci n: I CAN CRY!
Rory: Nobody said you couldn't.
Ci N wiped his face angrily.
ci n: Shut up.
I couldn't laugh.
My throat hurt too much.
But I smiled.
And somehow that was enough.
Aries came next.
He didn't say anything at first.
He just stood there.
Looking at me.
His eyes were red.
He slowly walked toward the bed.
aries: Hey, sis.
I looked at him.
My eyes immediately softened.
He carefully took my hand.
Not even my whole hand.
Just my fingers.
Because that's all I could move.
aries: Don't scare me like that again.
I gave him a tiny nod.
aries: Good.
He smiled.
aries: That's all I needed.
Percy came up behind him.
percy: So...
He looked at me.
percy: You really decided to make an entire hospital cry.
I stared at him.
He grinned.
percy: That's impressive.
I lifted one finger.
Pointed at him.
Then made a tiny throat gesture.
Percy nodded.
percy: Right.
percy: Can't talk.
I nodded.
percy: Honestly, that's probably safer for all of us.
Aries laughed.
I glared at Percy.
percy: There she is.
Yuri walked over next.
His red hair was messy.
His usual confidence was there, but quieter.
yuri: Welcome back.
I looked at him.
He smiled.
yuri: I know you can't talk.
He leaned slightly closer.
yuri: So I'll do enough talking for both of us.
Kiefer immediately looked at him.
keifer: Don't.
Yuri smirked.
Then he puts his hands up.
yuri: Relax.
Then he looked back at me.
yuri: I'm glad you're here.
I nodded.
Yuri's expression softened.
yuri: Really glad.
For a second, nobody joked.
Then Felix ruined it.
felix: Wow.
Everyone looked at him.
felix: That was almost emotionally mature.
Yuri turned.
yuri: Shut up.
Felix grinned.
felix: There he is.
Calix walked in with Mica.
Mica immediately came to my side.
mica: Jay...
Her eyes filled with tears.
I lifted my hand slightly.
She carefully held it.
mica: You're really awake.
I nodded.
Calix smiled.
calix: Told you she'd come back.
Mica looked at him.
mica: You didn't know that.
calix: I had faith.
mica: You were crying harder than everyone.
Calix froze.
calix: That's confidential.
I smiled.
Felix came closer.
felix: Okay.
He looked at Kiefer.
Then me.
Then Kiefer again.
felix: So...
Kiefer narrowed his eyes.
keifer: Don't.
felix: I haven't said anything.
keifer: I know you.
felix: Fair.
Felix looked at me.
felix: You know he didn't leave this hallway, right?
Kiefer immediately glared at him.
keifer: Felix.
felix: What?
Kiefer: Stop.
Felix grinned.
felix: He barely ate.
Kiefer: Felix.
felix: Didn't sleep.
Kiefer: I'm warning you.
felix: Cried—
keifer: FELIX!!!!!!!.
Everyone laughed.
Even I smiled.
Kiefer looked at me.
keifer: Don't encourage him.
I raised my eyebrows innocently.
Felix pointed at me.
felix: See? She agrees.
David shook his head.
david: She can't even talk and she's still winning arguments.
Rory walked closer.
rory: Speaking of arguments...
He looked at me.
rory: We found information about Anderson.
Angelo immediately looked over.
angelo: Not today.
Rory nodded.
rory: Right.
Edrix came beside him.
edrix: We can deal with everything later.
I nodded.
Edrix smiled.
edrix: Today you're just supposed to rest.
I gave him a thumbs-up.
Drew appeared.
drew: Speaking of rest—
Everyone looked at him.
drew: Does anyone have money?
Silence.
Drew looked around.
drew: What?
Ci N pointed toward the door.
ci n: Leave.
drew: I have debts!
David: We know.
drew: That's why I need money.
Felix: That's not how debt works.
drew: It is in my world.
Eman walked in carrying a huge bag.
eman: I brought food.
Everyone looked at him.
Drew immediately brightened.
drew: Finally.
Eman pointed at him.
eman: Not for you.
Drew's face fell.
drew: Why?
eman: You owe me.
drew: How much?
Eman stared.
eman: Enough.
Drew slowly backed away.
drew: I suddenly don't feel hungry.
Rory: You weren't hungry.
Drew: Emotionally, I was.
Everyone laughed.
Then ci-n says..
CI-N: WE WERE ALLOWED HERE FOR 5 MINS..
Ci N pointed at the clock.
Everyone looked at the clock.
Calix: We've already used three.
Everyone froze.
Ci N: MOVE!
David: Quietly!
Everyone immediately started talking at once.
David: I SAID QUIETLY!
Kiefer covered his face.
keifer: This is a nightmare.
I smiled.
And then Freya entered.
She pushed her sunglasses up onto her head.
freya: Why is everyone yelling?
David: Section E.
Freya nodded.
freya: Right.
She walked over to me.
freya: You scared me.
I looked at her.
freya: And don't you dare smile.
I smiled.
Freya immediately looked away.
freya: Great.
She wiped under her eye.
freya: Now I'm crying.
I lifted my hand.
Freya carefully took it.
freya: Don't ever do that again.
I nodded.
freya: Good.
Then she looked at Kiefer.
freya: Take care of her.
Kiefer nodded.
keifer: I will.
Freya smiled.
freya: Good.
Rakki entered next.
The second she saw me, she smiled.
rakki: Hey, Jay.
I smiled back.
She walked closer.
rakki: You look terrible.
Ci N: Rakki!
Rakki laughed.
rakki: What? She knows.
I gave her an offended look.
rakki: See?
She laughed.
rakki: Still Jay.
Ci N looked at her.
ci n: She just came back from the dead.
rakki: And she's still judging people.
ci n: Fair.
Rakki leaned toward me.
rakki: You scared us too.
I nodded.
Rakki squeezed my fingers gently.
rakki: Good.
Grace and Denzel came in together.
Grace immediately started crying.
grace: Jay...
I looked at her.
She smiled.
grace: You helped me so much.
She carefully touched my hand.
grace: You brought me and Denzel together when neither of us knew what to do.
Denzel nodded.
denzel: You changed our lives.
I smiled.
Grace wiped her tears.
grace: So you don't get to leave us.
I gave her a tiny nod.
Denzel smiled.
denzel: Good.
Kit and Mayo walked over together.
Kit looked at me.
kit: You know...
He smiled.
kit: You still haven't gotten rid of us.
Mayo laughed.
mayo: Unfortunately.
Kit looked at Mayo.
kit: Speak for yourself.
Mayo: You're the clingy one.
kit: I am not.
Everyone stared at them.
Mayo: Okay.
mayo: Maybe a little.
I smiled.
Kit pointed at me.
kit: She did this.
Mayo nodded.
mayo: She absolutely did.
Kit: Matchmaker Jay.
I raised my eyebrows proudly.
Mayo laughed.
mayo: She's proud.
Kit: Very.
Eren leaned against the wall.
eren: This is probably the strangest hospital visit I've ever seen.
Josh stood beside him.
josh: Same.
Blaster nodded.
blaster: I've seen worse.
Everyone looked at him.
blaster: Don't ask.
Rory laughed.
rory: That's definitely an Eren story.
Eren: Absolutely not.
Eman started opening containers.
eman: Everyone eat.
Drew immediately appeared beside him.
drew: Me?
eman: No.
drew: I'm part of everyone.
eman: You're excluded.
Drew looked betrayed.
drew: This is discrimination.
Ci-n: This is consequences.
Everyone laughed again.
And I just watched.
I couldn't speak.
I couldn't sit up.
I couldn't even move properly.
But I could see them.
Every single one.
All these people.
People who had cried for me.
People who had thought they lost me.
People who had stayed.
People who had prayed.
People who had fought.
People who had somehow become my family.
My eyes started burning.
Kiefer noticed.
He immediately leaned closer.
keifer: Hey.
I looked at him.
keifer: Don't cry.
I blinked.
A tear slipped down anyway.
He gently wiped it away.
keifer: You're here.
I nodded.
keifer: That's enough.
I looked around the room again.
Everyone was talking.
Drew was arguing with Eman about food.
Ci N was teasing David.
Freya was fixing Mica's hair.
Rory and Edrix were whispering about something.
Percy and Aries were arguing over who was more worried.
Yuri was laughing with Calix.
Felix was teasing Kiefer.
Kit and Mayo were sitting together.
Grace and Denzel were talking quietly.
Rakki was beside Ci N.
Eren and Josh were pretending not to listen to everyone.
Blaster was eating.
And Kiefer...
He was still holding my hand.
I moved my fingers slightly.
He looked down.
Then at me.
His expression softened.
keifer: I'm here.
I nodded.
He squeezed my fingers.
keifer: We're all here.
I looked at everyone.
And for the first time since I opened my eyes...
I didn't feel scared.
My body was weak.
My throat hurt.
I couldn't move.
I couldn't speak.
But I was surrounded by people who didn't need me to do any of those things.
They just wanted me here.
Alive.
That's all.
And honestly?
For once...
That was enough.
Ci N suddenly looked at me.
ci n: Jay.
I looked at him.
ci n: Blink twice if Kiefer is being annoying.
I blinked twice.
The room exploded.
ci n: SHE DID IT!
Kiefer stared at me.
keifer: Seriously?
Felix started laughing.
felix: She's been awake for five minutes and she's already betraying you.
David: That's our Jay.
Kiefer shook his head.
keifer: I can't believe this.
I smiled.
And everyone laughed.
I couldn't laugh with them.
Not yet.
But I didn't need to.
Because I was there.
With them.
And somehow, after everything...
Section E had made its way into my hospital room.
Rules?
They could deal with those later.
For now...
I was home.
________________________
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