My body feels weird. It's like I'm in a sort of limbo. I can feel and hear things, but my eyes won't open and my mouth won't move. I've just been laying here and I can't tell for how long or why. 

Am I dead? 

My mind goes back to the last thing I remember, telling Nate I love him and then everything going black. I vaguely recall feeling a sharp pain in my stomach and shoulder, but by the time he got to me, everything had just felt kind of numb.

I can't be dead right? I mean, I beat off my uncle so he couldn't get his kill shot in. 

_________________

*Flashback*

"Yes. I do believe 10:40 is the perfect time for a death." He says happily.

As my uncle's words hit my ears, I recall his earlier grumblings. 

Holy shit! He's planning to make this a kill shot. He's crazy. 

Knowing I don't have a lot of time, I quickly set my eyes on the sharp knife by my thigh. I slowly inch my hands towards it, moving only enough to get there without Dorian noticing. As I'm about to wrap my fingers around it, he begins talking again. 

"I had hoped to be able to torture you for longer, but Jack informed me that your little boy-toy is already on his way. Shame, we could've had so much fun." He sneers. 

He's close? Just hold on a little longer, Lainey. 

I'm snapped back to attention when I watch his hand go towards the trigger. In a move I didn't know I was capable of, I knock his arm and his shot hits sideways. I feel a burning pain in my shoulder and scream out. 

"AHHHHH!"

As he's slightly shocked and confused from my move, I ignore the pain and reach for the knife. I pick it up at the same moment he seems to get his bearings back. The knife is jammed through his stomach and I hear another loud bang. 

That same blinding pain shoots through my stomach and I watch Dorian stumble off me to the ground a few yards away. He is crumpled on his knees, whining in pain, while holding the blood covered knife in his stomach. 

I vaguely hear a yell, something along the lines of 'no,' but I can't be sure. The pain in my body is going from a screaming stab to a dull ache. Everything is beginning to feel numb and I can't seem to catch my breath. The world around me goes hazy at the same time I see my man shoot into view. 

________________

Everything after that moment was a blur. I vaguely remember calling him over and talking to him, but other than 'I love you' I don't recall what I said. I know there were other people there too, though I don't know who. The only thing I distinctly remember was the metallic smell that filled my nostrils and Nate's pleading voice. 

My mind begins to drift off again as my body crashes further into the numb haze. I feel myself slipping towards the serene calm that seems to be calling me, but something stops me. It takes a moment for me to comprehend what I'm hearing and then the deep rumble of my favorite voice hits my ears. 

"Angel, baby. I really need you to wake up now. It's been a little less than a week and we are all struggling without you. I forced the twins to go back to school, but Wyatt, Candace, the guys, and I are all on independent study. None of us can bare to be away from you for too long, so we figured that was the best option." Nate says softly. 

I feel a warm pressure on my hand, but it's more like a distant thing. His voice sounds like he's underwater and I have to strain to hear him. I can feel his sadness and desperation and all I want to do is comfort him, but when I go to move my hand, it doesn't move. Nothing moves and my eyes don't open, so I'm stuck listening to the man I love suffer. 

 "I don't know what I'm doing. I can't raise three kids by myself. They need you Lainey. I need you. Please just wake up for me. Please, please, please." He continues to repeat the last part, but his voice is slowly fading. 

I feel a sense of calm rush over me and the warm embrace on my hand dims until it's unnoticeable. His words get more and more garbled and I feel as though someone stuffed cotton in my ears. I don't know what's happening, but I do nothing to stop it. The serenity seems so peaceful and all I want to do is walk into it, but something is holding me back.

I can no longer hear or feel anything, but I also can't take that next step. It's as if something in this world is keeping me tied down and I can't move on. Not knowing what to do, I let the peace sweep over me once more and everything becomes nonexistent and I am once again enveloped in peaceful darkness. 

__________________

I wake not knowing where I am. I can hear, feel, and smell, but I can't move. I try to open my eyes, but nothing happens. A split second later, I remember the limbo I'm stuck in; although this time, it feels more real. 

The sounds around me are stronger and the haze I'm usually in seems more like a light fog. I can hear beeps and soft music playing. Over those noises are different voices, some seem angry and one seems calm. I recognize the angry ones immediately, so I stop trying to move and just listen to the soft sounds around me. 

"We can't just give up on her." I hear an angry and garbled sounded Nate say to someone. 

"I'm sorry sir, but it's been two weeks. Her tests are all clear. We have to consider the fact that she just doesn't want to wake up." A calm voice I don't recognize replies. 

"She's going to wake up, she has to. Lainey doesn't just give up, so we aren't going to either." That one sounds like Wyatt but it's different than usual. His normal cocky and sassy tone is replaced by one filled with worry and sadness. 

"Look, I understand this is hard, but we have to make the best decision for her. She could stay in a comatose state for years and still never wake up. It would only be a waste to force her to remain here instead of allowing her to move on." The calm voice says. I hear a loud crash and an angry Nate yell back at him. 

"So you're telling me to kill her." He states more than asks.

"No, that is not what I'm saying. I'm saying we need to let her make her own choice." The voice of reason repeats.

"And if your tests are wrong and this is too early for her, then what? We just sit here and watch her die?" I think Johnny says. I hear a couple manly grunts and assume everyone is here. 

"I'm sorry. But this is what we have to do. Her vitals show that she's stable and her EKG proved. she can wa..."

The voices start to get cloudy again and I can feel the warm fog rolling over my body, but this time I don't want it to. I want to wake up. I want to see the people I love. I want to go to college, then start a family with Nate. I don't want to go to the peaceful light. 

I want to go home.

The fog keeps rolling, but this time I fight harder. I use every ounce of strength I have to try and open my eyes. I can still feel the haze but it seems to be going away. The bright light I've been seeing more of dims to a dull flicker and the surrounding voices get louder. Trying with all my strength, I focus on opening my eyes. I just need to see them and I'll be ok. 

"Nate, I think she's trying to wake up." I hear Candace shout from somewhere to my left. Seconds later, I feel a strong embrace on my right hand. 

"Come home baby. Come back to us." Nate rumbles sternly. 

With his deep command the haze lifts completely and the light disappears. Every sound, touch, and smell hits my senses and I'm knocked completely off guard. I can feel my eyelids still stuck together, but the tight pull is fading. 

Just a couple more blinks and...

My eyes flutter open to see Nate staring at me in a mix of awe and happiness. He has a slight scruff and his hair is a mess. Those gorgeous blue eyes I love so much look tired, bloodshot, and are filled with unshed tears, but I don't care. He's still the most handsome man I've ever seen. When our eyes meet, his face turns into pure, unadulterated happiness and love. 

"You stayed." He breathes out. 

"I couldn't break my promise, Tater Tot." I croak. 

My voice is horse and dry as a bone, but he doesn't seem to care. He just softly cups my cheeks and places a light kiss on my cracked lips before sitting back in the stuffy hospital chair. Moving my head slowly I can see Wyatt, Candace, Johnny, Hayes, Keith, the twins, Hal, Jennie, and who I assume is a doctor all staring at me with Nate's same look.

 I don't know know how they all managed to fit in here, but I don't care. All I do know is that I'm home.