When I was first given this slightly threadbare, slightly sagging couch I thought it was huge and the perfect size for my apartment. I thought that due to it's size and the limited number of people I care about that this couch would be all that was needed to seat the few visitors that would possibly come over to see me. So much so, that I didn't even bother taking the matching recliner that was offered with it. My living room wasn't all that big anyway.

But right now, sat between two six foot something mountains of hunkdom. It felt absolutely tiny and I was seriously having second thoughts about turning down that armchair. The moment I sat in the centre of the couch and tugged down Conner's shirt over my exposed thighs; they both converged on me and sandwiched me tightly between them, giving me not one inch of wiggle room. There was literally no room between us. Although, I did have a sneaking suspicion that if I could actually see past their very well toned chests that there would be at least a foot of free space either side of them. Bastards.

"I've text Blake, asking him to bring over some supplies" I only half listened to Jay as I mentally re-planned my living room, hoping to magic up some space to fit a recliner. "I told him, i'd explain why when he came over"

"And where the hell is he going to sit?" I mused making Connor chuckle

"What are you talking about, Red?" He patted the cushion next to him "there's plenty of room"

"I knew it! You assholes!" I chastised "Now move the fuck over and give me some damn breathing room!" I shoved on his shoulder.

"Nah, I'm good right where I am"

Connor stretched his arm over the back of the sofa and then across my shoulders, pulling me into his side. Earning him a swift and sharp elbow to the gut.

"Umph" he grunted, removing his arm from around me and then wrapping it around his stomach instead.

"Kittens got claws" he coughed "I like it"

His grin turned devilish before a slap at the back of his head, effectively wiped it from his face.

"Yes! Thank you!" I whooped, turning to give Blake a high five over the back of the couch before I remembered he was a miserable dick and my right hand was now hanging pathetically in the air.

"Ok then..." I trailed off, making a move to twist back around in my seat before his gaze snapped to mine, his intense stare stealing my breath away.

"How the fuck is she alive?!" he demanded, pointing an accusatory finger at me

"Dude! You didn't tell him?" Conner asked of Jay

"It's not really something you can put in a text" he shrugged innocently.

"Care to explain why a dead girl is now sat almost naked on the couch wearing nothing but Conner's shirt, trying to give me a fucking high five?!" His dark brown almost black eyes raked down my body before raising a judgemental eyebrow when it got to where the shirt had ridden up my thigh again.

That one look made me feel dirty, like I'd done something wrong. I tugged down the shirt, my shoulders sinking in embarrassment before I mentally slapped myself for being an idiot. I hadn't done anything wrong. These men were in my apartment and two of them intruded into my bathroom while I was bathing. I didn't ask for this. This wasn't my fault. Whatever this was.

My spine straightened and my shoulders pushed back, rubbing slightly against Jay. His heat seeping into my skin. It felt good and it boosted my bravado.

"Don't look at me that way" I threw at Blake with my own look of disgust.

"And what way would that be?" both eyebrows now raised in question. The motion raising the hackles on my neck.

"You know what way, you judgemental prick!"

He didn't say anything more, he just shook his head and walked around the couch to the far side of the room where he sat on the window seat across from us. Window seat, oh course! I didn't need the recliner after all.

"So...?" He aimed at Jay, leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees, looking every bit the dark Adonis -too bad he was such a prick-. Probably because from what I've gathered from my short time with guys, is that Conner doesn't take anything seriously and turns everything into either a joke or an innuendo. And as for me with my frayed nerves, I'm one sarcastic comment away from losing my shit and starting to kick some balls. I wore my emotions on my face, so I was pretty sure they could all see the meltdown coming.

Jay however, seemed to be the balance between the two men. He seemed to have qualities of both and was more level headed and not as quick to temper as Blake seemed to be. My body leaned in to him subconsciously seeking out comfort.

I sighed contentedly when he wrapped an arm around me and pulled me into is side. I didn't elbow him like I did Conner. I knew he wasn't hitting on me. He was comforting me and knew exactly what I needed at this very moment. His body was warm, so warm in fact that it made me realise how cold I actually was. The shivers that began, seemed to emanate from deep inside my bones. My veins filled with ice. A deep set chill from the top of my head, all the way down to my toes made me teeth chatter.

Blake shaking that damn head of his again stood and stalked out of the room into the hallway. What the hell was his problem with me? I can't believe he just left like that.

But in a surprising move, a few moments later, he re-entered the room bringing with him my hearts and flowers comforter from the bed. Conner pulled my legs up from the floor and into his lap as Jay placed one of my sofa cushions into his, pulling my head down with it.

I was effectively laid across both men as Blake placed my comforter over us and tucked me in as if I was something precious. Heat filled every part of my body with the gesture and after a few moments, my shivers slowed until they finally disappeared. And when Jay began stroking my hair, I was close to falling asleep. That was until he started talking.

"When the shaking stopped and the water fell, we all knew that she was dead. We all checked her pulse. Blake, you gave her the kiss of life and I had performed CPR until I.. Erm..." Jay winced at the memory that was playing through his head.

"When you broke her ribs" Conner cut in gesturing with his hand for Jay to carry on.

"Yeah, that. Thanks mate" His voice took on a sharp edge at the end of his sentence showing he was anything but thankful for his friends bluntness.

"No probs, Dude, I got your back" Conner reached over and clapped him on the shoulder, seemingly unaware that Jay was totally pissed at him. That was until I saw the smirk on his lips out of the corner of my eye. Jay silently shook his head.

During their exchange, my hand had drifted up to my bruised chest, cringing at the movement of bone underneath. Well I guess that explains that. But shouldn't it hurt, even a little?

It was all so much to take in, it didn't feel real. Speaking of real, I couldn't believe that the floating water was real after all. Holy shit! It wasn't an hallucination.

And Blake... Blake had given me the kiss of life...

My hand moved to my lips as my eyes focused on his.

When he caught my movement, his tongue snaked out and wet his bottom lip. Almost like he could still taste me on them. My own lips tingled in response as if he was touching them.

His eyes grew impossibly darker.

Holy shit! I think we just had a moment. I wish I could have been lucid to experience what it felt like to have his lips on mine, but then again, if I had been lucid, he wouldn't have had to press his lips against mine.

At that moment something else suddenly occurred to me.

"Hold the fucking phone!" I exclaimed, trying to sit up from Jay's lap, but his heavey arm only let me rise up a few inches.

"Why did no fucker call an ambulance?!" I screached. "I was dead and you just what? Put me to bed and fucked off?!" All three men shifted uneasily.

What the fuck! I can't believe that they didn't take me to the hospital. They thought I was dead but were too put out to get me help? Even when my foster parents took it too far, they sent me to the emergency room, even if it was with some poor ass excuse about falling down the stairs. What if I could have been saved. Didn't they care at all?!

"Out of sight, out of mind. Was that it?!" I was beyond fuming. But it was a little hard to strike an intimidating pose while sprawled across Jay and Conner's laps. I pinched Jay's thigh to release me, but instead he just held on tighter, keeping me in place. So I did the only thing I could do. I turned my bitch glare up to max power. I know, I'm fucking terrifying...

"Calm down, Red" Jay soothed "It wasn't like that. We did call an ambulance..." But he trailed off as if he was scared to carry on. But a not so gentle persuasion pinch to his inner groin encouraged him to carry on.

"There was an incident..." he continued.

"Ok, what kind of incident?"

"The threat to National Security kind..."

"Will you stop talking in riddles and just fucking tell me already" My patience was currently at level zero and my stomach was really starting to hurt. It felt like it was eating it's self, I was so hungry and Jay smelt so good...

"She's got a filthy mouth on her for such a dainty little thing" Blake quipped. To which I responded with a simple "Fuck you" while flipping him off. That had Connor chortling. Even Blake smirked.

"Look, we don't know the full story yet as the media has only been releasing info bit by bit" Jay continued "But, there was a terrorist attack"

"What on Mysterio?" I gasped. But Jay shook his head

"No, on the world"

Holy shit! I really needed to get a new exclamation, I was close to wearing this one out already today and it's only just gone lunch time. My stomach growled at the reminder of food.

"According to the media, chemical weapons were released over every major city in the world and the death toll is still be counted"

I felt sick to my stomach. Every major city in the world thats a lot of fucking people.

"The weapon released an unknown chemical agent, killing people in an instant, which I suppose was a small mercy in some twisted way. That's what we thought had happened to you, after watching the broadcast. People just dropped dead!" He explained "When we called the emergancy services we were told that all hospitals were on lockdown and not to attempt to make our own way there. The military was brought in and sharia law was enforced with immediate effect until more information could be sought. They advised us to lock our doors and windows, turn on the emrgancy braodcast channel on the tv and to just sit tight until some could get to us. It's been nearly twenty four hours and we are still waiting."

Jay began stroking my hair again as the shivers returned to my body. This was a hell of a lot to take in.

"Are we at war?" I asked on a whisper

"No one has come forward to claim responsibilty as of yet, but yes, it would seem that way"

"Holy shit!" I gasped using good old faithful

"But that doesn't explain why she is alive again" Blake growled poking his finger towards me. I guess we are back to pointing again. Rude.

"That's what we need to figure out. What we need to determine. Because from what I can gather, she isn't technically alive".

"What do you mean, just look at her" he gestured towards me looking confused, like his friend had lost his damn mind.

"I have no heartbeat" I cut in.

"Impossible!" He snorted, raising from his perch striding over to me. Placing his fingers to my neck. I sighed in exasperation. Even pervy Connor asked for permission before he touched me. Blake just dived right in. No invitation needed.

"I don't feel a pulse, but that doesn't mean it's not there." He tried to reason "Logic says if she's moving, talking and breathing. She's a-fucking-live"

"Go get the stethoscope out of the black leather bag in the bottom of my closet" I instructed Connor "Lets settle this once and for all so we can move forward"

"Why do you have a stethoscope?" Jay asked

"I'm a vet, or I will be when I start my apprenticeship on Monday... I mean I would have been" My voice took on a melancholy tone. With the terrorist attack, everything that I had worked so hard for was slowly slipping through my fingers like sand through a sieve. I can't even say at least i'm alive to put things in to perspective.

Connor shuffled from under my feet and out of the room as I had asked. My legs feeling ice cold without him there. A moment later he was back and before I could ask him to take his previous position, he handed the instrument to Blake then slipped back under my feet. He was turning into quite the sweetheart.

Wasting no time, Blake slipped the on the stethoscope and pressed the cold, circular disk against the bare skin of my chest. His face stern with concentration as he listened... And listened. He moved it to another spot and listened some more.

He did this four more times before he finally spoke.

"Fuuuck" Was the only drawn out word that he said. His shoulders sagged and his facial expression was one of desolation and disbelief.

"Told you" I whispered, placing my hand on his in what was meant to be a comforting gesture.

I won't lie. It hurt like hell when he tore his hand away from mine, with a look on his face that almost resembled disgust.

"I'm sorry" My voice barely audible. I had no idea what I was apologising for but the look on his face tore it out of me. For some strange reason, I didn't want him to hate me.

"No, I'm sorry" He said straightening to his full height "I can't deal with this shit right now" He turned on his heal and marched out of my apartment leaving me open mouthed.

Jay gave me room to sit up when I began moving. The cold gripping me like a vice after Blake's exit and my lack of contact with Jay. I wrapped the comforter tightly around me in a protective cocoon. Trying to keep my insides together after the gutting blow Blake had just sliced me with.

"Give him time" Jay soothed rubbing my back "he doesn't process things well, but he'll come around once he gets his head around it."

I just nodded in agreement as there was nothing I could say in response to that. I didn't know the guy, I had to trust and hope that what Jay was telling me was right.

The ache in my chest, where my beating heart should have been shot down to my stomach and twisted painfully, making me scream out.

Jay's horrified face was instantly in front of mine. "Agnes, what's wrong?!" Anxiety and fear filled his voice. Conner was also by my side but looking completely helpless.

After a few moments the pain passed and I was finally able to speak. But what was left was a deep, deep hunger. One that even I haven't felt before. I focused on Jay's face to distract myself for a moment, while I pulled myself together. But my eyes drew to the throbbing pulse point on his neck. My stomach lurched hungrily and my mouth filled with an acidic saliva.

"Hungry" I rasped, not taking my eyes from Jay's neck

"Really, fucking hungry" I repeated

Slowly I leaned forward. Licking my lips then bearing my teeth as Jay's scent washed over. As I got closer, I opened my mouth. I could already feel the soft pumping of his vain against my tongue and I hadn't even touched him yet.

Without thinking, I bit down hard, expecting the texture of juicy meat between my teeth and hot blood to pour down my now dry throat. But instead I felt nothing but air until my teeth smashed painfully together as Jay raised to his feet, to fetch the grocery bag that Blake had brought with him. The unexpected movement knocking me off balance and sending my face hurtling towards the floor, hitting it with a painful crunch and effectively breaking my hunger driven, carnivorous trance in an instant. What the fuck was that and oh yeah, fucking OUCH!

"Oh shit!" Both men exclaimed as they darted to the rescue.

"Are you ok?" Conner asked "That sounded brutal and Holy fuck look at your nose!" he blurted in a stunned shriek when I looked up at him from my position on the floor

"What do you mean my nose" My voice sounded nasally which shocked and scared me. My fear ramped up at least ten notches when I turned to look at Jay and his reaction was exactly the same.

Pushing to my feet, I made a run for the bathroom, leaving their stunned faces behind. Flinging open the bathroom door and turning the light on. I nearly fainted when I saw my face in the mirror once again.

My face was paler than earlier and the dark circles of my eyes and the bluish tint to my lips had become more prominent. But that was not the most shocking thing about my face. My nose was broken from my fall. And I don't mean the usual broken with the slight bump or misalignment that you usually see. Nope, my nose was a twisted snarled up mess of bone and cartilage in the centre of my face. I would have expected for blood to be pumping out of the mangled appendage, but it was completely dry and clean. It wasn't even bruising.

Tentatively, I poked at it with my finger. Waiting for pain to explode from my face. But thankfully there was none. I breathed a sigh of relief, thanking heaven for small miracles before panic started sinking in about how I was going to fix it. It may sound vain but I was totally disfigured!

A soft knock on the door, distracted me from my panic.

"Agnes, it's Jay. Are you ok?"

"What do you fucking think!" I shrieked nasally "My face looks like a fucking testicle!"

His quiet giggle through the door pissed me right off. I swung open the door to give him a piece of my mind when he stole all the wind from my fight when he pulled me into his arms and against his chest.

"Come on, Red. Lets get you fixed up while Conner makes you something to eat" He lead me back to the living room and I went without fight with the promise of being fed. My stomach growled in excitement.

Once I had Agnes laid down on the couch. I poked gently around her nose to see if it was possible to pop it back in to place. She didn't flinch and she had already assured me that it didn't hurt of which I was grateful for as her nose was a real mess. She'd done a number on herself, that's for sure.

"what's the verdict?" she asked

"It looks worse than it is. It seems to be broken in two places but I think with a bit of manipulation, I can pop it back into place" Relief washed over her face

I'll need to get in position over you. Now are you sure it doesn't hurt?" I double checked

"That's fine, do what you need to do and I swear Jay, it doesn't hurt one bit" The sound of my name on her lips sent butterfly's fluttering in my stomach. I really liked this girl, even with her lack of pulse and her mangled nose.