After midnight // Gala(Cameo)

[*]

My eyes stare deep into the darkness of this empty room. The other bed beside me is void of any life. The sheets are perfectly straight and so tight that if you dropped a coin on it, it would merely bounce. I can see the outline of the bed as if there was light in here. Everything in this room is outlined in my mind. I've been staring at it for far too long since I was brought in. Xrays and evaluations overwhelmed me the moment I got to the hospital. I'm so deathly worried about Gala. The silence sound of someone sleeping reaches my ears. I've not slept. Even with the medicine, I can't seem to allow myself that privaledge. In the darkness, I see his face. In the light, I hear his voice. Within these sheets, I can feel his hands on my body again. I can't get him out of my head. At all.

Will this feeling ever go away?

I sit up quickly, and bring my head to rest in my hands. I bite hard on my lower lip. A deep breath fills my lungs and with a slow breath out, it doesn't seem to aid me in my need to get rid of this skin crawling feeling. I start to fumble around with the Iv tubing on my arm, clicking the mechanism on the plastic before I unscrew the cap, seperating me from the machine. The tiny, blue lit up numbers and things blink a symbol telling me that the bag is empty. However, the nurse has yet to check on me at all in the last little while. The last thing I remember was the fact that they were made to keep the saline going because I've refused to eat or drink. I can't and they don't understand what I'm going through. They never will. The only ones that can know, are the ones that helped me tonight and the ones that got hurt by him as well. They are the only ones who truely know what kind of a messed up creep that I've had to deal with for so long.

Why did it take this long for me to finally ask for help? To call for someone to come to my aid?

The night shift is vacant of noise outside of this room, and of nurses. From what I heard, Gala is in the next room to me and if that's so, why haven't I been in there to check on her? Why am I still laying here listening to Jeran's rythmic breathing beside me? Go check on her. You have to apologize. You won't feel better until you do. It is all on you that she almost died tonight. It's on your shoulders that Matthew was hurt as well. Everyone made sacrifices for you... set things right. I was almost killed as well... if it wasn't for Tyren. Thank God for him.

I draw my legs over the side of the bed, and pull the gown over to sheild my naked back. My hand goes straight for my neck, pain so evident when I swallow though. So, I try to clear my throat yet that only irritates the feeling even more. I grimace heavily, dropping my head a little and the pain is there even more making me straighten up my head.

I sigh.

I let the tears begin to well up into my eyes and for a moment, I just let the tears roll down my cheeks. They crash on my gown, soaking it through to my leg. I have no one to impress. I can't find any other way to express my own fear right now. No one is here to witness my mental breakdown. No one can hear me cry or sniffle because my nose wants to run all of a sudden. Jeran is asleep, so I have no worries.

I am alone.

I extend my legs slowly, letting my toes touch the ground first and the socks that cover my feet keep me warm. No sudden chills of an icy floor will bother me tonight. I push off the bed and stand with pain and weakness. The bruise keeps me from straightening up my back to fast. It pulls so harshly with each movement from when I was thrown into the table. When Gala set off a death match with my bully. When she challenged the devil to a race to hell. Because of what I've kept secret, she lost. Her tiny body couldn't handle what he put her through.

I step lightly across the room. My feet moving with such precision, heel to toe. When I reach the door to the hallway, I hesitate and rest my forehead against the wood. The salty drops still fall, and with a gentle movement against my lower lids, I pull my chin up and leave my room.

A few voices grace my ear from the nurse's station, but no one dares to enter the hallway, so I make my way to her room just down one room from mine. I let myself in. What little light from the hallway there is, floods the room in here and I can see the monitor that has been hooked up to this brave little girl. This little girl that practically saved my life only to have her's almost ended. Does she know how horrible I feel? Has she even woken up since this whole thing started and she's been in this bed.

How is her stomach? The cut.... with the blade Jins had.

Please wake up Gala.

I close the door just slightly, leaving the little light to aid my vision. I cross the distance with a few uneasy steps and dread when I see her closed eyes and I feel nothing but dread.

"Gala...?" My whispered voice calls outward to her. Nothing happens though. She don't stir. She don't move. NOt even her breaths change. She's truely asleep or is she worse? "I'm sorry Gala. I didn't mean for this to happen. I... should have warned you more. I should have protected you. You're my best friend. You protected me from him. I'm nothing..."

I confess everything I've been hoarding. I stand beside her bed for one moment before I sit on the empty spot beside her. My hands drop into my lap. My feet dangle above the ground. I stare off into the nothingness of the black floor and I just go silent listening to the gentle breaths that tell me that even through this harrowing ordeal, she is still alive thanks to Max.

[Cameo {RIP Charlie}]

Gala Thomas
District: Two
Age: Thirteen.75

Nothingness. It's only blackness and blankness. The feeling of floating. Not in the sky though, on the comfort of fluffy clouds. Water, being held up and drifted off by that strange form. Suddenly that ease completely dissipates. Even if she's being supported, she's surrounded by that one fear. Then it comes into the realization she's not even floating at all as the substance is actually covering her completely. There's no surface, and for all she knows her body doesn't even exist.

Fighting it isn't possible as she feels nothing but the liquid touch consuming her. Has she died? What has even gotten her here? The memory floods back as the water does, pouring in her lungs as it did before. That's why she was always so petrified to even go near such a thing, that feeling of being suffocated by it. Worse then pain as she struggles to survive. It's as if the sun has finally decided to arise as the reality of the water becomes present in her lungs. Her body becomes present.

With everything she has she kicks the surface, desperate for anything that awaits her. Was she back in the pool? Could Jins be waiting for her at the top? To finish the job. No, the distances is much too far to be the pool. The open air does eventually arise though she still finds the struggle to breathe. The chlorine water burns as it spills from her mouth and throat. She is at the pool, yet it's only blackness that covers her once again. The paddle to stay above is even gone as it's just complete blackness. Water's gone, but the fear and pain prevails through the body she's unable to feel yet again.

"Gala..." The voice is so faint, so distant it feels unreal. With less then a handful of people Gala cares about she's still able to pinpoint exactly who it is. Darkness is still all that's there though, but at least it's joined with numbness. That voice though makes her want to break free from that mindless place where she could just rest. Muffle follows it, sounding as if it's traveling away as the drugs try to convince the youngster to ease back into sleep. But that's not what she wants, she wants nothing more then to see and hear Kyanite. Is she alright? Or...has Jins gotten them both.

Pain returns along with the heaviness of her body. Despite the horrible feeling it's comforting. Maybe she's not dead, and that means Kya's... It feels impossible to lift her eyelids open but she somehow manages. Darkness though, which was the last thing she wanted to see. An ache fills her heart and causes an obnoxious beep. Once the glimpse of light from the hallway catches her vision the machine calms before even a nurse can be notified. The figure on her bed finally comes into focus and actually brings the smallest relieving grin to her innocent face.

"Kyanite?" Her voice is hushed but still comes out. The knowledge of her friend's safety nearly overrides the overwhelming pain. "What happened?" There's such a need to tear up over the sight of her alive friend, but only shaky words arrive instead.

[*]

"I'm nothing..." Jins is right. I am nothing. I have done nothing but hurt the people around me that I love. Poor Gala. She did nothing to deserve this. That creep... how did he even get to her. What lies did he feed her. Training her? What else did he do to her. Did he hurt her? Did he hit her or something? Did he use her like he did me? I cringe heavily and lean over, pushing on my stomach in order to drop my head into my hands. There, the water pools again. My vision acting as though I'm looking through a glass of water at the half lit floor beneath my feet. I take a deep breath, but it still hurts. I shouldn't be alive. Gala shouldn't be alive. Yet, here we both are. We are both breathing. Both injured, but alive. I think I'm more scarred mentally from this harrowing ordeal because I've no where to go now. I'm blank. I feel as though I'm being pulled down with so much weight. If I step down from this bed, I'll break through the floor.

"Kyanite?" I give a silent gasp. My head turns quickly, aggrivating my neck, so I have to hiss out and I bring my hand up to deal with it. I turn my body slowly to meet with the little girl in front of me. The tiny features of her face I can barely see from the light of the door. Her small nose. Full lips. Her hair seems to be in a mess that lays beside her because of the pool water. Pool water hair... never dries to look nice. Gala... my dear friend... I'm totally speechless. A moment ago, I let the words out as I felt them. Now that I hear her awake, she's taken all the words. I have nothing more to say. "What happened?"

What happened? You were nearly killed by my abuser. My bully. My nightmare come true. I slowly bring a hand up to my mouth and cover it. Once again, my head dips downward not caring to be gentle with my own body. This time, I dont conceal the tears that want to fall. It takes me a few moments before I feel like I'm able to say anything again. Before I look into Gala's concern filled eyes. I go to speak, but nothing but my cracking voice seems to come out. I cough, just slightly, trying to get my voice to work as it should before I start talking to Gala.

"You're okay, Gala." I tell her, because I want to tell her she's going to be fine. I dont want her to be scared, but my words are uncensored from this point on. "I've never been so scared in my life. I'm sorry. It's all my fault. It really is. There's so much in my past that has happened that I've never said before... the reasons... why it all happened. I never should have saved him cause if I didn't, you'd be okay. You wouldn't be in here."

My voice wavers the entire time I talk. Some words come out a bit dry causing me to cough in the middle, but I push through no matter what. I look down, and see the IV that is in my hand and I move it quickly to hide it. I don't want her to see it. I don't want her to know what he had done to me. I could have died and Gala would never have known. Since I'm sitting here, I don't want her to know at all. I'm doing my part to protect her. I'm doing my part to keep her safe. She tried to save me. That's what she's going to know and think.

"Gala... I almost killed Jins when we were little. That's what this is all about. You did nothing wrong, you hear? You did everything you could to save me. You're my little hero. You know that right?" I lean over, and let my face rest neatly on her shoulder, letting my hands move to either side of her to give her a gentle hug. Not tight at all. I'm all too afraid if I do put any amount of pressure on the girl, that I would break her. She looks so pale and fragile.

[Cameo {RIP Charlie}]

Is it a dream? Everything feels so foggy as Gala steadies her eyes upon the figure she's certain is Kyanite. There's so little light beaming from a creak, enough to see the taller figure slouched on the side of her bed. The stature is so sorrowful, screaming of the horrors that occurred after she lost consciousness. How she would love to beam up and claim that everything's going to be alright as she always does. But it's still all forming together as she's slowly reaching reality. The pain sinks in as her stomach ruptures with discomfort and her head throbs with disapproval. Certainly no dream. It's relieving and saddening all at the same time, though the sight of her friend makes it slightly satisfying. They're all alright.

Speaking comes raspy and hushed as it feels as though chlorine water still fills her throat and lungs. Still communicating with Kyanite is worth all of that. If only she could also get out the joy of seeing her. The few words has her throat burning to command her to stop speaking. Eyelids feel heavy though she refuses to allow them to take her under again. Not yet. First she has to make sure Ky's okay, figure out what happened. Apparently Jins didn't manage to kill them, but how? Even how it ended it untraceable as she's only to piece in a few clips of memory.

She's okay...For a few seconds Gala hangs off of those words as she was completely uncertain of her condition. The pain said otherwise, but if Kyanite says she's okay is must be true. As much as she feels the need to grin to prove she's fine it's unable to spread one across her face. Still, she's okay...More words speak through the silent room, now coming out in chunks as Ky tries to explain. So scared, sorry, past, never said, saved him, you'd be okay, wouldn't be here. All the words are difficult to take is as Gala attempts to catch everything. Focusing that much only causes the feeling that her brain's going to squeeze out from her ears. What did Kyanite say?

The first part was slow and calm enough for Gala to catch, she's okay. Now though it scrambles through her aching mind as she listens. Didn't Kyanite say she was okay? It's changed to that she'd be okay though. Meaning, she's not okay. And wouldn't be here is one of the few things to clearly registered through her brain as she takes notice of her surrounding. After the pregames it doesn't take her long to figure it out. "The hospital?" If there's any emotion in her voice it's the slightest hint of fear. Even after what happened, the condition that she's in, the experiences she's had, this place is far from her favorite place.

More words flow and by now it's easy to follow them, or maybe it's the impact behind what Kyanite's saying. The reasoning for being here, what got her here, the mistakes and all, finally flood back all at once. She's even able to catch the reasoning behind what happened, that Ky apparently almost killed Jins when they were younger. Doesn't seem to make a difference given their current circumstance though. Wanting to hurt him, protect Kyanite, doesn't change one bit. Possibly because nothing can change that. That doesn't seem to matter though as she continues on to say that it's not Gala's fault...if only she was right.

What happened is remembered along with the fact that it is Gala's fault, and guilt only increases the pain. She was fool enough to lead Kyanite to Jins, trust him. How stupid is she. And all of this happened because of her mistake. No matter what Ky says it's not going to change that, the truth. She's no little hero, as much as she wants to be. "Yeah..." Still her desire to keep her friends positive overrides as she lies to please. Getting choked up on her words is unavoidable though as she feels tears stinging her eyes. She caused this. Kyanite's here, and she simply knows it's not only for a visit. He did something to her to. All because of Gala...

"Whatcha in for?" Her voice is so soft and cracky but she still forces it out, trying to bring out a joke as she feels the need to.

[*]

"The hospital?" My heart simply breaks when out of all the words that came out, she's just now starting to pick up on the fact that she's in the hospital of all places. It's hard to deal with. Is this the first time she's woken up or has she just been lingering in the darkness of the room for a while, unable to really put two and two together. Maybe she thought she was at home, sleeping in her bed and all of this is merely just a bad dream? A nightmare? My nightmare that she just happened to be in. There's no waking up from this though. All of this is as real as it comes. The needles. The smell. The uncomfortable beds and pillows. It has no comforts of home at all unless you have someone here with you to touch your hand or sooth you with their voice. In my case, it was Jeran's loud breaths that tried to comfort me. He took to the chair beside my bed, sleeping in it. I just hope that he stays asleep for a while. I don't want to be forced to go back to the bed right now. I've only just got to check on Gala when she was awake.

"I know you hate the hospital. I'm sorry..." Is all I can muster up. My explanation of what had happened seems to go through her mind. It swirls around the room. The feelings of what happened never going away. The weight of my words coming out seem to just surround me and push on my shoulders until I feel myself drawing over more and more. I'm unsteady. Unwilling to just let the blame on myself go for all of this happening. Her small and fragile figure just lays there without any knowledge past what happened in the pool room. How Jins ended up getting his hands on me because of the guys that raced to save her life. I wouldn't have it any other way. Her life is so much more precious than mine is or will ever be. She's never had to endure the torment I had.

She was meant to live more than I was. That is a true fact. The words that spilled from my lips that one time in front of Max is so evident and true. Some people aren't meant to be saved. Maybe, my own words are a curse? I was almost killed yet again. Twice, my life has been put on the line. Twice, I've been brought back from the beyond; the second time was nearly impossible to save.

What will the third time hold?

The next time will more than likely be my last. I just know it. The hunger games themselves? Is that my sentence? Perhaps, my life needs a safety line on it now and hopefully, with these people that I have somehow- consequently found, they may just be my saving grace. They've all went through so much to do what I needed them, too, without so much as just a desperate call for help.

"Yeah..." Her tiny voice cracks out when I call her my hero. I need her to realize that she is one despite everything that has happened. I lean down to give her an upmost gentle hug, just so glad that she's alive and right now, in the wee hours of the night, awake. When I had came in earlier with the assistance of Max, things looked a little more dire. Her tiny form was hooked up to more monitors. Her face was deathly pale and pained. Now, in the darkness of the room, I can't see her physical condition, but her voice breaks my heart more than ever.

Somehow, in the darkness, I can see the wetness forming at her eyes. Tears? I reach over with the upmost care, careful to keep my feet from slipping on the floor as I grab a tissue from the box and gently lean over to her. My fingers reach up with the tissue and catches the tears before they can fall. I'm the over protective sister now. I'm the guilty friend. I have done nothing but hurt her since the first time we've met. I've broken her arm. Cut her. And practically killed her. How can she even stand to be near me. Why don't she kick me out?

"Whatcha in for?" She doensn't want me out. I don't think. It's a casual conversation. I can hear that. I hear the way she's trying to be her usual self even if she is stuck in this bed. I don't want her to try to do to much. I only just want her to relax. So, in responce, I make a shushing noise and crumple the tissue within my hand. A sigh escapes me as I swallow hard against the lump in my swollen throat.

"Just precautions. Sore back. Had a terrible landing when you decided to lure the predator away from me. Hurt a lot. I'll be out of here in the morning. So, see. I'm fine!" I try to convince, but will she take it? Will she be able to recognize that rift in my voice as Matthew has or might she be too far in pain and medications that she'd believe anything?

I can't help but place my hand on hers. My fingers extend over the four tiny fingers, and curl around them. Her finger tips feel so cold. I turn to look at the monitor and look at the numbers. The saline that's running through her system keeping her hydrated and internal organs working just fine. How the blood pressure readings are still on the machine and even though I don't know what the number mean, the relatively low numbers aren't good. Not even her heartrate is fast at all. The casual check of her heart is only beating just under seventy. Did she lose that much blood in the water? Did the cut hurt her that bad? What else happened to her while I was being manhandled?

"How you feeling Gala? Hurting? Do you need anything?" A hiccup suddenly comes from within, and it sends a wave of unnerving fears racking my body. Again, I feel my fingers shaking. My body's reactions to seeing my best friend so hurt is tearing me apart. I keep my gaze on the girl and my eyes start scanning every possible visible part of her body. THough, my eyes rest upon her head, and a deep color is barely noticable in this dark room, but my eyes linger on it anyways. I study it as if it isn't real. A bruise?

"Gala... please tell me something. You don't have to, but I would like for you to." I sigh. This is going to be the hardest conversation I've ever had with someone becuase I know the Jins is. Getting close to someone. I don't think she'd keep something like this away from me. I know she won't. "Jins... never hurt you before has he? He's never tried anything? If he's done anything to you... I'll go straight to the peacekeepers right now."

[Cameo {RIP Charlie}]

Right, Gala does hate the hospital. That part she doesn't forget of course. During the pregames she was fighting off the medics with two unknowingly broken bones. Now she finds no ounce of energy to resist or even request to leave. Lifting her arm feels unlikely, as if everything's simply been drained from her. But Kyanite added an apology for some reason, and that Gala feels the need to protest against. If only she could bring her voice around to speaking again, like two words took the last drop she didn't have. Kyanite's speaking again and it's much easier to just fall into her words. Her trail of thoughts from before slipping as she's taken to another topic. Keeping her thinking steady is turning out to be yet another impossible task. Just listen.

A hug out of all things embraces Gala in a time she didn't even know she needed the most. The talking stops and it's almost as if the story paused along with it. The bitter cold room actually becomes warm and comforting. Hugs don't happen for the youngsters, her life is full of uncaring sisters and ruthless careers, there's no time for it. But Gala finds that she's unable to even hold back the tears flooding her eyes because of this gesture. If only she could give the love back as her arms remain strengthless at her side. Least she's able hide her face in the brunette hair and tense shoulder until Kyanite sits back up. There's no time to pull it together and be strong, or maybe she's just not capable of it at all as a saltwater drops still stray down her cheeks.

Soft tissue pats her cheeks, the care and concern radiating through the darkness. Kyanite has to know that it's her fault, she knew it the second she entered the gym and saw Gala and Liam, no Jins, together. The sound of her voice refuses to enlighten the little one's memory, but she can still picture her disapproving face. Things get blurry after that, Kyanite ended up in Jins's arms then on the ground and Gala played cat & mouse to get him away. All in all she fully remember she was the one to invite Ky there though, lurer her into his trap. Yet here she is wiping away her tears. The least Gala could do is muster up her old self, forced or not, she needs to be the little jokester.

The sort of noise sweet mother's make to quiet their young slips through Kyanite's lips, urging Gala to relax and save her energy. Sounds about right, though the desire to be there for her friend overrides that. If that same friend's requesting for her to rest maybe it changes a little. Since her objection is to please she takes the orders with a sigh, as if she could actually do anything else. Surprisingly a scratchy giggle escapes the one in bed, Ky's wording for having Jins chase her way just being too good. Least she did something useful.

"Morning?" As selfish as it is Gala doesn't want to be here alone. After her last visit to one of these rooms ended up being a few lonely days. "Take me with you?" Without even being told she knows that won't be happening though. Not being able to lift her hand or keep her eyes open most likely will keep her in here. The thought alone makes her heart sink, even with the amazing company still being here. It's comforting to know Ky's not in as much pain, though there's an ache in her telling her the complete truth isn't being told. Now's far from the time to press for it though, laying it to the hopes of remembering this for next time.

The questions arrives on how she's currently doing, and she doesn't even need to think about it to know. Pain hasn't stopped consuming her, even managing to seep into her slumber before. "Just cold." Because that's the only thing Kyanite's able to help with, and she doesn't want her friend feeling any worse over this. There's enough physical pain already, she doesn't need any mental ones over her young naive friend. With the blood already struggling to refuel her petite figure, there's no time for body heat. How she would love to curl up against someone and fall asleep for a couple of days. Instead she's stuck in a cold, hard hospital room. Least it should have a stack of blankets in it.

Warmth surronds one of her hands though, and without looking she knows it's Kyanite's hand. These sort of things always lead to difficult conversations, something Gala's unable to consider as she simply enjoys the better temperature. Questions on whether Jins did anything else springs up though, all formulating to need one answer. It takes a second for her to search through her mind to remember, but aside from today she recalls nothing aside from him seeming creepy. "Only tricked me to invite you to meet him." Her voice is nearly a whisper as her eyes are practically begging for forgiveness. She'd almost rather of it gotten physical before though. Would of been much easier to call up Matthew to kick his ass. "He's not locked up?" The news over being in the hospital hardly caused a dent in her voice compared to the fear that drips from it now.

[*]

"Morning? Take me with you?" Gala pleads with me in such a soft and gentle voice. It is something that I, myself, never want to hear from her. She's not soft and gentle. She's a rough and tumble girl that I've falled in love with as a sister. A younger sibling that I've always wanted because she seems to look up to me in ways I never noticed before. Why did she have to lure Jins away? Why didn't she listen to me and get out of there? If she had only done what I told her, I could have held Jins off long enough for her to get help, but she didn't listen. Does she ever? I can't contain a sigh that escapes me though my eyes still linger on the machines at this moment in time.

"I can't Gala. You need to rest and heal, okay? You know you won't get that at home. Hating the hospital is great and all, but you got to admit, they do a good job getting injured ones better, right? I'll be here everyday. Promise." I let that word slip out of my mouth. Promise. Promise. I will be here at the hospital everyday to check on her and Matthew. I just hope he's okay. Jeran wouldn't take me to go see him. I guess something must have been said to him about the way I reacted to coming to visit Gala earlier that day. I couldn't help it. It all got to be too much for me. Collasping under the pressure of seeing her then must be helping me now. It isn't that much of a shock but the medications to keep me calm is still lingering within my blood, it seems.

Concern over the small girls comes out, asking with formalities about her well being and if she desires anything to keep her well and comforted. She only responds by saying that she is cold. If I have to, I will rob the other bed of the blanket for her or if I have to, give her my own from my bed. She deserves it so much more than I do. That is a fact. The blanket will wait though because I've not had my time with Gala just yet. Seeing her awake, when earlier she wouldn't, is playing hard with my emotional stability. I'm more than scared that after all this has happened, the following days are going to be hard to deal with. Without Matthew to snuggle with or Gala to have by my side, I'm going to have to be the one with the strength to endure. How can I though? I'm just as broken as them... Their wounds are merely more physical right now. How can I help?

A moment later, I wrap my fingers around her and it's almost like the heat that radiates from my fingers fuels her some words that want to explain something. I don't speak nor hardly breath. I just listen to her faint voice. It's actually quite painful to do so, but I keep my face still and eyebrows furrowed. Her responce is what I crave in order to have a clear conscious from yet another thing that I don't need to feel guilty for.

"Only tricked me to invite you to meet him." She whispers out as she collects yet another pool of liquid at the bottom of her eyes. They stay there; unmoving. Forbidding to fall down her cheek as she waits for me to say something. I can't though. My throat is burning too much as I swallow hard against the swelling. Then something else comes out and it seems to make her fearful.

"No. He is locked up. I... I've heard he was. Detained. He won't come after you anymore." Is what I say, but I know that as long as he is alive, I will always have reasons to be fearful. The next time, no one will be around to refill my lungs with the precious oxygen it needs. The next time, the blade will cut deep within my skin, I'm sure. The next time I can imagine will be the death of me; at his hands.

I dip my head downward because I can't show her the emotions flowing through my eyes. I won't let her see the mirrored image of fear that she expressed when she asked if he was locked up. I dont' know all of the stories, but I do know that he is gone for now. At least we might be able to heal just enough without him threatening our lives again.

"Gala, I'm sorry to have kept you awake. You need you're sleep, I know. Rest for a minute, okay? I'm going to get you a blanket." I tell her and I push off from the bed and leave her laying there as I make it to the end of her bed and I cast a glance in her direction before reaching for the wall for support as I make my way to the door. Out in the hallway, one of the caretakers walks by and notices me immediately.

"Miss Ruze, what are you doing out of your bed? You need to get back, alright. Let me help you?" She states and with her dark skinned arm, she wraps it around my back, and one hand stays on my arm for support.

"No. Please. Don't make me go back to my room. Gala, needs a blanket. She's cold. Will you get that for her, please? I need to make sure she stays warm..." I tell the woman, and a flash of concern comes over her eyes for me and she gazes into the room that I'm standing in front of. She nods gently.

"You're friend is going to be alright, Miss Ruze. We're taking good care of her, but we can't allow you to stay..."

I push out of her grip and let my back gently find the wall as I back up. "Just a few more minutes, please? I don't want to leave her. It's my fault she's in here. He only hurt her to get to me. Don't make me leave her alone?"

The woman raises one of her hands and gives me a gentle smile. Even though regulations for the hospital isn't suppose to let her, she gives me a nod. "I'll get her a warm blanket. I'll be right back." She states and something in her vision makes want to retreat back into Gala's room. I do. Slowly, I walk back in and take the chair beside her bed. Only a minute later does the caretaker bring in a blanket and as she lays it on GAla, I feel the heat pulling off of it as though it just came from a dryer.

"Thank you." I mutter.

[Cameo {RIP Charlie}]

The answer of Gala getting out in the morning with Kyanite was known before Ky could formulate and bring herself around to saying so. The second that she asked the question she knew, but a filter must of slipped through her cut as well. If she even possessed one before. Surprisingly this time she has an odd acceptance for being here, like she deserves it. The idea of being home when she's unable to yell at her sisters to leave her alone sounds horrible anyways. A promise ties the seal when she's guaranteed a daily visit. Somehow the smallest weak smile finds a way to her pale face. Even five minutes every horrible twenty-four hours would make her happy. And if anyone to make that commitment it would Ky.

Joy doesn't last for long though, that was to be predicted. With everything that happened having a visitor in the hospital won't take that all away. Because considering how they landed here lurks around more then the creep himself. The smile that was struggling before is now completely gone, even after the reassurance that Jins has been locked up. Fear still covers Kyanite's voice, as if uncertain and scared for his return. Whether to take relief from this news or not believe it floats through Gala's already shaken mind. She wants nothing more then to give in to her heavy eyes, drift off with her friend by her side and comfort they're all out of harm's way now. That won't be happening though, even if peacekeeper told them that Jins is locked away for good. The energy projecting from Kyanite is far too real, far too scared, and Gala's unable to help but share her emotions.

"Good." Least Gala's voice has been cracky all night as she's unable to get that simple word out. Something's still wrong, she can feel it. The power to confront it right now she doesn't possess though, resulting her to give in and act accepting of all of this. Her fear isn't going to help at all. Right now they're relatively safe with the protection of the hospital consumed with a load of staff, and slight knowledge Jins has been locked up. Physical recovery needs to be dealt with before the mental ones can even be considered, and fears can be resolved.

There's not going to be any true reassuring feelings tonight. It's simply not possible after everything that happened. Outer comfort may have a chance though. Certainly the pain won't be disappearing tonight, but small things can make a difference. Of course Kyanite's up to retrieve the little one a blanket, even with how weak and tired she must feel herself. To think she's caring enough to even travel from her own hospital bed, all alone, just to check of her. It brings back that sting of saltwater in Gala's blue eyes, just like when that hug warmed her icy cold body. But she doesn't want Ky to go, she'd rather be freezing to death then have her friend leave. What if she gets caught by one of the nurses and sent back to her room? Leaving Gala alone in the dark. She wouldn't do that, but nurses also have a way of dealing with difficult patients.

Before Gala has a chance to object a hand isn't supply warmth anymore and Kyanite's stumbling towards the door on a mission. It's difficult to see as she feels as though she doesn't deserve this, even through the pain preventing most of her thinking. Muffled words come from the hallway, she's unable to understand them, yet she still knows Ky's already ran into a nurse before even getting a foot out the door. She's going to be forced back to her own bed, and Gala will be stuck in this cold dark room. Faintly she can feel her heart slam against her sore ribs, worry over not seeing her friend overriding that weak and painful feeling. Moments later Ky's returning though, collapsing into the chair a foot away from the bed. As selfish as it is Gala's extremely relieved to see she wasn't forced back into the comfort of her own bed.

Shortly after a nurse enters as well, a thick blanket in hand that she covers the small girl with. It's so warm, feeling like it's thawing out her iced bones. Resisting her heavy eyes is impossible now. Only opening for a second in between long intervals of being shut as if the opposite of blinking. They do stay upon the foggy figure of Kyanite for those times, grateful to have such a person in her life. With as much pain as she must be going through, she's still sitting here. How Gala would love to offer up a spot on her bed, feeling small enough to give Ky plenty of room to share this comforting blanket. But the drowsiness seems to forbid her mouth from opening, energy and strength now completely drained.