“Why didn’t you tell me?” Winter cried in my ear.

“It’s fine.” I relaxed into her, her arms still around me. “I could die happily right here.”

“You’re not dying,” Winter argued. “You haven’t even told me you love me yet.”

Oh, that.

“Someday,” I teased.

“Damon, wake up.” She jostled me. “Come on, we’re doing this, right? We’re in love. We’re doing this.”

Their voices trailed off as if I were listening and not really here, and for the first time in my life, my entire body was relaxed. So completely relaxed.

“Is he gonna be okay?” I heard Winter cry. “Please, Will, hurry! Please, just get there.”

“I’m calling the ER to let them know we’re almost there,” Rika said.

Winter’s body shook under me, but fuck if I didn’t ever want to move from this spot. I let my body give in—falling, falling, falling—and soaking it up as long as I could, because who knew how long it would last. If I didn’t die from Anderson’s embarrassing little finger knife wound, she was gonna run off on me again to get more space, no doubt.

I needed to think, she’d said.

My dick was inside you four times last night. Now you needed to think? Really?

Winter

Present

I stood there, the speakers at the nurses’ station going off with calls, shoes squeaking against the linoleum floors, and the T.V. broadcasting a news channel as I leaned into the wall, rubbing my hands together and feeling his dried blood now grainy on my skin.

There’s so much you’re forgetting.

What was I forgetting?

What did he want me to have?

He’d said it as if he were leaving me something. Like he wouldn’t be back for it.

Needles pricked my throat, but I swallowed them down.

He was just going to bleed out? Because he couldn’t choke down his pride and ask for help?

I couldn’t believe him. He was insane.

And—in the back of my mind where I would admit it to myself—he was going to leave me. He was just going to let go.

I steeled my jaw, refusing to cry another damn tear for him.

Banks and Rika wandered about, offering me coffee or to find some scrubs, so I could get out of my bloody clothes, but I was rooted to this spot, waiting for the doctor or a nurse to come and let us know what was going on with him.

Kai and Will had also shown up, and it occurred to me to call my sister to let her know he was in the ER, but that fleeting thought left as quickly as it came. He wouldn’t want her here, and all she’d be worried about was if she still got her settlement if he died.

I heard doors swing open and closed and felt people surround me suddenly.

“Well, he lost a lot of blood,” a woman told us. “Right now, the doctor is working to close the wound, but Mr. Torrance does need blood. We’ve gone through our supply of B-negative, but it’s one of the rarer blood types, and he can only have a transfusion from other B or O-negatives.”

I was O-positive, so I was out.

“We’ve had to request more from a hospital in Meridian City,” she told us. “It’ll hopefully be here soon.”

“Banks?” Will spoke up. “You’re O-negative, right? We all did that blood drive last summer. He can get blood from you.”

Oh, good. I started to breathe a little easier, but she didn’t say anything for a moment, and I starting worrying again.

“Um…yeah,” she finally stuttered, “but I, uh…I can’t donate blood, I don’t think.”

“Why?” Will prodded.

She laughed nervously under her breath. “I’m, um… I’m pregnant.”

Everyone fell silent, but I couldn’t help but smile a little at the irony.

Uncle Damon. That would be fun.

“I was trying to find a way to tell you,” she said to her husband, I assumed. “Something special. Sorry it happened like this.”

“Yeah, sorry,” Will added, clearing his throat and realizing the sudden announcement was sort of his fault.

There was movement, some kissing, and a few whispered words I couldn’t make out.

“Okay, well…” the nurse chimed in again. “We’ll get the blood we need. Don’t worry.”

“I’m B-negative,” someone spoke up, and I realized it was Rika.

Her tone sounded like mine did when I had to agree to something I wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to do.

“Oh, wonderful,” the nurse chirped. “Come with me, then.”

“Thanks, Rika,” Banks called out as they left.

I drew in a deep breath, relaxing a little, but still not moving from my spot.

“I’m sorry,” I heard Banks say.

“Why are you apologizing?” Kai asked, a smile in his voice. “This is the best surprise. My parents will be ecstatic.”

“I didn’t want you to find out like this,” she explained.

“Well, are you okay with it? Are you ready?”

“I didn’t think I would be,” she replied. “I wasn’t sure I wanted kids, but since I found out on Monday, I’m just…”

She giggled, and then I heard jumping and a barely audible little squeal.

“No wonder you’ve been smiling so much,” Kai commented. “And I thought it was because of me.”

“Well, technically it is.”

He snorted. “We’ve got a lot to look forward to.”

“Let’s go sit,” she whispered.

I rubbed my eyes, forgetting my hands were covered in blood. Shit. I needed to go wash up.

I started to move, but then I heard Kai’s voice.

“What are you doing?” he asked, and I stopped, thinking he was talking to me.

But it was Will who answered, “She said B-negative was a rare blood type. It’s actually the second rarest in the country, according to this website. Only 2% of the population has it.”

He must be looking at the stats on his phone.

“So?” Kai said.

“So isn’t it a little convenient that Damon and Rika both share the same, exact, rare blood type?”

My eyes rounded.

Oh, geez.

But I just made my way down the wall, reading the braille signs to find the restroom Banks told me was a couple doors down from here.

It was one thing after another with this group, and for now, I was just fine without any more drama than I had on my own plate to deal with.

They could have that one.

Damon

Present

“Winter?” I mumbled, feeling her and smelling her everywhere as I searched in the black.

I couldn’t see anything, and I couldn’t open my eyes as I shifted on the bed under me.

Jesus. Everything was so fucking heavy.

“Shhh…” a voice said. “You’re going to be okay. Just close your eyes and rest. You’re safe.”

Hands touched my face and forehead, like checking my temperature, and the warmth of her skin was like a dream. It felt like being in the shower with Winter the first time. Peaceful.

“Your hands are warm,” I said, so weak I couldn’t even swallow as I put my hand over hers, keeping it on my face. “I’m really fucking lightheaded. Don’t move, okay? Just stay.” I breathed shallow. “Just stay.”

A kiss touched my forehead. “I’ve always been here,” she whispered.

When I woke up again, it took several minutes, but I got my eyes open, the drowsiness taking forever to wear off.

Was that a dream? Where was Winter?

I put hands under me and scooted up in bed, using every ounce of strength I had and feeling a sharp pain in my side.

Ah, fuck. I coughed, touching the bandages on the side of my torso, noticing my hospital gown was down around my waist. An IV stuck in my hand, and two heart monitors were attached to my chest.

My neck ached, my head hurt, and I was groggy as fuck. What the hell did they give me?

I saw someone shift out of the corner of my eye and looked up, noticing everyone was in the room, either passed out on chairs or waking up.

Will rose from his seat, heading over to me, while Kai was passed out on a recliner with Banks curled up on top of him, and Michael and Rika were asleep on the couch.

“How long have I been out?” I asked him, looking for a clock.

He poured me a cup of water, and I downed the whole thing, handing it back for more.

“A few hours,” he said. “You never sleep long.”

“I want to leave.”

The other started to stir, Banks rubbing her eyes and sitting up, while Rika stretched on the couch.

“Yeah, it’s not happening.” Will handed me another water. “You need to stay put.”

“Fuck that.” I ignored the cup he held out and tried to remove the sheet on top of me.

But then Michael was on the other side of me; he and Will both pushing me back down.

“Lie down or we’ll lie you down,” Michael threatened.

“Aw, you care?”

“With you bed-ridden, you can’t cause trouble,” he pointed out. “It’s nice.”

Whatever. I wasn’t fucking staying. I’d rather pierce my eyeballs than lie here, resting.

I’d rather chug a gallon of piss warm milk than stay in bed, doing nothing.

I’d rather get a third degree burn on my dick.

Or develop a peanut allergy.

“Where’s Winter?” I demanded, taking the water and downing it.

Both of them remained silent but exchanged looks.

What? My heart began to hammer.

Will cleared his throat. “Okay, I don’t want you to freak out,” he started. “We will all handle this. But you need to stay calm, okay?”

Stay calm? She was in the fucking car on the way to the hospital. What happened?

“What?” I barked, noticing Kai jump awake to my left.

Rika and Banks approached the bed, too.

“She’s, um…” Will paused, struggling for words.