Sucking in a breath. Chest heaving up and down. I clench my fists to prove I'm not dreaming. They twitch. My eyes open doggedly. My vision's slightly blurred. My bed's surrounded, but no one seems interested. They're not looking at me. Or at least… I don't think so.

"A-Ash…?" Yes. Someone's watching. Mare. My beautiful Mary-Lynnette. She's squeezing my hand. I squeeze back. And I dare myself to smile. There. I did it. And Mare's eyes fill with tears. "ASH!"

Quinn turns. Then Jade, Rowan and Kestrel look too. And everyone gasps. "He's alive! He's alive! Oh thank God, he's alive!" Mary-Lynnette is screaming at the top of her lungs. She's jumped up now. She's dancing. I want to laugh but my mouth's so dry. Quinn looks terrified for an instant.

Then he lunges and grabs me by the collar of the hospital gown. "You! If you ever do that to me again, I'll collect your head, Ash Redfern!" He shocked me, there's no doubt about that. But I can see that he's crying and then the shock fades. His grip loosens, he smiles slightly and he's hugging me. Now there's no end to this shock. I'm actually scared.

"I told you!" Kestrel's stomping her foot, looking proud. "I told you he'd wake up!" Jade and Rowan are dancing with Mare. Quinn's pulling away, sitting back in his chair, smiling happily. I'm trying to sit up but I can't. I can only move my hands.

I'm reaching out for Mare. I'm opening my mouth, trying to call her name. Mid-dance, she turns, sees me and sits down next to me. I want her to say something. Anything. Her eyes are shining with wetness; her lips are puckered and grinning. Then they wobble and she's crying into my shoulder, brushing her fingers through my hair.

"I thought you wouldn't make it. I died for a minute there, Ash. I died with you." She whispered into my ear, tears spilling over both of our faces. I can't be dead if I can cry. I can't be dead if I can feel Mare's warmth.

The girls and Quinn have gone to fetch the doctor. I think I heard him leaving as soon as I started breathing by myself.

"Ash, I love you. You don't know how much I love you." Mary-Lynnette is repeating over and over. Oh Goddess, Mare, I love you too. If only you knew how much. Then she has an idea, I can see her eyes shine with a light that means – I know!

She turns and collects about a dozen cards from a table on my right. I can't believe so many people care.

"I'll read them to you," she says, brightly. "This one's from Quinn and Rashel… this one's from my family… this is from Jade, Rowan and Kestrel… this one – is from me." She hesitates a bit, blushes, but continues. "This is from T-Thierry and H-Hannah…? James and Poppy…? Jez and – … Who are these people?" she asks me, turning to find Quinn walking through the door.

Quinn laughs. He's taking the cards from her. "Thierry and Hannah. James and Poppy. Jez and Morgead. Thea and Eric. Gillian and David. Delos and Maggie. Keller and Galen. Some other people too. Look," he's showing me a few. One from Nilsson. One from Were (pronounced like werewolf). He's a bodyguard at Circle Daybreak, and is, in fact, a werewolf. We're good friends.

Then some from other people – some I don't even know. "Oh yeah, and Blaise said: I hope he wakes up." Quinn quotes, smiling.

I'm reaching out for the card on my bed. It's from Mare – I know it is, because it has a knight on the front. She must have made it herself, but I don't care. It's beautiful. And the knight on the front is me. Me on a horse with Mare on the back, looking like Maid Marion with a pink dress and pointy hat.

I want to read it. Mare picks it up, and gives it to Quinn. "Uhm," she coughs, "I'd better fetch the girls." Yeah. Smooth move, Mare. You're just shy. I look at Quinn expectantly, wondering whether my eyes are blue or grey right now. Grey probably. Tired.

And Quinn reads Mare's card. And I don't feel so tired anymore. I feel warm. In walk four girls, two with brown hair – one chestnut, one dark – and two with blonde – one golden, one almost silver. My sisters and Mare.

I look up into her blue eyes, let out a deep breath that was lodged in my throat, and open my mouth to speak. "Soulmates…" I say hoarsely, and I'm so proud that I make it clear. Jade claps, Rowan tries to hide a smile, Kestrel's got her hands on her hips but she's grinning and Mary-Lynnette's running to me.

"We… we're t-together… because… w-we're meant to stay… with each other… f-forever." I croak, throat burning with the effort. I don't care. I spoke. Mary-Lynnette nods wordlessly, and we're reaching for each other.

I'm sat up now. I managed. And I'm holding Mare. The doctor is walking in. He opens his mouth in shock, and then simply looks relieved.

I made it. I survived. It was the machine keeping me asleep after all. Stupid human tech.

"Excuse me?" Mare turns to me, eyes narrowed. "I heard that, Ash! 'Stupid human tech'?"

I try to look innocent and whisper my reply so the doctor can't hear. "Well, vampires are superior to… HEY!" She grabs my pillow. I fall back with a thud. Then she hits me playfully over the head. The doctor doesn't say anything. Instead, everyone laughs. A pretty girl with dyed-blue hair behind the doctor – the nurse who always fussed over me – is bright pink with relief. They don't seem to notice anything wrong with the sentence. I don't even think they heard. Good.

"I never thought I'd be glad to hear you so full of yourself." Mare laughs. I smile in reply. My voice is much better. My throat doesn't hurt now. In fact, I feel fine.

Then I realise something. Quinn's looking at me and I know he's thinking the same thing. "Uh, you have insurance right?" I smile, thinking about the car. Very, very slowly, Quinn shakes his head.

I gibber pathetically and put a hand behind my head, scratching my neck. Then I shut my eyes and curse. "Oh Goddess!"

Briar Creek. Monthly.

David Creek Disaster

Concerning the events of the David Creek hospital disaster, a culprit has been arrested, who was said to have been found in the car park of the site after the explosion with evidence of having had a bomb.
The man, in his early-thirties, was tall with cropped blond hair. He was wearing a black funeral suit and had a black rose ring on his index finger, alongside a thick wedding band. Police cannot say what eye colour he has, for they seem to believe that it changes.
Authorities have taken him in for questioning. He has admitted that he was responsible for the accident and believes he is a vampire. His words during an interview were: "You deserve it. All of your pathetic race deserve it."

The court is questioning his sanity and is deciding whether or not jail would be efficient.
His answer to why he caused the explosion was this:
"My son's dying of a coma in Briar Creek General hospital . They'll need the beds after this."

Police believe he was trying, in effect, to commit euthanasia against his son. Enquiries were made and it was found that the eighteen-year-old – named Ash – woke up the same day as the explosion. He is now residing in Briar Creek with his three sisters. Authorities are trying to contact his mother, but with no luck.
Police express their relief that the boy is awake. He is now going to university with his girlfriend, Mary-Lynnette Carter.

The bomber is still being questioned.

END