R.I.P Elaina

Karina sighed and pushed his arm off, scooting away. "Well, if you still don't want to be then fine." She blushed, embarrassed that she'd done something like that when he wasn't on the same page.

Zerrick laughed. "Babe, I want you, okay?" He pulled her back to him and wrapped his arms around her. "Please don't leave?"

"Wanting me and wanting to /be/ with me are completely different things," Karina said with a slight bite to her voice. "Being friends with benefits or 'not labelling and just going with it' is when you can want someone. When you can to /be/ with someone you ...don't just /want/ them," She mumbled, shaking him off and grabbing a pillow from the bed. "I'm sleeping on the floor."

Zerrick groaned. "Karina, I...Ugh. I'm not very good with words, you know that. I want top be with you, near you. That's what I meant." He crawled to the side of the bed.

Jamie: Eventually it was very dark, and very late. I hadnt had dinner, but i didnt care. I ignored the growling in my stomach, turned off the stereo, changed into my pajamas, and went to bed. I fell asleep thinking about Nicola and wondering where things would go now. I was so glad we'd talked today. It had gone a lot better than id feared it would. Tonight i actually managed to sleep well. Now.... what would happen tomorrow?

"Same thing was "wanting" me. It's okay, I get it. We're still in the "in between" stage. It's. Oh. Kay." She took a deep breath then flicked off the light and laid down with her pillow on the floor. "Goodnight."

"No, it's not." Zerrick pulled her onto the bed and crawled onto the floor. "I'm sleeping on the floor." He was thoroughly confused now.

"Whatever. I'm going to sleep," She muttered, falling asleep as soon as her head finally hit the pillow.

Zerrick quickly fell asleep, his head pounding. He was downplaying his injury to Karina, not wanting to worry her. He was sure he had a concussion, but he hoped that was all. Unfortunately, it wasn't.

(He has become unconscious in his sleep)

Karina woke up in the morning and got dressed, etc, without waking Zerrick. She wasn't sure if they were speaking or not, though he seemed to not be all that made at her last night. She sat on the bed, waiting for him to wake up, for a good hour. Then she crouched down beside him and shook his shoulder. "Zerrick...."

"Zerrick? Wake up."

She listened to his breathing. It was a bit off.

Oh god.

She didn't know what to do in this kind of situation, so she called 911 and they were taken to the hospital. If he woke up, then he would find her sitting worriedly next to his bed.

Zerrick's mind was filled with crazy images:

People dying.
Funerals.
Blood.

He gasped and woke up, not able to move. "Whaa..."

"Zerrick. You're awake...oh god," Karina said, so relieved. She had thought he was dead, or about to die.

Zerrick was confused. "Wher..." He couldn't seem to speak and it scared him. "I..Karin..." It was making him mad. What was happening to him? Why couldn't he talk right? Tears filled his eyes as he looked around wildly.

"Shh," Karina said softly, crawling onto the bed to sit next to his lying-down body. She stroked back his hair. "You need to stay awake, but don't strain yourself too much. If you can't speak, then don't."

Zerrick watched her, eyes wide. "You...didn'...leav..." He finally got a few words mostly out.

Karina's brow furrowed. "No, I didn't. Of course I didn't. Why would I?"

Zerrick blinked some tears back. "Mad." He put his hand limply over hers. "Sorr..." He wanted to tell her how sorry he was for whatever he had done but he couldn't get the word out.

Karina sighed and shook her head. "Don't worry about it. I was just frustrated...it's all okay now."

Zerrick didn't say anything else, just closed his eyes. Falling into a restless sleep, his mind once again filled with pictures and memories.

Karina sat there, holding his weak hand, as he slept. She wouldn't move a muscle.

Hours later, Zerrick woke with a start. "Karina?" He said softly, not wanting to wake her up. He squeezed her hand. His head was feeling slightly better and he seemed to be able to form full words now. That was a good sign.

Karina blinked awake, having accidentally drifted off. She smiled groggily at him. "Oh good, you can speak."

Zerrick smiled but didn't say anything. He wasn't sure what fit in the moment. Everything was going so wrong. Their relationship was rocky, their money had been stolen, he was in the hospital. Gah, what else could go wrong?

Karina could tell what Zerrick was thinking from the look on his face. She leaned down and kissed his cheek. "Everything's going to be okay."

He furrowed his eyebrows. "Maybe we should go home, Karina." Zerrick frowned, not really wanting to go home to all those...people that used to be his best friends.