I'll Protect You (Original Version)

The secret life of sitting in a hospital, and witnessing a miracle happen

A memory surged beneath Logan's eyes. He had been carrying her down the halls when she began to flail and scream, the exact same words before pushing herself to the ground, sweat covering her face while she rambled on about a fire.

"Do you know what it means?" Vincent inquired, crossing his arms. "Park has never been prone to panic attacks."

"She did it the day you showed up at the academy," Logan pointed out. "She wouldn't tell me why."

"Zen, you've known her longest. Do you know anything about it?" Vincent asked.

"That's the thing," Zen replied darkly, stuffing his hands into the tight khakis that he wore. "This has never happened before. Ever. She's the strongest I know. Park Sparrow never screams. Or pleads. Even to her nightmares. I don't get why all of this is suddenly happening."

Darkwood hadn't said anything the whole time. He was just looking beyond the gates, a troubled look swimming in his eyes as he ran his fingers through his hair. And that's when Logan realized: Alec knew exactly why she was like this.

"You," he snarled. "You're hiding something."

Darkwood turned to him, his expression secretive. "Like what? I'm not that close to Park."

He was lying. Logan could instantly tell. His pale eyes averted Logan's pupils too quickly, turning away from all of them a bit too fast. But the fact that he lied made jealousy shoot through Logan, only for a simple second. Darkwood was close to Park, close enough that she would tell him something she would never tell anyone else.

Even him.

Just as Logan opened his mouth to ask for more questions, Zen shouted something over to them. Logan and Alec were standing behind the gates, which that certain part was overgrown with ivy and vines, so they peeked around.

A sleek black car with tinted windows was parked at the curb, its engine purring like a pleased animal as it waited for the boys to climb into the car. Logan and Darkwood quickly jogged behind Vincent. Zen was already climbing into the passenger seat.

Park's father was impatiently drumming on the black steering wheel. He wore fingerless gloves on his hand. Either that, or they had been cut raggedly with scissors. He nodded at each of them as they piled in, and the moment Alec slammed the door shut, the future king sped off and Logan was pushed back into the leather seats.

In no time, the car had pulled into the parking lot of the humble hospital of Paradise, Montana. All of them moved with an unchecked rush. Zen and Vincent were off to a sprint the moment their feet hit the pavement. Darkwood walked swiftly, his eyes moving around as if someone was watching him.

"Sire?" Logan called out, catching up to Park's father. He turned around, a sad smile playing on his lips.

"You don't have to call me that, my boy," the prince chuckled. "Is there anything you need?"

Once again, Logan was struck at how odd it was to see the normally odd and eccentric father  turned into a hardened, wise, and majestic prince. He was standing straight, his dark hair was pulled back from his face. His dark eyes, usually bright with friendliness, was now reserved and calculating. He didn't wear a frilly pink apron. He wore a black coat over a gray dress shirt, black jeans tucked into combat boots.

It seemed as if boots ran through the family genes. Besides their mother.

"Do you know what's wrong with her?" Logan asked. William Sparrow regarded him with careful eyes. He blew out his breath, a dilemma protrayed clearly on his face.

"Park has amnesia," he finally said. "When she was young, she was involved in a horrible accident that cost her her memories. Well, some of them. And I fear that they are coming back now. It's just like when she was little."