Into hiding (a sequel for Time and Again)

Chapter 16: friendship never fades

Penny:

"It's Kayla, ma'am. She's awake and screaming for you." They replied and my heart leaped in my chest.

"O-okay! I'll be there in five minutes." I squeaked and hung up. "What is it?" Talon asked with his hair completely sexed up.

"Kayla's awake. She's calling for me- I have to go."

"I'll come with you." He said and grabbed the car keys.

We arrived at the hospital three minutes later. I heard her the second I walked through the doors. A distressed storm of red hair was stumbling through the hallway, yelling my name in a panicked bleet. A flock of flustered doctors were running after her, trying their best to keep her calm and take her back to her room.

She stopped in her tracks when she saw me. Her eyes widened as we made eye contact, and she burst into tears. I took off running and caught her in my arms. She sank to the floor and I came down with her, still holding tightly onto her.

We exchanged a full conversation over each other's shoulders in a matter of seconds. "Oh, God, Penny, I was so scared. I- I didn't know where I was, or- or-"

"Shh it's okay Kayla babe, I'm here. I'll explain everything."

"Penny."

"Yeah?"

"It's christmas."

"You've been asleep for-"

"A while?"

"Yeah. A while." Kayla laughed. She was still in a hospital gown and she stumbled when I let go, so I suggested that we take her back to bed while she gathers her wits.

When she stood up, she fell back onto the floor and I called for a wheelchair.

Later, we were in her room with her and Kayla was back in the bed.

"What's the last thing you remember?" Talon asked softly.

"I- I remember being in the training room, when the wall crashed in. There was so much heat and noise and chaos, and something hit my head and I blacked out."

The doctor who was with us explained the damage. "You had two broken ribs, a sprained ankle, and a fracture in your skull. You were lucky to survive."

"How long?" She asked without making eye contact with anyone.

"Six months. Since the explosion."

"That's- that's half a year, isn't it?"

"If you think about it in that way."

"It- it didn't feel like six months. It was like... a week, at the most. But all that time was long enough. It was... lonely. I felt like I was floating through space, but there weren't any stars. Just a huge, dark, empty void."

Tears filled my eyes. I took her hands and squeezed them for comfort. She looked at me with sadness in her eyes. "At least it wasn't in complete silence. I- I heard you speaking, once or twice, Penny. And you too, Talon. Though I didn't understand why-" she glanced towards my hands, and her expression immediately became one of curiosity.

"Penny? Is that a ring?" She asked with a cocked brow. "I have some news. I'm engaged!" I said, and she started jumping and screaming with the little voice she had. "Who's the lucky guy?" She chirped excitedly.

"That would be-" Talon came closer and lifted his hand to show the matching ring.

"You? No way." She laughed in disbelief. I grinned as Talon folded his arm around my waist and pulled me towards him, slightly squeezing my hip.

"I cannot believe this! I called it. Someone- Wilson! Wilson owes me 20 bucks! Is he still alive?" She asked.

"Yep."

"Good because he owes me."

And suddenly it was like the last six months never happened. We all burst out laughing. Even the doctor, who had no idea why we were laughing. "When's the wedding?" She asked and Talon and I shared a look. "In four weeks." He muttered.

"Buuuuut but but but I have a slight change in plans that I'm going to establish right now." I said and stared at Kayla.

"Kayla?"

"Mm?"

"Would you like to be my chief bridesmaid?"

"Yes. Yes I would love that very much." She replied and pulled me into a tight hug.