"Shh, don't wake- she's awake!"

"Cal?" My mother's voice drew me out of my dream. "Oh my goodness, she's awake!" My eyes hurt. I felt like a balloon as I flexed my fingers, swollen and slowly leaking pain. Groaning, I took in the white walls, the while blankets, and tried to pull myself up.

"...are you okay?" A voice I hadn't heard in years asked. My eyes flying open now, I searched the room for him. "Benji." I hissed, rage taking over my blood and shoving aside the pain. My ribs were crying out for me to stop, but I hauled myself up and found myself eye-to-eye with my oldest step-brother.

My fist clenched, I glared at this sibling with blue irises, the only one who didn't have the same eye color as the rest of us, and punched him in the face. "Oww," I groaned, as my broken finger connected with a hard jaw.

Falling back onto my hospital bed, I sighed as my bruises and cuts dug into my skin. "Are you okay?" The same question from the same person was repeated above me.

"No!" I wailed, confusion and medication muddling me. This provoked a series of remarks.

"What's wrong, do we need to give her the painkiller?"

"I told you, we shouldn't have let her see Benji!"

"I'm her brother, you idiot."

"Who disappeared without a note!"

"Pain level one to ten?"

Finally I said, "Can everyone shut up? I don't know why Benji's here and I don't care. What the heck happened to me?"

There was silence, so beautiful, clear silence, until someone- my mom- said: "You were beaten up in the streets, honey." Her voice cracked, and then I remembered everything. I muttered, "It was revenge."

"What?"

I shook my head, wincing at the throb in my cheek, and said, "Benji, get outta here. I want to talk to my mom and sister." My anger at him returned, and I pushed away the memory of emptiness, of betrayal and loss.

I heard the door slam behind me, and I asked, "Where's Dad?" I could hear the hesitation in my mom's voice as she answered, "He should be back anytime, he's taking a walk."

I sighed again and asked, "How badly am I hurt?" Ivy answered, "The doctor said at least three week of rest, then physical therapy." Sucking in a breath, I tried to move my legs. Nothing. Panicked, I pulled the blanket off of me. Was my leg gone? Relief poured through me. Both legs were intact, nonetheless wrapped with a plastic cast.

Now the initial shock had worn off, the anger was returning. "What is he doing here?" I asked, emotions mixing through me. Mom and Ivy exchanged glances. "He was the one to find you." I froze. "What? I thought Benji was dead, or at least far away!" Ivy shushed me. "That's what we all thought, so imagine when he showed up on our door with you slung over his back!" Mom chuckled nervously. I paused. "Can... can I talk to him?"

Ivy looked towards Mom. She hesitated, and then smiled and nodded. After they left, there was a moment's peace, until heavy footsteps rang through the room. Sitting up, I faced Benji. "I'm sorry I punched you." I said, after staring at him. He nodded. "Me too." And then I let myself smile, the happiness that he was really back like honey. Benji let a grin appear on his face too, and then I reached out for his hand. "Promise you'll stay?" I asked. I knew something flickered behind his eyes, but he quickly pushed it away. "Yes." He shook my hand, and I leaned back on my pillow.

"Where were you?" I asked him. Benji's face quirked to the side. "I was in New York the whole time. But what were you doing, I think, is the question." I raised an eyebrow at him. "It's a long story, besides, I know you're changing the subject. So, I-"

"Get out!" The door slammed open suddenly, and I saw my brother flinch as Dad stormed in. His face so red it scared me, he shouted at Benji again, "Out! I never want to see you again!" Benji's face hardened like stone, and he walked out without looking back.

"Calantha..." My father looked like he was deciding whether to shout at me or hug me. Finally, he sighed wearily, and limped out.

Alone and tired, I reluctantly fell into a sleep, my only lullaby the beeping of a machine in the dark.

***

The chirping of birds woke me up, and I was just about to stretch when pain struck down my left side. Suddenly waking up, I remembered where I was and gingerly tried to move my fingers. "Ow." I muttered as my right hand ached with the movement.

A nurse rushed in, and fiddled with the IV a little. Groggily, I asked, "What time is it?"

She glanced down at me. "5:00 in the morning," she said, then added, "Your brother's waiting, do you want to talk to him?"

I paused. "Is he the only one here?" The nurse nodded. "He's been waiting since 4. We told him visiting hours don't start until 8, but oh well." She shrugged. "He seems nice, though." I squinted at her a little harder. She was pretty, and about the same age as Benji. "I'll mention you to him." I said promptly, as she blushed. I figured rolling my eyes wouldn't hurt. "Thanks." she whispered and disappeared out the door.

"Morning, sis." Benji strolled beside my bed. I snorted. "Morning." I replied as he frowned. "What?" I shook my head, and then regretted it. "You seem to have broken a heart. I pity the nurse."

Benji seemed amused. "Ah, I see." There was a pause. "You gonna tell me what happened out there?" he finally spoke, as the teasing evaporated from the conversation. I sighed. "You know how Dad caught that band of thieves a few years ago? Wait, never mind-" Benji cut in, his face impassive. "I had run away."

"Sorry," I said, "it's easy to forget when you haven't seen someone for six years." There was still some part of me that was mad at him for leaving us, for destroying our family. But ten-year old me could whine all she wanted.

"There were five of them, and they had been caught in a bank. Anyway, they were in jail for a few years, since Dad had been after them for a long time, for stealing a lot of money." I shrugged. "They wanted revenge, I guess." Benji leaned in. "But why didn't they just kill you? Not that I'd rather you be dead, just, why didn't they?"

I smiled with a grim expression. The answer had come to me just now. "Because I lived. So Dad could imagine my death a hundred times, and I'd still be there."

Satisfied by my answer, Benji nodded. He started to say something, and then we quieted as the nurse entered again, with a tray of food and water. She placed the food beside me, was about to exit when Benji pointedly glanced at me and said, "Hey."

The girl turned around and beamed at him. "Hi." She gave a little wave. With that, she turned around and sprinted out of the room. My brother raised an eyebrow. "Happy?" he asked. I just laughed in reply.

***

"Thanks, Bailey."

Reaching for the cold water that the nurse handed me, she smiled cheerily back at me. "No problem." I had one more week to go here, and quite frankly, it was getting boring every single day. The only exciting thing was the drama that was Benji's life. Like a faithful dog, he showed up each morning to spin me a story, whether or not he had just made it up on the spot, I had no way of knowing, but still, Bailey and my brother apparently had a thing going on. That was very real.

Both the nurse and my brother were the only ones to talk to me. Not my best friend, or my boyfriend had visited me. Actually, Ivy and Mom had stopped by a few days ago, but I hadn't seen Dad since the accident. Benji wouldn't tell me what was going on between them. Of course I pried for details, but all I got was, "I pity those thieves." I wondered if Dad had killed them. I wasn't quite sure what to make of that.

After my refreshing drink, almost on cue Benji knocked on the door. "Hey, I wanted to ask you something." I laughed at his greeting. "So much for good morning's."

But I quieted as I saw the look on his face. "What's wrong?" I asked, as he sat down beside my bed.

"Well, that's what I'm going to tell you. I want... to teach you how to fight." I stared at him incredulously. Never had I seen him at a loss of words, and besides, he wanted to teach me to fight?

"Benji. Seriously? I'm in a hospital bed with my ribs broken and you want to teach me to fight?" I laughed.

"Listen, Cal-"

I cut him off. "No, I will not learn to fight. So don't try to convince me. Actually, you know what, can you go?" I pushed my water away from me, suddenly frustrated. "You don't know what it's like, sitting here and doing absolutely nothing. So go. Unless you want to sulk with me, but, oh yes, I'm the one with the sad little bruises, not you." Him sitting and taking it all in made me angry even more. I cut my eyes at my brother. "Bye." I hissed, and promptly poured my water over his head."Calantha!" A voice rang out from the hall. My mother was standing in the doorway, her surprise at a soaked Benji written clearly over her face.

"Mom?" My hand still held the empty cup, but I let it drop to the floor. I knew this had to come at some point. Mother, daughter, and not-really son.

Benji glanced at me, then turned to Mom. With his palms raised in a shrug, my brother spoke. "She's mad at me. For asking if she wanted to learn how to fight." I felt childish as I crossed my arms, but I knew my mother would claim this idea as crazy. Instead, she frowned back at me. "Cal, Ben is trying to protect you!"

Shocked, I raised my eyebrows. "Ben? I thought you hated him." I waited for, longed for the uncomfortable silence that would come, but- nothing. My mother stepped forward and if she could have, she probably would have slapped me. Her cold gaze was icy as she glared at me. And yet, her voice was soft. "He's my son."

With that, she turned away and left. Blood was pumping through me, as I yelled out, "You're not even his real mother!" Benji was still sitting there, dripping. I shouted for him to go, but he wouldn't. He just sat there, leaned back, and took it.

Exhausted and frustrated, I slumped back. "Just leave me alone, won't you?" I muttered to him. Turning to me, finally spoke. "Suit yourself." He put his cap on and strolled out like the easiest thing in the world.

After that, I waited for him to come back so I could apologize. Anything was better than the constant beeping, and still, the heavy silence. I was haunted by quiet. Even Bailey stopped talking to me. I barely looked at the clock anymore, just sat there like a flightless bird about to get cooked. No one visited.