Murmured conversation faded in and out, but Liana didn't want to open her eyes. If she did, she would have to face the light that was filtering through her eyelids, and whoever was in the room.

Her entire body was pulsating, a strange, fuzzy, dull ache sliding over her from her head to her toes. She fluttered her eyes open, but the light was too bright and she squeezed them shut again. As soon as she did that, what she had done slammed through her, the thought freezing her entire body. It's over. You're safe she thought to herself, the sounds of the hospital filtering in.

She had lunged for DJ first. He had twisted at the last second, and her screwdriver sunk into his neck instead of his arm. She hated the sound as she had pulled it back out, like a rubber boot being pulled from a mud puddle. His eyes had connected to hers, and then the gush of bright red blood sprayed everywhere. When Percy had reacted, reaching for her, she'd just attacked him, stabbing forward over and over blindly. She didn't remember much after that until Tanner had said her name, and cut her free, holding her in the back seat before she was carted away into the ambulance.

She kept her eyes shut, willing the images from the truck to leave. She didn't want to think about it, swallowing back the burn of sickness it was bringing on. Think about something else.

Tanner. He had come for her, and was there when she needed him most. She wanted to curl back up into his arms instead of being stuck in the hospital bed where she could feel every lump. She fuzzily recalled the ambulance ride, his presence beside her, holding her hand, not saying a single word, the tears that he tried to hide damp over her hand.

The beeping of the monitors she was hooked to, the throbbing pinpoint of the IV dropping what was likely strong pain medication into the crook of her left elbow made it hard to avoid the inevitable. She whimpered as she tried to shift up, pain shooting down her left arm. All the murmuring stopped and a hand reached out and smoothed the hair back from her forehead. The hand smelled like roses, and she furrowed her brow. That was Nancy's hand cream, she was sure of it.

If Nancy was here, it meant they'd come home from their vacation early and she opened her eyes slowly to make sure, because that seemed out of place. Everything was blurry, and she blinked.

"Nancy?" she asked, and the hand continued its soothing touch over her forehead.

"I'm here sweetie," and Liana turned her head to see her foster mom, with Jeremy, her foster dad, perched on an impossibly small stool, his long legs folded up like a frog. He had tears in his eyes as he reached out and touched the tip of her nose with his finger.

"Hey there pumpkin," he said, his voice low and soft.

"You aren't supposed to be back yet," she rasped and tried to sit up. Nancy pushed her shoulder gently back down as she raised the bed from a button below the folded arm rest. She held out a cup with a straw, and Liana dutifully took a sip. Her entire jaw ached, her lips felt parched and split, and even that felt like a monumental effort.

"Ouch," she muttered, and Nancy immediately pulled out a tiny jar of Vaseline, and applied it to her lips for her. Liana let her, knowing full well that if she didn't, Nancy would hold her down to do it.

"There. Should help, huh?" she said as she set it on the side table.

"We came back as soon as we got the call from the hospital, took a red eye," Jeremy said. "Vegas will still be there next year. You're more important than that, and you know it."

Liana's eyes darted around the room. No one else was there, and she looked back at her foster parents. "How long was I asleep?"

"All night, and most of today, it's mid-afternoon, honey," Nancy answered. "After what you went through, you need another day of it to be sure."

She stared down at her left hand, which was in a traction brace, pins stuck into it at all angles, all wrapped up in gauze, and tied to a pillow so it could sit elevated and still. It looked like something out of a horror film and tears started falling of their own accord as she stared.

"How am I supposed to cut hair with that?" she asked.

Nancy brushed away her tears with a tissue and took her good hand, which was also sore as heck, and gently brushed over the fingers and the bandages on that wrist.

"Doctors say you'll heal up just fine, but it will be awhile. Jenny was in here this morning, and she says to tell you that she's got it handled at the salon."

"Jenny was here?"

"She came to see you, dropped those off," Jeremy said, and pointed at a huge bouquet of rainbow carnations over on a side table, a sign in the middle of it, scrawled with 'BADASS BITCH, LOVE YOU' and a heart shaped, glittery pink balloon that said 'Get Well soon" in swirling script. It was all Jenny, and Liana gurgled a laugh through the tears that wouldn't stop.

"She came to see Liam too. He's just down the hall. They had to operate on his nose," Nancy added.

"Liam! I want to see him!" Liana gasped. "Can I go see him? Is he going to be okay?"

"You aren't allowed out of bed yet, not until that wrist has had a day or two to sit in traction."

"Fuck," Liana swore and leaned back on the bed, defeated. "I need to see him. He tried so damned hard to protect me. He must've been so scared."

Jeremy stood and patted his wife on the shoulder. "Let me go see what I can do," he said, and strode out. Nancy forced more water on her. She shifted, and then lifted her covers with her good hand as she felt a pinch between her legs. A hose ran out from between them, down along the side of the bed.

"Why the fuck do I have a catheter?"

"So you don't have to move, sweetie," Nancy said. "I know they're uncomfortable, but it's only until they can get you on your feet."

Liana forced herself to relax her muscles, because as she tensed everything hurt more. She took in the IV, and the heart monitor, and then noticed something at the end of the bed that sent a fresh burst of tears down her cheeks.

"Can you hand me that?" she garbled, and Nancy reached over and grabbed the brown teddy bear with the tan tummy. The button eyes shone in the overhead lights, and it stared back at her. A folded up letter was tied around its neck with a ribbon, and she fumbled with one hand to open it and read but she couldn't make the words out. Her eyes were too blurry from the tears. She looked up and Nancy smiled gently, her eyes on the bear.

"He was here all night by your side, refused to leave, apparently. They gave him scrubs to wear because his own clothes were covered in blood and he was scaring other patients. His brother —the one that looks like him— had to drag him home with the promise he could come back once he got some rest. Caitlin came in with that bear this morning, at his insistence that she go get it from your house and tie that note to it. You want me to read it?"

"No, it's okay. I'll read it later," Liana said, and handed it to her to put on the side table. She tucked the bear under her chin, leaning into it, holding it to her body with her free hand.

"I recognize this little guy. You've had him awhile," Nancy said and patted its head. "Is he special?"

"Yeah. A good memory, one to hold onto in this mess," she said, and sniffed. It was a poor substitute for Tanner right then, but the fact that he had Caitlin bring it in, knowing full well the message it would send sent more tears flowing down her face.

The door opened wider, and Jeremy walked back in, followed by an orderly pushing a large hospital bed. Liam was sitting up, a gigantic white brace and bandage over his face, an IV on a pole swinging wildly. His eyes were blacker than black bruised, his hair combed back and damp, but he smiled as he saw Liana, wrinkling the medical tape covering half his face

"Hey!" he said, his voice muffled and nasal. The orderly whirled him around on the wheels so he was beside her. "You're awake!"

"Hey kid," Liana said and wiped at her face, stowing the emotion. His smile faded and his lower lip trembled. Liana squeezed his hand. "Hey now, we're safe. What's this?"

"I'm just glad you're okay," he wavered. "Dad says you were kind of out of it for awhile. I thought maybe—"

"I was more worried about you! That nose took a straight shot, like an MMA fighter, but you didn't have a mouth guard like they do. Did they tell you how bad it was?"

"Well, the punch split some of the inside stuff in my nose, like a membrane or something? Then, when they got in there, turns out I have these weirdo things called polyps and one burst, which was why it kept bleeding! So I had all those removed and then they fixed somethin' else that was all wonky. So I have a better nose than before," he rattled off and then his gaze switched to her hand.

"Yeah, looks like mine might be awhile," Liana said and tilted her head towards it. "But I'll heal, just like you."

"You were so kickass! I mean, you just went straight for it!" he said, and raised his hand in a fist and slashed down.

Liana looked away, clearing her throat. She didn't want to think about what she had done. "Yeah."

"I'm sorry I couldn't help more," he added. "I was kind of useless once that guy decked me."

"It's okay, Liam. The way you attacked him in the room, you almost had him had his buddy not come in. You were really brave yesterday," Liana said, hoping to reassure him.

"Okay Liam, this was a quick visit, we gotta get you back to your room now. Your dressings have to be changed out, and we need to drain that honker," the orderly said cheerfully, and kicked the brake on the bed. Liam looked disappointed, but laid back on his bed further and huffed.

"Fine. Can I come back tomorrow?"

The orderly quirked an eyebrow and scanned Liana, Nancy and Jeremy. "I think so, if it's okay with Ms. Forbes."

Liana smiled, her cheek creasing painfully. "You bet. we'll finish that talk. You tell your dad to come see me too, okay?"

"Yeah. Ummm... thanks," Liam said reluctantly. "I'm sorry you got hurt by this."

"Me too kid, me too," Liana replied as the orderly swung him around and they left the room.

"How did you get them to do that?" Nancy asked Jeremy as he perched on the edge of Liana's bed.

"I basically said that young boy there rode through hell with my daughter, and she needed to know if he was okay, but she couldn't leave her room yet. It seems the nurses on duty are a nice bunch, and allowed a short visit," he said, winking at Liana.

"Thanks, Jeremy," Liana said. It was also likely because he wouldn't take no for an answer, and could be very convincing. "I hope they get him a counsellor. He's only fifteen, and what we went through was fucked up."

"I can recommend the one we use for the kids, he consults here too," Jeremy said. "I'll talk to his dad, he was in here earlier to make sure you were okay. Liam seems like a decent kid."

"He is. His parents split recently. He's working it out but when you're fifteen, that means everything but talking about the problem. You know how it is."

All three of them uh huhed and chuckled at Liana's statement.

A shadow at the door turned all their heads. Tanner appeared in the doorway, his coat over his arm, hat in his hand, eyes roving over her foster parents. As Liana's eyes finally met his, she could see how tired he was, his shoulders drooping, the furrows in his forehead all but broadcasting how much.

His boots clicked loudly on the tile floor but he stopped halfway in, hesitant. He ran fingers through his slightly messy hair and she catalogued the nervousness. Was it because of her, or her foster parents? Liana wanted to leap out of bed and run to him because he was way too damned masculine and sexy in his plaid overshirt. She liked it when he dressed like a lumberjack. His big shoulders and strong arms lended themselves well to it.

"Hi," she managed.

"We'll get out of your way, my dear. We'll be back later on. I'll bring you a brush and some toiletries," Nancy said, and kissed her forehead.

Liana leaned into the embrace, more emotion welling up. "I'm glad you're here. I'm sorry about your vacation."

Jeremy leaned over and did the same. "Rest up, we love you," he murmured in his deep voice. He straightened, and he and Tanner looked each other in the eye. Jeremy held out a hand, and Tanner shook it.

"Sir," Tanner clipped.

"Tanner. Nice to see you again," he replied.

Liana winced as Nancy gave him a glare, but he nodded at her and mumbled a "Ma'am" before she brushed past him, catching up to her husband. They left quickly, and then it was just him. It might take Nancy awhile to forgive him, Liana thought, but she would. She just had to be the protective mother a little bit longer, likely because she wanted Tanner to sweat it out, and earn her trust back.

She was a lucky woman to have those people as her foster parents. Her eyes travelled back to Tanner in the middle of the room, unsure of himself, standing stiffly.

She patted the bed, the bear on her lap wobbling, and she set him down on her legs. It seemed to snap him out of whatever he was thinking, and he bridged the distance, slowly easing down on the same stool Jeremy had been on, wheeling it close. His eyes studied her seriously, and she studied back, reaching out to touch his forehead with her hand, smoothing her fingertips across the furrows.

"Hey, Cowboy," she said.

"Hey."