My body shuddered as air flooded my lungs. I coughed and choked on nothing. Dim light filled my vision and an old TV came into focus. Then a figure, holding my hand and crying.

"Alexa?" My voice croaked in my throat. My body was wrapped in some sort of cloth.

Alexa wasn't wearing her leather jacket, leaving her in just a loose white T-shirt. I found this deeply disturbing. Perhaps more disturbing were the helpless stutters and sobs coming from her.

She shook her head. "Shh, shh... Save your st-strength, please..."

"What happened?" I tried to find her eyes under the shadow of her hair, but she kept her gaze away from me. "Where are we?"

"I... My god, A-Alex..." She shook her head again.

I squeezed her palm and whispered her name again, finally getting her to meet my eyes.

She chewed on her lip piercings, shuddering as she stifled each sob. Her golden-hazel eyes shone with tears as she tried to blink them away. "I'm so sorry..."

Even with my shoulder feeling like it was being torn off, I managed a smile to comfort her. "It's alright, I'm sure. Just tell me what happened."

"You got... you..." Her head tilted down again as she mumbled, "You got sh-shot, Alex..."

The words flew into my brain and got caught in the cogs and inner machinery of my skull. "Shot?" I gulped, trying to swallow whatever was clogging my brain. "What... B-By who?"

"Whom," she muttered. Completely characteristic of her to correct my grammar after I get shot. "I... His n-name is Kellie Grandsom, but... We call him Killgrand."

"What? Alexa..." The air became static, filling my head and lungs. "I..."

"Please, p-please, just... Just save your strength..." Her voice was cotton candy, sweet but bad for me.

"Where are we? Why aren't we in... in a hospital?" Words sputtered out of my lips and tripped over one another, tumbling into the space between us. "Alexa, what's happening? I don't understand."

"We can't go to a hospital, A-Alex... It'll get the... the c-cops involved, and I can't..." Her fingers gripped my palm. "Alex, I've... I've done a bad thing. This is all... all my fault." Her voice faded into sobs again. Her head dropped to her lap.

"Alexa, look at me." She didn't listen. "Look at me, please. Let me see you, Alexa."

With more coaxing, she finally sniffled and met my eyes. I pulled her forward by the hand. Her soft breath warmed my cheeks.

I didn't even know what I was doing. Maybe the blood loss was getting to me.

My hand drifted up to cup her cheek, and she closed her eyes, leaning into my touch.

Maybe it was the dreams or nightmares of kissing her.

I lead her lips towards mine.

Maybe I really wanted to.

I kissed her.