After a few more days, the doctors finally told me I could go home. I still wasn't allowed to move too much, so everyone started to gather up my get well soon presents for me. There were several homemade cards from kids in the neighborhood, and Jasmine had picked some of the violets from the garden back home and put them in one of my mother's flowerpots. It was nice to have the splash of purple in the white hospital room.

As I was watching everyone pack my things, I heard a light knock on the door. I nodded to Sebastian, who nodded back and opened it.

James stood in the doorway, a look of surprise on his face when he saw everyone packing my belongings away. He shook it off a moment later, and replaced it with a bright smile.

"So you really are going home?"

I nodded. "They're letting me go tomorrow morning. I figured it would be best to have everything ready to go, or perhaps I'll just have Sebastian run it back to the house."

Sarah chimed in. "Don't worry about it. Maia and I are going to go home tonight and make sure we get everything ready for you. You're still practically bedridden, and a messy house is not something you should have to come home to."

"Will you be able to manage on your own?" I asked.

Sarah thought for a moment, then gave me a soft smile. "We may recruit Thomas then, if it's alright."

I nodded. "Go ahead. I'll be fine here with Jasmine and Sebastian."

Jasmine looked to me at the sound of her name and smiled. I smiled back, then looked back to James.

"So why did you come here?" I asked him.

"I wanted to check up on you," he said. "You've been here an awfully long time."

"I mean, I was dying..."

James just smiled. He then reached into his pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "I offered to bring this to you, since I was already on my way."

I took the offered paper from his hand and unfolded it carefully. I tried to read it, but my eyes wouldn't focus. My pain medicine was making me drowsy again.

I shook my head, trying to clear it, then looked up. "I'm sorry. My medicine is making me lose focus." I handed the paper to Sebastian. "Will you tell me what it says, please?"

He accepted the paper and glanced over it, then smiled. He looked to me. "Your story seems to line up with that of the witness statements, and because the killing was out of self defense, you will not be tried for murder. However, it appears you and I both must complete several hours of community service. Once you're well, of course."

I felt my face break out into a huge smile. I looked to James. "I don't have to hide anymore. I can go home."

"You know, if you had just told that story from the beginning, you wouldn't have had to hide from us at all," James said.

"There was still the chance that that man would have..." I started to stumble over my words. Luckily this was the last time they were giving me this medicine. After today, they were switching me over to regular over the counter pain pills, which I asked Sarah to keep and give me. I was afraid that if I started hurting again before it was time to take more, I would just do it. I didn't want to spend the next few weeks like that.

"The man who took us could have come back for her," Sarah finished for me. "It was smart of her to run."

James frowned. "Had we known the situation, we could have protected you. That is our job, you know."

I nodded. I didn't care about what I should have done. It was over. The man was dead, I had my family back, and I wasn't seen as a murderer. Finally, I could live my last few months in peace.

And peaceful they were. I was still bedridden and wasn't allowed to walk or strain myself in any way, so Sebastian carried me anywhere I needed to go. I was just fine with that, considering I had grown so much more comfortable around him.

The only thing that bothered me was the fact that he never kissed me again. I'd thought we'd had something special. I'd thought we'd both realized we loved each other. Had it all been a ruse? Had he pretended to love me to get me to believe in myself and fight? Was I really just his next meal? I didn't want that.

But as the days began to quickly pass, and the day of our contract fulfillment drew nearer, I found I wasn't scared. Even if I was just another meal to Sebastian, even if he didn't love me, I loved him, and my soul would be with him always. That single thought made everything worth it.

Before I knew it, it was my 18th birthday. Sebastian woke me up that morning as usual, and as soon as I was awake enough to think straight, I turned to him.

"I know everything will be final when I turn 18 today," I said, staring at the seal of the contract on my left wrist, "but please, let me have this one last full day with them. Tomorrow, I'm yours."

I saw him move out the corner of my eye, and I turned to face him. He was bowing down on one knee, right hand placed over his heart.

"Yes, My Lady. As you wish."

*

The party was wonderful. There was cake made by Maia, bouquets arranged by Jasmine, and everyone from the neighborhood was there. They all had homemade presents or small trinkets they had saved up to get for me. I felt my eyes tear up as I was given each gift. This is the last time I'll ever see them. I thought, smiling as I accepted another gift, and hugging each child as lovingly as I possibly could, knowing I would never be able to do so again.

After the party ended, I stayed up as long as I could. I wanted to be with my friends for as long as I could manage. I loved them all so much. Every time I thought about what they would do when they heard I was gone broke my heart. Surely Sebastian would take care of it. He always did.