A/N: if you had to skip a few paragraphs because of the trigger warning in the last chapter, skip the paragraph where Pisces talks about Capricorn.

It was late at night when Libra and Scorpio returned from the hospital with Pisces. Scorpio wanted to stay, but Libra wanted her to go home and get some rest. Pisces wore bandages on his nose, broken from the airbag. It wasn't serious and would heal eventually.

Having confirmation that her curse was to cause her friend's curses, Scorpio was devastated. Her eyes were wide and empty as she sat on a couch in the living room, staring at the walls ahead of her. Her skin was paler than normal, and she didn't bother to fix her messy hair which was starting to become greasy from running her hands through it so much.

Pisces called everyone down, and explained what happened. Somebody hit them while trying to pass another car. Pisces wasn't injured much except for his nose. Gem had a minor head injury from hitting her head off the seat, but she'll be alright. She didn't show any signs of brain damage, she didn't lose any memories, and the doctors made sure her brain didn't swell. They were keeping her at the hospital so they could monitor her, and check her short term memory the next day.

Pisces found it hard to explain what happened to Capricorn. He flew through the window, his malfunctioning airbag failing to protect him. His arms were bent to shield his face, but he landed on shards of glass. The glass missed all of his major organs, but some were deep enough to require stitches, mostly along his stomach. He lost enough blood from the glass that he fainted and was running lower than he should, but luckily his blood type is common, so it was easy to get extra blood for him. The doctors also found out later that his arm was broken, and the impact from hitting the ground broke some of his ribs. Overall, Capricorn would be alright, but he wasn't looking very good right now. He was going to be in pain until his arm and ribs heal, but being a constellation he was going to heal faster than a human would.

Pisces didn't get the chance to explain anything else before Gemini grabbed a set of keys, and ran towards the garage.

"We should all probably go wait at the hospital," suggested Sagittarius who worried about Gem and Capricorn.

Pisces shook his head. "You wouldn't be allowed to see them. They're both going to be okay, they just need to do a few more tests on Gem, and they want to monitor Capricorn and keep him in the hospital until he starts to heal a bit."

"We just have to wait here then?" Cancer looked at Pisces with wide eyes.

"Gem should be released tomorrow. Capricorn shouldn't be kept there for long either. I think everyone should stay here rather than us all stay up all night in the waiting room. We know they'll be alright, I saw them for myself before I left."

"I should go back. It's my fault." Scorpio hugged her knees to her chest, her eyes glossy.

Libra hugged Scorpio, trying to comfort her. Scorpio was going to blame herself, and that scared Libra. "Even if you fled the country, you can't escape fate. Somehow your curse would trigger their curses. If you didn't answer my phone, then the car crash would have happened another time. Your curse will cause everyone's curses no matter what you do, but it's not your fault."

Virgo seemed to realize what Libra was talking about. "The first curse wasn't Libra's nut allergy. It was Scorpio's, a curse that made her watch as all her friends suffer." Scorpio was one of the coldest on the outside, but she cares too much on the inside. Virgo knew that Scorpio cared a lot about her friends, maybe that's why her curse was to watch everyone else get their curses.

"That makes me and Cancer the only two left." Sagittarius turned pale at the thought. The worst curse would be the last one to get affected. Would it be her or Cancer? Sagittarius didn't know what scared her more, her getting the worst curse, or Cancer. Part of her was afraid it would be her, but she also didn't want Cancer to get the worst curse either.

Cancer blinked. He thought the same thing as Sagittarius. He didn't want the last curse, but part of him hoped it wouldn't be Sagittarius.

"But it's not your fault your curse makes everyone else get their curses." Leo looked at Scorpio. "The curses are inevitable. Even if you tried to run somewhere else like Libra said, something would happen to push you back towards us to trigger the curses anyway. You can't control the curses, and we don't blame you for what your curse does."

"We don't know for sure than the last curse will be the worst." Taurus looked down at her wheelchair, not wanting to know what curse could be worst than hers, Leo's or Scorpio's. Libra's was bad, but she carried an epi-pen around and made sure to avoid food that could contain nuts. Aquarius and Virgo had medication to avoid their curses, Aries recently woke up from hers, and Gemini recovered from his. Capricorn, Gem and Pisces were going to heal from theirs as well. Leo was supposed to have a high chance of getting her memories back, but she still didn't remember anything. She didn't want to think about what the next two curses were going to be. Especially the last one.

Scorpio looked empty, like she was trying to block out her emotions. "But what if I have to watch someone die?" Libra almost died, Aries could have died, and the car crash could have killed Gem, Pisces and Capricorn.

"Nobody will die." Aquarius' jaw tensed. "They don't want to kill us."

"But Libra almos-"

Libra shushed Scorpio. "But I didn't die, and I don't think anyone else will either. If the alternates wanted us dead, they would have killed us in our sleep or something."

"We don't blame you Scorpio." Pisces smiled. "You always help everyone out. You always keep an eye on us, and you even carry band-aids around in your school backpack in case someone gets hurt. You also stuff extra food in everyone's lunch boxes if we're running late, to make sure nobody will forget to pack lunch and be hungry. When there's a test coming up, you help anyone taking the same courses you are. You're a very kind person. Even if you try to push your feelings away, we all notice. I always notice."

Scorpio sobbed, hiding her face in Libra's shirt.

"I heard you used to visit me in the hospital a lot," added Aries. "You're the only one who blames yourself for the curses. You're so important to the rest of us, it's hard watching you be so harsh to yourself when you can't even control what happens."

Aquarius furrow his brow. "What were you guys doing in the car anyway?"

Pisces pressed his lips into a tight line until they stopped wobbling. "Capricorn wanted to buy a graduating present for everyone. We were on our way back from the mall."

"He just wanted to buy a present for everyone, but he was hurt the most during the car crash." Taurus blinked. "He's so pure, he just wanted to make everyone else happy."

Aries nodded. "Nobody deserves their curses, but he really doesn't deserve his."

"I'm worried about Gemini." Leo glanced at the front door. "He's probably taking this harder than Capricorn himself."

"I need some fresh air." Scorpio stood up and accidentally bumped into the table beside the front door where all the car keys and stuff were kept, before walking outside. "I'm okay!"

"What should we do while we wait?" asked Leo. "I won't sleep tonight knowing two of my friends are still hospitalized."

"We could all hang out in the pillow room," suggested Virgo. "That way anyone who gets tired can just fall asleep, while everyone else can just be around others. Everyone always feels more comfortable with friends around, so we'll have someone to talk to if we can't sleep."

"That's a really good idea." Aquarius patted Virgo on the back.

"I'll bring Handsome and Cheeto." Cancer looked around the house for the pets as everyone headed towards the elevator.

Before the elevator doors closed, Leo realized Scorpio was still outside. "What about Scorpio?"

Libra jumped out of the elevator. "I'll check on her, I'll be back up in a minute."

When Libra opened the front door, Scorpio wasn't there. Libra narrowed her eyes as she checked the garage. All three cars were gone. One was currently in a car crash, Gemini took the other.

Libra checked the table beside the front door. The last set of keys was gone. Scorpio didn't accidentally stumble into the table. She did that so nobody would notice her grab the last set of keys, so she could sneak into the garage and drive to the hospital.

Libra also noticed that she hadn't seen Taurus in the elevator with everyone else.

***

Gem was in the hospital, unable to sleep. She was supposed to rest, but she couldn't stop remembering what happened, the car crash playing on repeat in her mind. Gem remembered looking out the window, seeing the car unable to stop before it hit them. She barely had time to scream before she hit her head off Capricorn's seat. She remembered feeling like she was spinning, before everything went black. When she woke up in the hospital, her ears were ringing and her head hurt. She felt light headed, but noticed the nurse in her room right away. She was asked a lot of questions, most were to see if she lost her memories.

A few tests were done, but the doctors concluded that her headache was from the impact of the collision, although they were going to check on her again in the morning. Her brain didn't swell, her skull wasn't damaged, neither were any of the tissues surrounding her brain. She didn't show signs of brain damage, and she didn't have any memory loss that she knew of.

Gem turned on her side. She hated hospitals. She also hated sharing hospital rooms with complete strangers, since she wasn't injured enough to need her own hospital room. The room had six hospital beds, but only one was occupied by another girl, who was recovering after getting her tonsils removed. Gem hoped she was going to be released from the hospital before having to awkwardly introduce herself.

The thing that made Gem unable to look at the girl was her her hair that was dyed a sliver-blue. It reminded her of Gina.

Gem still wasn't over Gina's death. She still refused to admit she's dead. Everything happened so fast.

Gem sat up, trying to think of anything else as she tried to get out of bed. Her head pounded, making her crawl back under the blankets. Gem worried about Capricorn. Pisces visited her before she was supposed to go to sleep, but she had no idea how Capricorn was.

They'd tell me if he was hurt badly. Gem tried to remember, but she had no idea what happened. She didn't even know if he was hurt or not, she passed out too quickly.

Gem tried to imagine Capricorn being alright. She managed to send a text to the others before she fell asleep.

***

Not wanting to spend another second in the waiting room, Scorpio sat on a bench outside the hospital. Taurus saw Gemini lying half asleep across a few chairs in the empty waiting room, and wheeled over to him.

Gemini sat up when he heard Taurus' wheelchair.

Taurus stopped in front of him. "Are you alright?"

Gemini shook his head. "I'm waiting until they let me see Capricorn. How did you get here?"

"Scorpio drove me. I came because I'm close with Capricorn too. Even though Pisces said he'll be alright, I want to know the second he's able to leave the hospital."

"I'm worried about Gem too, but Pisces said she just hit her head. Even though he said she didn't lose memories or anything, I won't be relieved until I see for myself that she's alright."

"I can't imagine what it's like to be you. Capricorn and Gem are both in the hospital after a car crash."

"If Pisces didn't tell me that they were alright, I don't know how I'd react."

"Gem seems to be fine, she sent a text earlier." Taurus looked at her phone. "She asked how Capricorn was doing."

"I just want to see them. Especially Capricorn, it sounds like he's really hurt."

"He can heal faster than humans."

"He's probably in a lot of pain."

"He's probably sleeping, or maybe they have him on drugs so he won't feel the pain."

"I'll still worry until I'm allowed to see him. I'm not leaving until I do."

"I'll wait with you."

Gemini smiled. "I'm glad I have a friend like you. I'm glad Capricorn is so close with you too."

Taurus received a notification on her phone. "Cancer wants to know where I am."

"Why not invite him to our hospital waiting room party?"

"I told him I'm in Florida."

"Stop teasing poor Cancer."

Taurus smirked and told Cancer where she was. "He wants to come but we only have three cars. I'll text Scorpio and ask if she can pick him up."

"Tell him to bring food."

"Good idea."

After a while, Cancer walked into the emergency room and sat by Gemini. "Libra watched Scorpio drive back and get me. She ran after the car but Scorpio drove off before she could stop us." He placed a bag on the seat next to him. "I also brought snacks."

Gemini grabbed a bottle of water from the bag. "Thanks."

"I figured you guys would want more company. I'm also worried about Capricorn and Gem." Cancer reached his hand towards Taurus.

Taurus held Cancer's hand. "I'm glad you're here. I almost had to stay in the hospital with nobody except Gemini to talk to."

Gemini playfully kicked Taurus's chair. "I'm your favourite friend."

"No. My closest friends are Libra, Scorpio and Capricorn."

"Then where am I?"

"Twenty fourth place."

"Why twenty four?"

"Because I decided to include the alternates."

Cancer tried not to laugh.

Gemini crossed his arms. "Isn't she mean to me?"

"Wait, I forgot about the animals."

Cancer smiled at Gemini. "It's okay Gemini. I decided that you're my favourite friend."

"At least someone likes me," joked Gemini.

Cancer let go of Taurus' hand to grab Gemini's hand. "This is what you get for teasing Gemini."

Taurus sighed. "Cancer, you have two hands."

"You're right." He grabbed Gemini's other hand.

Gemini smirked at Taurus.

"I can't believe Gemini stole my boyfriend." Taurus made an exaggerated sad face and jokingly wiped fake tears from her eyes.

Cancer dropped Gemini's hands to reach for Taurus' hand. Taurus smirked at Gemini and held Cancer's hand.

Gemini shrugged. "I'll hold my own hand."

"We're joking," laughed Cancer. "I like you more than the alternates."

Taurus sighed. "Maybe just a little more than the alternates."

"Good. I won't kick you out of your wheelchair."

"Cancer wouldn't let you!"

Gemini and Taurus looked at Cancer.

Cancer shrugged.

"I'm really tired, but I can't go to sleep until I get to see Capricorn." Gemini closed his eyes and decided to lie down across the chairs, kicking his feet in Cancer's lap. "Don't let me fall asleep."

"Should we let him fall asleep?" whispered Cancer.

Taurus gently played with Gemini's hair, who was already asleep. "He's tired. Don't wake him up unless the doctors say anything new about Capricorn or Gem."

"It must be so hard on him." Cancer unzipped his hoodie and put it over Gemini like a blanket.

Taurus watched Cancer without saying anything. Either him or Sagittarius were going to get the last curse. Taurus was terrified it would be Cancer, but she didn't want Sagittarius to get the curse either. Taurus didn't know what she'd do if Cancer got badly injured. She hoped him and Sagittarius would both get minor curses.

Cancer smiled as he closed his eyes, still holding Taurus' hand.

Taurus decided that if she had the opportunity, she'd take his curse for him. Unfortunately, she didn't have that option. Taurus decided she would try to protect Cancer, no matter what the curse was.