A/N: Warning: Mild Violence

Cinder jolts awake.

"Ugh, what... What time is it?" she mumbles groggily.

"Just past half nine in the morning," Dr Erland replies quickly.

"Oh." is all Cinder can say to that.

"Do you want some water, Cinder?" Dr Erland asks, handing her a glass.

After downing it in one go, she blinks herself into full consciousness and makes an effort to smile.

"Is Kai okay?" she asks urgently.

Dr Erland nods. "He'll be okay."

"What... What happened?"

"He... Well, it's not my place to say," Dr Erland tells her, smiling sadly.

Cinder nods in understanding, pulling herself upright and clicking her neck. "Is he awake?"

"Yes." Dr Erland smiles widely. "Of course, I'm sure you'll want to see him?"

"Uh..."

Cinder follows Dr Erland into the back room, gasping and running forwards as she sees Kai.

He's slightly less pale than before, lying propped up with pillows on either side of him. He has an IV drip inserted into the back of his left hand and a bandage around his head but all Cinder can see is the bright smile on his face.

"Hello, Empress."

Cinder gasps, throwing her arms around him. "Kai, you idiot!"

"Lungs!"

To anyone else, this might sound like a totally random exclamation but Cinder jerks backwards. "Oh, sorry."

Cinder finds herself staring at the warm copper of his eyes, loving that she can see them again, full of energy.

"You appear to be gazing," Kai observes.

Cinder giggles, "Do I?"

"Just a little bit," Kai whispers, blinking slowly. "I think I'm a bit..."

"Loopy?" Cinder asks, grinning at his partially dazed expression.

Dr Erland coughs behind them, "He is on rather heavy medication."

Cinder shakes her head fondly. "Of course he is."

"It should ware off completely within the next few minutes," Dr Erland assures her.

Kai's eyelids droop but he struggles to keep them open each time anyway; Cinder smiles softly.

She pushes herself onto the bed and settles beside him so that he can rest his head on her shoulder and she can wrap her arms around his shoulders.

Kai smiles softly as Cinder plays with his hair, careful not to touch the bandage. She notices him dozing off, his breathing steadying until he's fast asleep.

"Cress wasn't lying when she told me the two of you are hopelessly in love," Dr Erland notes.

Cinder just nods, shifting her weight a little so she can pull Kai closer.

"Why was he unconscious?" Cinder asks quietly.

"Stab wound, across his torso and arm."

Cinder swears, groaning, "Where did they get a knife?"

"You know who did this?" he asks, sounding surprised.

"Yeah, and we're going to get revenge," Cinder promises.

"Just... be careful."

"We don't need to be, we've got each other's backs."

Dr Erland nods. "He doesn't need a nurse to be present but do alert me if he's in pain."

Cinder nods, watching as he leaves.

It's just over five minutes later when Kai awakes, smiling up at Cinder. "Oh, what a beautiful view."

"Shut up!" Cinder laughs. "How are you doing?"

"Personal pocket knife," Kai replies, knowing what her next question would be.

"Which one?"

"Not sure, there was too many," Kai sighs and Cinder has to put all her effort into not punching something.

Before either of them can comment on each other's behaviour, Thorne walks in - well, saunters in.

"There's a Simone here to see you guys?" he sounds uncertain.

"What is she doing here?" Cinder hisses, unknowingly pulling Kai closer.

Kai himself looks pretty confused, even more so when Simone sashays into the room with a smirk on her face.

She's wearing the same type of tight-fitting dress but this time, the material is silver, as is the small tiara balanced on her head and the delicate bracelet around her right wrist.

"Hello, Kai," she drawls.

"Why are you here?" Cinder can't help the venom in her voice.

Simone blinks innocently. "Is a girl not allowed to visit her injured fiancé in hospital?"

"What the aces?" Thorne exclaims.

Kai's jaw drops open and Cinder just stares.

"What did you just say?" Cress squeaks.

Simone sighs dramatically, tucking her hair over her ear and rolling her eyes. "I said: is a girl not allowed t-"

"We heard you, we just don't understand what you're trying to imply," Wolf growls fiercely, having appeared along with Scarlet, Winter and Jacin.

"Do you people not know the definition of 'fiancé' or something?" Simone asks, raising an eyebrow.

"A man to whom a woman is engaged to be married," Kai whispers, his face drained of colour once again.

"But-" Scarlet starts.

"You heard him. Now, step away from my future husband." Simone waves a hand.

"Is this a prank?" Jacin almost yells. "Or are you out of your mind?"

"None of the above, apparently," Simone mutters.

"I'm not engaged to anyone," Kai declares quietly.

"Look, we're adolescents," Simone says, looking annoyed. "We can't legally get married unless our parents consent. And they do."

"What?" Kai asks, finding Cinder's hand.

Cinder gasps to herself as she feels his hands shaking, badly. She curls her hands around his to try and stop the shakiness, wanting Kai to smile again.

"Oh yeah, I have Rikan's permission." Simone smirks again, her eyes gleaming.

Kai's eyes flash. "I highly doubt you managed to acquire that."

"I thought you'd say that, so I brought him with me." Simone's smile is pure darkness.

Kai lets out a small sound that only Cinder catches, along with the nervous expression on his face.

"Hey, it'll be okay, I promise," Cinder murmurs softly, hating the doubt in Kai's eyes.

Wolf yells as someone shoves past him and Scarlet, stopping on the other side of Kai with a devilish smile. "Hello, son."

Kai flinches.

Cinder knows there's no way any of them missed that.

"How dreadful it is that you're scarred just before your wedding," Rikan drawls sickeningly.

"He is not getting married, you evil little-" Cinder stops herself before she says something that could be used against her.

"Get away from our friend." Thorne's the one to say it but they're all clearly thinking it.

Rikan harshly yanks the IV line and Kai gasps, pulling his hand black and trying to stop the thin trickle of blood running down his hand.

Cinder falls backwards, off the bed, as Rikan pulls Kai off the other side, making him stumble. Winter and Scarlet pick her up as Rikan tightly grips Kai's wrist, dragging him along.

"Hey!" Jacin yells but Simone's faster, kicking him in the solar plexus and punching his nose, immediately drawing blood.

"Jacin!" Winter cries, kneeling beside him as he gasps, trying to breathe.

Wolf growls, but runs after Kai instead of challenging Simone.

Cinder leaves Scarlet, Thorne and Cress to deal with Simone, following Wolf.

Both Wolf and Cinder make it outside too late, watching Rikan roughly shove Kai into a car before getting into it himself, already driving as Wolf sprints.

"Argh!" Cinder yells, kicking the ground.

Ahh 350 reads :) hope you enjoyed this chapter, see you tomorrow!