Jungkook woke with a start. His bed was empty. His brothers had probably left sometime after he had fallen asleep. He flipped on to his back and stared at the ceiling. His eyes felt itchy and dry. He rubbed a hand on his face. He didn't want to be here, he thought. He should be with Sua, taking care of her, helping her get better, bring her back home. Here, where she belonged.

He didn't know how long he had been in bed. He turned on his phone and blinked at it a few times to make sure he was seeing it right. He had slept for over two days straight.

He lunged out of bed. Had Jin hyung come back? Was Sua okay? Was she home? he wondered as he dialled Jin. The call went straight to voicemail. He hurried out of the room, still trying to call Jin.

He rushed down the stairs hoping in his heart that she was here.

He entered the living room and saw Namjoon sitting on the couch and watching the news. Before Jungkook could say anything, the news stopped him in his tracks.

"The victim of the gang war in Busan was identified as an American national named Yoon Suassi."

A small distorted picture of her flashed in the corner of the screen.

"She was found in a pool of her own blood by Chairman and CEO of Kim Industries, Kim Seokjinssi. As per information received, he was scouting the area to find a suitable location for his expansion project in Busan when he heard a woman screaming and then gunshots."

An old picture of Jin from an event flashed on the screen.

"Sources say Soekjinssi followed the ambulance to the Busan Medical Center"

The video showed Government Vehicles with American flags on them, arriving at the hospital.

"The American Embassy authorities have visited the hospital and have posted officials on guard duty. The hospital authorities and the police have refused to comment further on this incident. However, Seokjinssi was suspiciously seen arguing with the hospital staff as well as the authorities, demanding to see the victim."

A distorted picture of Jin talking to the hospital staff flashed on the screen.

"Considering the victim was brought in with five bullet wounds, the authorities are not willing to take any risks and have managed to keep him away until the Embassy can track down her family."

A picture of Jin sitting in the hospital lobby with his head in his hands showed up on the screen.

"An inside source has informed us that the victim was brought in, in a very critical condition with not much hope for recovery. The source also informed us that he has spotted Seokjinssi crying in the waiting room. Seokjinssi has not left the medical facility even after multiple warnings. For someone who just happened to randomly find a victim of a violent crime, he sure seems to care about her a lot."

The picture of Jin in the lobby flashed again.

"The present status of the victim's condition is not known. We are trying to get more information on the matter."

The image of Jin hyung in the hospital pulled at his heartstrings. "Hyung" he whispered.

Namjoon turned around and looked at him, quickly turning off the TV.

"Jungkook-ah?" He got up "Are you okay?" He asked with concern.

Jungkook swayed slightly on his feet. "Five?" He asked, his voice hoarse.

Namjoon looked at him in confusion.

"Five bullet wounds" he whispered to himself as his vision started to blur again. "How can she make it through that? Would she leave me? She must have been in so much pain...." His voice trailed away.

He swayed again and Namjoon rushed to him but before he could reach him, Jungkook felt the back of his head crash on the hard floor, plunging him into darkness.

~~~~~~~~~~

He woke to the sound of a car pulling up in the parking lot in front of the house. He was lying on the sofa. He sat up and looked around groggily. A sharp pain flashed through the back of his head, he rubbed it gingerly.

Jin stepped in through the front door. He looked haggard, still dressed in his dark clothes from that night, which were crumpled and covered with dried blood.

"Hyung!" Jungkook stumbled on his way to him and Jin caught him.

Jin hugged him close and weeped uncontrollably in his arms. Jungkook had started to shake. No! his mind kept repeating it. He wouldn't accept it. She wasn't gone. She couldn't be.

"Hyung!" Taehyung called as he ran down the steps. "Is Sua with you?" he asked, staring wildly around them.

Jin raised his head from Jungkook's shoulder and shook his head. Taehyung staggered back looking at Jin's red, blotched face. "Is she......?" He managed.

The others had also joined them. "Hyung?" Hobi asked

Jin sniffled. "They had to put her under a medically induced coma. Her injuries were far too grave. One of the bullets punctured her lung......." He couldn't go on and fell back sobbing into Jungkook's arms.

"But she would make it, right?" Jimin asked hesitantly.

"I don't know. She had three surgeries. She might need another but her body was just too weak for them to operate. They wouldn't let me see her. They had started to question my presence. I couldn't stay there alone, not knowing what would happen." Jin answered brokenly.

"It's okay hyung. You should wash up and rest." Jungkook said quietly. She was alive, that's all that mattered. He could go to her. "I will go wait at the hospital, hyung."

"They wont let anyone see her Jungkook-ah" Jin replied.

"It's okay. I'll stay close. Someone should be there when she wakes." He said.

"Jungkookie I don't think she will-" Jin started but Jungkook cut him off

"She will wake and I will be there when she does." He said adamantly.

Jungkook let go of Jin and went back up to his room.

The rest of them stared behind him.

"I don't think she will make it" Jin said in a pained voice.

"Don't say that please" Jimin cried.

"We need to be realistic here. She took five bullets. It would take a miracle to bring her out of this." Namjoon said quietly.

Taehyung stumbled his way to the nearby sofa chair and sank into it. "She promised" he whispered.

Hobi squeezed his shoulders.

Jungkook hurried down the stairs and headed to the door.

"Jungkook-ah" Namjoon called.

"No hyung. Please don't stop me again. I can't be away from her. Let me go" His eyes were pleading and Namjoon couldn't hold him back any longer.

Jungkook gave him a sharp nod and with one last look at his brothers, he left.

~~~~~~~~~~

Jungkook had relentlessly tried to convince the hospital staff that he was a friend of Sua's but they still wouldn't let him see her. He had tried pleading them, reasoning with them even bribing them, all to no avail.

So he settled on a park bench outside the hospital. If he couldn't be with her, he would at least stay near her. He would stay there for as long as it takes, he decided.

And so he stayed.

For days.

For weeks.

Only leaving to shower and change at a nearby hotel. Occasionally having a simple meal at a nearby cafe. Food seemed to turn to dust in his mouth.

His brothers came by a few times. Bringing food and company. Jimin stayed with him for a while but he eventually went back home.

He didn't want them to come. Their pain, their tears, it irritated him. She wasn't dead. Why were they all mourning her? She was only sleeping. She was healing.  She would get better soon and he would take her back home.

"I'm here Jaagi." he whispered looking up the hospital building. "You take your time. Rest well and get better, I'll be here when you wake"

His brothers didn't understand. They didn't know her like he did, his little siren was feisty. She wouldn't give up, she would fight till her last breath and she would come out victorious.

He held on to that belief more than anything else.

~~~~~~*~~~~~~*~~~~~~