Jackson

The first thing I was able to register upon waking up was where I was: A hospital. I didn't open my eyes, though—I knew the light would just irritate them at first. When I did open them, the first thing I saw was a man who looked to be a doctor coming into the room. He looked fairly blurry to me, though, since I didn't have my glasses. "Wonderful to see you awake," he said, "How are you feeling?"

"In pain," I told him truthfully. "How long have I been here?"

"Since around 3:30 this morning," he replied, "It's evening now."

I nodded, and then glanced at the table next to me to see if I could spot my glasses. They'd fallen off after the first time Eric hit me, so I didn't really know what happened to them after that.

"If you're searching for your glasses, they ended up broken after what happened," explained the doctor.

"Should have guessed that...thank you," I said. He then filled me in on the state I was in, and how long I'd need to be there and all that. One of the main problems had been my head, but they were able to take care of it despite the one complication. A couple of my ribs had been broken as well. I could see the cuts and bruises for myself, despite my currently poor eyesight. I'd need to stay at the hospital for at least a few days to be safe, according to the doctor.

After that, he left and my parents came to visit me. My mother was incredibly relieved to see that I'd woken up. Dad was, too. They both knew everything that happened—Deuce, Heath and the others filled them in last night.

"How are you doing?" asked Mom.

"I've been better."

"Visiting hours are from 8:00 AM to 10:00 PM, so Heath and Harmony will probably come see you soon," said Dad. Harmony was Heath's older sister. "And Draculaura went to go get Kieran, so you'll see him at some point, too."

I was glad to hear that. I had actually been about to ask about Kieran, as a matter of fact, and he was the person I wanted to see the most right now.

I ended up passing back out after Heath and Harmony visited me, and when I woke up again, the first thing I heard was a voice over the PA system go,

"I just want to say to the staff of unit 210: Delicious. Thank you."

And while that was being said, I noticed Kieran sitting next to me, and as soon as the announcement ended, our eyes met and we both started laughing.

"Interesting way to wake up, huh?" said Kieran.

"Oh, yeah, for sure," I agreed, as he came forward to hug me as best he could. I couldn't move around a whole lot considering it would hurt too much to do so, but I managed to hug him back anyway. "I'm really glad to see you, Kieran."

"I'm really glad you're okay," he responded, "You and Holt both. Honestly...I was really worried you might not be after they told me there was a complication. I admit, I kind of freaked out a little bit."

He then told me about the dream he'd had last night. It honestly meant a lot to me that he cared so much for me, especially since I felt the same way about him. Had our roles been reversed, I know I'd have been just as scared of losing him.

I loved him too much for that. And I knew Holt felt the same.

We talked until visiting hours came to a close, at which time Kieran, after giving me a kiss, allowed our eyes to meet once again and said with complete sincerity, "I love you, Jackson."

"I love you too, Kieran." I said, "So much."

I didn't know what time I fell asleep after he left, but I awoke again the next morning just as the sun finished rising. There was still some time before visiting hours started up again, and I was pretty sure the doctor might come in at some point to check in.

What I didn't expect was for an unfamiliar man to enter the room not long after the doctor left. From what I could tell he was pale, with dark brown hair that went to his shoulder blades, with silvery blue eyes that almost seemed to glow. He was clearly a vampire, but was just as clearly an adult.

"Are you Jackson Jekyll?" he asked in an eerily calm tone of voice, approaching me.

"Sorry...do I know you?" I asked him.

"No...but you know my son--assuming the answer to my question is a 'yes', of course. Would that be correct?"

"It might be," I said, "Who's your son?"

"Oh, just the boy you've been in a relationship with for the past several months."

The second the word 'relationship' left his mouth I knew this was Drystan Valentine, Kieran's father.

"What the hell do you want, Drystan?"

He was right next to me now, glaring. But his tone was unchanging, still as calm as before. "I would like to know why my son has taken such an interest in a Normie such as yourself." He smirked. "Well, half-Normie, half fire elemental would be more accurate, wouldn't it? Not to mention his equal interest in your Hyde side."

"Which brings us to the question of: how do you know all that?"

"I have my sources."

"That's not really much of an answer, is it?"

"If I had wanted to give one, I would have," Drystan stated. "Anyway, you mean very little to me. It's my son I'm after."

Oh, but you couldn't be bothered with him the other 1, 598 years of his life? I thought, but didn't dare say it out loud. I'd made that kind of mistake once already, and wouldn't do it again.

"Don't you roll your eyes at me."

"He has every right to," Kieran's voice came from the doorway, "And you're my father, not his—although I wouldn't even consider you mine after everything."

"Don't be foolish," Drystan turned to face Kieran, "After all, Kieran, you know what I've been up to all this time and if you had continued down your original path, you and I both know you would have ended up just like me one day. Isn't that right?"

"No. Even after what I did, I could never have been like you, Drystan. I never found enjoyment in stealing hearts, not one bit. And I never did any of that other shit, contrary to what you might think. Just stay the hell away from both of us."

During all that, I remained silent. I felt it best not to intervene right now, and Kieran had pretty much made the point that came up in my mind for me.

"Excuse me, sir," came the doctor's voice as he came back in, "I don't think you're supposed to be here."

"And him?" Drystan pointed to his son.

"He signed in," replied the doctor, "I already knew he'd be in here. You, on the other hand, need to leave now."

"I have some unfinished business here I need to take care of, so if you don't mind, I think I'll be staying a bit longer."

"Jackson, do you want him here?"

"No," I responded, "I want him gone just as much as you do."

"There you have it," the doctor said to Drystan, who just shrugged and followed him out, much to the surprise of both Kieran and I.

"It's not like him to just give in like that," Kieran noted, "He'll be back at some point."

"I hope not," I said.