"Eden you have to calm down, I know it's scary but we have to stay quiet," Jimin pleads, gripping my arms tightly. He draws near me and closes the space between us with his body.

My mouth is gaping in horror, unable to stop my heart from racing. My scream fades from my mouth and echoes off the walls of the greenhouse. I shake my head at him. I bite back the words, "You don't understand," when I know darn well he's one of the only people who do.

"Can't we reverse it?" Jungkook asks, wide-eyed. "They did it for Taehyungie, can't we do it for Eden?" He sits at Jimin's side and watches me intensely as if I were something strange. Something different.

That's because I am.

I force myself to focus on anything besides the fact I am turning into a hybrid. I turn my gaze outward and take in the scenery around us for the first time.

We are sitting underneath a dying tree in the far corner of the greenhouse. A circle of cracked stones and dirty bricks keeps us near each other. The stone paths that once led to this limp tree are covered with old mulch and dried leaves.

The greenhouse plants appear to have grown and died a thousand times over. The pale stems of ferns and wilted flowers droop over the metal tables spread around the large, glass-ceiling room. The ground bursts with dried vines and damp weeds from years of neglect. Once organized pots and plant holders have cracked open from suffocated roots and desperate plants yearning to spread their arms a little farther.

The once plentiful garden is turned into a graveyard of rot and ruin in the pale shadow of the morning light.

Taehyung sits against a crumbling white stone bench with a pained expression. He looks at me through the corner of his eye. "She is transforming too quickly. It's too fast."

"But you—" Jungkook attempts to argue but Taehyung cuts him off.

His deep voice reverbs through the empty air. "The doses they gave me worked slowly. Even now, I'm still part hawk in my eyes and other senses. Just because they ripped off my wings doesn't make me free of this."

Hoseok and Yoongi sit close by us. Yoongi has fallen quiet and watches in sympathy as I work to calm myself. Hoseok keeps a firm hand on Yoongi's shoulder, comforting him or reassuring him that he is near. They don't deserve to deal with this; they shouldn't even be here. Another regret to add to my amassing list of mistakes.

Despite the terror I feel, I can't help but regret my immediate reaction to becoming a hybrid. Not only am I surrounded by other hybrids who suffered more than I have, but we are also currently in danger of being caught.

I shouldn't have screamed.

We have to be silent until we find a true way to escape without being caught again.

The greenhouse is made of thick glass panes meaning if we shatter one, we will alert the guards of our location because this place has a bad echo. Not only that, some of us are in no condition to run all the way to Yoongi's car. That is if they haven't discovered his car yet.

"I don't have my phone," Hoseok comments, keeping his voice low. "They took them away when we were unconscious. Yoongi, did you call the police?"

Yoongi hesitates before shaking his head. "No, my phone is dead."

The roommates begin brainstorming on a new plan of getting us out of there without being caught when Jimin nudges me.

"Eden? Hey, can you hear me?"

I snap out of my daze and focus back on Jimin, still gaping into the empty space between us. "Huh?"

Jimin swallows hard and holds my wrists tighter. "Are you having trouble hearing me?"

I force myself to take a deep breath to calm my racing heart. " I'm sorry, I was just distracted. What did you say?"

"We are asking you how this happened in the first place. Do you remember it?"

I look over and find Taehyung and Jungkook watching me expectantly.

Images of the man in the padded room flash through my head. The memory itself is fuzzy but the emotions attached to it send chills down my spine.

"He came into the room and thought I was part of the new shipment..." I wince as a sharp pain travels down my back again. "He said the dose was different from the others. Later, I heard him arguing with another guard about how dumb he was. He made a mistake. He didn't realize I was the hostage and gave it to me by accident."

"Accident or not, that's sick," Yoongi mutters.

Jungkook's eyes flash with distant pain. "It is," he agrees quietly.

"Did he mention which dose it was?" Taehyung asks, his voice straining as he tries to sit up straighter.

I shake my head.

"Some types are easier to reverse than others," Taehyung continues, "it just depends. However, if it's your ears that are being affected, it might be more difficult. We can't regrow our ears."

I fight the urge to vomit again.

"Don't say that," Jungkook disagrees immediately. "There's still a chance!"

Taehyung's eyes soften at the sight of Jungkook's pleading look. "Kook... you know there's no..."

Jimin sighs and casts Jungkook a gentle look. "I know you want to believe there's a chance we all can go back to normal, but I don't think that's possible for us anymore."

Hoseok clears his throat quietly. "We need to get organized... we can't sit here for much longer. We need a plan." He turns to Yoongi and rests his hand on his shoulder, "We need to decide if we're escaping now or going back in to find a remedy to reverse Eden."

"We need to go back," Jungkook answers without hesitation.

The others remain quiet, either conflicted or wanting to avoid disagreeing with Jungkook's noble effort.

Leaving now would help ensure the safety of the others, but it may cost me my humanity. If we stay and try to find a cure, I could be dooming all of them for my desire to remain human. I am presented with a choice the others never had.

The selfish part of my heart wants to search for a cure. I'm terrified of becoming a hybrid because I have no idea what that means for me.

On the other hand, there's absolutely no way I am going to let them risk their lives again for my sake.

It looks as though the cycle of self-sacrifice will never come to an end.

Like this garden of life and death, it will continue to grow and rot in this cold, damp place.

How will it end?

"We have to leave." I look up at the boys trying to appear unafraid of the path ahead. I might be terrified, but I have to do the right thing. I can't be selfish right now. I have already taken so much from them, I can't take any more. "It's obvious, isn't it? We have to leave."

Jimin draws back in surprise. "You... you'd rather leave?"

A tight knot forms in my stomach as second thoughts rush through my head. "It's the right thing to do. I can't put you guys in danger again. We have to leave."

"Do you have any idea what you're giving up?" Taehyung asks in awe. He stares at me for a long moment before adding, "You would rather become a hybrid?"

"If it means keeping you guys safe... then yes."

Yoongi's eyes flash with irritation. "You can't sacrifice yourself either. Both of you," he points to Jimin and me, "You keep sacrificing yourselves for each other or others. How are you able to do that so easily? I'm not upset, I'm legitimately asking how you can do that."

Jimin and I share a brief look with wonder in our eyes.

"I don't know," he admits first. "I guess I think she's worth sacrificing myself for."

My mouth falls open briefly, his words warm my heart like a candle flame. "Really?"

Jimin smiles and nods slowly. "You've done so much for me. I want to repay you for what I did."

I flash him an apologetic smile, "I appreciate the sentiment, I really do, but I'm afraid it's the opposite. You saved my life first."

"Yes, but if I hadn't been there in the first place—"

"Regardless of that, he would have killed me—"

"Oh for Pete's sake, you guys are impossible," Yoongi complains, facepalming.

Hoseok chuckles as he watches us fondly. "It's giving me second-hand embarrassment just watching them." He shares a brief look with Yoongi, "Shouldn't somebody tell them?"

"They should figure it out soon enough."

Jimin and I stare at them in confusion.

I don't see what the big deal is about this. We're protecting each other because we keep saving each other's lives. This is normal, right?

Taehyung exhales sharply and watches Jimin with an odd look. "You seem oddly close for only knowing each other for two days." He dips his head at me before looking away, "It's like you've been friends for years."

Jimin's eyes widened with surprise. "Oh, does it?"

Jungkook glances between Taehyung and Jimin, fidgeting nervously. "It does... but maybe we shouldn't talk about this right now."

"Shit guys, why do we keep getting distracted?" Yoongi asks in disbelief, glancing over his shoulder towards the door to the greenhouse. "We need to make up our minds."

"Let's take a vote," Hoseok suggests and claps his hands together.

Everybody quickly shushes him in unison. Hoseok stiffens and flushes bright red, shrinking back against Yoongi. "Oops, sorry," he apologizes in a hushed voice.

"Who votes for leaving and who votes for trying our luck inside? The power is back on meaning we won't be able to wander around like before." Yoongi meets each of our gazes and waits for our response.

"I vote to leave," I say first, knowing the others won't say anything until I do. The whole reason the option of going back is because of me. There's no way I can agree to it, not with their safety at stake.

"We need to stay," Jungkook answers firmly. "Eden doesn't have to become a hybrid. We can change her back if we hurry."

Taehyung watches Jungkook sadly, "Kook, don't do this..."

Jungkook turns on him with anger flashing in his eyes, "Somebody has to speak up for her. She's too kind to be selfish but this is what she wants. She doesn't deserve this life, she doesn't deserve to suffer because of us. I want to save her."

"You're being selfish, Jungkook..." Jimin warns but his tone is soft. "But I understand that. I vote to stay."

My head snaps in Jimin's direction shocked he didn't vote to leave. "What? Why?"

Jimin reaches out and gently caresses the side of my face, mindful of the bruises covering my skin. "I won't let you sacrifice yourself again for my sake."

"Then I vote that we leave," Taehyung answers without missing a beat.

"Taehyung!" Jungkook scolds, turning his body to face the boy. "Why would you say that?"

Taehyung lifts his chin before looking away from Jungkook. "Because somebody has to do it."

Jungkook's eyes narrow as his ears push back against his head. "Don't be that person. You never agree with the majority. You're so stubborn..."

"It's Eden's decision in the end," Taehyung argues in a lowered tone. "I'm just agreeing with her. You should too."

"If that's the case, then I agree with Eden," Yoongi answers, raising his hand. He casts me an apologetic look, "If you believe this is the best decision, I'll follow that."

I voted to leave, so why am I having second thoughts about it? Why am I so afraid of what this new future holds? Why do I keep hoping they will vote to stay?

All eyes turn to Hoseok.

Hoseok's eyes darted from each one of us, trying to gauge our reactions and current expressions. He fiddles nervously with his hands and forces himself to take a deep breath. "I... I vote to—"

A loud bang from the right side of the greenhouse scares everybody out of their wits. Hoseok fights back a shriek and leaps onto Yoongi either to protect himself or to protect Yoongi. It might have been both. Jungkook slams his hands over his ears, grimacing from the sound. Taehyung gasps, his dark eyes grow wide with panic, and he covers his head with his arms.

Jimin's body jumps and immediately leans against me, holding onto me tightly. He quickly looks over his shoulder and goes pale.

"They're here..."

My eyes are glued shut from panic and I can't pry my trembling hands off of Jimin's arms. I bury my head into Jimin's chest to hide.

Not again. Not again. Please not again. I can't do this again. I can't keep doing this.

"PUT YOUR HANDS WHERE I CAN SEE THEM!"

I whimper quietly and shake my head quickly. "I can't do this," I whisper to Jimin, "I can't keep doing this..."

Jimin strokes my hair back and rests his head on top of mine. "I'll protect you," he answers gently. "I'll keep us safe, I swear."

"HEY. GET ON THE GROUND! THIS IS THE EASTERN DISTRICT POLICE. GET ON THE GROUND BEFORE WE SHOOT!"

My eyes snap open. The police are here? Why are they yelling at us? I look back to find everybody crouched low to the ground. A wall of dying plants and bushes shields us from plain sight. Beyond the small barrier, I catch a glimpse of twenty police officers surrounding a group of guards with their guns drawn. The guards lower themselves to the ground with their hands held above their heads in surrender.

My jaw slacks in awe. "We're saved," I whisper, gently shaking Jimin. "Oh my gosh, the police are here! Guys, we're saved!"

"We're what?" Yoongi lifts his head from Hoseok's body, still cradling him in his cradles. "When did they get here?"

"Did anybody call them?" Taehyung asks quietly, still keeping his head hidden.

We shake our heads and slowly come out of our hiding positions. We watch the police officers gather the other guards, including Sam, in tense silence.

After watching the scene play out, Hoseok stands up from our hiding place and calls one of the officers for help. The rest of us remain like statues as time catches up with us.

I guess we were all just stunned that something went right for once.

Finally, we have been saved, at least to some extent. The cycle of sacrifice has finally broken. We can finally escape this miserable place.

However, I fear there will always be danger lurking around the corner. I want to hope the future will be brighter, but it feels bittersweet.

I am turning into a hybrid. And I'm afraid there's nothing I can do to stop it.

A/N: I hope you enjoyed this chapter! We are finally seeing some light at the end of the tunnel! We are now crossing into "Part 3" of the story and entering the final arc! Let's get it!! <3