Twenty seven seconds.

How long did he have to wait?

Twenty nine seconds.

Twenty three hours later and he still hadn't heard a thing from Raleigh, her parents, Autumn, or the doctor at the hospital. Was she still unconscious? Was her heart rate still up, showing no signs of slowing in the near future? Was it far worse?

Had she died?

No, he wouldn't think about that. She was still alive, he knew it. He could feel it inside him, all the way down to his bones.

But this was ridiculous.

How could nobody have called him yet? How could there not have been even one small change in her vitals?

Twenty three hours, sixteen minutes, and eleven seconds since he left her at Hollywood Medical. He was going to lose it soon. He needed to know how she was, if she was going to wake up soon. If she was going to be alright. He couldn't just sit around his silent house, waiting for something to happen to her while he wasn't there. He needed to be by her side, regardless if her parents were there now.

Not thinking another thought, Dan grabbed his car keys and ran out the door, not even bothering to lock it behind himself. Not wasting anytime, Dan drove onto the thruway and did eighty the entire way, not giving a damn if he passed a cop or two. Making it to the hospital in record time, Dan threw his car into park, jumped out and ran in through the doors. Trying to calm himself, he slowed to a walk and headed to Raleigh's room in the ICU.

What the hell?

Looking through the glass into the room, Dan saw that a small child lay where Raleigh had been just yesterday. A younger woman sat at his side, holding his hand, sobbing as she watched him sleep. Where was she?

Turning around, Dan tried to find someone who could give him the information he needed. When his eyes planted on the nurse he and Autumn had spoken to the day before, he immediately went up to her.

"Excuse me." He tapped her shoulder to get her attention. When she turned, he began speaking. "I don't know if you remember me, but I was with a young woman yesterday in the ICU."

"Yes, Ms. Coons." She nodded, hugging the chart she held to her chest.

"Yes. Where is she?" He felt like he was going to burst. The nurse's face softened as she looked at him.

"Nobody called you?" Dan looked at her wearily. What was she getting at? Why should someone have called him? What happened to Raleigh that he was unaware of?

Shaking his head, Dan never broke their gaze. "No."

---

What was that god-awful noise? It sounded like the incessant beeping of an alarm clock that refused to turn off. It started as just a faint little blip as thought it were far away, then it slowly became louder with every beep. It felt like it was getting closer and closer, as though it were inside her head, echoing throughout her brain.

God, what was it?

She tried to open her eyes so she could look at the annoying object, but she couldn't. Her eyelids felt like pieces of lead that had been welded shut. She tried to move her arm, her hand, her fingers...anything. But nothing would move. Her head, her leg, her foot...nothing. She was completely immobile. Oh god.

Am I paralyzed?

No, she couldn't be, she could feel herself. She could feel everything. Her toes, her fingers...but why wouldn't they move? It felt like she wasn't in control of her own body. That was crazy. It was her body, nobody else could possibly be controlling it.

Ugh, that sound. It just kept getting louder and louder, soon it would be too much for her to handle.

Now what is that?

There was this other sound. It was sort of muffled. It kind of sounded like voices, all around her. She couldn't make out what they were saying or if they were male or female, but she knew they were definitely voices. What was going on?

Am I dead?

No. She'd always heard tales of blinding white light and your ancestors meeting you at the end of a tunnel to welcome you into Heaven. But all she saw was blackness among the noise. Was this Hell?

She felt completely aware of herself, but she just couldn't move or make out certain noises. They were there, but just out of reach. Was this her punishment for how she'd been living her life? Was that what put her in this place?

Suddenly, there was a slight pain in her stomach. It began as just an uncomfortable pinch at first before turning into a burning sensation. Before she could really acknowledge it was there it turned into a harsh searing pain as though someone had taken a knife to her stomach. She would have doubled over in pain had she been able to move. Suddenly she became very aware of the pain in her face and throat. Her legs felt insanely sore and she could feel tears beginning to tickle the back of her burning throat. What was going on?

When the pounding began in her head, she fought the tiredness she felt and forced her eyes open, trying to take in a deep breath so she could scream in protest of the pain, but she couldn't. Something was in her throat blocking her airway, all she could do was choke as she tried to inhale the breath she desperately needed.

"Oh my God! Go get the doctor!" Deb yelled at her husband as she watched her daughter begin to choke on the intubator. She rushed to her side and tried to calm her, waiting for the doctor to come in and remove the tube.

Just seconds later the doctor and nurse rushed in, telling Deb to back up so they could remove the tube from Raleigh's throat.

"Raleigh, I need you to calm down and relax. When I count to three I need you to exhale. 1...2...3." As soon as he said three, Raleigh exhaled what little breath she had and gagged as the tube was removed from her throat. As she coughed and choked, she gulped in as much as air as she could. She felt like she was learning to breathe again. When she finally felt like she caught her breath, she leaned back against the bed, fighting her obscured vision. When she swallowed, it felt as though hundreds of tiny razor blades were stuck in her throat. She tried to ask for water but all that came out was a croak. Immediately the nurse was at her side holding a plastic cup, straw bent towards her. She slightly raised her head to suck down the cool liquid, trying not to choke on it.

"Raleigh, I'm Doctor Richards. Do you know where you are?" He asked smoothly as he flashed a light into each of her eyes.

Blinking away from the obscenely bright light, Raleigh began to look around herself. Her vision was slowly beginning to clear and she knew she was at the hospital. "Hollywood Medical?" She flinched at how hoarse her voice sounded.

"Very good. Do you have any recollection of the past forty-eight hours?" Trying to keep her eyelids from closing, Raleigh tried to think back on what could have possibly happened to her that she had wound up there. All she could focus on was the pounding in her head, the aching in her arms, legs and face, and the increasing desire to just close her eyes and fall asleep. She managed to shake her head once before she gave in and closed her eyes, feeling sleep wash over her immediately.

"Doctor, will she be alright?" Keith asked, unable to tear his eyes from his baby girl's limp body.

"I believe so. Her heart rate is back to normal and she woke up. That's the important thing. She'll probably be out for a few more hours. You folks are welcome to stay with her or go and get some rest. Either way she'll be taken care of." Softening his voice, Doctor Richards said, "You're daughter is going to be fine."

"Thank you." Deb felt the sob escape from her throat before she could think to stop it and Keith wrapped his arms around her shaking body. He wasn't the emotional type, but Keith felt a few tears of relief roll down his cheeks. He'd come so close to losing his youngest daughter. That was a type of loss he felt as though no parent should ever have to feel.

Pulling away from his wife and wiping the tears from his cheeks, Keith pulled out his cell phone. "I'm going to go call the kids. Let them know how she's doing."

"Ok." When Keith left, Deb sat at her daughter's side and pulled her hand into her own. The past year hadn't been so great between them but she was still her little girl. She'd die before she'd let anything happen to any of her children. She suddenly regretted now more than ever that she hadn't spoken to her so much while she'd been gone. But even more so, she regretted not telling Raleigh how much she loved her after every conversation. A few more tears slipped past her red-rimmed eyes as she thought of how Raleigh could have died and the last time Deb had told her she loved her was when she'd left for LA. It's funny how it takes something like a near death experience to get you to really think.

Hearing someone come down the hall and stop at Raleigh's room, Deb wiped her eyes and turned towards the door.

"Daniel." Surprise etched her features when she saw the young man standing there looking about as great as she was sure she herself looked. Standing up, Deb went to him. "Come in."

"I'm sorry for just showing up like this. I was going crazy at home not knowing how she is."

"Don't apologize. I'm glad you're here."

Finally allowing himself to look at Raleigh, Dan was shocked to see the intubator was gone.

"She's breathing on her own?" His eyes never left her as he walked closer, taking her hand in his.

"Yes. Not even ten minutes ago she just woke up. Keith is calling the rest of the kids to let them know." Dan heard the relief in the woman's voice as she fought past a fresh onslaught of tears. "Doctor Richards says she's going to be fine."

"Thank god." He breathed out as he leaned down to place a kiss on Raleigh's forehead. The action felt too intimate to be doing with her mother standing right there, but at the same time he just didn't care. The woman he loved was going to be fine. They were going to make it through this, he was sure of it.

Going over to the man who obviously held a lot of affection for her daughter, Deb set a gentle hand on his shoulder. He gave a start and laughed a little when he looked at Deb. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Deb smiled at him as she took his hand. "Let's go get some coffee and we can talk." Dan nodded his compliance and gave Raleigh one last look, as if to reassure himself she'd be fine, before he allowed himself to go along with her.

After getting their coffee-Dan ever the gentleman, paid- they sat down in comfortable silence.

"So." Deb began the conversation. "How did you and Raleigh meet? Do you have a class together?" The way she peered at him over her paper cup as she took a careful drink of the hot liquid, Dan got the distinct impression that she already knew the truth, whether or not her daughter had told her.

"Sort of." He didn't know this woman, but he did respect her. That's why he decided to tell her the truth. "In all honestly, Mrs. Coons..."

"Please, call me Deb."

"Deb. I'm not a student at the school."

"Oh?" Deb allowed a small smirk to form on her face as she set down her cup. "You're an instructor. Am I right?"

Smiling slightly, Dan could only nod.

"I thought so. When I first saw you I noticed you just had that authoritative look about you." She could tell he was worried she'd turn him into the Board of Education, and as unhappy as she was about her daughter dating such an older man who was also her professor, she was done controlling her life. After all, it hadn't done much good the last time, did it? "And when I see the way you look at Raleigh, I can see just how much you care for her."

"I do. When I saw her lying unconscious on the ground...it nearly killed me. I know that if she hadn't made it, it would have succeeded."

Reaching across the table, Deb set her hand on top of him, rubbing gently. It was funny how just a simple touch from this woman could comfort him. He'd never known that kind of comfort from his own mother when she‘d been alive. Raleigh didn't know how lucky she truly was.

"You know, when Raleigh called home to ask if it was ok if you joined us for Christmas, some of the happiness I haven't heard in her voice in a long time was back. Even when she felt like she finally had Josh back she wasn't nearly as happy as I can tell she is now with you."

"Well, Josh was the only love she's ever known. I can imagine how much it hurt her for him to end it the way he did."

"Well, none of us are immune to pain, are we?"

Smiling, Dan thought about Christina. "No, we definitely aren't."

"Either way, I think you're the best thing that could have happened to her. Only her brother and best friend really know what has been going on with her here so I won't pretend I know. But I am glad she has you."

Dan could only offer her another smile, this one genuine. What could he possibly say after that? Somehow, "thank you" just didn't seem like enough.

Suddenly, Dan's cell phone began to ring and he silently cursed himself for not turning it off. Pulling it out of his pocket, he saw that it was Autumn.

"I'm sorry, I really should take this."

"Go right ahead." Deb turned her head and sipped on her now cooled coffee as Dan flipped open his phone and put it to his ear.

"Hey, Autumn."

"Oh my god, Dan! I'm going crazy here. Please tell me you've heard something!"

"Autumn, calm down! I'm at the hospital right now actually. Why don't you come down and I'll catch you up with what's gone on?"

"I'll be there in like ten minutes." Autumn hung up before Dan could say another word.

Flipping his phone shut, Dan replaced it in his pocket before apologizing to Deb. "I'm sorry. That was Autumn, Raleigh's roommate. She‘s going as crazy as I was."

Deb smiled at him before becoming somber once again. "Dan, may I ask you something?"

"Of course."

"Do you know the son of a bitch who did this to my baby?"

Looking her in the eye, Dan wondered how much he should tell her. But he just couldn't bring himself to lie to her. So, sighing, Dan ran a hand through his disheveled hair. "We think it was Effron Walker although we can't be sure until Raleigh's coherent enough to tell us."

"Why do you think it was him?"

"He was the last person Autumn saw her with and..." He stopped himself again wondering if he should really be saying this to her mother.

"And?" She urged him on. Seeing the need in her eyes to know what he knew, Dan gave in. He knew what that felt like all too well.

"Before Raleigh and I got started she'd been sort of seeing him. They'd go out and party, get drunk, and there's not a doubt in my mind that she did some coke with them too." He hated how he sounded but he couldn't stop now. He just couldn‘t soften the blow his words might have on the woman. "Raleigh told me that she knew things were getting out of hand with him and distanced herself. When josh was here last month she noticed Effron was basically acting like a jealous, possessive boyfriend. And when Josh left she went back to him. I'm pretty sure it was just the one night, but don't quote me on that. All I know for sure is that he wanted more with her than she was willing to give."

When Dan finished he'd expected Deb to break down into tears once again or to even lash out in anger. But what he hadn't expected was her completely calm demeanor as she drank the rest of her coffee.

"So, you stayed faithfully by her side while she whored it up, huh?" Deb let out an incredulous laugh as she sadly shook her head. "After all she's been through this past year, you'd thing a girl would learn."

"In all fairness, she was really trying. And I don't think she'd have gone back to feed the fire if I hadn't ended us."

Looking at the young man with confusion, Deb asked, "What do you mean?"

Taking a deep breath, Dan leaned his elbows on the table and put his hands to his face, trying to rub away the tension he felt so strongly. He might as well continue being honest with her. "Well, two weeks ago or so, I told her I didn't think it was a good idea for us to keep seeing each other. She didn't protest or fight it so I figured she agreed with me. The days following I noticed how much she was hanging on Effron. The way she would look at me during class...I knew it was just to get a rise out of me. But I never said anything. I wish now that I had."

"Daniel, you can't blame yourself for Raleigh's choices. But I'm afraid I have to ask, are you here out of guilt or love?"

Dan swallowed the razor blades down that seemed to have made his throat a home and looked into Deb's eyes that very nearly matched Raleigh's.

"Deb I ended it because I was afraid I was getting too lost. I was scared I felt more for her than she did for me. But when she showed up at my doorstep the night of her grandmother's birthday, I realized how wrong I'd been." Dan saw the sad smile form on her lips and he knew she was thinking about her late mother. "She was such a mess over it. Having lost both her grandmother and me.

"She always was closest with my mother. I think it hurt her worse than it did me when she passed."

Leaning forward, Dan couldn't help but to tell Deborah his true feelings for her daughter.

"Deb, despite everything Raleigh has done, all the mistakes she's made, I know who she really is and I know who she wants to be. And I am completely, helplessly in love with her for it."

Smiling, Deb placed her hand gently on his cheek. "Dan, I don't doubt your affection for Raleigh in the least." No longer knowing what to do or say, Dan simply smiled at the woman.

Removing her hand, Deb cleared her throat and picked up her empty coffee cop. "I'm going to grab a cup for Keith and then we can head back up. I think we've left Raleigh alone long enough."

Agreeing, Dan stood and waited patiently for Deb before heading back up to where Raleigh now slept.

As they entered the room, Keith stood and came to his wife, taking the coffee from her as she held it out to him.

"You read my mind."

"Did you call the kids?"

"Yeah. Janie broke down into tears, Alan, and Nick were just relieved. And Rob is trying to get me to let him come out here." Keith shook his head as he sighed, taking a small sip of his coffee, wincing slightly at the heat. "I know he's her twin and all but he still has a final left at school. I can't just let him skip it to come out here when she's going to be fine." Putting her arms around Keith, Deb rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes.

"He's just worried about her. We all are."

Watching the way Deb hung on Keith and how he held her, Dan saw something he'd truly never known in his parents. He saw the love these two held for one another and how much they meant to each other. It really made him think about the kind of relationship his own parents had had with one another. Were they ever really happy?

But more than that, he could tell just how exhausted they were. Clearing his throat, Dan met eyes with Keith. "Listen, I can see how tired you both are and since I'm here and Autumn will be here any minute, why don't you guys go and get some sleep? I'll call when she wakes up."

Smiling at Dan, Deb finally let go of her husband.

"Did you guys check into a hotel that I can drop you off at?"

"Uh no. Actually we just came straight here from the airport."

"Oh. Well, then why don't you stay at my house?"

Deb began shaking her head, holding her hand up in protest. "Oh no, Dan we couldn't impose."

"Deb, I insist. It would save you guys money and I assure you I have the room. Its no trouble at all, really." Deb and Keith looked at one another before turning back to Dan.

"Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. Besides I think you guys could use some good food rather than the hospital's stuff I'm sure you've been eating."

Deb smiled sheepishly and her face became slightly crimson. "Actually, we haven't eaten at all. It wasn't really on my mind until now. I am actually quite hungry."

"Well, then let me take you to my house and get you guys settled in when Autumn gets here."

"All right." Keith said before taking a seat back at his daughter's side, sipping on his coffee.

They sat together in comfortable silence for about three minutes before Autumn finally arrived. She went straight over to Dan, a serious expression written on her face. "You didn't tell me they moved her! I went back down to the ICU like a fool trying to find you guys!" Dan stood and allowed a smile to come to his face as he listened to Autumn's tirade.

"Autumn, calm down. I'm sorry I just forgot to mention it."

"It's ok. So, what's going on?" Autumn finally turned to the bed and allowed her eyes to skim over Raleigh's sleeping form.

"She woke up a little while ago. She's breathing on her own and her heart rate is back to normal. She's going to be fine."

"Oh thank god!" She breathed a sigh of relief as she fell into Dan's arms, looking for some sort of comfort. After a moment, Dan let her go and motioned to Raleigh's parents.

"I'm going to take them back to my place so they can get some food and sleep. You gonna be ok here by yourself until I get back?"

Autumn waved a hand dismissively and sat down beside her friend. "You guys go, I'll be fine here."

Dan nodded and Deb and Keith took turns kissing their daughter on the forehead. Keith squeezed her hand and whispered, "I love you baby girl. We'll be back in a few hours." Then they all left, following Dan out to his car.

Sitting there, Autumn allowed herself to really take in Raleigh's appearance. The swelling around her eye and mouth had gone down immensely, but the bruising was still really bad, as was the cut on her lip. Reaching out, Autumn took her by the hand, squeezing gently.

"Hey you. We finally get a minute alone." She let out a small laugh. "I'm glad you're going to be fine. There was a minute there that I'd thought we lost you." She sat there for a second, just looking at her, and she began to feel the tickle in the back of her throat that had become so familiar over the past couple days. "You know, I know I never told you this, but I really am happy it was you who became my roommate this semester. I finally found out what it was like to have a best friend, a true friend, and I took it for granted. We never really sat down and talked about things that happened in our pasts, why I feel the way I do about men, why you're really so hung up on Josh. All I know is he made you feel a world of pain after you loved him for most of your life. And then you came here and now you're with Dan. He's really a great guy, Ray. I wish you could see just how broken up over this he really is." Stopping to try and stop the tears from forming in her eyes, Autumn diverted her them, looking anywhere around the room except for at Raleigh. "I know that when you wake up and are able to leave the hospital your parents are probably going to take you home to Tennessee. I don't want them to make you run away because of what happened. I'd really miss you if you left permanently, you know? Even if I have to kill Effron to get you to stay, I'd do it. I'm sure Dan would too. He's not going to get away with this, Ray. I promise you."

---

Pulling into the driveway, Dan turned off the engine and they all began to get out of his car.

Standing on the driveway, Deb looked at the large house in awe. "This is your home?"

"Yes, well it was my parents' house. I inherited it when they died."

"I'm so sorry."

Giving a half-hearted shrug as he helped Keith with their bags, he smiled at Deb. "Don't be." As they walked up to the front porch, Dan went through his keys to find the right one and quickly slid it into the door to unlock it, allowing them entry.

"Here we are. Home sweet home." Dan said with less enthusiasm than he meant.

Keith walked around the living room and gave a whistle of appreciation. "Wow, Dan this is great. You don't get this kind of house from owning a small café in Tennessee, I'll tell you that."

"Stop it. You love the café." Deb smirked at him.

Clearing his throat Dan began pointing to different rooms, giving them a short tour. "Alright, this is the living room, obviously. There is a bathroom right there," he pointed to a dark oak door in the corner of the room. "Over here is the study complete with a fireplace and grand piano, another bathroom off in the corner." Walking out of the study, Dan led them to the kitchen, Raleigh's favorite room of the house. "And here is the kitchen. Luckily I just went shopping so it is stocked with food, feel free to help yourselves." Keith and Deb followed Dan up the stairs and down the long hallway, passing four more doors before stopping at a double-door entry. "And this will be your room. It's my favorite guest room if I do say so." Opening the doors, Dan entered and smiled when he saw Deb's mouth drop open.

"Dan, this room is gorgeous. I think its about two of our bedrooms combined back home."

"Well, I'm glad you like it." Going over to the wall to the left of the doorway, Dan opened another door and turned on the light, illuminating yet another bathroom. "You have your own bathroom and the towels and washcloths are under the sink."

Just standing there, taking in her surroundings, Deb felt at a loss for words.

"Thank you for this, Dan. You really didn't have to open your home to my wife and I."

"Sir, Raleigh means the world to me, and you're her parents. I wouldn't have it any other way." Keith nodded at Dan and gave a small smile. The man really was a bit intimidating. He'd take facing Scot any day of the week over this guy. "Alright, well if you're both fine here I think I'll head back to the hospital. Feel free to make yourselves at home." Deb and Keith nodded and Dan left them alone. He locked the front door behind himself then went to his car and drove back to Hollywood Medical. He hated leaving Raleigh for even a few minutes, let alone nearly an hour.

When he finally got back into the hospital room, Autumn was just sitting there deep in thought, staring at Raleigh's immobile face. He tried to imagine what she'd be thinking that hard about but he was clueless. Clearing his throat, Dan smiled and asked, "Am I interrupting?"

Startled, Autumn jumped a little and turned her head to see who was there. "Oh, Dan, you're back."

"I am." She let out a small laugh as he stepped forward a few steps. "I didn't mean to scare you. You must have been in your own little world."

"Uh, yeah. I was." Dan nodded and went to sit across from Autumn on the other side of Raleigh. After smoothing out Raleigh's hair a bit, he looked back to Autumn and noticed her haggard appearance. He knew she was upset about everything going on with Raleigh, but he couldn't imagine it being that bad for her, she looked worse than him.

"Autumn, what's going on with you?"

"What do you mean?" She said wearily, wondering why he'd be asking her this.

"You look tired. Well, no exhausted, pale."

"Well, my friend is lying unconscious in the hospital and has been for over a day now. You would know how that makes me feel better than anyone."

"No, I mean, you look like there's more going on with you than this." He noticed the way she refused to meet his eyes, the way she bit her bottom lip to stop the trembling, how she twisted her hands in one another. He said, "Autumn, she's going to be fine." to reassure her, but he knew Raleigh lying there was not what had Autumn acting this way.

"I know that." She continued to look over Raleigh's slowly healing face.

"Autumn, seriously, you're worrying me. What's wrong?"

"Nothing. I'm fine." shaking her head, Autumn cleared her throat and plastered a fake smile on her lips. "Do you want to play some more cards?"

Knowing fully well that Autumn was the type of person who wouldn't say anything if she didn't want to, Dan gave up and stood, motioning to the table on the side of the room. He wasn't going to pressure Autumn to open up to him more than she already had. If she wanted someone to talk to, he'd be there for her, if not, he'd still be there.

"Alright. But I refuse to play crazy eights with you anymore." He smiled at her as he sat down. Surprisingly, she returned the smile whole-heartedly.

"What's the matter, Dan? Don't take well to losing?"

"I didn't lose. You cheated." Crossing her arms across her chest, Autumn leaned back against the chair.

"Tell me, how do you cheat at crazy eights?"

"Why don't you tell me since you're the one who cheated?"

"I didn't cheat but fine. What would you like to play then? Go fish? No wait, I could cheat at that too."

"Ok smartass, I lost. Happy now?"

"Yes." Autumn gave him a smug smile and he let out a laugh as he shuffled the cards.

"Nine hole golf ok?"

"Yeah that's fine. They played two games of nine hole golf then during their first game of gin rummy a nurse came in to check of Raleigh.

"She looks really good." She said, writing something on her chart. When she was done she cast a smile their way. "I think we can expect her to wake up soon." Then she was gone, leaving Autumn and Dan alone to speak.

"I can't wait until she wakes up." Dan was the first to break the deafening silence. "I miss her voice, her smile, hell I even miss all her annoying habits."

"Like what? The way she leaves her soaking wet towels on the bathroom floor? Or her incessant refusal to rinse down the shower when she's done so you don't slip and break your neck on her soap suds."

Dan laughed and regardless of how much these things drove him crazy, he wouldn't change anything about Raleigh for all the money in the world. And he was pretty sure Autumn wouldn't either. "I miss her snoring. It's kind of hard to sleep now without."

"Do you think they'll release her when she wakes up?"

"I don't know. I hope so. I'm sick of being here. I just want to take her home."

Autumn raised an eyebrow at Dan as she peered at him over her cards. "Home?"

Raising his eyes to meet hers, Dan furrowed his brow in confusion. "What?"

"You said you just want to take her home."

"Oh, you know what I mean." Dan waved his hand dismissively and continued to look at his cards, debating on his next move. They played two more hands before Dan finally won and jumped up, raising his hands in the air triumphantly. "Yes! I won!"

"Yeah, yeah. One out of three ain't bad." Autumn watched in mock humor before she felt her stomach give a loud rumble, causing Dan to give her a sharp look.

"Damn woman, you could say ‘excuse me'."

Autumn reached forward and slugged Dan in the leg, trying to keep a straight face. "That was my stomach, you freak."

Pouting like a small boy, Dan put his hand over his heart and fell back down into his chair. "Now was that really called for?"

"Yes." Autumn allowed herself to laugh whole-heartedly for the first time in what felt like weeks before standing up and reaching for her purse. "I'm going to go get some food at the Wendy's down the street."

Reaching into his back pocket, Dan pulled out his wallet and fished out a twenty dollar bill. "Good, get me a double cheeseburger combo, biggy size with a cherry coke. And whatever you want." He gave her a cheesy smile and added a , "please?"

"Damn, you eat a lot."

"I'm hungry." He frowned at her. She began to turn away and he quickly called out to her. "Oh! Extra onions on the burger."

"You know, I'm gonna have to sit here with your extra onions."

"Hey, I'm buying so I think you can handle it."

Autumn shook her head and turned to leave, but her smile betrayed her annoyance.

After ordering their food, she waited there at the counter patiently.

"Autumn, is that you?" Hearing her name being called, Autumn turned around and groaned inwardly as she tried not to roll her eyes at the two girls walking up to her. She'd been friends with the bitch twins her first semester at Hollywood Academy, but then she'd smartened up.

"Blaire, Jeanette, so nice to see you." She didn't even try to remotely cover up the disdain she felt for the obnoxious duo.

"I thought that was you." Blaire said.

"How's your friend?" Jeanette added with just as much attitude.

"Which one?"

"You know, the one who was drugged and raped at YOUR Christmas party."

"Thanks for the invite, bye the way."

"No problem." Autumn smiled when she saw Jeanette roll her eyes. "She's fine. How did you hear about that?"

"We have our sources. We also heard that she's been banging Mr. Cooper."

"We knew she was a talent less whore, but to go so low to get a good grade?"

"That's just pathetic."

Lowering her voice, Autumn took a few steps closer to the twins and tried her hardest to not beat the crap out of both of them. "If anyone needs to sleep their way to the top, it's you. Raleigh is the best in the school and you both know it."

Blaire clucked her tongue. "Oh, touchy."

"I'm sorry, did we insult your girlfriend?"

"You're lucky we're in public or you wouldn't be standing right now." Without another word, Autumn grabbed her food and drinks and left, heading back to the hospital trying not to look back for fear of getting arrested for murder.

When she returned to the room, she pretended nothing was wrong as they dug into their food. As soon as Dan opened his cheeseburger, Autumn got a strong whiff of onion and gagged.

"Ugh that smell is disgusting."

Smiling even wider, Dan picked up his burger and wafted it towards her. "Mm, smell that delicious aroma."

"Oh my God, you are such an ass. I don't know how Raleigh puts up with you." Autumn laughed as she pushed his arm away.

"She puts up with me because I'm just oh so dreamy." He laughed at himself before sobering up. "You seriously don't like onions?"

"no. I used to love them but now even the smell makes me wanna puke."

Dan took a big bite of his double cheeseburger and chewed thoughtfully while looking at Autumn. "Maybe you're pregnant."

Autumn burst out laughing at that, trying not to spew chewed French fries all over the place. "Oh Mom and Dad would love that. Their only daughter, that they already named a disgrace, pregnant by a black guy. That'd be the icing on a fantastic year." When her laughter subsided, she could only shake her head. Dan thought she might break down and cry so he tried to keep her talking and wondered when the last time she truly opened up to somebody was.

"So, you and David, huh?"

"Davey."

"Sorry, Davey."

"Yep. Me and Davey. I mean, we're not dating or anything, but..." Autumn sighed and leaned back in her chair. "Yeah."

"Well, that's cool. I mean he seems like a good guy. I only hope he's better than his buddy."

"Trust me, Dan. He is." Something in the way Autumn said the words as she starred into his eyes made him want to believe her. So he did.

Not three seconds later they heard a rustling on the bed followed by Raleigh's raspy voice. "I thin anyone is better than him. Can I have a fry?"

Dan and Autumn quickly looked to Raleigh's bed and just sat there, mouths gaping in a dumbfounded expression for a few moments before laughter took over. After the chock of hearing Raleigh speak wore off, they stood and went to her side.

"I'm assuming you feel better?" Dan said, handing her a French fry.

"Than what? I feel like I got hit by a train and I haven't eaten in days. Can I have some water, please?" Dan poured a glass of water from the pink pitcher that sat on the bed tray and gave it to her to sip.

"I'm gonna go get the nurse." Autumn was only gone for about two minutes before she walked back into the room followed by the perky, plump nurse.

"Well, good morning sunshine." The nurse smiled brilliantly at Raleigh while removing her stethoscope from around her neck. "How are you feeling?"

"Been better. Can I get a couple aspirin?" She hated how whiney she sounded, but she hadn't been lying when she said she felt as though she'd been hit by a train. Everything on her body ached.

"I'll see what I can do, but for now I need to check you over."

Dan excused himself and went out into the hallway to call Raleigh's parents. They sounded ecstatic when he told them she'd woken up and they told him they'd get a cab and be right over. When he re-entered the room ,the nurse was telling Raleigh everything looked really good.

"Now, I'm afraid, the questions are coming. Do you remember everything that happened?" Raleigh looked down at her hands as she twisted the ring Josh had given her around her finger.

"I remember everything."

"Well, that's good. It means the ecstasy didn't do any permanent damage." How she could just come out and say that, Dan had no idea. When Raleigh's eyes snapped up to the nurse's face, he just wanted to choke her for being so insensitive.

"Ecstasy?"

The nurse sighed as she hugged her chart to her chest. "Raleigh, Doctor Richards found a large amount of the drug, along with cocaine, in your system. You're incredibly lucky to be sitting here talking to me right now."

Raleigh just sat there in stunned silence. She'd known she had done a lot of coke, but ex? She would never do that. She'd seen far too often what the chemical did to people.

"All right, well, I have to go and let Dr. Richards know you're awake so he can do another examination on you and get Officer Jones in here." The woman turned and left the room with a smile on her face as if they'd just been talking about nothing more than the weather. Raleigh on the other hand was freaking out.

"Officer Jones....Officer Jones?!"

"Raleigh, you need to clam down. I'm sure it's just routine, but anyway your parents well be back here in a few minutes and they can speak with him." Autumn's voice was soothing as if she were speaking to a child that had just lost her favorite doll. Luckily it worked. For the moment, Raleigh's mind was now on the fact that her parents were in town.

"My parents are here? In LA?"

"Yeah. They just left for a few hours to try and get some sleep."

"Ok." She nodded that she understood but she didn't understand at all. How much had she missed while she'd been out? How long had she been out?"

Where was Effron?

Dr. Richards waited with Raleigh until her parents had arrived. Her mother came running in, crying and hugging and kissing her baby girl, refusing to stop until Raleigh insisted that she was fine. Her father had just hugged her tightly. Nobody knew what he had whispered to her but whatever it was made Raleigh's eyes instantly tear up and she whispered, "I love you, Daddy."

When he released her, a very tall, very dark, man entered the room, dressed in full police uniform. He identified himself as Officer Jones and Raleigh felt her fear return, ten fold. What was going to happen to her? Was he going to throw her in jail for being such a juvenile delinquent? Would she be forced to go back home?

Would he even care to hear about how she knew for a fact that she'd been drugged so she would have been easier to handle? The man turned to speak with her, but before she could even register what he had said to her, her father stepped up and said something to him. Officer Jones had nodded, excused himself, and together they went out into the hallway to speak. She hadn't known what her father said the to large man, but Raleigh couldn't have thanked him enough when he came back in, alone.

"Honey, what's going on?" Deb looked at him with worry in her eyes, but Keith just smiled and put an arm around her shoulders.

"Absolutely nothing. It's taken care of."

As relieved as Raleigh was to be off the hook, she still felt some sort of uneasiness stir in the pit of her stomach. She didn't want to be in trouble with the police, but she wanted to at least speak with them. She didn't want to cause a huge scene about it, but Effron had drugged and raped her. She could have possibly lost her life.

Didn't anyone care?