The Seed of Hope

Chapter 18: Cracked

-"I get the feeling you aren't telling me something..."- Ivee leaned into Kate's face, suspicious at her blushing cheeks.

-"Ivee, it's nothing!"- Kate looked away from her sister, tucking her hair behind her ear as she blushed lightly.

-"Anyway, I'm relieved that Logan is back home, safe..."- Naoko said, leaning against the wall, looking out the window of Rai's hospital room.

Kate nodded, a sad expression on her face. She looked over at Rai, who was still out cold, his breathing was shallow and steady. Reminiscent of blood still lingered on his badly bruised skin, his hair messy and distressed. Kate blamed herself for this, guilt running laps in her mind over and over, tugging at her sanity once more. So much has happened since they met, and most of them are devastating and traumatizing. Kate sometimes thought of just leaving everything behind, even Rai, and maybe then everything will be safe, just take all the danger and imminent doom down with her. A knot formed in Kate's throat as she tried her hardest to hold back tears.

Then, memories of her dream with Logan came into her mind, uninvited and suddenly.

-What the fuck are you doing?- Kate thought to herself. Now was not a good time, especially when she was in front of her...boyfriend? A close friend with strong mutual feelings? Kate didn't know what they were, all she knew is that she loved him and he loved her back. But these memories with Logan made her heart skip a beat. How he held her close in a rare embrace, how he held her hand and didn't want to let her go, his eyes looking deep into hers as he revealed a softer side to him that Kate had never seen.

Kate shook her head at the sudden nausea caused by her anxiety and rubbed her face with her hands.

-"Katie, is Logan really okay?"- Ivee's voice snapped Kate out of her thoughts.

Kate looked up at Ivee, tucking away her shaking hands between her thighs.

Kate sighed sharply and smiled.

-"When I found him, he was covered in blood, dried and fresh,"- Kate hesitated at the thought. Rubbing her feet on top of her other one.

-"All bruised up and weak, I've never seen him in that state, his eyes were numb, almost dead."-

Ivee turned around, away from Kate in a swift motion. Exhaling sharply and crossing her arms in front of her chest. -"Those bastards...they will pay for what they've done..."- Her voice was deeper than normal and raspy.

Rai sighed and moaned lightly, struggling to open his eyes. The oxygen mask he wore slightly tightened as he took stronger and deeper breaths.

-"Rai!!"- The three girls shouted as they approached his bedside.

-"How are you feeling?"- Kate asked in barely a whisper. He looked at all of them, his eyes switching between them, one by one, and then he saw Kate's face. He closed his eyes and sighed in sudden relief.

-"Oh, Kate, I was so worried."- Rai reached and touched her face.

-"Don't move like that, stay still, don't want you overdoing it!"- Kate lightly blushed as she held his hand, caressing it.

Rai swallowed with his dry mouth and took a deep breath. -"I'm a little sore but I'm okay, just let me feel you..."- Rai placed his hand on Kate's cheek.

-"We thought you were a goner!"- Ivee said. -"I knew you were strong though, you can't die that easily!"- She added as she smiled.

-"Kate went to rescue Logan from the guys who attacked us, she hasn't told us what happened though."- Naoko turned to Kate.