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I sat beside my brother on his hospital bed. Every time the beep from the machine was off by a second, I peaked my head up to make sure he was okay. I rubbed his knuckle with my finger, laying my head back.

I watched as his hand slowly opened from the fist it was put into. He turned his head, looking at me. I smiled. "Morning, Bird," I told him, then looked at my watch.

"Oh, sorry, evening."

6:00. That's what time it was. He had been asleep for almost a day. "Hi, Zazu," he said, then looked around him. His heart rate began to go up, so I knew he was confused.

"Calm down," I said, placing my hand on his chest. "Where am I?" He asked, calming down. "St. Olive's. You fell from the Hawk's Nest. Topper shoved you, remember?" I asked, calmly.

He acted a bit confused, but let out a small nod. "Don't feel like you have to remember. You have a concussion and broken wrist," I said, focusing on his cast.

He picked up his wrapped up hand. "Whoa," he said, making me laugh. "Pretty cool, huh," I asked, fixing how I was sitting. "We need to get out of here. DCS is gonna find us," he said, trying to sit up, only for me to push him back down, slowly. "No-"

"Hang on there, kid. Hang on."

I turned my head to see Ward Cameron, who had told me the news already. Sarah slowly came up from behind him, walking to me and giving me a hug. We were both in our dresses still, and my heels were back on my feet. "Sarah told me everything," Ward said.

"About your little adventure, about you running from the DCS, about how you were protecting her in the tower," he explained. John B looked at Sarah, smiling. "John, I believe I owe you an apology. You were honest with me about a small indiscretion, which made you incapable to feed you and your sister, besides her job at the stable, but I went ahead and fired you anyway. And I shouldn't have. Unfortunately, from time to time, I have a bit of a...short fuse. Ask her," Ward nodded to Sarah. "It's true," she chuckled, and I giggled.

"I'd like to make up for it, if you'll let me. I spoke with Sheriff Peterkin, and... I've offered to be your legal guardian, if you'll have me," Ward said. John looked at me then back at Ward. "What about Dylan?"

"She's coming too. It'd mean a roof over your head and no more runnin' from the DCS."

John B looked at Sarah, then at me, who was smiling intensely. "Sure, yeah. Sounds good."

"Welcome to the family," Ward said, grabbing me and John B's hands, and I grabbed Sarah, who grabbed John B.

-|-

Sarah introduced me to my new room, where I softly placed my guitar on my new bed.

"This used to be my room, when I was 9, but I needed more space, so, now it's yours

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"This used to be my room, when I was 9, but I needed more space, so, now it's yours. Hopefully it is enough space," Sarah said. "It-it's...big," I said.

More space?! This room is way to much room if anything!

-|-
THE NEXT DAY

"I'm sorry. You're staying where?" Kie asked John B and I. We were all at The Wreck.

"Tannyhill," we replied in unison.

"So, you're living with Sarah Cameron?" Kie asked.

"Look, the only reason we're living there is because her dad bailed us out, right? And it's way better than foster care, which, by the way, where we would've gone if Ward didn't-"

"So, hey, do you have a membership to the clubs now?" Pope asked me. "I don't know, Pope," I answered, grabbing the water Kie handed to me. "Thanks," I replied, still a bit pissed off for what happened after Midsummers. "Yep."

Things have gotten better the past 2 days between me and her. Gotta be honest. "What about the little golf carts?"

"Does it come with a sweater vest, or do you have to buy your own?"

"Look, you promised. You said you weren't with her. Bro, just own it. She got you," JJ explained.

"Yeah, Bird. Congrats, you are officially her bitch," I joked. He mocked me.

"Look, if you wanna hang out with her, that's fine. But I'm letting you know now that I'm not doing anything with Sarah," Kie explained to me and John B. "Do you guys see her here?"

"No, right. Okay. A little focus would be fantastic. We've got the map right?" I asked. "Yeah, but it's out of whack 'cause the guy was ganja'd when he drew it," JJ explained.

"It's cause the coast has changed," Kie said. "So, we can only use the landmarks that haven't change. Such as, the old forts," I explained, pointing on the maps.

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