Hex POV
Beeping.
That was the first thing I heard.
Slow.
Steady.
Beep…
Beep…
Beep…
My head felt heavy.
Like someone had dropped a brick on it.
I tried to move but a sharp pain shot through my arm immediately.
"…ow."
My voice sounded rough and weak.
For a moment everything was blurry.
White ceiling.
Bright lights.
The faint smell of medicine.
Hospital.
Great.
I blinked slowly, trying to focus.
Bandages wrapped around my arm.
Another one across my forehead.
A tube connected to my hand.
"Wow," I muttered quietly.
"That explosion really had attitude."
My throat felt dry.
I turned my head slightly.
And that's when I noticed someone sitting beside the bed.
Jay.
She was asleep in the chair, leaning forward slightly with her arms crossed on the bed near me.
Her hair looked messy.
Her eyes were slightly red like she hadn't slept much.
One of her hands was resting near mine, like she had been holding it before she fell asleep.
For a second I just stared at her.
She looked exhausted.
"…Uh oh," I whispered.
"That means I definitely scared everyone."
I tried lifting my hand slightly.
The movement made the heart monitor beep a little faster.
Jay stirred.
Her eyebrows moved slightly.
Then her eyes slowly opened.
For a moment she looked confused.
Like her brain hadn't caught up with reality yet.
Then she saw me looking at her.
Everything on her face changed instantly.
Her eyes widened.
"…Hex?"
My voice came out weak.
"Hey."
For two seconds she didn't move.
Then she shot up out of the chair.
"YOU'RE AWAKE?!"
Her voice echoed through the hospital room.
I winced slightly.
"Yeah… I noticed."
She stared at me like she couldn't believe it.
Then suddenly her eyes filled with tears.
Before I could say anything she grabbed me in a tight hug.
Careful of the bandages… but still tight.
"You idiot!" she said, her voice shaking.
"You absolute idiot!"
"Ow—hey—careful," I said weakly.
"My arm voted against that hug."
She pulled back slightly but her hands stayed on my shoulders.
"You scared me half to death!"
I blinked at her.
"…Half?"
She glared at me.
"This is not funny!"
I gave a small crooked smile.
"Actually… surviving explosions is kinda funny."
She smacked my shoulder lightly.
"HEX!"
"Okay okay!" I said quickly.
She looked like she was trying not to cry again.
"I thought you were dead."
Her voice was quiet now.
The words hit harder than the explosion.
For a moment neither of us said anything.
Then I looked down slightly.
"Sorry."
She wiped her eyes quickly.
"You jumped into the water for me," I said softly.
Her expression shifted a little.
"How do you know that?"
"I woke up for a second… when you dragged me out," I said.
"…you're really strong, you know."
She stared at me.
Then shook her head.
"You're unbelievable."
Right then the door burst open.
Felix rushed in first.
"Jay we heard you yelling—"
He stopped.
Then his eyes widened.
"…NO WAY."
Behind him Keifer and Ci-N stepped into the room.
They all froze.
Felix pointed at me like I was a ghost.
"You're awake."
I raised my hand slightly.
"Hi."
Felix threw his hands in the air.
"HE'S ALIVE!"
Ci-N actually laughed for the first time since the explosion.
Keifer walked closer slowly, staring at me like he was making sure I was real.
"…You really are impossible to kill."
I shrugged weakly.
"Good genes."
Felix leaned against the wall and shook his head.
"You know we thought you were gone, right?"
"Yeah," I said.
"Jay mentioned something about dramatic crying."
Jay instantly turned toward me.
"I DID NOT—"
Felix grinned.
"Oh she definitely did."
Jay looked like she was about to throw something at both of us.
The doctor suddenly walked in.
"What is all this—"
He stopped when he saw me awake.
"Well."
He checked the monitor quickly.
"Looks like our patient decided to wake up early."
Felix crossed his arms.
"That's Hex for you."
The doctor looked at me seriously.
"You're lucky, kid."
I glanced at the bandages.
"Lucky seems like a stretch."
"You had a concussion, a deep cut in your arm, and water in your lungs," the doctor said.
"But you're stable now."
Jay exhaled slowly beside me.
The tension in the room finally started to fade.
For the first time since the explosion…
everyone relaxed.
I looked around at all of them.
Jay.
Felix.
Ci-N.
Keifer.
Still here.
All of us.
Then I leaned back into the pillow.
"…So," I said.
"Did we win?"
Felix grinned.
"Oh yeah."
Keifer crossed his arms.
"The warehouse is gone."
Jay smirked slightly.
"And somehow… you're still alive."
I smiled weakly.
"Yeah."
I closed my eyes for a second.
"Sounds like a win to me."