It had taken me almost six months to recover, and during most of that I was in a medical induced coma. After getting me to a hospital, doctors and my father had decided that keeping in a coma would be best. My face had been cracked, and I had suffered a severe concussion, my leg had been snapped cleanly, but what had been the cause for the coma had been my back.
Desmond's departing gift to me was that she had literally peeled the skin and flesh off of my bones. It had taken almost eight surgeries to reattach and fix the muscle damage and after all of that my back had mysteriously healed with little scaring.
When I had woken from my coma, I didn't ask questions of my father and he didn't supply any. Instead we worked silently on getting me walking again, which thanks to his insane demands had been a matter of weeks rather than months. I only asked after my mother once and my father had looked away and had spoken softly to me for the first time in my life.
"She was murdered by her brother, when he learned that you were courting the prince. He had lost face with the Lycans when it was found out he had been lying about making sure they would marry you."
I didn't apologize to him or show him pity, because I knew my mother and father, both, well enough to know that the sentiment would have done nothing but upset. So instead I had grabbed my dads arm and went for an extra round of kick Lilly's ass into walking with him.
As I walked unsteadily, without assistance, down the hall I thought I had spotted long black hair turning the corner. I tried to walk faster but instead wound up tripping over my feet and had to be caught by my father. I strained against my fathers grip and tried to look for the person I had the most desire to see. My father lifted me up and carried me back into the room and sat me down on the bed, sitting into the chair with a soft growl.
I looked at him surprised and seeing my surprise he shook his head, "I suppose now would be an appropriate time to have you tell me about what had happened once you arrived to the castle and the courting ceremony."
I hesitated at the question and then realizing that nothing I would say to my father would increase or decrease his very set opinion of me I told him everything. He stood up at the end and touched the surface of my neck, his fingers brushing the hidden bite that Darien had made.
For the first time in my life I watched my father sigh and run his fingers through his hair in frustration. I watched him as he paced, seeming to work something out in his head.
"You are going to go back aren't you."
"Yes."
"If I forbid it?"
I frowned at him, "I guess you could lock me away somewhere but I would figure away out. And besides, why would you forbid it."
My father grabbed my face between his two hands and looked at me with fatherly concern. I nearly choked in surprise.
"What if he does not return your affection."
I shrugged and he released me. I rubbed the bridge of my nose, "He may not love me father, and that's alright. But I think he needs me. I keep getting these dreams filled with anxiety, worry, and fear."
My father snorted and crossed his arms, "Prove to me that you can walk around this floor of the hospital without stumbling or taking a break and we will return, not a moment before."
I nodded realizing this was as close to an agreement that we would ever get.
*****
I worked like a woman possessed, and finally I walked around the floor with no breaks, no falling, as if I were the same old Lilly. My father, as promised, checked me out and we rode quietly in the back of a black Rolls Royce. My father reached over and tucked a stray curl behind my ear and I turned and smiled at him.
"You were very brave when you fought Desmond. You brought honor to your family, even when they were working diligently to destroy it."
I smiled at him, "Thanks for the silver in the envelope."
My father gave me a strange look, "I didn't do that, and neither did your aunt. I just assumed that you kept it on you all the times, especially after she described the dagger you had with you."
I looked at him confused but didn't get to say anything else because the car stopped in front of the castle. I opened the door and stepped out breathing in the crisp air. I listened to my father tell the driver to bring in the bags before coming to stand next to me and with our backs straight and chins up we walked to the door.
I didn't get a chance to open it before it was flung open with a bang and I was barreled down my by aunt. My father muttered about respect, to which my aunt merely leaned over and kissed him on the cheek before grabbing my hand and dragging me into the castle.
"WELCOME BACK!!!"
The shout caused me to leap back in surprise, my father catching my elbow and steadying me. I smiled at the huge group of vampires all holding up wine goblets, full of sticky red liquid. I smiled weakly at them as they surged forward and began to grab my hand and shake it.
Soon they weren't just grabbing my hand, ladies were touching my curls and commenting on them, touching my hand, shoulder, face, anything really. Among all the vampires greeting me I didn't once see the vampire I wanted to see. After too long the vampires attention switched to my father, who gave me a grim look but began to speak to the crowd answering questions.
I slipped away from the crowed and made slow progress up the staircase and down a familiar hall. I stopped in front of the door, trying to catch my breath, and making a mental note to talk with my father about stair rehab.
I was torn between knocking or just opening, so I knocked, deciding polite was the best way to go. After a soft knock yielded nothing, I turned the doorknob and it clicked open. I padded softly and slowly into the room and seeing no one in the kitchen or living room, I peeked into the bedroom.
I had found him, asleep on the bed, wearing nothing but the lose black sweatpants and in his hands, pressed to his face, was black shirt I had worn on the day that he had bitten me. I paused at the doorway, devouring the sight of him. I didn't know if he would be happy to see me, but I could live with him not being that way if I could keep his face, like this, in my mind.
Finally I walked to the bed and sat down and quietly reached over and caressed his face. He hand snapped up like lightening and his iron grasped latched onto my wrist.
I winced and muttered, "Be careful, I just got put back together."
His eyes flew open and I saw the steel grey disappear into his normal shade of grey, "You're here."
He let go of me and I pulled my hand away, "I am."
"Why?"
I flinched at the question but took a deep breath and forced myself to look at him, "Because I want to be."
"Your father made it clear he would not honor any agreement between you and I."
I tapped my finger to my mouth, "I think he was just hurt and pissed off."
"That doesn't change the fact that you are no longer obligated to be here."
He sat up and leaned against the headboard, looking out the window instead of at me. I thought about leaving until a felt a wave of hurt hit me. I inhaled sharply then reached out to him and grabbed his hand.
"Why are you hurting?"
