How Dark Is the Night?

“What do you mean you are the slayer again?” Bev asked confused.

I tried to sit up but fell back in pain against my pillow. My morphine hadn’t begun to take effect that the nurse gave me before Pete came back in and my slayer healing was taking forever to kick in. Pete saw how much energy it was taking me to try to sit up again.

“Guys, listen. Amanda is tired from her medicenes, in pain, and would love to explain everything but shouldn’t you guys be happy that she is alive and going to get better then to be questioning her right now? She does need her rest. Why don’t I tell you what she told me.” Pete said to our confused friends.

I laid there quietly hoping my pain med kicks in anytime. I was getting sleepy and that is a side effect of morphine so maybe soon I wouldn’t feel a thing. I wanted to tell everyone what happened to me myself but I was wore out. I listened to Pete explain everything I told him and he answered any questions they had the best he could. If he couldn’t then I did.

Everyone was glad to see me not in a coma and not dead. They were all hugging me and telling me what a scare I gave them. I just apologized and smiled. It was nice to have friends who were your family that cared. Well, everyone but Kat seemed to care anyways.

“What the hell?” Kat said angrily as she was quiet the whole time Pete explained my whole slayer issue to everyone.

“Kat?” I asked.

“How can you be the slayer? I am the new slayer. I don’t understand. It is supposed to just be me. So what am I now?” She said hurt.

“Kat, you are still the slayer, but I am one again too. I was always the slayer. You became one to help me. And we need all the help we can get as you have already seen in order to defeat Volkmar.” I replied.

“No. There is only supposed to be one. I don’t understand. Why didn’t Nick tell me about this?” She asked.

“I don’t know, Kat. Maybe because he couldn’t or didn’t know himself.” I said trying to calm her down.

“So you are like big slayer and I’m little slayer.” She said rolling her eyes.

“No, Kat. We work as a team. There is no I in team.” I said.

“Whatever. I came here to help you before I knew you were the slayer again and now you are like the boss all of a sudden. Whatever. I’m out of here.” She said heading towards the door.

“Kat, wait. Don’t go.” I said trying to get up but failing.

“Amanda, let her go. Micah will talk to her.” Pete said with everyone in shock at what had just happened.

“It’s my job to protect her. Volkmar will harm her if I don’t stop him. We have to not let her out of our sights.” I said taking slow breaths from moving too much.

“Amanda, we will watch her. We won’t let anything happen to her.” Chrissy said.

“Yeah, she will come around.” Andy said holding Chrissy around her waist.

“Thanks guys.” I smiled.

“Bev and I should get back to the store and clean up the Halloween mess before the store opens in… five hours!” Joe groaned.

“Come on Joe. I know what may get your energy going.” Bev said playing with his hair. “I am glad my best friend is back to her normal self again. I have some things to tell you but I need to get back to work.” She said getting out of Joe’s lap from one of the chairs in the room.

“Workaholic.” I said laughing.

“It’s my job. Someone’s not working.” Bev said rolling her eyes at Joe.

“Hey, it’s not my fault vampires swooped back in and are terrorizing us again. At least you weren’t bitten like Sam and Chrissy.” Joe said.

“Hey, that was a truamatizing situation for me, thank you.” Andy said with him bickering back and forth with Joe again. Same old boys.

Everyone but Sam and Patrick had left my room. Erelin was still outside with Brendon and Micah who I hoped had Kat with him. I turned to Pete and smiled but remembered it is almost sunrise.

“Pete, shouldn’t you be getting home?” I asked.

“I’m not leaving your side.” He said.

“But if you don’t leave you can’t eat and shower and such.” I said worried.

“We went home while you were in surgery and brought him a change of clothes and food.” Patrick said.

“Oh. Well that was sweet of you.” I said.

“Amanda forgot to tell you guys that she is having a girl.” Pete said beaming.

“How do you know?” Sam asked all excited.

“I just know. And Beckett knew.” I said.

“With the way Pete is…uh was, I feel so sorry for you Amanda.” Patrick said.

“Why?” I asked.

“Because your daughter isn’t going to be allowed to date.” He said laughing.

“You are darn right!” Pete said.

“Not this again.” I said laughing.

“Well, we better get so we can come back tonight. Call if you need anything.” Sam said yawing.

“Hey, can you tell Erelin to come in?” I asked.

“Sure.” Patrick said before he walked out the door to my room.

“Pete, can you leave me and Erelin alone?” I asked kissing him on the lips afterward.

“I can do that.” He said kissing me back and then on my forehead. “I will be outside your door here.” He said as he got up.

I watched him leave and saw Erelin come in. She didn’t approach the bed and looked like I may bite her head off at any minute. I just shook my head and patted the bed.

“Erelin, come sit at the end of the bed. I just want to say I have a lot of explaining to do before I fall asleep from my medicene. And one of them is apologize for yelling at you. That was not my intention and I am sorry.” I said as she slowly and cautiously sat at the end of the bed.