The Dark Hour

--------Ridge--------

I yawned as I stretched my arms. I fell asleep on the couch, again. I sighed then got up and went to check on Lalna. I opened the door and he was still sleeping. When was he going to wake up? It's almost been two weeks. I felt his forehead, no fever. I sighed then lightly kissed his forehead before I left the room. I got dressed and ate some food before I left the apartment. I wanted to walk around for a little bit. I think it was early enough that a few people might be up but most of them would still be asleep. I started walking towards the training field and I just took in the silence.

It was kinda peaceful without all the people in the halls. I made it to the training field and just started walking around the perimeter of the field. I was half way around when this group of people walked in. They were all joking around and just talking to each other. One of them saw me and pointed me out to the rest of the group.

"Hey looks like we're not the only ones here!" I froze up a bit when they started walking over to me. They were pretty close before I snapped out of it and quickly tried to walk away.

"Hey where are you going!?" One of them shouted as they grabbed my arm. I pulled away from him but his friends already had me surrounded.

"I asked you a question," He said lowly.

"I-I was just leaving," I said quietly.

"Why? We came here to train, why don't you join us?"

"I-I don't think-"

"Oh come on, you're not like one of those nerdy scientists are you?" One of them asked mockingly. "They can't train cause they got work to do. Pathetic." I was getting a little mad. I knew they didn't know me or anyone I knew but what they were saying sounded like the kind of things Bradley would say about Lalna.

"I'm not, but you shouldn't talk about them like that," I said lowly.

"Oh why? You can't be friends with them, are you?" I stayed silent. "You are! And for a minute I thought you were cool."

"Hey hey, tone it down Jackson. There is a way for him to redeem himself. Spar with me," Their, I'm guessing, leader said smirking.

"No," I said firmly. "I'm leaving, I've got somewhere else to-"

"Whoa whoa whoa," He smirked. "Who said you had a choice?" I managed to duck at the last second as he threw a punch at my head. I kicked the back of his knees and he fell on his butt. Then they all started to go after me. I dodged all of them as much as I could but one of them hit me in the ribs and I wheezed as I got the air knocked out of me. Another one of them hit me upside the head and I fell to the ground as I got double vision.

"Yeah he's not so tough, how about we show him who's boss around here?" Two of them pulled me to my feet then Jackson, I think, hit me in the stomach. I would have fell to the ground again if it wasn't for the two holding me up. I saw him swinging for another punched when I felt something click inside of me. Before I knew what happened Jackson was flung backwards and the two that were holding on to me were knocked back too. I didn't really question it as I ran as fast as I could back to my room. I locked my door and slowly slid down the door until I was sitting on the ground.

What happened back there? Why did they fly back like that? I rubbed my eyes and sighed. Why did those guys just start picking on my like that? They don't even know me. I was so confu-

"R-Ridge." My head snapped up and my eyes widened. Lalna was standing in the doorway, he had a blanket wrapped around him but he was awake!! I quickly got up and ran over and hugged him. I felt him stiffen before he relaxed and hugged me back. I just held on to him and sighed in relief. He was awake. He was here, and ok. It was quiet for a few minutes before I finally let go of him.

"You're up," I said softly. He nodded.

"Wh-What h-h-hap-pened?" He asked roughly.

"You were asleep for about two weeks. I think it was something in the fake cure that Ryan gave you."

"F-Fak-ke c-cur-re?"

"It's a long story. How about I make you something to drink? Then I got to call Ryan and tell him that you're awake." He nodded and sighed. He hugged me again and I hugged him back.

"You feeling ok?" I asked softly. Lalna nodded. "Ok, let's get you sat down and I'll make tea. Ok?" He nodded.

"O-Ok."

~~~~

I called Ryan at twelve and he was over checking out Lalna.

"Hmm, you seem good, everything seems okay. Your heart beat is good, blood work came back negative. I would say that he is all healed up. Look Lalna you're going to have to be on a all liquid diet. I know you're not going to like it but I don't want you to eat solids and have you get sick over it." Lalna sighed.

"Ok."

"Just for a week and after that you can slowly start going back on solids."

"Um so what happened exactly? Ridge told me but I want to hear your version. Like what did you give me in the first place?" Lalna asked softly.

"It was a fake cure, Astrid didn't know till I told her that something went wrong. She left but she sent me the real cure with a note on it. You were in a coma for about two weeks, I hooked an IV up to you so you wouldn't dehydrate." Lalna nodded then looked around.

"Um where did my mom go?"

"Uh she left, she had bills and she didn't want to lose her job. She thinks that it's good for you to be with your dad."

"Ok," Lalna said softly.

"I think I'm done here. Oh and Ridge Skyla said that she was feeling fine. She said that she just took up a new hobby."

"New hobby?" I said confused. "Last time she got a new hobby she was depressed."

"Oh uh okay. Well I'm done call me if you need anything." He said leaving. I sighed and hugged Lalna.

"So what do you want to do?" I asked smiling at him. He smiled back at me.

"I kinda want to take a nap," He said softly.

"That sounds great."