[[[the wonderful mess that we've made]]] [[[part iii]]]

36.

It took a lot of strings, but I got a plan in place. I couldn't see her lying there any longer. She would never get better there. And the hospital clearly needed us gone too.

I waited until the darkness of the night, when most of the nurses weren't paying attention to their sleeping patients, and Woody and I snook in. She was dozing away when I lifted her out of the bed in her hospital gown. She woke up and immediately began to laugh, but that seemed to hurt, so she soon stopped. Woody checked the corridors were clear as I dodged from one doorway to the next. With the hospital blanket wrapped rightly around her, we dashed across the car park into the waiting touring van and sped off into the night.

'I can't believe you've....we're gonna be in so much trouble. Dan...Chris...you guys...' She noticed Kyle, Will and Dick in the eight seated van and just shook her head. I was sure you couldn't be arrested for kidnapping someone from a hospital with their consent but I doubted it was encouraged.

'How are you feeling?' Will asked.

'Sore, tired, dirty. But other than that, I'm fine.' She teased. I sat in the back with her leg propped up on my lap. She kept glancing at me and chuckling.

We got to a hotel about an hour away, stopping when we were sure we werent being followed by police and nurses, and I carried her in. She needed a shower and a nice comfy bed. For everyones sake.

'We'll stay here tonight and then travel the eighteen hours home.' Dick told us. I had him to thank for all of this.

'My passport...' She threw her hand to her mouth. All of her stuff had been lost and left behind at the festival.

'We're smuggling you into the country.' Kyle said manically.

'Guys...' She sighed and then a mischevious shadow filled her features. The bruises had started to blossom across her skin, painting it purple and black. But seeing her smile, it was hard to believe that only days ago I'd been so close to losing her. It all felt like a horrible nightmare. We'd be home soon, and everything would go back to normal. Whatever normal was.