I feel my lip quivering when I enter the room, and Keyra looks up at me, smiling softly.

“Come here, you big baby.” I rush around the bed, hugging her as gently as I can because I don’t want to dislodge anything important.

“I can’t believe you called Mickey trouble.” I cry, burying my face in her shoulder. “You carry a gun.”

“A girl can never be too careful.” She rubs her free hand over my back, and I hear her sniffling too.

“I wouldn’t have forgiven you if you died.” I bite my lip, taking short breaths. The kind where you’re still crying but you know you need to breathe so you just sound like a hot mess.

“It was a through and through, didn’t even hit anything important.” She smiles, sitting back, and I drop into the chair beside her bed and lace our fingers. Everyone else comes in too, because it’s a private wing.

Mickey sits on the other side of her and takes her hand, and they share a long silent look that’s filled with emotion that makes me want to cry all over again.

My dad and Sina come in and kiss her forehead, standing back as the room fills quickly. Family. So much more of it than even I anticipated.

“Okay, she’ll need to rest soon but you’ve got about 10 minutes.” The nurse tells my dad, and he nods, thanking her.

Keyra looks at me and at Harlan, crossing her arms and wincing a little. “First things first, if you and Harlan haven’t made up, I’m kicking you out until you have.”

“You can’t make demands just ‘cause you were shot.”

“I can and I am.” She lifts her chin, and I roll my eyes.

“We made up, save your breath.”

There’s a knock on the door and my mom peeks her head in. “Got room for one more?”

She greets everyone, hugging my dad and Sina, and pulls up another chair by the bed next to me to put a hand on Keyra’s leg.

“This room is filled with love.” My mom smiles, and I look around again, a little overwhelmed. Jasmine is sitting with her cast propped up on a chair and gives me a thumbs up.

I catch Harlan’s eye and he winks at me from where he’s leaning against the wall. I’m not blushing.

We all talk and laugh for a bit, trading jokes and surprise that Keyra was the one to save the day.

I mean, it’s not a full surprise because everything she’s ever done, it’s been to protect our family.

I guess now I can’t bitch about it ever again.

Regardless of what happened before, now my life is different. I’m different. I’ve got more love than I could’ve ever imagined, and I’m blessed.

And I want to soak it all in, because there’s no telling what might happen tomorrow or next year. I just have to appreciate the moments for what they are.

There’s another knock on the door and we all look towards it, waiting to see who it reveals. We see flowers first, then a face.

Harlan whistles and I look at my sister, who’s fighting a smile and a heavy flush on her cheeks.

“Am I late for the party?” The deep voice rumbles and I stand, giving up my seat and gesturing towards it.

“Not at all. I think we were all just leaving, actually.” I hug Dane and stick my tongue out at my sister, everyone else starting to file out.

Mickey and I are the last ones and we make lewd gestures behind Dane’s back while my sister glares, before laughing and leaving the room.

Harlan’s leaning against the wall and straightens when I come out. Mickey gives me a look and I kiss her on the cheek with a hug.

“Go call Brandon.” I whisper, and she gives me a sad smile, but doesn’t say anything and walks away.

What’s that about? Obviously I’m missing some details.

I’ll have to ask her about it later.

“What do you say you go home with me and we have make up sex. A lot of makeup sex.” He slides his hands down my arms and I wrap them around his waist, nibbling at his stubbled jaw.

“Most romantic thing I’ve heard in awhile.” I whisper, rising up on my toes to kiss him. I missed the way he tastes, the way he feels. I feel content with his arms around me again, at peace. “Maybe we should get going before I find an empty hospital bed.”

I giggle when he scoops me up into his arms and heads to the elevator. My family is still at the end of the hall and I wave at them. “See you guys later!”