New Haven

DO WE NEED A HERSE OR DO WE NEED AN ANGEL?

Dawn had been rushed to the only emergency assistance available on the island. A small clinic located in town, Clowe told Dusk as they waited for her dad to get his car. Dusk stood, waiting with Clowe in the school parking lot. Dusk kept trying desperately to drive out the memories of Dawn unconscious on the floor. They had been running on a loop in her head since it happened.

“Thank you again for the ride Mr. Sparrow.” Dusk said.

“It’s not a problem Dusk just try not to worry okay. We’ll be there very soon,” Dusk nodded as Mr. Sparrow spoke to her through the rear view mirror “Please call me Luke. Mr. Sparrow makes me feel so old.”

“Luke,” Dusk repeated as he smiled back at her. She turned to Clowe, who was sitting in the backseat with her. She reached out to tap her on the shoulder. Pain shot through Dusk’s arm from the tip of her fingers to the top of her shoulders. She retracted her arm and held it tight against her chest. “Clowe”

“What’s up?”

“Who took Dawn to the hospital? I didn’t hear any ambulances or sirens?”

“Logan took Dawn.” Clowe said, turning excitedly towards Dusk, “You should have seen it. It was super romantic the way he cradled her close to himself as he raced through the crowd,” Clowe paused, taking a moment to day dream. “Sorry,” she smiled as she snapped out of it. “Anyways, like I was saying, Logan sprinted to his car and screeched out of the parking lot speed racer style. He was like Prince Charming rescuing a damsel in distress.”

“Don’t let Dawn hear you saying that.” Dusk laughed as she tried to picture it.

“Why?” Clowe asked quizzically.

“Dawn doesn’t really see herself as a damsel in distress.” Clowe smiled brightly as the car approached what Dusk assumed was the clinic. To her it looked more like a person’s house to her than anything else. Luke Sparrow stopped the car in front of the clinic as Clowe and Dusk jumped out and raced to the doors.

“Dawn Nightingale.” Dusk nearly shouted at the woman behind the welcome counter as they entered.

“Wow girls, slow down. Now who did you say you wanted to see?” the woman asked.

“Dawn Nightingale. She was brought in maybe like fifteen minutes ago by a New Haven Preparatory student,” Clowe said.

“Yes, that’s right. Let me just see here,” the woman behind the counter said as she began typing information into her computer. The woman’s calm demeanor annoyed Dusk, who was becoming impatient with every passing second. “Here we go girls. Dawn Nightingale is being seen by Doctor Reyes right now, so you girls can have a seat in the waiting area if you want.”

“I’m family, her sister actually. Can’t I see her now?”

“She’s with the doctor right now, so you’ll have to wait. Please sit down and don’t worry, She’s in good hands. Doctor Reyes is the best doctor on the island.” The nurse said as she walked around the counter and led the girls to the end of the room. There were about ten wooden chairs placed along the walls. Dusk thought it looked more like a lobby then a waiting area to her.

“Is he the only doctor on the island?” Dusk remarked sarcastically.

“Yes, but he is the best.” The woman gave Dusk a warm smile as she walked back to the welcome counter. Luke Sparrow entered the doctor’s office after parking his car. Clowe gave him an update on the little that they knew. He sat down in the chair next to his daughter as time seemed to slow down to a snail’s pace. Dusk decided to pass the time staring out the window of the doctor’s office when Mr. Sparrow interrupted her thoughts.

“Have you called your parents yet Dusk?” Luke asked, “I could call them for you if you wanted.”

“Oh crap my parents. I completely forgot about calling them.”

“I figured as much.” Luke looked down at Dusk and waited for her to answer him.

“You should call them Dusk,” Clowe told her as she took Dusk’s hand into her own.

“No. Their already on their way,” Dusk said in a daze, “And besides, the schools’ probably already called them and told them we’re in the hospital.” If you could call this a hospital, Dusk thought to herself.

“Yeah, I’m sure your right,” Clowe said looking doubtfully at her father. Dusk sat in a corner of the lobby as Clowe and Luke passed the time playing brainteaser games. They tried to involve her, but Dusk wasn’t really in the game playing mood. Instead, she spent the time staring out the window, trying desperately to focus on the cars speeding by and not on worrying about Dawn. Dusk’s gaze was suddenly disturbed when she saw the entire Eve family in the parking lot. Pilling out of what looked like, oddly enough, a decked out hearse-limo.

“Is that what I think it is?” Dusk elbowed Clowe as she sat slightly stunned at the scene in front of her. Clowe looked at her quizzically till Dusk pointed out the window with her good arm to where the Eve’s were standing, oblivious to the fact they were being watched.

“Oh yeah, that’s exactly what you think it is,” Clowe smirked at Dusk’s shocked expression, “Didn’t you know that the Eve’s were morticians?” She nonchalantly explained. Dusk shook her head, amazed that someone would ride around in a hearse, mortician or not. “They’re not just any morticians,” Clowe clarified, “They have mortuaries in every major city on the planet.”

“You’ve got to be joking?”

“Nope, they’re the Coco Channel of dead attire, the BMW of hearse makers, the Tiffany’s of anything having to do with dying and burials. They’re like…”

“Clowe,” Luke whispered as he looked at Dusk and smiled.

“They organize funerals for celebrities and presidents. They’ve even buried a few royals.”

“Serious”

“Dead serious”

“Ha!” The three of them laughed at Clowe’s obvious pun. Dusk appreciated the humor as Holly and the rest of her family entered the doctor’s office. Dusk was immediately embraced by Logan’s parents as they entered.

“Please sit down dear; you’ve had a trying day.” Mr. Haim said as he guided them all back to the waiting area. “Now then, what did the doctor say?” He asked as Dusk sat back down.

“Nothing, they haven’t told me anything,” Dusk’s frustration seeped out, “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize Dusk you have a right to be frustrated. Seth,” Mr. Haim turned to his youngest son, “Why don’t you go talk to Molly and see if there is any news.”

“Molly?” Dusk asked confused, “Who’s Molly?”

“She’s the woman at the front desk,” Mrs. Eve said, “This is a small town.” Seth stood and walked over to the front desk, only to walk back a small time later with no news. Dusk sat with the Eve’s as time seemed to slow down again. Ten minutes after the Eve’s arrived more kids from school started to arrive at the clinic. Dusk wasn’t at all surprised by this. Her little sister had always had a way of making people go the extra mile for her.

Angel and April showed up in what Dusk assumed was April’s car, a bright pink 1960’s hippie inspired BW bug. They too wanted to know exactly what was wrong with Dawn. Apparently, Dusk wasn’t the only one who thought it was weird she hadn’t been allowed to see her sister. According to April, that wasn’t a good sign. Alec soon followed April and Angel with, surprisingly enough, Kate and her brother Caleb. Dusk wondered why Kate had come to the clinic as she watched her sitting in the cold chairs of the waiting room. She eventually concluded it must have something to do with the fact that Alec was there. Kate looked at Dusk at that exact moment and rolled her eyes. Dusk, in turn, looked up at to where the clock hung on the wall. She was determined not to think about Kate when Logan finally walked out from behind the doctors door, prompting everyone charge him at once.

“Logan! How is Dawn doing?” Mrs. Eve asked her son as soon as he walked out. Dusk held her hurt arm tighter to her chest as she waited to hear what Logan had to say. He turned to Dusk and answered his mother’s question,

“The doctor said that she has severe gas poisoning.”

“But she’s gonna be alright?” Dusk asked too worried about her little sister to think about the pain. The pain was beginning to radiate from her arm to the rest of her body.

“They’re administering oxygen to her right now, but she still hasn’t woken up. Right now they just need her to wake up, so they can really see if she’s okay.” Dusk nodded at Logan.

“When can I see her?” she asked.

“As soon as she wakes up and Doctor Reyes gives the okay, then you can see her.” Logan said patting Dusk lightly on her head. “She’ll be fine. If it were serious, they would have air lifted her to the mainland hospital by now, okay.”

“Okay” Dusk said as everyone nodded their heads in agreement. Dusk watched as the group slowly made their way back to their seats in the waiting room.

“I just wanted to thank you guys for, you know, being here for Dawn and me” Dusk began.

“It was no trouble at all Dusk, we were happy to come. Our Logan cares a great deal for Dawn and she’s a great girl” Mr. Haim said as Mrs. Eve and Luke Sparrow nodded in agreement.

“Thank you guys, again, but you don’t really have to stay. It’s probably going to be awhile.”

“Well, you heard her. We can leave if we want to.” Kate said jumping out of her seat.

“Kate,” Caleb said shaking his head.

“What? Don’t look at me like that! She said we could leave if we wanted to. I mean come on, we don’t even like them.” Kate told her brother and then looked over at Dusk, “No offense.”

“Oh, none taken. It sounded like a compliment.” April giggled at Dusk’s obvious sarcasm. Kate walked over to Dusk, “Goodbye then. Hope she doesn’t die,” and began walking towards the door when Alec suddenly spoke.

“You came in my car Kate, or did you forget.” Kate looked at Alec questionably, “I’m not leaving anytime soon, so just sit tight and make yourself comfortable.”

“But…” Kate began to protest. One look from Alec silenced her.

“We are not leaving till Dawn is awake. Am I understood?”

“Fine!” Kate mumbled as she stomped back to her seat. Dusk sat back down in her chair in the corner of the waiting room as she once again focused on the cars driving by the window.

“I hope Dawn’s okay,” Angel said to Dusk breaking her out of her foggy state. She held out a coffee in one hand and an energy drink in the other.

“Thanks for this,” Dusk replied as she reached up and grabbed the energy drink from Angel with her good arm. Dusk winced as the pain in her bad arm started to pulsate again.

“Are you okay Dusk?” Angel asked, noticing her wince, “I heard that woman hurt your arm.”

“She did.” Alec answered Angel as he sat down in the seat next to Dusk.

“Angel”

“Alec” she said looking at him, “I think I hear Holly calling me,” Angel smiled as she got up and headed towards where all the Eve’s were seating with Logan.

“So,” Alec asked, “How’s your arm?”

“It’s okay. It doesn’t even hurt anymore.”

“I thought you said, back at the school, that it might be broken.”

“That was back at school, when that crazy woman had a vice grip on my arm.” Alec began to invade Dusk’s personal space till he was a mere few inches from her face. Never leaving her gaze, Alec slowly brushed his finger tips over her hurt arm starting with her shoulder, watching her the entire time. He continued down her arm as Dusk tried to hide the severe pain, but she couldn’t. She flinched when Alec got passed her elbow.

“That’s what I thought,” he said when he saw her in pain, “Now let’s get you to Doctor Reyes before your arm gets any worst. Maybe he’ll even let you see Dawn, while you’re back there.” Alec stood with Dusk and began walking her to the front desk.

“I can take her!” Clowe exclaimed. Alec and Dusk passed her. Dusk nearly laughed, despite the pain in her arm, as she saw Clowe bombarded by April was seemingly over excited to be having a conversation. “Please let me take her?” Clowe desperately begged Alec.

“You can take me Clowe... um… Mr. Sparrow, my dad’s not here. Can you come with me?” Dusk asked as she mouthed goodbye to Alec. She walked with Clowe and Mr. Sparrow towards the waiting desk. The woman, upon seeing Dusk’s arm, immediately ushered them through the doctor’s doors. She chastised them for not saying anything sooner as they went. Everyone in the waiting room watched as Dusk went through the doctor’s doors with Clowe and Luke Sparrow following closely behind her.

“The norms are gone now, so let’s get down to business,” Holly said looking at Logan.

“So what did the doctor really say to you?” Mr. Haim asked his son, “Is your Dawn really going to be okay?”

“Oh, who cares” Kate said, “She’s only a norm.”

“I care Jealousy.” Logan’s father said, “Now be silent child,” Kate’s eyes suddenly turned bright green when Mr. Haim finished telling her to remember her place. She sulked in her chair as Logan turned to his parents and answered.

“Doctor Reyes doesn’t know what’s wrong with her.”

“What?” the girls all asked in unison.

“He says that there’s no reasonable explanation as to why Dawn is even alive right now. She should have been dead the moment she touched that woman in the auditorium,” The girls all looked at each other confused as Logan continued, “According to Doctor Reyes, no norm could have survived a touch from one of their kind when their in that state.” Logan explained. The entire room became silent. Even Kate seemed curious to hear what was going to be said next.

“What are you saying,” Holly asked. “Does Doctor Reyes think that Dawn’s not a norm. That’s impossible the tree didn’t affect them at all?” Holly looked at Alec who just stayed quiet. “That tree affects all of us. Only norms are immune to its effects.”

“If they’re like us at least I don’t have to lie to them anymore” April said elatedly, “They’re a part of the family.”

“Really April?” Alec asked sarcastically, “Here, play with my keys.” Alec dangled his keys in front of April like you would dangle a ball of yarn in front of a cat.

“Oooo, shiny.”

“Please continue Logan.” Alec said, not being able to hold in the smile that crossed his lips as he laughed at April.

“Thanks Alec,” Logan grinned as he watched April’s silliness, “The truth of the matter is that Doctor Reyes doesn’t even know what to think. He can’t get her body temperature up, she’s freezing, very slowly, her pulse is weakening by the hour. He has her on an I.V because she’s severely dehydrated, but her body isn’t retaining the water. He… he said...he said…” Logan took a deep breath as his mother put her arm around him, offering Logan her silent support, “Alec, look, I know that you’re not supposed do this for normal people. I wouldn’t even ask you, under normal circumstance, but I’m begging you now. Can you call The Nurse, please? Dawn’s strength is weakened and I can’t see any other way. Please, Dawn needs a spirit healer. If you called The Nurse, she would come. She can…”

“No,” the silence that filled the room suddenly had an air of danger as Alec stared at Logan.

“No?”

“No” Alec repeated.

“Just like that, you’re not even going to think about it,” Logan said, his voice rising.

“Alec doesn’t have to think about it. The Nurse shouldn’t be wasted on some trivial errand,” Kate said. Logan looked at her with disdain. “I mean come on, she’s only a normal maybe its her time to go.”

“Shut up Kate!” Logan stood up as Caleb, who had been silent this entire time, stepped in between Logan and his sister. “Move Caleb, I don’t have any issues with you.”

“Put your soul at rest, old friend,” Caleb spoke soothingly, “Let not your mind wander…”

“Shut up Caleb,” Kate yelled at her brother. “It’s not the 1700’s. Talk like a normal person.”

“Aw sister, thou art as lovely as a bear.” April, Angel, and Holly all burst with laughter at what Caleb said. Caleb blushed at the sound of April’s laughter. “All will be well Logan. Dawn will be well again.” Caleb finished as Logan shook his head.

“No she’s won’t and you,” Logan pointed at Alec as everyone in the room began to shift uncomfortably in their seats, “Can save her. You have the means to do so.”

“I can’t use my means like that on a norm. It’s not allowed and you know it.”

“That’s complete bull and you know it! What if the normal in question were Dusk, huh? Would you use The Nurse then? ” Logan asked challengely.

“You’re about to cross a line Logan.” Alec stood up as Logan took a few steps closer to him.

“That’s what I thought.”

“Why don’t we all just calm down,” Angel suggested as she stood in between both boys and gently pushed them apart, suddenly a sense of peace fell over the room. Angel faced Logan. “…Be reasonable Logan, please. Why don’t we all just wait and see how Dawn gets through. It’s only been like a hour, okay” Logan looked down at Angel then at Alec.

“Fine,” he turned to sit back down in his seat.

“I’m so bored out of my mind.” Kate complained as every head in the room turned in her direction, “What?”

“Kate, you’re so mean,” April said as she started picking at the ends of her hair. Alec’s car keys were still jingling from her hand.

“Look,” Holly interjected, “I’m calling for a change of subject okay. Am I the only one who’s curious to know how one of them got into the school?” Everyone looked around as Holly waited for someone to answer her question. Suddenly, David and Sara burst through the door.

Mr. Haim looked at the two frantic parents and lowered his voice to nearly a whisper, “Now’s not the time or place for this conversation Holly,” he turned and looked at David and Sara arguing with the receptionist. “I assume these are the girls’ parents.” Holly looked at her father and nodded her head.

They could hear Sara’s voice from where they were at, “Where are my babies at? Are my babies alright? Why aren’t you answering me?” Sara asked grabbing the receptionist by her uniform.

David pulled Sara away from the nurse and moved her behind him. He smiled down at the women, “Sorry about that, we’re the Nightingales and the school informed us our daughters were here.”

The nurse nodded, “Oh god,” Sara said and then smacked David in the arm “I told you sending the girls to this island was dangerous, but no you wanted to leave them alone and now look what happened. They’re dying! Probably from malaria or some other disease people get from living on islands.” Sara said making another attempt at the receptionist.

“Excuse me,” someone said getting their attention. Sara and David turned to see Holly and Logan.

“You!” David said poiting towards Logan, “I remember you. You dropped my girls off after that slumber party,” David told Logan with an accusing tone. “What did you do to my girls?”

“Nothing Mr. Nightingale I swear.”

“You would.” David said. Before David could get to Logan an older gentleman stepped in front of Logan protecting him from David.

“I’m Mr. Haim, Logan and Holly’s father,” Mr. Haim motioned to the woman standing next to him, “And this is my wife Holly Eve.”

“That’s great, now where are my kids,” Sara said cutting Mr. Haim off, “I’m sure you’re wonderful people, but someone better tell me what’s going on with my children!” she said turning to the receptionist, who looked terrified at Sara. “Don’t you hide from me…” Sara yelled towards the receptionist.

“Your daughters are going to be fine,” Mrs. Eve said, “Clowe, their roommate and her father are with them. Doctor Eric Reyes is the best doctor on the island.”

“He’s the only doctor on the island,” April spouted out. The group turned and stared down at her. She smiled back at them, obliviously sitting next to Caleb and Kate.

“But still the best doctor April,” Mr. Haim said. “Only the best for our children at Haven,” Mr. Haim said. He smiled at Sara as she just nodded and calmed down.

“It’s getting late,” Angel said getting everyone’s attention, “We have curfews so we have to be getting back to the school.”

Mr. Haim looked at the clock behind the reception desk and nodded at Angel, “Yes it’s time to go.” He turned to Logan, “I know you’ll want to stay with Dawn and the Nightingales. I wouldn’t even ask you, but your mother and I need to get Seth and your little sisters back to New Haven.” Logan nodded his head towards his father. Mrs. Eve picked up Fey, who was fast asleep, and gave her to her father. Then she picked up Lu from where she lay sleeping on a waiting room chair and laid her on her shoulders.

“Are you coming back to New Haven with us Holly?” Her mother asked.

“Yeah, I’m exhausted,” Holly looked at Logan, “Unless you want me to stay,” she asked.

“I don’t need my little sister to baby sit me.”

“Fine, I’ll stay,” Holly playfully punched him in the shoulder. “Its cool mom, I’ll get a ride back with Logan or Alec.”

“We’re here now you don’t have to stay Logan,” David said staring him down, but Logan just shrugged his shoulders.

“I’m good here, but thanks for the concern Mr. Nightingale.”

“You sure you don’t have any homework to catch up on?”

“Nope,” Logan said calmly.

“I’m just saying, because you seem to spend all your free time with my daughter. I wouldn’t want your grades to take a hit, because you don’t have any time to study,” David said as he glared at Logan. Logan’s smiled just got wider.

“My grades could take a hit and I’d still be a straight A student David.”

“Mr. Nightingale,” David said. “And grades only get you so far.”

“And I’m junior class president,” Logan added.

David shrugged his shoulders at Logan, “Psst, talent only gets you so far.” Sara looked at David confused by her husband’s sudden stupidity.

“I’m going to go check on my daughters,” Sara told David. “Why don’t you just stay here and keep doing whatever nonsense it is you’re doing with Dawn’s boyfriend.”

“Boyfriend? What?” David asked shocked. “What, what, what are you talking about. You told me he was the stalker writing Dawn those love notes.”

“Love notes!? What love notes.” Logan asked frantically.

David turned to Logan, “It doesn’t matter what love note. My little girl isn’t getting a boyfriend till I’m dead and buried.”

“Yeah well, my parents are morticians. We give a great family and friend’s discount,” Logan said sarcastically. Sara called back to David as he walked backwards towards to reception desk. The whole time David stared Logan down, while he approached the desk. Everyone watched as Logan and David glared at each other. Seemingly, they were having a secret staring fight no one could see.

“Okay,” Angel said awkwardly, “We’ll walk you guys out,” she told Mrs. Eve as she tapped April on the shoulder and pointed to the door.

“We’re leaving?”

“Yes, April we’re leaving, so give Alec back his keys so we can leave.” April handed Alec his keys as Kate asked Angel if she could hitch a ride back to the school with them. She didn’t want to be there. Something that was obvious to everyone. Angel and April walked the Eve’s out to their car with Kate and Caleb following closely behind. A few minutes later both April’s pink buggy and the Eve’s hearse-limo were exiting the parking lot. Logan, Alec, and Holly stood alone in the waiting area as the receptionist left to go talk to Doctor Reyes. They stood looking back and forth from one another as David and Sara came and sat down.

“So now what,” Holly whispered to Logan.

“Now you sit and wait.” Alec said, turning his back on Logan as he picked up his cell phone and strolled towards the door.

“Where are you going,” Holly asked.

“I’m just going out for a little walk Holls,” Alec said as he pulled his school jacket on, “I need some air, it’s a little crowded in here you know,” he said looking at Logan and then at the Nightingale’s. “I have my cell phone with me, so when Dawn wakes up, call me.”

“Okay, sure” Holly told Alec as he walked out the clinic doors and into the cold night with his cell phone pressed closely to his ear.

“Get me the Nurse.”

“Okay then Ms. Nightingale. Let’s have a look at your x-ray shall we.” Doctor Eric D. Reyes said. He entered the room with a nurse following closely behind him. As Doctor Reyes began to explain and show her, the x-rays, Dusk saw right away that there was a line that went from her wrist to the edge of her elbow. The nurse handed Doctor Reyes Dusk’s chart as he turned to Dusk. He continued explaining what was wrong with her, “So basically, you’ve fractured your arm Miss Nightingale.” The doctor put it plainly, “Do you understand what that means?”

“It means your gonna have to put a cast on it, doesn’t it” Dusk asked glumly.

“That’s exactly what it means,” Doctor Reyes smiled at Dusk’s facial expression, “Well, since you seem to be pretty okay with it I say we just go ahead and do this.” Doc turned, as he and the nurse began to work on Dusk. She waited patiently as the doctor put a cast on her arm. He gave her a prescription for pain medication.

“This sucks,” Dusk complained, “How long do I have to be in this thing for?”

“That all depends on you. A good patient that does exactly what her doctor tells her to do, will be out of that cast in two weeks. A bad patient,” Doctor Reyes stared down at Dusk, “Who knows how long you’ll have to wear that cast. Am I understood?”

“Crystal clear doc,” Dusk said. Luke Sparrow chuckled as he saw his daughters’ and Dusk’s facial expressions.

“He’s just messing with you girls.” Luke said, “Doc likes to do that a lot.”

“Um, Doctor Reyes”

“Yes Dusk”

“Can I see my sister now,” Dusk asked as Clowe handed her a glass of water, so she could take the pills the doc had given her right there.

“You can do more than just see her. You can take her back to school.” Doctor Reyes opened the door to the room and beckoned them to follow him. He walked down the hall and went up a set of stairs to the second story of the clinic. “She awoke shortly before I came in to see you. I checked her over and she’s going to be just fine.” Doctor Reyes opened the first door they came to on the second landing. She exhaled as she set her eyes on her little sister. Dawn was sitting on a doctor’s chair, while a nurse seemed to be checking her blood pressure.

Hey good looking. Dawn thought to her sister. Dusk laughed as relief washed over her.

Right back at ya.

Hey! What’s with the cast?

That’s what happens when you decide to have a mini coma, sis. You miss all the good stuff.

Dusk ran over to Dawn with Clowe following close behind her. The two of them hugged Dawn hard as the nurse smiled. Dusk had never felt so happy to see her annoying little sister.

“How’s our patient nurse?” Doc asked.

“She’s going to be just fine now,” The Nurse answered. Dusk looked up to thank the nurse when she was suddenly stunned. The Nurse was magnificent. Her skin was like porcelain, her lips matched her hair perfectly, both were a deep bright red surrounded by volume and fullness.

If Jessica Rabbit ever became Human this is what she would look like. Dusk thought to herself.

“Thanks for everything doc, but I would like to get the hell out of here, now.” Dawn said as she attempted to jump down from the doctors’ chair. She missed her first step and nearly fell face first on the floor but Mr. Sparrow reacted quickly and caught her.

“Maybe you should stay the night Dawn just to make sure that everything’s okay,” he said.

“I’m fine.” Dawn exclaimed, “I am not staying the night here. No offense Doc. Now can we please leave?” Dawn looked pleadingly at Doctor Reyes.

Doctor Reyes paused for a moment giving Dawn a quick look over and then smiled, “You can go, but I want you both back in one week and if you start feeling nauseous or get a headache please don’t hesitate to come back.”

“We won’t,” Dusk assured him.

“Okay then, make your appointments with…” Doctor Reyes began to say as the receptionist burst into the room.

“I’m so sorry for the interruption doctor, but the girls’ parents have arrived and Mrs. Nightingale has…well she’s…she’s a little,” Molly began to say as Dusk and Dawn smiled.

“Scary,” they said in unison. They looked around at everyone in the room, “We apologize in advance for everything and anything that our mother will do when we walk out,” Dusk told them. Doctor Reyes just laughed and nodded his head.

“Thank you very much Eric.” Luke Sparrow said as he shook hands with the doctor. Then he turned and shook hands with The Nurse. The whole group except for The Nurse walked with the girls out of the doctor’s office.

Logan was the first to greet them when they got out, relief covering his face when he saw Dawn. He sprinted forward to meet her. You could tell by the look on his face Logan wanted to hug Dawn, to hold her tight in his arms and never let her go, but instead he stopped right in front of her awkwardly stuck, not knowing what to do. Suddenly he was knocked out of the way by David.

“My baby. My little girl” he said hugging her, while looking at Logan, “My Dawn, my youngest daughter. The fruit of my loins, are you alright?” Dawn took a step back from her father and then glanced at Dusk.

Did they switch bodies? She thought to Dusk who just shook her head. She was just as confused by David’s behavior as Dawn was.

Sara looked at David angrily, “Are you making fun of me?”

“What?” David looked at her confused by her words, “No of course not I was just…” he started saying pointing at Logan. “You see he wanted to… they’re my kids too, can’t I be happy to see them?” he said changing the subject as Logan smiled.

Sara lifted her hand in front of David’s face not wanting to talk to him, “So what’s wrong with them Doctor?” she asked looking towards Doctor Reyes.

“Everything’s fine she just inhaled a bit of gas, but no permanent damage,” Sara placed her hand on her chest relieved, “Dusk’s cast has to stay on for a while, but she’s fine too,” Doctor Reyes said as David let go of Dawn and looked down at Dusk’s arm.

“Dusk, you got hurt too! The school just said it was Dawn,” David said. He walked over to Dusk and lifted her arm slowly. She flinched staring down at the cast. “Hold still okay,” David told her as he reached into his pocket. Everyone wondered what he was doing. He pulled out at red pen and began signing her cast, “there.” Dusk smiled as Sara smacked him lightly on the shoulder. David smiled down at Dusk as Doctor Reyes helped them to check the girls out. They made their appointments with Molly. As they did this, Logan went and stood next to Dawn.

“Let me give you a ride back,” Logan whispered to Dawn, “To school… like a ride to school.”

“Actually, Mr. Sparrow was going to take us back but,” Dawn glanced back at David and Sara, “I think we’re probably going back with our parents.” Logan looked slowly at David and Sara as they walked back to where they stood. As they got closer to the girls, Dawn noticed that Sara had abruptly changed her tune. She was now singing doctor Reyes’ praises.

“He is such a nice man,” Sara told them, “He even gave us the number of a cute little Bed and Breakfast right here on the island so we can stay the night.” David smiled right at Logan as Sara said this.

“Stay the night?” The girls asked. “Sara we’re both fine,” Dusk explained. “You really don’t have to do that.” Sara just ignored her daughter and told David to bring the car around. Everyone was walking out to the parking lot together when Alec unexpectedly offered to give Dusk a ride back to school.

“You want to give me a ride back?” Dusk asked thoroughly confused. Sara turned right away when she heard what Alec asked.

“It was just a suggestion, if you’d rather…” Alec began saying, his accent becoming more apparent.

Have you noticed that his accent gets thicker when he’s nervous? Dawn thought to Dusk.

Yeah right, what would he have to be nervous about? Dusk thought to her sister. When Dusk didn’t answer right away Alec tried to shrug off the suggestion.

“Of course you can give her a ride back,” Sara told Alec. Dusk gaped at her mother. “She would love to get a ride back to school with you.”

“That’s okay Sara. I don’t mind going back with you and David.”

“But I would mind. I didn’t raise you to be rude,” Sara told her.

“Well, in that case, can I drive Dawn back,” Logan asked Sara.

“She’s already in the car,” David answered. Holly tried to cover her laugh with a cough. It didn’t fool anyone. “So it’s settled. Dawn goes with us and Dusk goes with…” David stopped. He couldn’t remember Alec’s name.

“Alec,” he said.

“Dusk will go with Alec. Okay goodnight everyone,” David said as he pulled Sara away towards the car. Dusk shook her head smiling as she turned to Alec, Holly and a sullen Logan.

“I guess that means let’s go home,” she told them.

“Yeah, let’s go home.” Alec smiled as Dusk sat in his car, “I like the sound of that.”

Eric D. Reyes looked out of his office window as the cars slowly began to empty out of the parking lot. “It’s strange you know. A single touch from that woman in the auditorium, given the heightened state that she was in, should have killed that girl. She should not have been able to hang on like she did, for as long as she did.” Eric D. Reyes turned and faced the Jessica Rabbit looking nurse. The Nurse that had taken Dawn’s blood pressure the first time Dusk had seen her. “I would like to thank you for healing the girl for me today.” He told The Nurse as she just nodded her head and smiled at him.

“It wasn’t a problem doctor. I was simply acting at the request of Mr. Heart. He calls, I come. That’s sort of how it works” The Nurse said. “Now that’s done with, I’ll be on my way home now.”

“Nevertheless, thank you and please thank Mr. Heart for me as well. You know you don’t need a call from Mr. Heart to come visit me nurse. Your kind…they’re um… you’re always welcomed here,” The nurse nodded as she put her coat on. Eric D. Reyes noticed how her hair fell softly over her shoulders as she did so. “Did you need a ride home or anywhere, by chance?” He asked, holding his breath as he waited for her response. The nurse giggled at the doctor as she turned and began walking towards the door. Her voice was smoothe like chocolate, thought Eric as he listened to her giggle. Doctor Reyes noticed that The Nurse smelled like fresh roses in bloom as she passed him. Her smile, reminded him of an Angel’s. Doctor Reyes basked in the nurse’s glow. She turned and answered his question on whether or not she would need a ride home.

“How quickly you forget Doctor Reyes,” The Nurse said.

“Eric, please call me Eric.”

“Fine then Eric, how quickly you forget. My kind doesn’t need rides.” The nurse’s smile grew as she walked out the door. Doctor Reyes smirked, listening to the sound of flapping wings echoing in the wind. He turned to the door, not surprised there was no longer The Nurse on the other side of it.