When Tanya woke up the next morning, James was gone and Alex was nowhere to be seen. She sighed heavily with disappointment; she would not be able to get up on her own and would have to wait for Alex to return from wherever he happened to be. As she thought this over, the front doors flew open, and he was walking gracefully through them. He came to her side at once and pulled her into his arms.
"Do you need anything?" he asked, staring at her injured leg remorsefully.
"I could use help getting to the bathroom," Tanya groaned, knowing this would include him carrying her upstairs. "What were you doing outside?"
"I was saying farewell to your father. He stayed throughout the night to ensure you were okay." Alex smiled, lifted her into his arms, and rushed her up the spiraling staircase. He
