My eyes sprang open as I gasped struggling for air. My eyes were bloodshot as I thrashed wildly from the pain. My mind was still in a fog like state and I couldn't understand what was happening. All I knew was that my body felt like every muscle was tensed up uncontrollably and being ripped apart. It hurt so bad it brought tears to my eyes.

Millie shouted, "Hold her down! Now!"

I tried to fight off the people around me, but it was no use. I couldn't use most of my body. I could barely use my arms and the bottom part of my body was too heavy to even move. Even my lungs felt like they were quickly being filled up with concrete as each breath became more difficult.

William spoke in a panic, "I thought you said she wouldn't wake up!!!"

"Usually they don't!" Millie answered back while preparing a large needle in a hurry.

I panicked at the sight of the needle and tried to hit off the many hands which held me down. Each time I managed to squirm out of one grip, another replaced it. My breathing was becoming more and more like a desperate wheeze for air.

No! No! Not again! I don't want to die like this again!

William shouted, "Millie! Hurry!"

"I'm going as fast as I can!"

Mary held me down with cheeks damp from crying, "Seri! Just calm down! Please!!!"

They are trying to kill me.

Why? Aren't we friends?

Why are they trying to kill me?!

Dante appeared and held my shoulders. I looked up at him in a panic as I fought against my own body to breath. The rims of his eyes were red and his eyes were despondent. He looked as if he had just been dealt terrible news.

He spoke to me in a low whisper, "I'm here."

I was so startled by his words that I stopped trying to move. Then, a large needle stabbed into my chest. I gasped in pain and looked at the large needle sticking deep inside my chest. My eyes widened.

Traitor.

He tricked me.

He's trying to kill me as well.

They really are all trying to kill me.

It was happening again. It was happening all over again. My so called friends were trying to kill me. Just like how that one girl gave me hope that she would save me, I made the same foolish mistake of thinking Dante would do the same.

Millie pressed the needle firmly into my chest and injected me with the liquid inside. I wanted to scream, but I didn't have enough air. I could feel the cold liquid spread throughout my chest. My hands went limp and I stopped trying to fight back. My body shuddered as my wheezing became more difficult. My eyes fluttered trying to close as I looked back up at Dante's golden eyes.

It hurts. It really hurts.

William panicked, "Millie! It's not working!"

"Calm down!" Millie shouted, but it was obvious that she was panicking as well. She shuffled through her bag in a panic before biting her lip. She produced a smaller needle and looked at me with a pained expression. She bent towards me, tears began to form in her eyes, "I-I'm sorry Seri... I thought I could save you..."

Save me?

Suddenly, my brain fog began to dissipate and my memory slowly came back. I was able to think more rationally.

They weren't holding me down in order to kill me, instead they were trying to save my life by using an antidote. However, the antidote wasn't working fast enough. They may have used it too late. It seemed as if the poison was really about to kill me.

Millie injected the needle into my arm. She sniffed, "This is the help you with the pain... I-It's the least I can do... To... To help you... Not suffer... Before you die..."

Millie thinks I'm about to die? But why would she cry? Hasn't she always wanted me to die so she could spend eternity with me? Isn't that the delusion her twisted brain thought up?

Could she have realized the value of life?! Did I successfully rehabilitate her??

As the morphine spread throughout my body, I was already starting to feel better already. Even my breathing was coming back slowly. Although my lungs still burned, I was gradually recovering. However, I couldn't speak yet so I could only watch as the others cried over my presumably dying body.

Mary grabbed my face with fierce eyes, "No! You're not allowed to die Seri! You are always talking about how you don't want us to leave you! However! You aren't allowed to leave us either!!!"

I croaked out, "M-Mary..."

Her eyes lit up, "What?!"

"Get off of me. You're making it hard to breath..."

"Oh. OH!"

She realized she had put her body weight on me and quickly got off. Once she was off, I was able to take deeper breaths. My previous panicked state disappeared and I felt embarrassed for thinking that they were trying to kill me.

I gasped for air once she was off of me, "God d*mn Mary. Just how heavy is your chest?!"

She blinked in surprise, "It's a bit heavy... I always have backpain."

Millie looked at me and wiped away her tears, "Y-You're alright?"

I nodded, "I'm fine. Don't worry Millie. You did a good job."

Millie sighed, "Thank goodness... I really thought someone else would be responsible for your death and it made me so worried..."

"..."

God d*mmit Millie. And here I thought I had actually rehabilitated you.

She reached out and felt my pulse, "How are you feeling?"

"Well. I can't feel anything below my waist. Hopefully it's not permanent." I sighed, "I would really hate to have to go through physical therapy... Wait. Do they even have physical therapy here?"

William sighed in relief, "I didn't think I would ever be so relieved to hear you speak nonsense..."

I tried to sit up, but struggled. I felt Dante support my back and help me up. My eyes turned to his. My chest hurt when I saw his broken appearance. I squeezed his hand and he forced himself to give a faint smile. As I leaned on Dante, I looked around. We were in a really small room that only had a dresser. It reminded me of my childhood room when I was Leia.

"Where are we?"

"You're in my childhood home." Mary answered with a smile, "My house was closest so we had to bring you here." She froze and added quickly, "Whatever you do, don't look under my bed."

For some reason, I really don't want to know why.

Millie spoke, "I had to use the herbs her father had prepared in order to make the antidote. Without Mary's help, I fear that..." She trailed off and looked down with a pained expression.

William spoke in a gentle tone, "It doesn't matter. All that matters is that you are okay now."

Millie nodded, "That's right."

"Hmm." I responded with a small smile. My eyes felt really tired. As I listened to them speak, my eyes gradually fluttered close.

_________

I woke up and found myself in my bed back at my house. I looked at my feet and wiggled my toes. Although it felt strange, I could see them move. I sighed in relief. I'm so glad that the paralysis wasn't permanent.

I felt something grasping my hand and looked at it. I noticed Dante's hand grasping mine. I looked over and saw him leaning on the bed with his eyes closed. Has he been sitting next to my bed this entire time?

I squeezed his hand causing him to wake up. He looked at me groggily and I smiled and patted the bed beside me. He smiled and got under the covers next to me. Once he was beside me, I cuddled in to his side and put my arms around him. I rested my head on his chest. I closed my eyes and listened to his heartbeat echo in my ears.

I heard him speak, "It was my fault."

I clicked my tongue, "No. It was that a**hole's fault. Not yours."

"I thought you were going to die because of me..."

I looked up and saw his depressed expression. I smiled and gently grabbed his hand. I placed it on my chest above my heart, "You feel that?"

The tips of his ears blushed.

I didn't mean it in a lewd way...

I continued, "That's my heartbeat. It means I'm still alive."

His expression softened, "Yes..."

I felt the texture of his rough hands, "You shouldn't worry. I told you I was immortal, didn't I?"

"Don't joke."

"I'm not. If anything, that experience proved it further. I believe that the only way I could die in this world is if you killed me."

"Like the original Seri?"

"Exactly."

He chuckled, "Well that will never happen."

"It better not." I snuggled into him, "I'm here now. So don't look so sad."

He rubbed my back with his thumb, "I'm never going to leave your side."

I chuckled, "Good because you must take responsibility for me now. I almost died in order to save you, so you owe me."

He smiled suggestively, "How should I repay you?"

My smile twitched, "No hanky-panky. My body feels like it was hit by a truck."

"A truck?"

"A really REALLY big carriage."

As I grew comfortable in his embrace, I thought back to when I was among the flowers. "It was so strange..."

"What was?"

"While I was unconscious I had a dream... Or perhaps it was something else, I'm not sure. It felt as though I was reliving a memory, but it wasn't one of mine. Then when I snapped out of it, I saw...."

I trailed off. Wait. Who did I see again?

"Who was it?"

"I can't remember now..." I quickly changed the subject once I recalled more important things, "How long have I been asleep?"

"Three days."

No... Then that means...

I swallowed hard, "T-The King?"

"..." Dante looked away refusing to answer.

My chest felt as if someone had just stabbed it. I whispered, "I didn't make it in time..."

I couldn't stop his death...

Dante spoke quietly, "We didn't want to tell you until you recovered..."

"...Simon?"

"He disappeared without a trace."

I was too late. I couldn't stop him in time...

Dante carefully observed my face, "How did you know it was Simon?"

I lied believably, "He's the one who led us to the ambush spot."

"Yes..." Dante thought this made sense so he didn't question it. This only made me feel more guilty.

Why did I just lie? Why didn't I tell him the truth?

I bit my lip while I was overwhelmed with self hatred.

Dante spoke, "The funeral was today. They are holding the coronation tomorrow."

So soon?!

I sat up, "I have to go see William."

Dante sat up quickly, "No! You need to rest! William will understand."

I bit my lip more. I can't lay in bed knowing that I caused all of this.

I tossed the blankets off, "I don't need to rest. I'm fine."

I went to stand up before Dante could grab me. However, as soon as I went to walk, I fell to the ground. I turned and looked at my feet in disbelief.

Dante ran around the bed to me, "Seri! Are you alright?!"

I wiggled my toes. They moved. I bent down to touch them.

I felt nothing.

I traced up my leg poking it hard with all my strength. I couldn't feel a thing. Even my hands felt off.

I clicked my tongue, "It seems that a side effect of the poison made me lose perception of feeling and pain beneath my waist. While the perception of sensation in my arms and hands also seem to have became duller."

Although I could feel myself being pinched, it wasn't as painful as it should be.

Sh*t. I hope I regain my sense of feeling soon. Especially the feeling beneath my waist.

Or else... How can I enjoy "that"?!?