I heard the doctor tell Noah that I wasn't feeling anything because I was on a lot of pain medication. I concentrated hard on sending a telepathic message to Noah to tell my Doctor that was a load of bullcrap.

With the amount of pain I was feeling in my abdominal area, I feared what no medicine at all would be like. I had been in this bed for a while, coming in and out of consciousness, begging my eyes to open so I could see the handsome human being that was seemingly burning a hole in my thigh with his hands, albeit unknowingly.

I was aware that Noah was crying. I could hear it in his voice as he tried to talk like nothing was wrong to me, a girl he didn't even know could hear what he was saying. I wished my arms would listen so I could wrap them around his body. I knew Momma was in there too based on the gasps of air she took because she was crying too hard. I also felt a distinct brush of fingers on my arms, something she always did when I was hurt or scared.

I had been conscious for a while and my body still refused to respond to my wishes of moving. I started at my toes and screamed at them to budge. I moved up my entire body, even trying to wiggle my nose, something I've never been able to do. I wanted to scream in frustration.

Momma left after begging Noah to eat something and promising to send one of the boys in with something for him to eat. I didn't particularly want anybody else to come in. I knew what I must look like and it was far from good. Of course, the others were my brothers and I didn't have a choice in the matter.

Papa came in first. I heard his heavy footsteps moving towards me at a snail's pace like he was scared I'd disappear if he went any faster. When he got close, he knelt down and gingerly grabbed my hand while being very careful not to jostle my wrist, something I was very grateful for. He cleared his throat, filled with emotion after a long silence. I wished I could tell him I'd be fine.

"Mini, you've brought so much happiness to our family and I don't know how to express how much we love you. You take as much time as you need to get better. We will be right here helping you along the way."

My heart constricted as he cleared his throat one more time and kissed my forehead, much like he did the first time we met and so many times after. He truly was the father figure I needed. He left soon after I heard him whisper to Noah, "She'll be fine, son. Eden's strong."

Each of my new brothers came in with some form of sentiment that made me feel incredibly guilty for not being able to wake up. They all started out the same, being terrified of my appearance. That was obviously a huge boost to my self-esteem. They would soon warm up, but I could hear it in their voices they weren't looking directly at me.

Ezekiel told me stories about our times as kids after school, telling me all about how funny Noah and I used to be and how he always felt entertained when babysitting. Noah tried to laugh at what he was saying, but it came out more like a cough. Isaiah came next and rested something soft and fluffy in the crook of my arm. He'd bought me a teddy bear and left immediately after. Joseph, well Joseph came in and talked to me nonstop about how good of a friend I was and how much I benefited the family. Obviously, the sentimental son cried for most of his visit. He didn't stay long and left after he gave Noah what sounded like a hug.

I could smell food in the room but didn't hear Noah advance on it. He must have been hungry because Momma said he hadn't eaten. I'd have expected Joseph and Momma to cry, but Noah seemed to be uncontrollable. I don't think he'd stopped crying and I feared he'd get dehydrated. His hand still rested, sending hot tingles throughout my thigh. He had not moved since he sat down and it didn't seem like he was planning on leaving anytime soon.

I wished, for what seemed like the thousandth time, that I could move my petulant arms to comfort him.

The first time my eyes opened, Noah and Isaiah sat in the room, talking about nothing at all and waiting. I had been in that room for a day already and they hadn't given me any more pain medication and I needed it desperately. I opened my eyes and immediately Noah was in my face asking me what he could do, how I was feeling, and if he needed to get a nurse.

He pressed the red button requesting help. Isaiah looked shocked into my eyes. I think the fact that I was awake reaffirmed it was really me in that hospital bed.

Both boys held my hands, as I looked over my entire body and all that was connected to it. I could hear my heart monitor beating at a faster rate as I panicked at the damage that had been done to me. It felt like there was a game of pinball going on in my body, pain swelling each place the ball hit.

Noah looked awful. His eyes were bloodshot and bruised from crying and not sleeping. He had tear stains and his hair was even more unruly than usual. But the smile that overtook his face almost took away all the imperfections. He looked like I had given him a puppy and all I did was wake up.

The nurse came rushing in and started asking all kinds of questions that I was too tired to answer. But when she asked if I was in pain, I nodded, pulling my shoulder and wincing. I was exhausted but needed someone to help with the agony.

The nurse took a small vial of morphine and pushed it into a port in my IV. "I'm so sorry, darling. We didn't want to dope you up if you didn't need it. This stuff can make you pretty dependent on it. It should start working in a few moments." As soon as the medicine kicked in, I fell back asleep staring into Noah's eyes, who looked ready to fall apart again.

There's a quote that says something like "time goes a lot slower when you miss the one you love". I don't know how it goes exactly, but I can say without a doubt that I fully agree with that statement.

Eden had woken up quite a few times, requesting more medicine, but each time she got what she needed, she'd fall back into darkness, leaving me feeling helpless. Each time she woke up, she'd stare listlessly until falling back to sleep

I was going out of my mind. I was worried about her and the sheer amount of pain I could see in her eyes.

I had only slept a few hours in three days, but my brain was wired, needing to be up in case Eden decided to open her eyes. I had eaten a few times, but my appetite was nonexistent. I'm sure I looked and smelled disgusting because my last shower was after football practice three days ago, but I refused to leave Eden. What if she woke up and I wasn't there?

"Son, please take a shower and rest. Mini's not going anywhere for a while and you are starting to look awful. We don't want her to be scared when she sees you." Dad was right. Of course, he was. But I couldn't stand the thought of her waking up to someone else other than me.

"Noah, whenever Eden wakes up, all she can do is stare at you. Give us a chance to keep her company while you're gone." My first thought was that Isaiah didn't need to talk to my girl. But I knew he was her foster brother, I was just being jealous and the one hogging her.

They were worried about her like I would worry about them. She was their sister, but she'd always been more than that to me. I decided Eden might like to wake up to someone cleaner and more presentable than what I had going on. I all but forced myself to move my legs to get up, kissing Eden on the forehead. I might have imagined the blush on her cheeks, but I heard Joseph's chuckle indicating he saw it too. I walked backward into the bathroom, scared she'd wake up without me.