Alaina hadn't realized she had fallen asleep until she felt someone shake her awake. She didn't realize how tired she was from the night's events. She opened her eyes groggily, blinking a few times to adjust to the bright lights of the hospital waiting room. She then turned to her right where Nico was looking at her with concern.

"Sorry to wake you up, but I just heard from one of the nurses that Kayden is out of surgery and in recovery." He informs her. "His parents already left to go see him. The nurse said they were able to fix his leg, it was pretty badly injured, but they were able to stabilize him and he should make a full recovery with some physical therapy." Nico continued, a small smile tugging at his lips. Alaina felt a wave of relief wash over her at the news. She couldn't believe that Kayden was already out of surgery and on the road to recovery.

"That's great news." She said, returning his smile. She was so glad that Kayden was okay and that he would make a full recovery. "How's Lahela?" She asked softly.

"Still shaken up about it, rightfully so, but she's relieved and thankful that Kayden is going to be alright." Nico answered, his voice laced with empathy. He couldn't imagine how Lahela was feeling right now, and his heart ached for her.

"Yeah, I can't even imagine." Alaina sighs. "I'm gonna go check in on her. Thank you so much for being here, and for everything. I couldn't have done this without you." She leans over and hugged him, kissing his cheek when she pulled away. As she did this, she notices that Walter was gone. She furrows her eyebrows. "Did Walter leave?"

"Yeah, he and Lahela talked a bit and then he went home. Said he was tired." Nico shrugged. He didn't overhear what they were talking about since they talked outside, but he hoped things were okay with them. He could tell Alaina was curious and worried about it, too.

"I'm gonna go find her and make sure she's okay." Alaina decides as she stands up. "You can head home if you want, I'll be fine."

"No, I'll wait for you." Nico shook his head. He didn't want her to be here by herself. Plus, he wanted to make sure Kayden was okay, too.

Alaina nods and her heart flutters a bit at his gesture. She then leaves the waiting room and goes in search of Lahela. She eventually finds Lahela in a room where some patients were all kept, some being separated by a curtain. She was surprised to find Benny and Clara in one of the areas with Lahela. Clara was sitting on the bed and Benny was standing by her. She was confused when she saw he was wearing shorts and holding pants, but she didn't bother to question it. "Hi, so sorry to interrupt." She apologizes, clearing her throat. "But I wanted to check on you, Lahela."

"Oh, hey." Lahela replies, giving her a small smile. She was glad to see Alaina, especially since she was also one of the ones who found Kayden and helped save his life. "I'm okay, just...Still processing everything. And relieved and grateful that Kayden is gonna be okay."

"I'm so glad to hear that. How is he doing now?" Alaina asked softly, her voice filled with concern.

"He's sleeping, but he should be waking up soon." Lahela explains. "Thanks again, for everything. I don't know what I would've done if..." Her voice trailed off, a lump forming in her throat as tears filled her eyes. She couldn't bear the thought of losing Kayden.

Alaina frowns at seeing her friend so sad. She walks over and pulls her into a hug. "Hey, it's okay. Don't think about that, it's over now. Kayden is okay and he's gonna make a full recovery. You should be proud of yourself, you saved his life." She soothed her, rubbing her back to help calm her down.

"You and Nico did too. If you guys didn't find him...Who knows if we ever would find him or how much longer he would still be there." Lahela murmurs, her voice trembling slightly. The thought was too unbearable to think about. She was so grateful and thankful that they had found him and got him help as soon as possible. "Thank you, for everything."

"Of course. You're one of my best friends, I'd do anything for you." Alaina says sincerely, hugging her a bit tighter. She was relieved and happy that Kayden was alright and that Lahela was, too. When they pull away, she glances over at Clara with worry and concern. "Are you alright? What happened?"

"It's nothing." Clara reassures her, smiling softly. She found it sweet Alaina was worried about her too. "I just fainted from overexertion. That's all. I'll be fine, I promise."

Alaina didn't quite believe her, but she didn't want to push her and make her uncomfortable. "Alright, well let us know if you need anything."

"I will. Thank you, Alaina." Clara nodded, giving her a small smile. She appreciated Alaina's concern.

"You're welcome." Alaina glances over at Lahela with a small smile. "Could Nico and I go see Kayden?" She wanted to check on him before she and Nico left.

Lahela nods and smiles a little. "Yeah, of course. He might still be sleeping, but you can still go check on him."

"Thank you." Alaina hugged her again and then met up with Nico before they went to go find Kayden's room. They ran into Noelani and Charles, who told them where Kayden's room was. When they got there, they saw he was still sleeping. Nico stood near the doorway and Alaina walked closer to the bed. She looked over him and saw his leg was bandaged up and elevated. On his face were some small cuts and scrapes. Her heart ached at seeing him like this, and she wished she could take away his pain. She was thankful and relieved he was going to be okay. She stood by the bed, placing a gentle hand on his arm.

"I'm so glad you're okay." She whispers, her voice trembling a bit. Tears fill her eyes as she thinks about the events that had transpired and how lucky they were. "You had us all so scared. But you're gonna be okay, and that's all that matters." She sniffled, wiping her tears away with her free hand. Her heart clenched as she watched him sleep, her eyes filled with worry and concern. She knew he would be okay, but she was still concerned and anxious. She stayed by his side for a few more moments before leaving, knowing he needed his rest. As she left the room, her heart was lighter than it had been all night, and she was finally able to breathe a sigh of relief.

Kayden's eyes were starting to open a bit, having woken up to some soft voices, and his vision was a bit blurry at first, but he recognized that voice. He knew that it was Alaina's. He slowly started to come to and his vision was starting to become clearer. He noticed her and Nico leaving, he smiled a little, grateful that they had came to check in on him and see if he was okay. He felt a bit drowsy, the pain medicine he was given made him feel a bit out of it, but he could feel some pain in his right leg, especially in his ankle. He was trying to stay awake and wait for Lahela. He wanted to thank her and tell her how much he appreciated her and her help. He knew she had saved his life. He was thankful and grateful to be alive. He was just about to fall back asleep when he heard a familiar voice, a voice he knew so well. His heart skipped a beat at seeing Lahela.

"Lahela." He croaks out, his voice raspy. His eyes were tired and heavy, but he tried his best to stay awake. He reaches his hand out to her. "Please, don't go."

Lahela turns around when she heard him calling her name and she quickly went to his side. She grabs his hand and squeezes it. "I'm not going anywhere, Kayden." She whispers, her voice gentle and soothing. She was still shaken up about what had happened, and seeing Kayden like this brought tears to her eyes. "I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry I didn't listen to you. I should've..."

"Shh, it's okay. None of this is your fault, okay? You saved my life. I'm here because of you. I love you." He whispered, his voice raspy and tired. His heart was filled with love and gratitude for her. He knew that she didn't have to stay here, but she did.

Lahela felt her heart clench at his words, and tears filled her eyes. She felt so guilty for everything that had happened, but Kayden was here, and he was going to be okay. Her heart skips a beat as he told her he loves her. He and Walter had both told her that, but he hadn't said it back to either one. But now after this had happened and she thought it over, she realized her feelings. "I love you too." She murmured, leaning down to press a soft kiss to his forehead. Her heart fluttered at the realization and she felt a sense of relief and joy.

Kayden was shocked and a little stunned when he heard her say those three words. His heart filled with love and warmth at her words. He was so glad she felt the same way, and he couldn't stop the smile that spread across his face. "I'm glad." He mumbles, his voice tired. He squeezes her hand a little, his eyes growing heavy again. "I love you so much. I'm so tired, but I don't want to stop talking to you. I missed you." He admitted, his voice growing softer.

Lahela's heart ached a bit at his words. She hadn't realized how much she had missed him, too, and hearing him say that just made her realize how much she loved him. "It's okay, get some sleep. We can talk more later." She promised him, squeezing his hand gently. As Kayden drifted back into sleep, Lahela stayed by his side, watching over him with a mix of relief, love, and gratitude. She felt a weight lift off her shoulders knowing he was going to be okay, and she vowed to herself to cherish every moment with him from now on. She leaned down and pressed another gentle kiss to his forehead before settling into the chair beside his bed, determined to stay by his side until he woke up again.

As she sat there in the quiet hospital room, her mind wandered back to the events of the past few days, the misunderstandings, the hurtful words exchanged, and the fear of almost losing someone she loved. She realized now more than ever the importance of communication, honesty, and forgiveness in their relationship. She vowed to herself to work through their issues together, to be there for each other through the good times and the bad, and to never take their love for granted.

As she watched Kayden sleep peacefully, a sense of peace washed over her. She knew that no matter what challenges they faced in the future, as long as they faced them together, they could overcome anything. And with that thought in mind, Lahela settled in for the night, her hand intertwined with Kayden's, feeling grateful for the love and support of their friends and family, and hopeful for the bright future that lay ahead.

****

Meanwhile, Alaina and Nico were making their way to her house. Alaina and Nico were exhausted and the night's events finally caught up with them. Alaina's parents drove them back home and they went to their room to get ready for bed. Alaina and Nico stood outside of the house before they had to part ways for the night. They were both tired and emotionally exhausted from the night's events. They were both grateful that Kayden was okay and they were able to bring him back safely, but they were ready for bed.

"Thank you again for being there and helping me tonight." Alaina whispers, her voice tired and sleepy. She was glad Nico was there for her, and she was glad they were able to find Kayden in time. "I really appreciate it."

"You're welcome, I'm glad I was able to help." Nico said softly. He was glad he was there too, and he was relieved that Kayden was going to be okay. "Get some rest, you deserve it. And if you need anything, let me know." He pulled her in for a hug, holding her close.

Alaina rested her head on his shoulder, closing her eyes and breathing in his scent. His embrace was comforting and warm. She always loved his hugs. "Thanks, I will." She whispered. They pulled apart and shared a small smile. Before she pulled away completely, she reached up and gently cupped his face, pressing her lips against his in a soft, tender kiss. Nico was surprised at first, but he melted into the kiss, deepening it and wrapping his arms around her waist. The kiss was gentle and passionate, and they both lost themselves in the moment, their hearts beating faster as the kiss continued. After a few more seconds, they reluctantly pulled away, resting their foreheads against each other.

"Goodnight, Nico." Alaina murmurs. "I love you."

"I love you too, Lainey. Good night." Nico whispered, kissing her forehead before he walked back to his house. Alaina watched him go, her heart fluttering as she felt giddy and happy. She knew the events of the night weren't forgotten and the healing process would take time, but she was grateful to have the people in her life that she did, and she couldn't wait to see where their future would take them.

A/N one more chapter left! I can't believe it. I loved writing alaina's & nico's story so much & I'm gonna miss writing them
:(