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Her fingers bit around mine sternly "No I don’t think you fully understand This was not your fault, Caroline It was an accident You didn’t cause it, and you tried everything within your power to help him You were not to blame"

My nose burned as I tried not to cry, but it didn’t work Hot, heavy tears filled my eyes "But if only I’d--"

"No Nofor years with all the what-ifs he has when he thinks about Zoey Don’t put yourself through that, too Just focus on the fact that he was a hero and saved both you and your brother Okay?"

I couldn’t help it, I began to sob Squeezing my eyes closed, I bowed my head and confessed, "I just want hied me away from my brother and pulled me into a warm, motherly embrace "He will Have faith Oren always coet his ain Don’t you worry"

But I did, and I sobbed all my worries out on ave ood on his threat No ht I hadn’t seen Oren since the nized ht it best if he wasn’t approached by too ers just yet, not until he adjusted to the fact that he’d lost his sister and was no longer seventeen years old

It hurt to stay away from him A part of me wanted to sneak into his room and just have him look at me He’d reme worth re But I didn’t want to confuse him and hurt him more than he already was

My rooer s were there That was okay My hoo back to his apartment and sleep in our roo hientleht while I took over his new room

But I still couldn’t sleep, and when Colton snuck in to cuddle with lad for the company, even if the bitter sweetness of it rew restless and frustrated with not being able to remember five years of his life The next day when Noel and I arrived back at the hospital, his parents see to "deal" with him

Brenda swept her hair out of her face and blew out a breath "He wants answers, and we don’t knohat to tell hi him too much"

"We told him he’s had concerned friends here, worried about him, and he wants to lance Excitelittered in his eyes, and I knew my own stoet back into his rooether, we turned back to Oren’s parents

"Of course," Noel answered iathered, no problem"

Within a couple hours, we had everyone back at the hospital "Okay, so" Noel rubbed his hands together as he took control of the group "I think we’ve agreed that it’s too soon to tell hi else is fair ga, we can tell hih only Pick, and possibly Eva had known Oren and I were ood" Pick placed his hand on the so see our boy"

En ly if so ers at once would overwhelm him, but I also knew everyone would take it easy on hi to welcolanced at , "What’s wrong?"

Worry filtered through ether and I justI start crying again? I don’t want to upset him or--"

"Caroline" Noel smiled and kissed my forehead "If you want to see your husband, then coet in that rooether"

His not-so-pep talk htened h my nerves renched orry, I clutched his hand as he led me into the room behind everyone else