Sloan resumed the compressions and counting.

"Come on, Alik!" Farrow begged.

"Stay with us. We need you. Take a breath! You can do it! Wake up and say something annoying! Please wake up!" Farrow didn't even notice the warm tears slipping down her face and splashing onto the sheet beside Alik's unresponsive face. "I need you, Alik Winter. Please don't leave me when I just found you. I can't do this without you! What would be the point, Alik? Oh, God please give him back!" Farrow began praying-something she had never tried before.

"Breathe," Sloan ordered again.

Again Farrow took Alik's lips with hers and pushed her breath deep inside him, watched his chest rise and fall with her efforts then repeated the process. Her tears fell on his closed eyes making him look as though he were crying, too.

This time, instead of starting compressions right away, Sloan used her pointy knuckles and ground them into Alik's sternum, rubbing back and forth, up and down, trying to rouse him.

"Wake up Alik Winter. You have a lot of work left to do! And if I have learned anything about your sister, she's going to come kick your butt for lying down on the job! Then she's going to come after me all martial arts crazy for not pulling you back. WAKE UP!"

Just as Sloan was breathing a sigh of frustration, about to resume compressions, Farrow saw Alik's eyelid twitch. "I just saw him move!" she called out.

Sloan stopped grinding her knuckles into his sternum and watched for his chest to rise and fall on its own. It was faint, but yes, there was definitely movement. Sloan hopped off the bed and felt his throat for a pulse.

"We got him back," she nodded reassuringly for Farrow's sake.

"Alik! Open your eyes!" Sloan ordered. "Do it now!"

Instead, Alik groaned softly.

"That's right. Wake up Alik. You've slept long enough and definitely scared the heck out of us just now."

Alik's eyes fluttered opened a little before he blinked a few times. Each time he could open his eyes a little further until he was looking at Farrow through very bright-blue eyes.

Farrow watched them with a little confusion. His eyes were sky-blue before, I'm sure of it.

They looked so different. They were mesmerizing. Bright violet-blue eyes, framed with his familiar long dark lashes stared back at her.

"Alik, you stopped breathing. Farrow and I had to perform CPR on you just now to bring you back. I'm going to get you a fresh bag of intravenous fluids and work on stabilizing your system. Farrow's going to stay right here with you," Sloan nodded at the metasoldier, the only person in the room as far as Alik was concerned.

"Farrow, if he closes his eyes, rub his chest as you saw me do-it's painful to him, but it'll wake him until I get back, and we can make sure he's stabilized. Okay? Give me one minute to get what we need?"

"One minute, okay," Farrow's voice sounded distant. She didn't look away from Alik's gaze to see Sloan hurry out of the room.

"Sloooaaann!" Farrow heard Cole call for his personal physician.

"Suck it up, Cole Andrews!" Sloan yelled back.

Farrow let out a relieved laugh. She had already been silently thanking God for the skills of that little girl and now she giggled at her spunkiness, too. That's what Cole got for spending every moment with her. She was obviously a fast learner and Cole was inadvertently teaching her to be like him.

"Thank God you're okay, Alik. You scared the hell out of me, you know." Farrow smoothed Alik's long bangs back first with her bare hand then with the washcloth wet with ice cold water. He offered a weak smile and blinked slowly. Those brilliant violet eyes stared back at her.

Wanting desperately to keep him focused on staying awake until Sloan returned, Farrow started chattering away.

"You've been out of it for two days, Alik. Evan is sure you're going through your evolution. Everyone's wondering what your enhanced gifts will be," She looked back into his even more beautiful eyes. "But I don't think anyone was expecting your eyes to change color."

Alik's eyebrow rose slightly.

"Yes, it's true. You used to have blue eyes. They're definitely a different color now. They're striking-a bright violet Caribbean blue."

Alik looked incredulously at Farrow.

Sloan walked into the room just then with her IV supplies in hand. She walked around to look at what Farrow was talking about.

"Wow, that's different," she commented over Farrow's shoulder. "Unusual eye color is caused by genetic mutation. His eye color is proof that he's going through his evolution. I would love to study your blood. Do you mind if I take a sample later?" the young doctor asked. Most little girls her age were excited about the newest album from their favorite boy band, but not Sloan Mor. She was giggling enthusiastic at the prospect of studying Alik's blood under a high-powered microscope.

"A genetic mutation? How could that happen at age fifteen?" Farrow asked.

"That's what I want to know." As Sloan spoke, she was taking away the old IV bag and setting up the fresh one. "I really want to stimulate him to keep him awake for a while, but I don't want to do anything to jeopardize his evolution. So instead," she pulled something out of the pocket of her cargo pants. "I brought him a caffeinated soda." She handed the cold drink and a straw to Farrow.

"Try to get him to sip a little of this every few minutes. The caffeine should be enough to keep him going but not too much to cause him harm."

Farrow nodded at the girl and took the soda, popping the pull-tab open and adding a straw.

Sloan busied herself taking his blood pressure and pulse. She wrote her findings on the spiral notebook they started using as his "chart" and left the room with a reminder to "yell if you need me."

Farrow watched as Alik took the straw she offered with his lips and the dark liquid fill the straw as he sipped. "There, it probably feels good to have some cool liquid in your mouth."

"You..." Alik's voice came out raspy at his first attempt to speak. He swallowed hard and tried again, "You gave me CPR?"

"Well," Farrow blushed. "Sloan did the compressions. I just did the breathing part."

Alik's pale lips smirked.

"I know what you're thinking Alik Winter and it wasn't like that! I was trying to save you!"

"With the kiss of life?" he teased. He raised his hand to her face and stroked her smooth cheek with his trembling finger.

"You must be feeling better if you're ready to tease me," Farrow feigned frustration with a scowl, but held his hand in place against her cheek, nuzzling into it as though willing him to feel how much she cared.

"I am feeling better, thanks to you. Have you been here the whole time?" Alik noticed the dark circles under her beautiful round eyes. And she had given up on her pixie hair. She was wearing a pink bandanna tied at her nape.

Farrow shrugged softly, "Where else would I be?"

Alik's eyes closed for just a moment. The conversation was wearing him out. "Where is everyone else?"

"Everyone's at the hospital with your mom except Cole, Sloan, you and me. But I have some good news and some bad news and some more good news. Dr. Andrews proposed to your mom and she said, 'yes'!"

"Wow, that's awesome." Alik tried to put some of the enthusiasm he felt into his voice, but it still came out weak.

"Yes, it is. But then Dr. Gentry, your mom's surgeon, came in and gave her a neurological exam. She showed no improvement. Dr. Winter has lost the use of her legs. I'm so sorry, Alik."

"I bet mom will still do amazing things, and give God the glory for it." Alik was barely speaking above a whisper, now feeling so drained.

"She already has," Farrow smiled remembering Meg's retelling yesterday's events at the hospital. "Her faith makes her stronger than any metahuman I've ever known," Farrow complimented. "She's coming home tomorrow Alik. So you have to be well enough to greet her, okay?"

"Um-I'll try my best." Alik gave up trying to stay awake and gave in to the body-healing sleep it demanded.

Farrow moved to keep her hand on his chest, feeling comfort in the smooth rise and fall. After the first five minutes of her watching him, and feeling his heart, she decided she couldn't sit up for one more moment.

The former sniper assassin slipped off her shoes and crawled into bed above the covers next to the soul she'd fallen in love with. With a sigh, she snuggled against Alik's firm body and put her hand back on his chest, determined to keep vigil over him as he slept and she rested, dreaming of life when they weren't being hunted.

Would there ever be a time when they could just be Alik and Farrow? Could they ever go on a date to dinner and the movies like a normal couple? Would they survive to even have a chance to try?

Farrow frowned in her half-sleep.

Don't think that way, Farrow. Live in the here and now. Right here he's safe and alive beside you. Now you have some peaceful alone time. And if this is all you ever get, if a bomb goes off outside the window at my back, then you will have known love and peace. You will shield him with your body and die happy for it.

Chapter 35 "One may smile, and smile, and be a villain!" W. SHAKESPEARE, Hamlet

"Okay, little Miss," drawled the contractor who had introduced himself as Chuck, "the front door, master bedroom and bath have all been modified to accommodate a wheelchair and a wheelchair capable person. Joey is finishing installing the ramp from the driveway to the house right now."

"Looks good," Meg said with a nod, studying the contractor's work. She pushed the lever down on the front door and watched it spring open just enough to be easily manipulated. "What's this handle for?" She pointed to a kitchen-drawer type handle mounted on the door toward the side with the hinges.

"Oh, that is so when your ma comes into the house and needs to shut the door, she doesn't have to reach way over there for the handle." Chuck demonstrated how to use it.

"Genius!" Meg nodded excitedly.

The master bedroom was on the opposite side of the house, isolated from the other bedrooms, so no long corridor had to be adjusted. All Margo had to do was wheel through the front door, turn to the left and pass the front sitting room to get to her bedroom. Meg walked the path, making sure there was nothing to hinder her mother's movement.

"Yeah, little Miss, we just took the liberty of removing the rug runner y'all had down this way so your ma can just wheel herself nice and easy over these wood floors. And it's a good thing you already had wooden floors. A wheelchair will rip up a carpet faster than a feral tom cat on catnip!" The contractor laughed at his joke while pulling his work pants over his ample belly and absent hind-end.

He was a nice older gentleman. The few wisps of white hair were combed over just right, reminded Meg of a cartoon character. But it was his bushy gray brows over squinty eyes that were his most noticeable feature. Meg had to resist the urge to tackle the man with a pair of scissors for a good ol' fashioned groomin'. Every time he spoke, she forced herself not to stare at the wiggling caterpillars on his forehead.

"Here, let me show you what we did to her shower," he offered and waddled himself into her mom's bedroom. Meg bit back a giggle at the sweet old guy's gait and followed him.

"See, miss? We removed the glass door and put in a shower curtain, so all she has to do is wheel herself to the opening and transfer to a shower seat. The handheld shower nozzle is connected to a long hose, so she can reach it, use it and turn it off all in her seat." The way the contractor spoke, Meg could tell he was truly passionate about his work. She sensed his daughter had been wheelchair bound so he knew firsthand what had to be done to make a home livable.

"As for the commode, we took out the old one and installed a taller one, for easier transfer. We also put in these reinforced, wall mounted handrails for her." Meg was nodding and smiling, amazed at all the old guy got done in such a short time.

"I also took the liberty of adding wheelchair accessible ramps to each of the doorway thresholds she will have to cross in her chair. It should make for a smoother ride." He shrugged while scratching the back of his head. "Let's just say that's included in the cost of widening the doors to thirty-six inches." The genuine smile he offered showed off some coffee stained teeth. But he was sweet and meant well.

Now I have to resist the urge to attack him with an electric toothbrush, floss and a teeth whitener! She inwardly groaned at her compulsions.

"Thank you for your thoughtfulness," Meg smiled widely at the contractor who obviously loved what he did for a living, though he was now a widower and his daughter had long since passed away from the illness that forced her into a wheelchair.

"Now, you're going to want this sink adjusted so she can roll under it. If you'd like, I can come fix that for your Ma tomorrow, say about nine in the morning? I could fix the one under the kitchen sink, too-not that I imagine you all are going to make her do too many dishes now," he chuckled at his joke, again.

"I think that's a brilliant idea, thank you for offering to have it done for us so quickly." Meg started walking Chuck back to the front door. "Thanks again for your excellent work," she said as she handed him a check for the full amount owed him, plus a generous tip for him and his small crew.

Glancing at her watch, she calculated how much more time before people began arriving. It was getting late and Evan and Creed should be home soon with the modified minivan. Alik had awakened this morning much improved and itching to get out of the house, so he went with Farrow, Danny and Theo to the hospital this afternoon to collect their mom and bring her home.

They should be back in about two hours and Meg wanted everything to be perfect. Maze was happy to be let out of Meg's room now that the contractors were gone. Meg had learned over the past year it was better not to startle strangers with his wild coyote looks, huge body and huge teeth. His whole presence only made outsiders nervous.

Sloan walked into the living room and plopped on a sofa. "Cole is a pretty demanding patient, but if you ask me, he's doing much better. I say he gets one more day of coddling, then that boy needs to get up and get his own Cocoa Balls!"

Meg was looking at her to-do list and was happily crossing off several items. Now she smiled up at the slight girl. "I'm very glad you're here to help him, Sloan. He seems in much better spirits, and I think it has to do with his friendship with you."

Sloan frowned. "Why on earth would friendship make him feel better? I think it's just the rest and time to heal that's been the catalyst behind his improvements."

"Don't underestimate the power of positive emotions," Meg offered carefully, realizing she was talking with a very logic-minded individual-even more so than Evan-and that was saying something.

Sloan dismissed her comment with a shrug and watched Maze stretch and nose around in his basketful of toys for his favorite red squeaky one that had long since lost its ability to squeak.

"You do know your pet isn't a full-blooded coyote, right?"

"What?" Meg looked up from her to-do list.

"Your pet. He's a hybrid. Quite a beautiful one, I might add," she said properly.

"I saw his mother. She was definitely a coyote," Meg said, shaking her head.

"Okay, so his mother was the coyote. Did you ever see a male around?"

"No, I didn't. It was just the mother and three pups."

"Only three pups and no father." Sloan nodded as though putting the finishing touches on her puzzle.

"What?"

"Well, the average North American coyote mates for life. The fathers stay with the family, hunting for food and bringing it back for the mother to eat. She stays with the pups, nursing them and training them how to hunt for months after they're born. They also are known to have as many as fifteen pups."

"So, maybe something happened to the father," Meg offered.

"Sure, but it definitely was not a coyote father. He looks to have German Shepard in him. It's why he's so big. Coyotes don't usually get so...huge."

Meg looked at her friend through different eyes. "Are you sure?"

"Pretty sure, yeah," Sloan offered casually, as if this were no big deal. "He's what's called a 'coydog'. Depending on the hybrid, coydogs often have the piercing eyes of their coyote parent," Sloan nodded toward Maze's strikingly handsome yellow eyes. By now, he was watching them, as if he completely knew they were talking about him. He stood upright and held very still watching the girls.

"What are you doing, Maze?" Meg shook her head at her best friend. "You look like you're posing for us, you silly thing!"

Maze padded to Meg, laid his head in her lap and looked up at her adoringly.

"So you think his daddy was a German Shepard?"

"It looks like it. The combination makes him look a lot more wolf-like in his physique and the way he carries himself. Besides, I know German Shepard's. After all, I grew up in Germany where they originated."