1. Prologue

It's amazing how one moment can change your life forever. One action, one missed opportunity, one unexpected experience, can be the difference between living a dream, or trapped in a nightmare.

Ten years ago, what started out as a dream, quickly turned into the nightmare that is my reality. That night is still a blur. To this day, I've no idea how I survived. Part of me wishes that I didn't.

Xavier, my brother's best friend surprised me by picking me up from school. He recently got his license, and wanted any excuse to be able to drive. My brother was staying late at school for soccer practice. I was fully intending to walk home, when Xavier came speeding up to the front of the school.

"Get in." He called, and motioned me to the car. 

A large smile crossed my face, and I ran over to Xavier's car. I was always excited to get a chance to ride with him. For his sixteenth birthday, his parents took him to a car dealership, and allowed him to pick out any car he wanted. Xavier was a car fanatic, so instead of just picking a car off the lot, he had one custom ordered. He had fallen in love with the Ford GT. It was a sleek matte black car, with silver racing stripes. He told me that he chose the launch control interior because of me. My favourite colour was orange, so he chose to have orange added to his car. 

Over the years, we had grown to be quite close. I was always able to rely on him like a brother. He spent much of his time with my brother and I. Much like my brother, he was also very protective of me. Once he took me to the park to play on the swings. A few girls had approached us. They looked at me, snickering, as they turned their attention to Xavier. The one girl was trying too hard to flirt with him, while the other two walked up behind me. Without warning, they had pushed me out of the swing. I fell to the ground, gasping in pain. I had managed to skin my knees completely open. I pulled my knees close to me, trying to ignore the pain coursing through my body. Immediately after being pushed to the ground, Xavier had jumped off his swing, and attempted to head into my direction. However the girl had stepped in his path, blocking him, as she wrapped her hand around his arm, pulling him close to her. Xavier didn't even hesitate, he simply freed his arm from her grasp, and came to my side. He picked me up in his arms, and carried me to his car. 

Xavier has always been protective of me. If he even felt someone was looking at me the wrong way, he would wrap his arm around me, showing that I'm not to be messed with. This caused most of the boys I knew to stay away from me. I didn't particularly care anyways, as I liked spending time with Xavier.

Today however was different. Instead of just picking me up, to go home, Xavier instead decided to surprise me. A new observatory had recently opened. Xavier and I had been dying to go there since it's opening. We were both nerds in a way. We both loved the stars. 

I was so excited to go to the observatory, that I barely waited for the car to come to a stop. I ran to the entrance, smiling, as I hear Xavier laughing from behind me. He met up with me shortly after, and together we explored the observatory. It had easily become one of the best days in my life. Before we left, I decided to go to the bathroom, as it would be awhile until I got home. I just remember opening the door to the bathroom, before everything went black.

The next thing I know, I'm waking up in a hospital bed. I look over, to see my brother sitting in a chair at the side of the room. Noticing that I've gained consciousness, Ryker immediately got up from his chair, and was at my side in a matter of seconds. 

"Oh my god Banana! You're awake! You're really awake!" 

I smile when I hear my brother's nickname for me. My full name is Savannah Alexis Carson, but I just go by Lexi. My brother however has always called me Banana. I hated it at first, which only made him do it more. Eventually I just got used to it. But only my brother is allowed to call me that.

I look over to see my brother. His normal relaxed look, replaced by one of distress. Covered head to toe in ash. There are rips and tears along his clothing, and what appears to be burn marks laced throughout. He looked to be in a good amount of pain, not that he would ever show it. 

I tried to sit up to hug him, but I'm overcome with a coughing fit. It felt like at any minute, I may cough up one of my lungs.

"Lie back down Banana. There is still a lot of smoke in your lungs. You need to rest, so you can get better."

I obediently nod, and lie back down. Too tired to argue, I welcome sleep.

I wake up hours later, my brother fast asleep alongside me on my bed. He looks like he hasn't been able to sleep for awhile, so I decide not to wake him. I silently press the button beside me, that alerts the nurse that I'm awake. She eagerly walks into my room, however before she has a chance to say anything, I put a finger over my lips as I point to Ryker. I want to make sure that he doesn't wake up. She understands, and nods her head, as she continues her way towards me.

My throat feels like sandpaper. I choose my words carefully, so that I don't have to speak more than necessary.

"What happened?" I manage to choke out.

"What do you remember?" She responds back to me with another question.

"Not much." I say, shaking my head.

"There was a fire..." she begins to say, but is interrupted by my brother, that I hadn't realized until now had woken up.

He looks over to the doctor, then back at me. Almost as if signalling her not to say anything. 

"Everything is going to be ok. I'm here." My brother says, holding me gently.

Suddenly I begin to remember bits and pieces.

"Where's Xavier?"

A pained look crosses my brother's face. 

"What? What's going on?"

This time I look between the doctor and my brother. Hoping anyone can tell me what happened.

"What happened? Where's Xavier?!" I say, this time crying out in fear.

I can tell something's happened, and by the looks on their faces, it's not good.

"Please! Someone tell me what happened!" I try to yell, my voice becoming scratchier by the second.

"Where's Xavier?"

Instead of answering me, my brother wraps his arms around me. No longer gentle. Instead, he's holding me as if I might break apart if he lets go. I can feel his tears fall onto my shoulder. I know whatever happened, is clearly bad. 

"Xavier! Xavier!" I yell. Almost in hope that he will show up any minute now.

Ryker waves the doctor away, as he pulls me closer to him. She simply nods her head, and turns to leave the room, silently closing the door on her way out, to make sure we aren't disturbed. 

Letting me cry on his shoulder, Ryker runs his hand along the back of my head.

"It's going to be alright." He says, in attempt to calm me down.

I bristle in his embrace when he says that. I'm growing frustrated. Why can no one answer me?

"Stop saying that! What's going on? What happened?"

Ryker solemnly lets me go, as he looks at me, before nodding his head. He hesitates for a moment, as if trying to decide what he should tell me.

"I don't know what you remember, but there was a fire."

"What? Where?" I ask, interrupting my brother.

"That's not important." He says with a waive of his hand.

"Mom and Dad had come to save you and Xavier."

"Wait.. what? Why was Xavier in the fire as well? Is he ok?"

"Yes, I believe so." 

"What do you mean 'you believe so'. He either is, or is not ok."

"He's in a medically induced coma. He took the brunt of the injuries."

"What injuries? How the hell was he injured? Why is he in a coma?" I ask, once again interrupting my brother. I don't know why I keep doing it. But the more he tells me, the more questions that begin to form in my mind. 

Ryker hesitates for a moment. As if choosing which of my questions he should answer. 

"Xavier suffered extreme burns and abrasions. He is still in surgery, by they believe he may have broken some bones as well. They had to put him in a medically induced coma, to give his body a better chance to heal."

"I don't understand what's going on. Please. Please Ryker, just tell me what happened." I begin to beg my brother for more information. Anything that could put my mind at ease. 

Just as my brother opens his mouth to give me the answers I so desperately crave, the doctor enters the room once again.

"I'm sorry, but this conversation will have to wait until later. We need to take Savannah to get some more tests, to make sure she's in the clear."

I start to object, when my brother shakes his head. 

"No, Banana, the doctor is right. This can wait. We need to make sure you're ok first. Just listen to the doctor for now. I will be here, when you come back."

The doctor simply smiles, as Ryker leaves my room.

The doctor comes up to me, and pulls a needle from her pocket.

"I'm just going to give you something to relax."

Before I have a chance to object, she's injected the needle into my IV, and suddenly I feel my eyelids getting heavier.

Before I realize it, I'm out cold.