--: Author's POV: --
Two days had passed since Jay-jay first opened her eyes. The frantic beeping of the ICU monitors had been replaced by the quiet, steady hum of a regular recovery room. The color was finally returning to her cheeks, and the doctors were amazed—though they still had no idea how a girl with such a serious injury was recovering this fast.
But today, the "Sovereign Territory" of Section E was about to be invaded by a different kind of force.
--: Jay-jay's POV: --
I was sitting up, leaning against the pillows while Keifer tried to force-feed me some sliced apples.
"I can do it myself, Keifer" I laughed, trying to swat his hand away.
"The doctor said you need to conserve energy," he countered, looking completely serious. "Eating counts as exercise. I'm helping."
Before I could argue, the door swung open. It wasn't the nurse this time.
"JAY-JAY!"
A chorus of voices hit me at once. I barely had time to blink before Mica, Grace, and Rakki were at my bedside. They looked relieved, their eyes shimmering with tears.
"You absolute idiot! You scared us to death!" Mica cried, reaching out to hug me as gently as she could.
"How did you even—" I started, but my voice trailed off when I saw what Grace was carrying. Wrapped in a soft, pink floral blanket was little Grazel Jay. She was only a few months old, her tiny face peaceful as she slept.
Immediately, the room erupted as the boys crowded around.
"My turn! Grace, you promised I could hold her first today!" Felix shouted, nearly tripping over a chair.
"Back off, Felix! I'm the one who bought her the custom Section E onesie!" Mayo argued.
"Move over, let a professional handle this," Percy cut in, leaning over the baby with a smirk. "If she wakes up, she needs to see someone high-quality like me first. It's important for her aesthetic standards."
"Percy, you're just afraid she'll mess up your shirt" Blaster teased, making a face at the sleeping infant.
"Please, my clothes are as flawless as my skin," Percy huffed, though he reached out a finger to gently touch the baby's tiny hand. "See? She's not crying. She clearly appreciates looking at a face this handsome."
"Will you all shut up?" Denzel hissed, though he was grinning. "You're going to wake her up, and if she starts crying, I'm making all of you change her diaper."
The boys immediately froze. Even Percy stopped talking, looking slightly horrified at the mention of diapers. It was a ridiculous sight—a room full of guys fighting over who got to cuddle a three-month-old.
"She wanted to see her Godmother," Grace whispered to me, ignoring the chaos as she leaned down. "We couldn't stay away any longer."
My heart absolutely melted. I reached out a shaky finger and gently touched the baby's velvet-soft hand. Grazel Jay made a small snuffling sound, her tiny fingers instinctively curling around mine. The pure, innocent life in her hand made the darkness of the forest feel a million miles away.
Then, the door opened again. Aries walked in with Ella and Freya.
"Hey, Jay," Ella said softly, squeezing my hand. "We were so worried."
"I brought you some fresh fruits," Freya added, placing a large basket on the nightstand. "I figured you'd need the vitamins to get out of here faster."
I looked at Ella and then at Freya. Something felt different now. Watching them interact with my brothers and the girls, I realized they were becoming more than just familiar faces. They were becoming real friends.
"Thanks, Freya." I whispered.
"We're not letting you out of our sight until you're back on your feet" Ella declared, looking at Aries, who gave her a small, supportive smile.
The room was crowded—girls laughing, the boys still whispering-fighting over the baby, and the heavy atmosphere finally disappearing. For the first time, I didn't feel like a victim. I felt like a girl surrounded by a family that was growing bigger every day.
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This is the last chapter of today, I uploaded 3 chapters today!!
Now I'll upload tomorrow 😊