Back at the base Kilee was still in surgery when the Reese brothers got back. Kyle wanted nothing more then to see her, but it was not allowed. So instead he and Derek went to the showers. When they got back to the infirmary Kilee was in recovery she was sedated. Kyle and Derek went into see her. Her face was a mass of bruises and bandages, the left side of her head was partly shaved because of a few long gashes that had required stitches. Both of her legs were in casts and held down so that she could not thrash around. Kyle did not notice the tears flowing down his own face but he did see the way Derek reached over and brushed some hair out of Kilee's face and the way he left his hand there for a bit to long. Kyle looked up into his brothers face and saw the pain and tears that mirrored how he was feeling himself. The two brothers stayed with Kilee all night. She awake in the morning and she and Kyle talked about everything that happened in the past year. Derek sat and listened adding points here and there. After hours the medical staff told the brothers that they had to leave so Kilee can get some sleep. They went back to the barracks to get some much needed rest. Kyle could not erase the smile on his face. He was thinking about his birthday last year, how horrible it was without Kilee. In a weeks time it would be their birthday again and Kilee was safe. With this thought he started to plan a huge party, but fell asleep before he got much past the menu! Several hours later they were woken by a loud noise. Several people were screaming. At first they thought a terminator had entered their camp, but then a boy rushed into their barracks. "They need you both in the infirmary now it’s Kilee" Nothing else needed to be said both brothers ran to the infirmary as fast as they could. Kyle reached the door first and what he saw stunned him for a second. Kilee had a terrified look on her face. She was holding a male nurse down and choking him. His lips were blue. There were several others in the room all trying to get Kilee to let go. No force was working and they did not have anymore sedatives to use. Kyle's temporary paralysis broke and he ran to Kilee. He grabbed hold of one arm and then bent low and started to sing to her. Derek came up at this point and saw the odd scene. He went to Kyle's side to see if there was anything he could do. Kyle had managed what the others couldn't and eased Kilee's arm away from the man. Derek caught him before he fell, the other medical staff quickly moved in to get the man out. He was unconscious but alive. Kyle eased himself into Kilee's bed and wrapped his arms around her still singing the soft Spanish Lullaby that he had heard in the showers. Kilee's body relaxed and she soon fell back into a natural sleep. Kyle had been the only one that had been able to get close enough to realize that she had never been awake. It had been hard for him to sing through the anger at what she went through in that camp that made her like this. It also hurt to realize that she had not told him everything that happened to her in there that morning. He stayed with her the rest of the night sleeping in her bed with her. It was ordered that Kyle was now to remain with Kilee in the infirmary until she was okay to leave. When they were alone Kyle told her what she had done and asked why she had not trusted him with everything. Seeing the hurt look on her best friend’s face she said "It wasn't you I didn't want to know." Kyle looked puzzled "who else could have heard?" Kilee smiled a little and said one word "Derek" Kyle nodded and then he said "We are alone now tell me what you can. I heard it helps to talk about these things." A darkness crossed Kilee's face and then she nodded. She told him everything that night.
Afterward Kilee cried herself to sleep in Kyle's arms. Looking at the two of them it was hard to believe how young they really were. Kyle would be only 15 in six days, and Kilee just 13. While Kyle was in with Kilee, Derek was on a different mission. He gathered everyone that knew the double K's and planned a huge surprise party for their birthday. Everyone wanted it to be extra special Kilee was home safe and Kyle was happy again. It had been hard on everyone to see the happy, enthusiastic boy turn into a shadow of himself when Kilee had been taken. Kyle had been the type of person that made everyone smile when they were down, but no one had been able to cheer the boy. The day Kilee came home was the first that anyone saw Kyle's smile in twelve long months. This would be a celebration that no one would forget. Connor allowed troops to go out and look in some of the destroyed buildings to find any kind of party supplies or gifts. They had to go out in platoons because of all the increased metal activity in the area. One group came back with only a fraction of their soldiers and reported that they had been attacked by what appeared to be two teenage girls but it turned out that they were some kind of machine. They had all fired on them and nothing stopped them. Connor listened to this and held the usual ceremony to remember those that did not make it back. He hid his worry about this new information and kept the troops closer to home at least until after the party. Kyle had seen some of the bags and boxes that the troops where bringing back but thought that it was only supplies needed for the camp and never thought to mention it to Kilee. He did everything to keep her sprits up while she was locked away in the infirmary. Then their birthday arrived and with a sense of quilt Kyle realized that in spending all his time with Kilee he forgot to plan the party for her. He went to tell her this, but ran into Derek first.


Find out What Happens Next at THE PARTY