Blood.

Chapter Twenty: Preziosa.

Xander frowned when he found the cookie jar half gone, he would have suspected the younger four of the boys but they were away for the week with his younger sister. 
"Hey, baby" He smiled when he felt two tiny arms wrap around his legs, lifting his daughter up into his strong tattooed arms and placed a kiss onto her hair after she nuzzled her head into the crook of his neck, and rubbed her back. "How was your nap?"
"S'good." She yawned pulling back to look at him and then looked at the jar. "Can I get one?"
"Depends, did have them before going to bed?" His lip twitched at her effort to clean the crumbs from her face yet a little bit of chocolate was visible on the side of her lip.
"N-No?"
Xander scoffed, an amused smile on his face as he pulled her close. "You're an awful liar, baby."
"M'not...lying."
"You aren't? Hmmm," Xander hummed pretending to think before throwing her on the couch, his fingers digging into her sides as she laughed loudly. "Well, you think you gonna 'fess up to the tickle monster?" He growled playfully at the last bit, blowing a few raspberries onto her exposed stomach, making her giggle even more. "Who helped you?"
"N-no on-one" Her cheeks were red because of the laughter, she squirmed trying to get away but she was too small.
"Was it Cole?" He asked suddenly, stopping the tickle torture for a few seconds to let her catch her breath and then attacked her again at the lack of reply. 
"N-no!" She screamed in a fit of giggles secretly enjoying the light-hearted fun with her dad whilst trying to protect her darling uncle who always helped her get the sweets, yet her hesitation and eye diversion were enough for Xander to know it was his own twin and rolled his eyes.
"Idiota."

Aurora's P.O.V:

I woke up to Austin's laughter mistaking it for Justin's for a split second, a sound I had become quite used to hearing that brought me a sort of comfort. He was sitting near the end of my bed, my feet didn't reach there, the TV was on but I was sure he laughed at something Vince muttered.

I blinked, my eyes rising up to the bags on my side, one filled with a transparent liquid, one with a yellow one I didn't like, and one with what looked like Blood.

I cringed.

"Hey, baby" Vince immediately got up from the armchair he was sitting in, and over to me, stroking my hair, his eyes soft. "Does anything hurt, love?"

I shook my head and cleared my throat realising it was sore, Austin brought up a glass of water to my lips, raising my head with his hand while Vince texted someone...the rest I assume.

"How are you feeling?" Vince asked once I was done siping the liquid, Alina entered in time to hear the question.

"I'm fine" I nodded, Alina's icy eyes met mine, an eyebrow raised making me look down, realising it was technically a lie.

"Sore...a little sick"

"Sore is because of the impact" Austin answered "As for sick, it was your first bullet wound, took away a lot of immunity which in turn made you catch a fever, but now you're fine."

I blinked at him.

"I was listening closely when the doctor explained" I nodded absentmindedly, my gaze on two other men standing in the room, Vince caught my gaze and let out a heavy sigh, just as the door opened, a doctor entering, I could tell from her white coat. 

"Hello Aurora" She smiled at me with slight pity in her eyes. "How are you doing?"

"Good" I spoke, my voice not as hoarse as before and at Alina's gaze, described the soreness, and the weakness. 

"It's completely normal, the wound thankfully wasn't very deep but it did affect your immune system, is your head better?"

"Feels a little heavy," I admitted and she nodded in understanding, writing something down on the pad.