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her mind.

Chapter 5
    T he light touch on her shoulder startled her, and Gypsy sat up quickly.  Looking around the room, she frowned when she realized she was once again back in her own bed.  “Slade thought you might be more comfortable in here,” the nurse said quietly.  It was a different nurse than the one who had been in her room before. Gypsy thought her name was Maria, but she couldn’t remember for sure.  They seemed to switch her nurses quite a bit for some reason, and she had never been very good with names.  “He brought you back about an hour ago.  Don’t worry,” she rushed to assure Gypsy, “Sari is still sleeping.”  When Gypsy didn’t respond, she went on, “I brought you some dinner.  I hope you like roast beef and mashed potatoes with brown gravy.”  She placed the food on a tray in front of Gypsy, a small smile on her lips.
    “Thank you,” Gypsy finally said quietly.  Absently replying to the nurse’s goodbye, Gypsy slowly pushed the tray of food away and climbed out of the bed.  Something was not right.  She wasn’t sure what it was, but she knew she needed to find out.  Walking to the door, Gypsy opened it and glanced down the hall.  All was quiet, except for the soft murmur of voices at the counter by the doors leading to the lobby area.  Turning down the hall in the other direction, Gypsy slowly started walking, unsure of her destination.  Passing her sister’s room, she glanced in to see that Sari was indeed still asleep, facing away from the doorway.
    Continuing on, Gypsy passed three more rooms before she finally found what she was looking for.  Opening the door to the very last room at the end of the hallway, she quietly slipped inside.  Lying on the bed was a young man, no more than twenty-five or twenty-six years old.  A white sheet covered the lower half of his body, while a stark white bandage was wrapped around his chest. 
    Stopping by the bed, Gypsy reached out and slowly smoothed a lock of light brown hair back from his forehead.  He was so still, almost as if he was dead, but she knew he wasn’t.  It was strange, but she could sense the blood flowing through his veins and the slow thud of his heart beating weakly.  This must be the enforcer Slade was talking about earlier.  Xavier.  Unsure why she was there, of exactly what had drawn her to him, Gypsy moved a chair that was sitting in the corner of the room next to the bed and sat down.  Cautiously, she reached out and covered his hand with one of hers, shivering at the coldness she felt.  That was definitely not right.  She knew the man was alive, she could feel it. 
    Placing her other hand on his arm, Gypsy lowered her head and prayed.  Something had guided her to this room, showing her this man needed her help; help she was unsure how to give.  Why was she here?  What was her purpose? 
    Gypsy stiffened when the low thump of Xavier’s heartbeat began to beat loudly in her ears.  She shivered when she felt something stir deep within her; seeming to come alive and send an energy flowing through her.  Her brow furrowed as her vision began to waiver, and she moaned softly as tremors coursed through her body.  Gypsy moaned, clutching Xavier’s hand desperately as pain slammed into her, and she felt utter terror.  She knew she was dying and wasn’t ready to go.  She had so much to live for.  Someone was out there who needed her.  She had to protect her above all else. 
    Gasping, Gypsy tried to catch her breath as she suddenly realized what was happening.  She had done this before.  She knew she had.  She wasn’t the one in so much pain that it felt like her chest was on fire.  It was Xavier.  He was hurting, suffering horribly, terrified he would never wake up again.  He could feel himself slowly leaving this world, and he refused to go without a fight.  This was why she was here.  She needed to help him.  She had to bring him back to the land of the living.  Taking several