When Allen finally woke up for good, it was 4 in the afternoon, according to her phone. She turned over to find Damon sitting on the floor beside her bed, playing a game on his phone, but at the sounds of movement from Allen, he quickly turned off his phone and faced Allen with a gentle smile. Allen said, her voice horribly cracking,

"I feel like a truck hit me in the head." Damon handed her a bottle of water, and she sat up and drank it gratefully.

"Allen? How are you feeling?" Damon asked carefully, and Allen gave a sharp bark of laughter that hurt her throat.

"Like shit,...