Lana's POV It was rather darkness that struggled to take over my vision and loud buzzing that echoed in my hears.. It was panic that climbed up my throat yet silence that held me choked. I.. I could feel pressure, I could feel this rough throbbing in my head.. And it blurred my mind in ways that made me doubt I was even left sane still.. I could see flames, and I knew what they meant. I could see them rising up in the sky, and I knew.. I knew what happened. But it seemed like a part of me refused to believe it even though my body was numb as I stood frozen on my spot. My throat was as dry as to make me feel like I was choking.. My eyes burned from the cold air and the sudden smoke spreading through it.. I heard faded screams, pleads, and words.. Words near me. I felt hands on my face, on my shoulders, while I stared at someone's broad shoulders, someone's chest that blocked my view.. Only the tips of the high fire behind the gates caught my attention and I.. I was left speechless with the realization. Breathless with the thought. And when I was directed to look up, at the man standing in front of me, so close trapping me against the wall that I could barely move an inch.. I saw a pair of familiar dark eyes.. Eyes that were filled with panic almost as high as mine.. With concern and fear that was unusual for that inky dangerous color. My Christian. And oh it was that moment when I knew.. I knew that what was happening was real. It was not a damn nightmare, but it was all there in front of me.. As real as his touch on my face was.. He said something to me.. I could not hear him but the deep tone in his voice caught my attention.. My eyes burned, my face did as well.. Like it was me that felt those flames.. But I could no longer breathe.. I could no longer breathe to tell whether or not it was all happening, if it was real or if it was all an illusion.. Those damned witches were.. They were an illusion I was sure in it.. And they killed- A sharp breath escaped my throat like there was no longer space in my lungs for me to hold it. My head span and all I could hear was how that loud buzzing in my ears turned into a screech, louder and louder.. I didn't realize I had closed my eyes until I felt something warm down my cheeks.. Until I felt a strong embrace around my waist, underneath my legs as I was lifted from the ground.. Against all that smoke, all that lack of air from how hard that pressure had climbed from the ache of my heart up my throat, I could still recognize that familiar scent, the familiar warmness.. The familiar arms that held me tightly and safely.. I was holding on with my arm around his neck, but I barely had the straight to straighten up even a bit.. My eyes closed on their own.. I could not,- no, I refused to accept those thoughts.. I just pressed my head against his shoulder and thanked every god that he was alive. And once again, refused to accept that the others weren't. We were inside before I could even register it.. I heard his voice, he said something to me.. Then he yelled something to someone else.. I heard other voices as well.. There were people inside.. Women mostly.. Some men that weren't in the group with those that left the gates.. My father.. My father lead that group.. Only minutes ago, I had heard his voice. I heard his commands. And he didn't listen to me when I told them to stop.. Goodness, my brothers.. My uncle.. I could not breathe.. I felt myself being put on something soft.. My eyes were opened and my vision was blurry, but as if there was something in my throat, I couldn't breathe. I felt a sob escape me.. But no tears left me. "Lana," I heard his voice.. Christian.. I looked into his eyes.. I saw worry. I saw fear. I saw despair. And I looked away. "Lana, look at me," My head was turned.. His hand around my jaw held me still and directed me to meet his gaze once again. "Listen to me, I need you to stay with me," His voice echoed.. It was loud yes, but that wasn't the reason why it echoed in my head. It did because my blood was rushing so harshly, my heart thumping so rapidly, that it was all I heard.. I felt pressure in my head.. Hell, I thought it was going to explode. And even though the screeching in my ears somewhat faded, I could hear that buzzing.. "Where,-" A word escaped me.. I wasn't even sure what I was trying to make out until I heard myself say it. "My mother, where is she?" I wasn't sure how in all of that I managed to remember it.. I just felt someone caress my hair, I was pulled on the side with the way I sat on the couch.. It was her, my mother that hugged me.. And she was trembling. She was sobbing.. But I couldn't get myself to shed a tear nor could I return that tight hug. It was almost as if she was seeking for some support, for some relief in me.. Perhaps because I was alive. I was..- It was me that was supposed to be dead yet I was the one alive. They died because of me. She was pulled away from me after just a few seconds. It was someone else that wanted to show support so they pulled her into hugs.. Many hugs and embraces of pity and support.. Of other women that were sobbing for their sons and husbands.. And my mother needed their support, their hugs and condolences. I realized Christian was kneeling in front of me, in front of the couch.. His hands rested on my knees before wrapping around mine. He knew hugs were not what I needed.. He knew.. He knew me too well to do anything in that moment. It was the look in his eyes that mattered. The concern I saw.. The relief in his grip around my hands.. How he held them tightly and brought them up to his lips.. Then, aware of the situation of the continuing screams and pleads, the cries and yells that were still heard as some were just finding out what had just went down in only minutes, Christian rose to his feet, in full height and certainty, pulling on my hands slightly to get me up as well. I stood up. I had to.. Oh I had to get away in that moment.. And just as I did, I was almost bumped into a guy that ran in.. A familiar face.. A face that made me release a gasp of relief. Jack. "Lana!" He yelled my name the minute he rushed through the door.. He.. He was there, wasn't he? It was him. It was really him. And even though a part of me never accepted that they.. That they could be gone, I still felt relief.. I felt it escape me through a breath as deep as to allow me to breathe again. "Lana," He repeated my name as he looked around the living room before his eyes met mine.. I glanced at Christian.. I was making sure that it was not only I that was seeing my brother there in front of me.. With eyes glassy from sudden tears, an expression that turned from lost and dark to soft and filled with the same relief that had washed over me.. And Christian seemed to had seen the same thing. Before I could even register it, Jack was in front of me, hands in my hair, through it and over it, almost like he made sure I was real as well, before I almost lost all air from my lungs from how tightly he hugged me. I felt a sob escape my throat.. No tears ran down my face, but my gasps turned into sobs even though my voice seemed gone. I held him tightly as well.. This time, I found some control of my own body.. I felt his warmness and his breath in my hair and it was all I needed to breathe again.