The hours crawled by, but Stefan didn''t leave her side. He didn''t dare. How could he, when he was scared of not being there when she opened her eyes especially now that he knew it could be any time soon.

    He remained by her side, watching her. Every twitch of her hand, every subtle shift of her breathing. He remained there and he clung to her hand like it was proof she was fighting her way back to him.

    Seconds turned into minutes and minutes into hours but he didn''t care. At some point, sleep tried to im him, but he resisted. What if she opened her eyes and he didn''t see it because he was sleeping? He couldn''t let that happen.

    Soon, what he was waiting for, happened.

    It was faint at first — the smallest flutter of her eyelids, a fragile movement that made his chest seize. Stefan sat up straighter, leaning close, his hand tightening around hers.

    "Ruby?" His voice was low, trembling, filled with equal parts of hope and fear.

    Hershes flickered again. Her lips moved, a broken breath escaping past her dry, cracked lips. It was a groan, although faint but it was real.

    Stefan''s heart mmed in his chest. "Ruby, it''s me. It''s Stefan. Can you hear me?"

    Her head shifted slightly on the pillow. This time, her eyes cracked open — just a bit, the harsh hospital light making her blink weakly. She winced, her brows furrowing as though the effort itself was painful.

    Tears blurred Stefan''s vision instantly as he watched her struggle to open her eyes. It''s been six days and three days of being by her side. Three long, unbearable days — and finally, finally she was looking at him.

    "Stefan…" Her voice was hoarse, fragile like brittle ss, but it was her voice.

    He bent closer, his forehead nearly touching hers, his uninjured hand cupping her face as if to anchor her. "I''m here, Ruby. You''re finally awake. God, I''ve been waiting for you. You''re back to me. You''re really awake."

    A tear slipped from the corner of her eye, trailing down her temple as she remembered thosest moments in the fire.

    That moment she''d struggled to free herself from the bed as she watched the curtains and every corner of the room burn.

    That moment she''d prayed really hard for someone—anyone toe to her rescue and how she''d given up every ounce of hope she had when Ivy had locked the door and left, dressed as her.

    "I… I thought…" She swallowed, her throat dry. "Am I dreaming? Is this an afterlife? My imagination of what I''d hoped would happen?" she asked, still in doubt even though a part of her could strongly feel it was real.

    "No," Stefan whispered, kissing her hand, unable to stop the sob that shook through him. "You''re not dreaming, baby. You came back to me. I got to you in time, my love."

    "Thank you foring back to me, baby. Thank you for not leaving me. I don''t know what I would''ve done," he whispered in tears.

    She blinked, her gaze slowly sharpening as she studied him. Her eyes drifted to his bandaged hand. "You''re hurt," she rasped, her voice breaking with concern. "What happened? Was it the fire?"

    Stefan shook his head quickly, brushing it off even though the wound still throbbed. "It''s nothing. I''m fine. Don''t worry about me."

    But she frowned weakly. "You''re not fine."

    Before Stefan could argue, the door opened quietly and Rayna slipped in with Ethan close behind.

    Rayna had wanted to tell him she was going home to bath and bring him food since Elizabeth had returned home to rest since she was feeling weak but when they saw the sight before then, they froze.

    Ruby was awake and talking and Stefan hadn''t even bothered to let them know.

    "Ruby?" Rayna''s voice cracked as tears filled her eyes. She rushed to the bedside, her hands trembling as she touched her best friend''s arm. "Oh my God… you''re awake. You''re really awake."

    Ethan''s lips curved into the first real smile Stefan had seen on him in days. "Wee back, Ruby," he said softly, his tone warm with relief.

    "I''m d you''re awake now. At least Stefan would finally let himself get better," he said, pping Stefan''s back.

    "I''m fine," Stefan said,ughing.

    Ethan raised a brow at Stefan. "See? Our stubborn Stefan''s been pretending he''s fine just so he can sit here like a guard dog for straight three days after he''d woken up."

    Raynaughed wetly through her tears, nodding. "It''s true. He hasn''t slept. Barely eats. He''s been impossible and now, he''s iming to be fine."

    Ruby''s lips curved faintly into a tired smile as she looked at Stefan, her heart aching and warming all at once. "You should rest up baby. You shouldn''t have stayed here that long..…" she was saying when Stefan cut in.

    "Really?" Stefan asked with his eyebrows raised, his voice firm, though his eyes shimmered. "Where else should I have been if not by your side?"

    Ruby felt the tears pricking her own eyes now — not from pain, but from the overwhelming love she felt in that moment.

    Love from the man she had given her heart to, from her best friend, and from his best friend who had stood beside them through it all.

    It was a moment she never thought she''d get back. And she was grateful—so, so grateful.

    A silence settled for a heartbeat, filled only with the soft beeping of the monitors. Then Ruby''s gaze flicked to Stefan, then to Ethan and yo Rayna, her voice faint but steady. "What about Ivy… what happened to her?"

    The question drew a shadow across the room. Stefan went silent while Rayna shook her head.

    Ethan exhaled slowly, before stepping closer.

    "She''s gone, Ruby. Justice caught up with her. At the hearing, everything came out. Not only had she killed your mother and tried to kill you but she had murdered her ex-boyfriend and his wife. It was all hidden until now, but the truth surfaced. She was charged with first-degree murder and has been sentenced to life imprisonment."

    Ruby''s eyes widened slightly. For a moment she just stared at him, trying to process the weight of his words. Then she let out a shaky breath, a mixture of disbelief and grim relief crossing her face.

    "She won''t hurt you anymore," Ethan added gently. "It''s over, now."

    Ruby''s eyelids fluttered, exhaustion tugging at her already. But she gave a weak nod, her hand tightening slightly in Stefan''s.

    "Good…" she whispered, her voice fading into a whisper of air. "It''s over," she said even though a part of her was still scared.

    Stefan brushed the damp strands of hair from her forehead, his lips pressing against her skin. Relief coursed through him — relief she was awake, alive, looking at him with those hazel eyes he thought he might never see again.

    But beneath that relief he felt, lurked a fear he couldn''t shake. Because soon, she would ask the one question he dreaded most.

    And when she did, he would have to break her heart all over again.

    For now, though, he shoved that thought deep into the shadows of his mind. For now, she was awake and he was going to savor this moment.