As the SS Europa neared New York City, the first thing everyone on board saw was the Statue of Liberty, that is everyone but Alannah. The stranger that was in her suite with her during the remainder of the cruise, was a docrtor and he would let not one soul enter the room. As soon as everyone else was off the ship, Alannah was taken by ambulance to the hospital where she was cared for further by the staff at Mercy Hospital. It turned out that Martin the creepy old Mexican had some how slipped her something that had almost killed her. As Nicolò who had been with her just days prior to her taking ill, he had also been quarantined. Alannah had been taken to Mercy Hospital in New York. Nicolò had never left her side until she was placed in ICU in an oxygen tent, and even then he refused to leave the ICU. Nicolò was the only one who knew her, and when he was asked for her name, he absent mindedly gave it to the hospital staff. The hospital managed to track down the only relative of Alannah in the New York area, her brother.
It would be yet another week before Alannah would be well enough to travel. Nicolò could too his leave from the ship, bid the captain and crew farewell, and stayed behind with Alannah. His ship had left yesterday heading for England. As Nicolò had made a promise to keep Alannah safe he was going to keep that vow, he had fallen in love with her from the first momen he saw her, five years past.
After spending nearly a week and a half in the hospital, Alannah went to go pay for the hospital bill only to find that it had already been paid for. Confused as to who would have that much money, the staff told her it was an anonymous donor. She spoke to the doctor that took her from the Europa to the hospital and he had told that she was lucky to be alive.
"It would appear, young lady that you were unfortunate to catch a rare strain of the plague." The doctor had told her. "I don't even know how you managed to catch it, as there were no rats in the first class steerage, but there was a small bite on your foot. I would suggest finding a warmer climate to settle down in. The climate here in New York is no longer suited for you, as your heart has been left very weak and any major strain or sickness could indeed kill you."