"Wait, did you say I was bit, by a rat?"
"It would appear so."
Alannah was shocked by the news the doctor gave her. Remembering her time below decks with the crew aboard the Europa she couldn't imagine that there would be rats on board, but anything was possible. And then she remembered the night she went out on deck and spent in Nicolò's arms, she felt something prick her foot, but nothing was there. That could have been the rat, she shivered just thinking about her close encounter with death.
Based on the information that she was given her thoughs went once again to Storm Haven Island. Alannah and Nicolò headed down to the pier to find out how to get to the island. They were told that they actually had to travel to Bayonne to catch the boat from there to get to where they were heading. So they went to Union Station to catch a train. When they got to Bayonne they purchased their tickets for the boat, stayed in a hotel that night - separate rooms of course, and then went to dinner. Alannah told him of her dream of finding this mysterious Storm Haven Island, and now that she needed the tropical environment it was even more imperative that she make it there.
"I will be with you to the end, if need be." Nicolò reassured her, wrapping his arms around her. There was an excitement that rushed over her, just being this close to him made her feel like there were butterflies in her stomach. They took the day and explored the Jersey Pier, the sights, sounds, and smells of this place was far different than even the little town in Germany that she had lived in the past three years. The best feeling was being accompanied by someone she had not seen in years, someone she had grown to love in the short time since she had met him. She was not immune to the newness, but she was sobered by the fact that her Father could find her even in this place. For Alannah the shadow of her father's tyranny always darkened her soul, turning even the brightest of days to black as night.
From the day the hospital had called him Alannah's brother Erik had stayed close to the hospital. He had paid the bill because Alannah was family and it was the least he could do. When he was able to see her, he would go into her room at night when the other man was in the waiting room sleeping. He would sit with her for hours, holding her hand, and talking to her. He was glad that she was going to make a full recovery, he would see to her care. He had loved his sister more than anything. When he had escaped his fathers clutches all those years ago, he had tried to take his sister with him, but there was no way that his father would allow that. Now here she was, lying helpless in the hospital he would make it his mission to find out who did this to her. Looking at Alannah lying here in the hospital bed was proof that she had managed to leave their father as well, he must be very angry. Erik had seen first hand his fathers anger, and now their father has lost all of his children now and there was no one left in the home to control but his stupid men and his guns.