So, unfortunately, this is the last chapter. Thank you to everyone who has followed, favorited and reviewed this story. Everything was, and is still, highly appreciated :-) And have fun with this last chapter!

You never wake up the moment you open your eyes. Subconsciously you are already registering things long before you realize you're awake.

Danny realized he was waking up when the pain to his abdomen returned, along with a pounding headache. He deliberately did not open his eyes, not wanting to anger his already aching head any further. With his other senses, he tried to determine where he was.
He could feel soft blankets under his hands and his head was resting on an equally soft pillow. The sounds of traffic could be heard faintly from outside and a smell entered his nose as if someone was cooking pasta.

Suddenly, close to his left ear, Danny heard the sound of a page being turned. Now he was getting curious. Who was there with him?
He slowly rolled his head to the side and opened his eyes a crack. Sarah was sitting in an armchair next to his bed. A book, that easily contained a thousand pages, lay open in her lap. She still wore her engagement ring, Danny now noticed.

"Where am I?" Danny asked softly. His voice was hoarse from the lack of use.
"Dylan's apartment, across the street from Central Park. Everyone's here" Sarah answered. She suddenly clapped the book shut and looked Danny straight in the eyes.
"Tell me" she started sternly, "which part of me telling you to be careful with that wound didn't you understand?" Danny fully opened his eyes now to stare back at her, but her expression was unreadable.
"I'm... sorry?" he mumbled hesitantly and was surprised to see Sarah's face break into a smile.
"Well, it's not like I didn't expect it" she said.
"How bad is it?" Danny asked, serious now.
"You tore up most of the stitches" Sarah answered, "but you mostly overexerted yourself. You did more than your body could take at that moment and therefore you passed out". Sarah checked her watch. "You've been out for a good 16 hours now".
"Great" Danny groaned, passing a hand over his face.
"I re-did the stitches" Sarah continued, "and if you do take your rest this time, you'll be fine".

Sarah handed Danny some painkillers and a glass of water, which he gratefully took. The pain from his wound he could handle, but the headache was killing him. He gradually sat upright in the bed.
"Where's Henley?" He asked.
"She sat right here next to your bed all night, until she herself could barely stay awake. I took over after that, as you can see" Sarah answered. Danny did not respond. Had he really been that blind? No matter how many fights they had had in the past, Henley still cared about him, even loved him probably. And suddenly he realized he felt exactly the same way about her.

Sarah stood up from her chair. "You hungry?" she asked, "we're having diner in a few minutes. Dylan makes a mean spaghetti bolognaise".
"Starving" Danny only now realized how hungry he was. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and made to carefully stand up.
"Oh, wait!" he suddenly said, eyes sparkling mischievously, "I am allowed to move around the apartment, right? Or doesn't that qualify as taking it easy?" Sarah chuckled audibly at his remark.
"No, that's fine" she answered.

Sarah turned around and made for the door, intending to give Danny some privacy when he changed his clothes.
"Dylan told us your story" Danny suddenly said, stopping her dead in her tracks. Sarah slowly turned around to look at him.
"He did, didn't he?" She sighed. A hint of misery sounded through in her voice.
"You don't look so pleased about that" Danny interpreted her expression.
"Oh, he can tell you if he wants" Sarah shrugged, "after all, it is part of why he finally executed his plan and asked me to assist him. It's just that I don't like people thinking that I need sympathy just because of what life threw at me". Danny stared at her speechlessly for a few seconds.
"Well..." Danny started when he found his voice again, "I do feel sorry for you. I never lost someone that close to me, so I can't imagine what it must feel like".
"Excruciating" Sarah spoke softly, "it is utterly excruciating". Danny smiled weakly at her.
"Whether you like it or not, that gives you my sympathy" he said, "that, and the bullet wound you stitched up for me. Twice".
"Don't worry about it" Sarah waved away his gratitude, "now, get dressed or you'll miss the spaghetti". With that she turned around and left Danny alone in the bedroom.

As soon as Danny emerged from the bedroom and stepped into the modernly furnished living room, Henley almost ran to him and flung her arms around his neck.
"Don't you ever scare me like that again!" she said, releasing the embrace and giving him a hard look. She tried to sound angry, but failed miserably at it.
"I won't" Danny answered with a smile, seeing that Henley could not stay mad at him for long.

Dylan walked into the living room and placed a steaming pot of spaghetti on the dinner table.
"Hey! Look who's on his feet again" he called over as he saw Danny, "and you're right on time for dinner".

The six of them sat down at the dinner table.
Danny had not realized until now how hungry he actually was. His stomach was rumbling for him to ingest some food. And Sarah had been right, the spaghetti Dylan had made was one of the best he had ever had.

Dylan looked around at everyone eating. They surely looked like a completely mismatched family!
Jack and Sarah shared a joke about planting the money in Thaddeus' car, Merritt and Henley were speaking about their most recent show and Danny was rapidly finishing his first plate.
Dylan observed them all in silence. It had been he who had brought them all together, but now actually seeing it done, was a fantastic feeling.

"So, what happens next?" Jack suddenly asked.
"The four of you should definitely lay low for a while" Dylan answered, "the FBI believes that they caught the fifth Horsemen with Thaddeus. They believe he is the real mastermind behind it all and that you four have been merely doing his bidding. That doesn't mean you'll go free, surely not. I am certain they will keep looking for you. And if the FBI doesn't, then Thaddeus most likely will".
"And you helped the FBI in believing Thaddeus is the fifth Horsemen?" Danny said, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Naturally" Dylan answered with a big smile.

"And what about us?" Henley asked, "if we don't get caught, I mean?"
"Well, that all depends on yourselves" Dylan answered, "there is much more wrong and injustice in this world that needs to be righted. I am sure The Eye will have further assignments for you".
Danny, Henley, Merritt and Jack exchanged questioning looks. Jack was the first to speak again.
"I'm in" he said. Merritt nodded in agreement. "I feel the Horsemen have more work to do".
"Absolutely" Henley agreed. Everyone looked expectantly at Danny.
"Once I'm in one piece again, I'm definitely in" he answered.
"Wonderful!" Dylan exclaimed. His gaze focused on Sarah now. "And you?"
"Of course" she answered, "like I would say no to that!"
"Oh yeah!" Jack smiled and held up his hand up for a high-five, which she did with a big smile.

"So, I guess it's on to the next mission then" Dylan said cheerily. He raised his glass for a toast.
"To the Horsemen" he said. The others followed his example and raised their glasses as well, speaking in unison for the toast. "To the Horsemen!"