[[One chapter is never good enough for you lot, is it? Lol, I'm kidding XD Thanks for all the kind reviews. Since I left this story on a dreary cliff hanger— and because Lucy/Alfendi has become my new OTP— I decided to write another chapter with a happy ending, though there'll be much less action. And we get a special cameo from an Unwound Future character, so there'll be some SPOILERS for the third game.]]

Justin Lawson dodged through traffic like a maniac (screw the British speed limit); police sirens blaring. Meanwhile Alfendi sat in the back of the car with Lucy's head in his lap, her body lying across the seat. Alfendi rang the hospital on the way to explain they were bringing in an officer who had been seriously wounded by a knife.

As Lucy was rushed inside the building, Lawson told him "Al, I need to get back to help the others with Potsby-Mahn now…" His voice softened in concern. "Let me know if the kid pulls through."

"She will pull through," Alfendi growled.

Lawson just looked at him hopelessly, sighed, and drove away in his cruiser.

Lucy had to be taken into the emergency unit, and Alfendi wasn't even allowed to accompany her.

"Why not?" Alfendi demanded.

The nurse studied him over the desk as if he was the most exciting specimen she'd dealt with all day. According to the hospital I.D. badge, her name was Natalia Green. She looked about forty or fifty, yet it was impossible to calculate her exact age for she was ghastly pale and dry as a prune. Her dirty once-purple hair wasn't doing her many favours either. (And people believe my hair is greasy Alfendi thought in disgust.)

"Those are the rules," Natalia replied tartly.

"Forget the rules— this is urgent!" Lucy was here because of him; he should be by her side right now.

Natalia huffed and observed the clipboard in her hands. "Name?"

"Alfendi Layton." The woman's droopy eyes widened slightly, but she made no comment.

"Relation to patient?"

"I'm her co-worker…" Then Alfendi amended, "Her friend."

"You're not even a close relative of Ms Baker. I'm afraid you're going to have to stay out here."

Alfendi snarled, yellow eyes flashing. His alter ego nearly showed again for a split second. However, this time he managed to compose himself. Sighing, the inspector went to sit in one of the waiting room's hard plastic chairs.

The walls were painted a sickly green colour (a poor choice) and were aligned with posters distributing health information and hospital policy. The entire place reeked of antiseptics that burned Alfendi's nostrils; it was an unpleasant reminder of the fatal injuries he'd suffered four years ago…

Several tedious hours of waiting elapsed. The first signs of exhaustion and dehydration began to affect Alfendi's system— yawning, eye rubbing, headaches. But he refused to go out and buy a coffee from the café downstairs. What if there were any changes in Lucy's condition?

To pass the time, he flicked through the ancient newspapers on a small table. There was also a discarded gossip magazine; however, Alfendi could care less about how retired celebrity model Celia Raidley "Hides all her wrinkles!" When Natalia approached him, he stuffed the paper he was reading into his pocket.

Alfendi felt a wave of immense relief when Natalia informed him: "Your friend is in recovery. We've got her stabilised, but she'll need to remain here for a couple of days."

"Thank God… When may I see her?"

"As soon as she wakes up. I warn you though; she'll be in a lot pain."

The pair became silent as they waited for the all clear that Lucy was fine. Every so often Natalia would glance at him. She seemed to be a woman of few words, but something about him had piqued her interest.

"Are you the son of Professor Hershel Layton?" the nurse inquired.

"Indeed I am."

"Oh." That was it. She neither sounded surprised nor impressed. Many imagined Alfendi would be a genius puzzle fanatic and a true gentleman just like his father. People were always disappointed to learn this wasn't the case. (Well, at least he'd inherited the genius part.)

"Years ago, I was one of the citizens who lived and worked in the fake city beneath London," Natalia offered casually. "I'm not saying your father isn't a hero… But he didn't do much to help the citizens escape from underground."

That's because he was a bit busy stopping a bloody mobile fortress from destroying the real London, Alfendi thought vehemently.

Alfendi surged to his feet when a doctor finally appeared to inform him that Lucy was conscious. He didn't even bid Natalia farewell as he hastily followed the doctor into the recovery room.

It shook Alfendi to the core to see his assistant swathed in bandages and hooked up to a machine. She'd lost so much blood… He fell into the chair beside Lucy's bed, remembering over and over that it was his fault she was here. The horrifying scene kept replaying in his mind: Potsby-Mahn's threat, the flash of the knife, his assistant's pained cry…

A pale white hand weakly gripped the bed sheets. Then there was a groan. "P-prof…?" Lucy's voice was thin as silk.

"We can't keep her awake for too long," the doctor mouthed.

Alfendi nodded to him. He clasped his assistant's fingers and murmured, "I'm here, I'm right here, Lucy."

Lucy's eyes flew open when she heard him. Shaking, she started at Alfendi as if he'd turned into a monster; her red irises wild and filled with fear.

After a tense moment Lucy calmed down and croaked "O-oh, you're back to normal… Prof, what 'appened? Did we beat G-goldie?"

Hopefully the doctors would pass off her first statement as anaesthetic induced disorientation. Alfendi smiled at her gently. "A group of officers was assembled outside the alley to apprehend Ms Potsby-Mahn and her friends. Now they'll be back behind bars for good... However, I believe the better question is: how do you feel?"

"I'm alright…" Lucy tried an optimistic shrug, but only ended up wincing (clearly refuting her point). The doctor noticed and, after silently alerting Alfendi, gave Lucy a needle to reduce the pain.

"Prof…" Lucy yawned as she went under the anaesthetic again "Promise me summat?"

Alfendi leaned in closer to listen. "What is it?"

"Even though… I got hurt… I can still work int Mystery Room… with you, right?"

"Of course," Alfendi assured her as her eyes drifted shut once more. He kissed Lucy's hair before fixing her cap on her head. "I promise."

[[Did I mention Lucy/Alfendi has become my new OTP? Sorry Emmy/Layton, you've been replaced!

...I'd like to apologise for not including the spoiler warning sooner -.-]]