The Angel,The Devil,The Nerd

Chapter 58 - Not Alone

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CHAPTER 58 - NOT ALONE

NATALIE'S POV

I'd booked the first flight available for Denver, Colorado, had frantically taken the first taxi and fought with the woman at the reception to know where he was and now here I was, in front of room 203, my legs not wanting to move, my mind reminding them of what a painful sight that would be.

I took a deep, deep breath and entered. My knees already buckled as soon as I spotted him on bed, seemingly asleep, but in reality unconscious and connected to a machine that helped him breathe, all those tubes and everything around him ... it already made me want to cry. I didn't even breathe but my legs moved by themselves and I stepped closer to the bed.

It was a double room, but there was no one occupying the other bed. It was such a desolating sight, my Eric breathing only thanks to a small mask, his body completely blocked to the bed and nobody around him ... tears prickled behind my eyes at the idea that he'd been, as a matter of fact, lucky, because he might have died all alone in who knows what God forsaken place, none of the people that love him around ... though he's not going to ... pass away, right? Coma doesn't mean ... death. And he's strong. He ... he's going to make it. Yes, he's going to make it and ... and then he'll leave me again because he can't stay.

I don't have all this strength. Not anymore. He used to tell me I had inner badassery I never knew, but after all these years, after all these blows ... I can't lose him again. Knowing he's who knows where fighting is one thing, but having the absolute certainty that he's no more in this world ... no. No, I can't accept that. NO.

Tears already streaking my cheeks, I stretched a hand to caress his hair, but my palm had just brushed his temple that I was startled to hear a voice from behind me: "He's gonna pull through."

I turned around immediately, only to meet the surprising sight of Kyle in a green hospital uniform. He looked pretty identical to the last time I saw him, with his tousled black hair always in a complete mess, though he sported a light stubble and his look was pretty dull, bags underneath his eyes ... clearly he was stressed.

And why am I surprised? Right behind me there was his brother lying on bed, profound come to keep him from us. Obviously Kyle was stressed. But I focused on his words as he went on, with a small, bittersweet smile: "We've operated him during the night, that's why the coma. He didn't respond to the cures. But ... I've just talked to my boss and ... he says there's a 70% probability that he's gonna make it."

My heart already entered in frenzy mode, but Kyle sighed, dropping his head as he came closer, grazing the back of his neck, not sure if out of frustration or simple being sorry. "He's lost a lot of blood, Nat. Dr. Weng had to extract lots of bullets from him and there were cuts here and there ... it's a pure miracle that he made it."

Tears fell silently as I listened carefully, my hand, on its own, reaching behind me to grab Eric's cold and stilled one. That it was cold it meant nothing. He's going to make it. They said he will. The thing was knowing how close I'd been to losing him for real.

Kyle's smile got a little bit more cheery as he looked up at me, clearly wanting to give me hope, or at least so I thought, because his words proved me wrong: "I don't want to give you false hopes, Nat, it's not set in stone. Everything can always change and technically he's not out of danger yet, but ... according to Dr. Cox the chances that he'll make it are ... enough high for us to hope."

Out of the blue and unable to retain myself, I left Eric's cold hand, but only to jump in his brother's arms and hug him tightly, thanking him for such news. It was better than nothing.