Two Fighters

Healing

How are you all liking this? Feel free to comment and vote.

Dominick POV

Lana looked like death. Her eyes were red, skin more purple than anything. It made my stomach knot up looking at her in person now. I lifted her onto the bed so she could get more comfortable, though she was persistent on staying awake. Erik had left, making conversation with her a bit more difficult, but with paper and pen and a bit of time; we all made it work.

"That's the first time I've seen her cry." Rosa whispered as Lana and my mom conversed. "You are good for her, Kiki was right. You make her more her old self." She brushed her tears away. I picked at my bandaged hand for a moment before nodding.

"I just know this is going to take some time for her to heal from. I hope I'm helpful." We stopped talking when Shirley the doctor walked in and sat down.

"Where do we start? Nerve damage in your neck and legs-" Shirley took a deep breath and ran through the list." -6 broken ribs; The rest are cracked and obviously your vocal cords should strengthen in about a week. Don't lift anything more than 5lbs. Someone will have to help you up at times. Your ribs need time to heal. The burns on your thighs should be good to go along with all bruising so just keep it clean along with the stitches on your shoulder. Got it?" Lana nodded nearly snickering at Shirley's list. Shirley looked to me as she spoke. "She's a pain in the ass patient. I wish you the best. I'm letting her leave tomorrow. It won't do her any good being here instead of at home. Rosa I'll give you get medication, just walk with me to the lab." She nodded quickly before following after Shirley.

"I'll gonna grab something from the cafe down the hall. Do you want anything sweetheart?" She nodded before writing down something.

Anything. I'm starving. My mom nodded before leaving the room. Lana sighed softly and glanced to me.

"I was so scared when you didn't call." She nodded before motioning to her lips for me to watch as she spoke.

"Enough about me." She moved her lips to say the words as she signed them. It wasn't difficult to really make out what she was saying. She wrote down something really quick. Read lips like you read a person. " How are you?" She motioned to me and I looked down at my hand.

" It isn't bad. Doctor said it should be good to go soon. It's not like a normal broken hand since I got surgery." I shrugged before looking at my watch for a moment. She brushed her hand over it, I couldn't help but look at the bruises around her tiny wrists. "I don't know how you're not in pain." I lifted her hand, kissing the back.

"Pain isn't bad when you're home and when you're safe." She croaked out the words weakly as she signed then looked to the door as my mom returned she was holding a smoothie and smiling towards us.

"When's the last time you ate?" I looked at her eyeing up the smoothie as if it was gold. Lana held up five fingers and I shivered. She sheepishly sipped at it, obviously taking her time before looking to my mother as she spoke.

"How do you do it? How are you Okay?" She thought for a few moments. Grabbing her paper before looking at me, I spoke for her once I got good at reading her lips.

"When I'm over there-" She whispered and I repeated after her." -It's like a nightmare. I know there is a end to every nightmare. When they got me I had come to terms with death. On my mind was all of you. My family is why I do this." She nodded once she was done and looked to my mom as she took her hand and smiled through the tears.

"Stop making me cry." My mother mumbled before her phone began to buzz. "Ah, I've gotta get going. Joe said he'd stop by this evening." She kissed Lana's forehead before hurrying out of the room. Silence filled the air as she examined the container in her hands for a few moments.

"I understand if you can't do this Dom." She raised her eyes to look in mine. "My life is-" She ran her tongue along her lips. "-A lot for someone to handle." Each word made her voice sound weaker, yet she was determined to keep talking. "I mean come on, we just met and already you know shit I haven't even told Rosa."

" Lana, I'm here for you. That's my purpose is to help you open up." She shrugged and looked away for a moment.

"You make me vulnerable. It's like you know every thing about me, yet I know nothing about you." So quickly she began to build a wall around herself. I understood why, but it didn't make it any better.

"What's there to know about me?" I shrugged and looked in her eyes. "What do you want to know?"

"Where is your dad?" Of all the topics she had to mention it was the one I hated more than any other. I sat back and looked down as I spoke.

"When I was three he walked out on us... My mom told me when I was older that he fell in love with a rich woman.... Well when he left my mom couldn't afford the house so we moved into a trailer near my grandma's. She also told me he use to hit her-" I bit the inside of my cheek, muffling my voice. "-told her if I ever met him I would beat his face in for that, but truth be told I don't even know what he looks like or if he gave a fuck about me or my brother."

"I shouldn't have asked." She whispered before laying her head down. Reluctantly her eyes began to shut, her body giving into the much needed rest.

"Get some rest beautiful." I stood and kissed her forehead before walking over and shutting the blinds.