Dancing With A Stranger (GH Series Book 3)

Belated picnic

Carmen

It's been four days and Liv still hasn't come around, however the Doctor isn't overly worried. We discovered that the crack I had heard was Liv banging her head, which explains why she never kicked for the surface. Apparently me diving in after her was reckless but heroic at the same time. It gave Liv a fighting chance of survival. She is still hooked up to all sorts of machine and they have reduced the oxygen flow to test Liv and so far she is acing it. "When was the last time you went home?" Callie was next to me and I sighed.

"The day of the accident." Once I had got clearance to be at Liv's bedside, I went home, got showered and packed a bag. I had point blank refused to leave Liv's side. I want my face to be the first thing she sees when she wakes up.

"Are you sure you don't need a break Carmen?"

"Nah. I'm good. I've been awake a lot longer when I was serving. Plus, the nursing staff have been great here and allowed me some shut eye in the chair. As long as I do not get in their way."

"Yeah, it is a good hospital." Callie had told me all about this hospital, how she knew the owners and knew that Liv would be in safe hands. I understand that in the beginning they were following protocol and it made more sense when Callie told me about Devs stay and a bit of her backstory. Now look at her and Angel. Happily married. My eyes wandered to Liv and I let out a sigh.

"I blame myself you know. I picked that day. I picked that spot to set everything up and I let Polly away with kicking my ass at the gym. I should have pressed charges."

"Maybe so. But you done what you thought was right at the time, for everyone. I honestly thought Polly had moved away after leaving the gym. No one had heard or seen from her."

"Well, she just tried to murder my girlfriend, so I would say she has been lurking around. Not many people know where we hang out privately."

"We will have answers soon enough when it goes to trial."

"Yeah. I guess."

"Listen, I'm going to head but if you need anything..."

"I know Callie, thank you." I got up and gave Callie a hug. She has become a remarkably close friend of mine and she is wise beyond her years. Left alone, I thought about Callie and Amanda. For Callie to lose her in the way that she did was horrific, and I pretty much just witnessed the attempted murder of my girlfriend. It was crazy. At least Liv is still here. Not that I wish Callie hadn't moved on with Ashley, but I don't think I would be able to move on if I lost Liv. I watched her breathe. I listened to those damn machines bleep every so often and I put my head down on her bed. My last thoughts before I fell asleep were me willing, wishing even that Liv would wake up.

I smiled to myself. How I loved feeling Liv's hand running through my hair. That gentle touch. The one that was so gentle you wouldn't have thought she was actually touching your head, but deep down, you knew that she was. I opened up my eyes and expected my heart to sink but it raced. Liv was touching my hair gently and when she seen that I was awake, she gave me the smallest smile. "You are awake. Oh my god." I sat upright and took her hand in mine and kissed it repeatedly.

"Hey you..."

"Don't try and talk just yet babe. Let me go and get the nurse." I quickly left the room, and the nurse came back with me. I stepped aside as she checked her vitals, gave Liv some water and advised that she would get the Doctor as soon as possible.

"How...how long have I been out?"

"Four days."

"Well. Shit. We never got to have our picnic." Trust her. It made me chuckle though.