Lastly (L.T.)

Chapter 59

Sorry it's been so long between updates my loves. School and work are kicking my ass right now, but I'm headed on vacation next weekend so you'll likely get some back to back updates then!

————————————————
I ended up sitting on a plastic chair by Andreas bed through the night. Every time she was out of my line of sight, my chest tightened up and fear flooded me. Ducky needed sleep too, so as long as I watched her, he was able to take a break.

Louis took our things back to my apartment and stayed the night there, and although it scared me to have him out of my sight as well, I knew he could handle himself.

Andreas breath was labored and far between, sharp huffs that she exhaled through cracked lips.

Her sallow skin wasn't improving either and I found myself having a minor panic attack every time she took more than three seconds between breaths.

Ducky had begun to acknowledge a theory that the bullet she had been shot with had been laced with something, which meant that she wasn't supposed to survive being hit with it. Whomever had taken her had done it with the intent to torture her for information, then kill her and leave her body somewhere for us to find.

It was a shame for them that she was too strong for that.

She had made it back to us and she was would get better and I would find and kill the people that had done this to her with Louis's help. That was what would happen.

The hours dragged on and on and I was too afraid to get a book out or doodle, that the one moment I turned my attention from her would be the moment I lost her. The digital clock on the sterile wall switched the minutes forward at an agonizingly slow pace.

It wasn't until nearly midnight that I heard a knock on the door.

"Come in."

To my surprise, Jay was the one to poke his tired head in the door.

"Kestrel?"

"Yea?" I whispered, realizing the room was probably too dark for him to see me since his eyes hadn't had the chance to adjust like mine had.

He stepped inside, shutting the door and remaining on the other side of the room with his back against the wall.

"How is she?"

I looked over her figure, if it weren't for the riding and falling of her hollow chest, you'd think she was dead.

"Not good."

That was an understatement.

Jay nodded, knowing what I meant, "I should have protected her better."

His deep voice cracked on his last word and I felt my chest tighten painfully.

If this was anyone's fault it was mine.

"Jay, they're after Louis and I. None of this is your fault, it's on me." I whispered my shame aloud, letting my words fill the quiet room.

"You were in another country Kestrel. I was in charge of her and I was the one that let it go on for so long. I was the one that didn't run out looking for her the moment she left that van."

He sounded so sad and full of regret. Normally he looked so young for his age, but tonight I could see every year weighing him down like a ton of bricks. He was getting too old to do this and the stress of what had happened in the last few days wasn't making this any easier on him.

"Jay this is not your fault. We can't play the blame game here."

He nodded, "you're right." He was giving me a strange look now that his eyes had adjusted to the room.