Blue Ribbon

Chapter 14 - Neither true nor epic

"And your love has left me, on this island, it has filled me to the brink;
Yet I grow thirsty in this silence-
there is not a drop for me to drink."

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Alex's POV

Relief mellowed part of the concern that had clouded my senses all over the past week.

I was suffocating under the waves of everything that happened since Lilly stepped into the house and called me a killer; since Max looked at me and told me I am not his dad; since that dreadful incident that almost took him away from me. But now, as the doctor talked, explained how Max is finally okay, how the surgery was successful and the danger on his health is gone; I allowed myself to breathe.

But, it didn't last for too long.

The second I took the first breath in, one second only and urgent fingers grabbed into my arm, so very tight, as if clinging to life itself.

The air I sucked caught into my throat and I whipped my head to the owner of those little soft fingers. My eyes widened when Lilly's balance faltered, her eyes rolled to the back of her head and my arms shot forward, "Lilly!" Her name flew out of my lips in pure terror, it scratched over my throat and fisted over my heart, squeezing the pain out as one arm went under her back, wrapping around her waist, pulling her up, and trying to hold her little body before it collapses to the ground.

Her head fell backward unconscious and I shook her. Frantically, my other hand went and palmed her cheek, "Lilly?" I whispered, searching for my lost breath when I got no response, not even a slight twitch on her pale tired face.

Cara rushed to my side, her tone just as panicked as mine, her hand removing the hair that fell over Lilly's face as she called for her name. When she didn't respond to any of us, a blink of agitation lit in my nerves, and my other arm went under her knees, pulling her up into my embrace, holding her body so very tight as I headed for the ER.

Her cheek pressed over my chest and I looked down at her. Pain seized my heart as it played the worst scenarios possible. Her eyes closed, her face looked so relaxed, as if she was just sleeping, but I know she wasn't and I could imagine the amount of pain those eyes of hers held behind this peaceful exterior.

She felt so little and light in my arms, just proving to me how I was ignoring the fact that she was a kid still.

Just a kid. My little kid, my little girl that I've been punishing over the past days.

The one I screamed at, the one I blamed, the one I raised my hand on...something I never thought I'd do.

Panic vibrated through my veins and the second I reached the ER's entrance, one of the nurse's eyes fell on me and she rushed forward to our aid, her concerned gaze on Lilly only, taking her in, as if she had seen her before. A low sigh parted her lips and her eyebrows pulled closer, "The doctor told her to rest," She mumbled lowly and I didn't understand. 

She ushered me to the nearest bed, "Place her here," She ordered and I did as she asked. The moment her head rested over the pillow, the nurse ushered me to back away, so she can check her up. She held her wrist and checked for the rhythm of her heartbeats.

Her eyes traveled to us and she asked, "Did she rest after the operation?" She asked, "What happened exactly, it has been just an hour?"

My eyebrows pulled closer, "What...what operation?"

"What are you talking about?" Cara asked, just as clueless as me.

The nurse's confused gaze flickered between the two of us, "What's your relation to her?"