fingers intertwined together keep them in their focus for war ravages around them and the cycle of death repeats fingers intertwined together keep their love alive and hope for the future breathes even as lives lost surround
SOFT BEEPS FROM VARIOUS MACHINESSURROUND a blonde woman who looks so small in the hospital bed. One of the machines tracks her heartbeat as it flutters unevenly on the screen and a nurse's words echo in his mind. "Her condition still hasn't stabled, sir." Piercing daggers carve niches into his aching heart, it physically pains him to see her so helpless. Absolutely nothing like the unstoppable warrior with the open heart that he once knew. He's been sitting by her side for days now, and there has only been small changes that the doctors and nurses assure him are signs of recovery. Her skin is pale and her lips and cheeks light pink, but better than the frigid purple and icy blue that they had been colored. "She's fighting real hard to come back, sir. It's almost like she knows you're waiting."
Thin lashes flutter against pale pink cheeks as the blonde opens her watery blue eyes for the first time in years. His head is in his hands, his own headache growing as sleep deprivation and anxiety begin to take root, and he doesn't see the woman wake. Panicked blue orbs widen as she examines the clean room. Off white walls blank of anything, and the only light source bright and glaring from above. Too clean tiles and the drowning smell of bleach and medical equipment promises to smother her into nothing. But as her eyes land on the gray haired man in the chair by her bed she releases a relieved breath and peace fills her chest.
"Well it looks like you got old," she laughs lightly, a shaking hand pulling away the tubes that had previously been helping her breathe in her regular reckless fashion. Her voice is hoarse and low, but the warmth in her laugh now that is the person he remembers.
"Hannah?" His head shoots upwards, snapping with a crick in his hurry.
"Hello Daniel," she squeezes his hands and she looks into his crinkled eyes, seeing exactly what has become of her aged friend. The cold embrace of metal meeting skin causes her eyes to lock onto the shiny, golden band on his ring finger and her smile grows because she knows who he shares it with. Hannah knows that she missed so much in their lives, and that feeling in her gut is her own never ending pool of regret and waterfall of rushing guilt. Hopefully though, her sacrifices and theirs were well worth it.
"Wish I was around for the wedding. Daniel... ," Hannah pauses, her eyes closing on a shaking breath, "is he here?"
A heavy sigh fills the tense silence that follows her words, and her heart drops into the pit of her stomach.
