A Fighting Heart

Chapter 22

Chapter 22

I wake up. 

I actually wake up. 

I’m in a hospital bed, and everything’s bright and white and sterile. Disoriented, I lift the blankets. My leg is in a cast and there’s a dull pain in my chest.  I reach up and search under my hair, feeling a wound. Lifting up my dressing gown I see a large scar across my chest. How the hell am I still alive? 

I’m studying the wires and tubes I’m hooked up to when suddenly, the door to my room opens and a nurse comes in. “Oh my gosh!” she shrieks, holding a hand over her heart. “You’re awake!”
“That does seem to be the case,” I say hoarsely, annoyed. What kind of nurse shrieks when she sees a patient?

“Oh I am so glad to see you’re up! How are you feeling?” she asks, coming over to my bedside and giving me a sugary sweet smile. 

I cringe at her high pitched voice. “I’m alright, but my chest hurts a bit.” 

“Yes well, the doctors are monitoring that. Seems like that’s what gave you the most trouble, but I’ll let the doctor explain. At least you’re awake. That means the worst of it is over. Let me run and get the doctor. Also, a bunch of people are waiting outside for you. It’s not technically visiting hours, but they’ll be so very happy to know you’re awake.” I nod absentmindedly, not really hearing anything she’s saying. 

She’s talking too fast.

Bedside manner my ass. 

Wait.. She thinks that is really the worst of it? 

Moments after the nurse leaves, there’s a commotion in the hallway. Then Chase is pushing through the door to my room and running to my bedside. He drops into a chair, staring at me, covering his mouth. I stare back, observing the long cut and bruise on his cheek. He always messes up that pretty face in the ring.

“Well, you look like a right mess darlin,” I say in the best sugar-sweet, southern voice I can muster. 

I swear his laugh is the greatest sound I have ever heard.

When he leans in to kiss me, it’s like my nerves light on fire. 

Pulling away, he grasps my hand. “Savannah, I was so worried about you. After my ride, when Gigi found us and said you were gone, we didn’t know what to think!”

“I didn’t think I would ever see you again,” I whispered honestly. Looking up I let out a weak laugh. “What the hell happened?” 

Chase squeezes my hand as he tells me the story. He doesn’t let go.

No one knew where I was ‘til a day ago, and it was Grandma Barbie who first suggested they look into Anthony’s whereabouts. Once they did that, credit card receipts and hotel bills lead them to that little town where he took me. I was in the hospital a couple towns over, brought in as a Jane Doe, when they finally found me.

“Savannah,” Chase says quietly. “What’s the last thing you remember?” 

Thinking back, I shake my head. “Light. Blinding light and Anthony yelling.” 

Chase reaches up and brushes a piece of hair out of my face. He gives me a gentle smile. “Anthony’s dead Savannah. That light was car headlights, and he was so far gone that he didn’t even realize it until the car was on top of him. The driver was an old man and couldn’t react fast enough. But when he went out to check what had happened, he found you, and brought you here. And god were we were lucky he did. If you were out there any longer.. we don’t know what might have happened..” 

I let the new information sink in. Anthony is gone. 

Then I smile. 

It’s not a sadist. I wasn’t happy he was dead. No matter what he did, no one deserves to die. But I’m free. I don’t have to run anymore. 

Not like I really could if I tried.. 

“We’re okay,” I say, tears coming to my eyes. 

Chase laughs and nods as a tear slips down his cheek. I reach up and brush it off gently. He grabs my fingers and kisses them. “I love you, you know,” he says smiling. 

I look down and smile. “I love you too,” I say, finally. When I look back up, Chase is crying. 

He’s crying for me.

My smile falters. 

Gigi, Ty, my parents, my grandparents; they’ve all been fighting for me, been tearing themselves up because of me. 

Just like how Tommy died for me. 

Suddenly there’s a sharper pain in my chest.

One.

“Savannah?” Chase asks, furrowing his brow. 

I blink my eyes, but the pain keeps growing stronger, and I gasp, clutching onto Chase’s hand. 

“Doctor! Nurse! Somebody, help!” I hear Chase yell. 

Two, three. 

The machines are going crazy, and doctors swarm around. Chase is pushed to the end of the bed where he stands in shock, frozen. I thought the worst of it was over. 

Four, five. 

I can only see the outline of the boy at the end of my bed.

Six. 

The boy I was prepared to die for.

Seven. 

The boy that I love. 

Eight. 

I’m not sure if I imagine it, but I think I hear him call out my name as everything finally goes dark, and I finally understand what he meant. 

In the real world, a lot can change in eight seconds.