I will always love you <3

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟗

*TW*

Crockett's POV:

Since I'm not wearing a watch, and I haven't really cared, I have no idea how long I have been holding Maya. Holding her so close to my chest, finally having that feeling again. It pains me, but the euphoria from her sight, and the smell of her head fades all of it away. It can't have been more than a couple of hours, since no nurse has yet come by to feed her. She's nice and quiet, which freaks me out every now and then, when my body unwillingly tries to fall asleep. Everytime that happens, I quickly check and make sure she's still breathing, but it seems she is just a deep sleeper.

By now, my arms hurt, and I get out of my thoughts, and I check the room. There is a clock in the corner of the room. 01:47 it says. Makes sense why my arms are aching and on the point of cramping. I, as gently as possible, pull the crib closer, making sure Maya isn't bothered. It puts quite the strain on my body, especially so short after the accident, but I'm prepared to give anything for my little girl. The crib is now next to me, and I gently push her up, since the wheelchair is positioned lower than the crib. By picking her up further and further, the strain in my chest turns to pain, and I flinch, hard. My eyes close shortly, but open immediately at the thought of Maya.

'Did I drop her? Is she ok? Is she hurt? Did I cause her pain?' are a just a few of the questions shooting through my head in a split second.

I try to push myself up, to get better look, but that damn leg is in the way. I just manage to peek around the corner, where the glass stops, and I can see her sleeping just as peacefully as before. She's ok.

I apparently had managed to put her down just in time, before my body jerked back. I let out a deep sigh, and wince again at the pain in my chest. My leg isn't too happy either, especially since I automatically flexed the muscles. Right now I'm just glad that I'm on such a high dose of pain meds, although I question it, once my adrenaline levels decrease, and the ache in my body increases.

An hour later

I check the clock again. By now, it's 02:58. The stabbing pain in my chest and leg finally calm down, to the point where I'm forgetting they're there. I exhale, slowly this time, and sink back into the wheelchair in a more comfortale position.

A nurse enters the room. It's a different one from the beginning of the night.

She greets me, whispering, even though Natalie is so deeply asleep, I know not much will wake her up, thankfully. The nurse picks up Maya, "I'm just going to give her a bottle" she whispers, and I smile as best as I can. By now, the pain and loss of sleep in this state are getting to me. Before the nurse leaves the room, she stops, "Are you alright mister Marcel? You look quite pale. If you want I could take you back to your room" she whispers again. I'm slightly surprised she knows my name, but I guess by now, the news has spread throughout the hospital. So I leave it be.

I shake my head, again not too violently, I don't feel like getting dizzy. "No, I'm ok, thank you" I say and smile again. She still looks somewhat worried, but then hurries off with Maya still sleeping in her arms.

I lean back and relax in my chair. A feeling of calmness flows over me, as the sleep forces my eyes shut. With every breath I take, I feel myself falling asleep deeper and deeper, until my thoughts are no longer in control. My body is at peace.

The next morning

Natalie's POV:

I open my eyes, slowly, since they're somewhat burning. I slowly lift my hands up and rub the sleep out of my eyes until my vision looks like a kaleidoscope. I blink it away, and drop my head towards the crib. Maya isn't in there. I panic, and try to sit up, but a flash of pain shoots through my stomach, and I fall back down. I notice my breathing speeds up a little, and I try to focus and slow it down. I look to the other side, and see Crockett in his wheelchair. Still. It's already morning, why is he still here? What if he is passed out? My breathing picks up its pace again, and I don't understand what is happening. I throw away my blanket and try to move again, groaning and wincing as I try to get up.

'It's a nightmare.'

'It's just a nightmare, it's not real, Crockett isn't passed out and nobody took Maya.' Is what I keep telling myself, but it doesn't sink in. I push myself up from the bed. My feet touch the cold floor, I miss my fuzzy socks from home. Tears well in my eyes. I drop my head, trying to breath through the pain and tears. My thoughts are spiraling.

Maggie walks in. It looks like she has a muffin, or some kind of pastry, in her hand. As soon as she lays her eyes on me, her happy expression turns to worry in a split second. She hurries over to me. "Woah, woah, sweetie, what are you doing? You have to stay in bed!" she tells me. I shake my head. "No, no, I have to wake up, I have to get Maya, and- and Crockett, he has to- he can't be" I ramble, but she gently pushes me back into bed. "What do you mean, 'you have to wake up'? Do you think this is a dream?" she asks worried, and lifts my feet up. I look at her, my face red from the stress and tears. I slowly nod, my confusion just growing.

"Ok, it's ok, I can promise you, this is not a dream okay. This is real, and a nurse just took Maya for breakfast" she says with a smile, to try and calm me down. "But- but- Crockett?" I stumble, over my words, my train of thought doesn't stop speeding. She quickly takes a look over her shoulder, then looks back at me. "You go lie down, then I'll check on him, alright? And the nurse left a while ago, so he'll be back in just a few minutes, I promise" she says urgently. I'm back in bed, but I refuse to put the blanket back over my legs. In case I have to get up. Which I can't, and I know, but I just have to.

She carefully kneels next to him, and pats him on the shoulder. He doesn't react. She pats him again, this time gently in his face. He startles awake, almost aggressively, and it scares me, but calms me that he is awake. He also tries to sit up, but fails, and stays where he is. He looks around confused and shortly rubs his eyes. "Wh-what? Is Maya, where-" he mumbles. Maggie shushes him. "Its fine, we just had to make sure you were not passed out" she says and giggles in relief. He sighs, and then let's out a chuckle, "What?" he asks confused, and manages to sit up, although it hurts him, which then again in my emotional state, hurts me.
The nurse walks in, gently cradling Maya. He looks at us a little worried, but puts her down and walks out.

I sigh, deeply. It wasn't a nightmare, everything is alright. My daughter and partner are ok.