Ghost

Chapter Sixty Four

Nats POV

I'm woken once more by someone pushing on my arm. I almost don't want to open my eyes. If I keep them closed and stay asleep, then nothing can go wrong. Everything will stay the same.

I open them, and my world may just come to an abrupt crash. I don't think I'm ready to face that.

However, the person will not stop.

So, I surrender.

I open my eyes to see Bruce's face this time. If he's out here and not in the operating room, it means there's news. And one way or the other I'm about to find out.

I sit straight up, "is she okay?" It's the only thought I have. She's on my mind, period.

His soft gaze isn't giving me the hope I need. Nor does his tone of voice. "She's.. stable. Currently she's out. She suffered a lot of blood loss. Melina, I think her name was, she might have just saved her life."

The instant relief I feel from hearing she's alive, is quickly shattered by not knowing what it all means. The mention of Melina reminds me that they'd want to hear all of this too, so I turn to gently wake them as well.

Once they're all awake enough, we look at Bruce to continue.

"She had several cuts, only one really going deep. But she did have a few bullet wounds. Two went straight through, we had to move three in surgery. We repaired what we could. Thankfully Tony knows some amazing doctors."

     I can't stop the sob that escapes my lips. I put my hand over my mouth in an attempt to keep it all in. After a moment I'm able to speak.

"Okay.."

"Dr. Chos machine has really helped to repair a lot of the damage. She should be okay.. we'll monitor her for the next few days. The anesthesia should wear off in a few hours. After that she'll be in charge of when she wakes up."

"Okay," apparently I can't say anything else.

"Thank you," Yelena says. At least she has enough sense to say that.

Bruce moves over to talk with Melina and Alexei but I'm not paying attention to what they're saying. I'm still trying to process everything.

She's alive. She's still here. She could be okay. She just has to fight to come back to us.

I know she'll fight as hard as it takes to come back. She won't give up. She can't.

I face Yelena and she also seems to be deep in thought.

"Hey," I start softly. "Our girl is alive."

"Yeah, somehow she's made it. Just a little bit more fight and we'll have her back fully."

"She'll do it. She's no quitter."

That brings a small smile to her face and I'll take the win.

That reminds me, "hey Bruce, can we go see her?"

"Yeah, of course. Stay as long as you'd like," he says softly. I think they all know how important she is to me, to us.

"Thank you." Yelena and I both stand up, making our way to her room. Hand rested on the door handle, I steal myself before entering. Trying to prepare myself for what I'm about to see.

I know I saw her before surgery, with all the blood and everything. But I was hardly processing that, too focused on her being alive than to see the wounds.