Protecting Olivia

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

LIVY

The ringing in my ears has deafened all sound around me and I quickly scan the lounge room, trying to assess the situation as my brain turns to mush. My eyes land on a figure laying on the floor less than a metre away from me, barely moving and his once white t-shirt now staining red around the middle.

My heart beats rapidly in my chest as my body moves on its own accord towards Ethan, coming to his side and looking down at his stomach as blood pools on the floor under him. His chest rises and falls in quick succession, but I can't hear any sounds. Everything feels so surreal as I look to Ethan's face, his eyes meeting mine and holding them.

Someone falls to their knees on the other side of Ethan as quick hands press down on his stomach and I see the pain register in Ethan's eyes momentarily before it's gone and instead, he just looks into mine with a look of peace, of resignation that has my mind screaming for him to not give up but no words fall from my mouth.

A weak and shaky hand makes its way to my cheek, a gentle thumb wiping away a tear that had fallen free. Ethan cups my face, gently wiping the tears as they fall as his eyes don't leave mine. A tender moment in the midst of chaos.

I watch as his eyes start to close and feel myself start to panic, my hand gripping his to my cheek as it starts to drop.

"Stay awake Ethan, please stay awake," I hear someone plea and it takes me a moment to recognise that it is my own voice. "Stay with me, Ethan, please." I beg, the words falling in sobs. His eyes flutter open and meet my own, my heart leaping at the sight as he stares into my own with nothing but complete contentment. No pain or suffering, no hard look and blank expression I have come to know from him the past few months, but a look of complete and utter peace before his eyes close once more.

My eyes flutter open, heavy and wet with tears that still run down my cheeks. I try to shake the remnants on the dream from my mind, but it wasn't a dream. A memory that is scorched into my mind for all eternity. Matthew stirs awake beside me and I quickly brush away the tears and give him a tired smile when his eyes meet mine.

"You're okay," he says as a wide smile falls upon his face making my heart feel a little bit lighter.

"I'm fine," I tell him. Matthew wraps his arms around me and hugs me tight.

"I was scared that the bad man would hurt you." He whispers as I wrap him up in my arms and hold him close. "I knew he was bad when I saw him, I should have said something."

I shake my head and squeeze him to me.

"No sweetheart, it's not your fault. And I'm fine, we're both fine." I tell him while also trying to convince myself. I'm not sure I will ever be fine after seeing Ethan bleeding out in front of me.

"What about the man that saved us? Is he okay?" Matthew pulls away from me and looks at me with concern in his eyes. I don't know the answer to his question and while I want to ease his mind, I don't want to lie to him.

"I don't know, he was in surgery the last I heard." Matthew nods his head and gives me a little grin.

"He will be fine. Superheroes don't die." He tells me with conviction and I find myself smiling back at him, hoping beyond hope that its true.

"We better get up; you have to go to the hospital soon." I tell Matthew who's smile drops, a look of nervousness crossing his features before he swallows loudly and puts a faux smile on his face and jumps out of bed.

I get up and walk towards the guest room door, feeling slightly uneasy about leaving the room given it's not my house. But I still open the door hesitantly and walk out into the lounge room. Seb sits on the couch, a cup on coffee in his hand with his feet resting on the coffee table in front of him. He looks exhausted but still manages to give me a tired smile when he sees me.

"Hi," I say, expecting to see Jordan or Jane, as it's their house, but not Seb.

"Morning, want a coffee? The kettles hot." Seb greets me as he stands up from the couch and starts making his way to the kitchen.

"Uh, sure," I say as I usher Matthew into the kitchen and get him a small glass of water. "Just some sips, you can't have anything until after your surgery." I tell him, Matthew takes the glass with a nod of his head and takes a couple of small sips before handing it back to me.

"Jordan and Jane have headed down to the hospital." Seb tells me as he hands me a mug with black coffee, pointing at the milk and sugar left out on the bench.

"Is there any news?" I ask softly, unsure if I even have the right to know.

"Still in surgery when I left," Seb leans against the bench as I put milk and sugar into the cup. "Jane said you can borrow anything you want of hers today. Lance and I will go back to your place later to pack up some of your things." I give him an appreciative smile and shake my head.

"You don't need to do that. You have done enough already." I haven't spent much time with Seb, Lance or Jordan since I've been in Perth as they were always with Ethan, it's weird that they would just drop everything to help me.

"It will be a while before you will be allowed to go back in there," I lean against the counter opposite Seb's as a nauseous feeling surrounds me. The thought of going back into that house at all makes me feel sick to the stomach.

"I don't think I want to go back." I whisper earning a nod from Seb.

"That's understandable. Let us grab some of your things and you can stay here for the meantime." I nod my head slowly as a thought crosses my mind that didn't occur to me last night. Ethan lives here. This isn't just Jordan and Jane's house, but Ethan's too. I swallow the lump in my throat as I look to Seb.

"Would Ethan mind?" I chew on my lips as Seb chuckles at my question.

"I know how it may have seemed to you, but Ethan does care about both you and Matthew. He did what he had to, to protect you. So no, he won't mind you being here, in fact, he would probably prefer it." Seb stands upright and places his now empty cup in the sink. I nod my head slowly, still trying to come to terms with all the revelations I've received in less than 24 hours.

I look at the clock and realise that there isn't much time before Matthew needs to check into the hospital. Gulping down the rest of my coffee, ignoring the slight burn, I rinse my cup and place it on the sink, making a mental note to do the dishes here when I return.

"Matthew, time to get ready." I tell him, he looks at me with a small smile before looking down at his clothes and shrugging his shoulders, indicating that he has nothing else here to wear. I look him over and decide to just take him in his pyjama's, he will have to change into the hospital gown anyway. "That will be fine, I'll go get changed."

I walk into Jane's room and see a small pile of clothes on a chair with a sticky note on top in Jane's handwriting saying to take my pick. Smiling at her thoughtfulness, I grab a pair of yoga pants and a loose top, as well as some underwear, happy that we are the same size.

Returning to the guest room, I change quickly and run my fingers through my thick hair before tying it up on top of my head, not wanting to deal with the mass of locks this morning. Looking at my outfight, I duck into Jane's room again and grab a pair of thongs sitting just inside her wardrobe before returning to the loungeroom where both Seb and Matthew are waiting for me. I smile at both of them, trying to calm the nerves that are forming at the thought of Matthew's surgery before we leave the house and make our way to the hospital.