The sun shone through the blinds, all four boys waking up as it reached their eyes. Calum was now rolled into the same room, Luke laying underneath him as he had been last night. The room was almost crammed, but the close company was okay, it kept everyone together and comforted. Calum stretched his arms away from him, hitting luke in the face and waking him up. He snorted abruptly, surprised, and nudged calums arms playfully before wrapping his own around calums waist. Stephanie woke slowly, squeaking a quiet “where am i?” before Michaels neck, and his entire body snapped forward to attend to her, all senses on high alert. Ashton lay still in the uncomfortable red chair, Mady’s hand in his as he snore loudly, both still asleep in solitude. Ashton has likely gotten the least amount of sleep than anyone, so the boys let him sleep a little longer before waking him up, hoping Mady would wake up as well sooner or later. The nurses cleared Stephanie from her bed and she was able to walk around the hospital with an IV, Michaels hand never leaving her waist as she did so. Things lightened up, Luke and Calum laughed as they ate the hospital food, picking on Michael for his hair, as Stephanie laughed with them. Calum’s bruises had lightened up, and his knuckles had scabbed up by now, healing already. The days began passing faster for them, leaving Ashton to fade with the time.
As days went by, the group began to leave in pairs, first Calum and Luke then Michael and Stephanie. Leaving Ashton hopelessly waiting by the bedside in the red chair. Mornings changed into afternoons which soon brought evenings that faded into nights. He spoke to Mady, in a soft gentle tone. His mother had always told him the sense of hearing was the last one to go. " mady baby. It's me. If you can hear me, it's been awhile now. Please wake up. I miss you. Oh god I miss you. I know you're right there but I miss you. I miss your laugh, your voice, the way your eyes gleam in the sun. Please. Just wake up my love" Ashton combed his fingers through her dark hair the way he always did to make her fall asleep. Her eyelids began to flutter, Ashton's eyes immediately locked on her face waiting to see what would happen next. " mady my love." Ashton's fingers made their way down to her cheeks, her face returning to its normal color.
Her hazel eyes shone through, and Ashton’s face lit up, as he jumped out of his chair to stand over her, his face being the first she would see when she woke up. He yelled for the doctors, to make sure was okay, and when they confirmed they quickly shuffled out of the room, letting Ashton share the moment with her. He adjusted her pillow and she sat up, rubbing her eyes and groaning at her injuries. Ashton forced himself back into the chair, his fingers drumming the arms of the chair as he waited for her to say something else. She rubbed her eyes again and looked around the room, her eyes landing on Ashton, as giddy as a little boy. “Mady baby I-“ but she stopped him, waving her hand in the air to interrupt. “Wait wait” she looked towards ash. “Who are you?”
