How Soon Is Now

Part Two - Chapter Eight: An Unexpected Truth

Fernando blinked back tears watching at his wife, he knew that the doctors were doing all they could for Nicola; but it didn't seem to be enough, she was going to die if things carried on like this. 

Fernando brushed some hair from her pale face, she didn't look like herself anymore and it scared him that this could be how she would remain; the doctors didn't know what was wrong with her. 

Fernando didn't doubt that there was a magical cause behind what was happening to her; he gently took her hand and kissed it softly as he watched her face. 

"I'm here nena," Fernando whispered softly watching at her face, she hadn't woken up since her first operations and he wondered if this coma was here to stay; the children missed their mother and Fernando had no idea what he would do if she didn't make it. 

Olalla's sudden interest in his life made Fernando suspicious, he knew that she was up to something but he couldn't bring himself to focus on it while Nicola lay in a hospital bed fighting for her life. 

"I need you to fight this," Fernando begged softly watching her, he was doing everything in his power to be with her and look after their children; he also had his job to think about that need his attention but he could barely focus. 

Taking deep breathes, Fernando remembered all the promises that had been made to the couple that this was their reward but he didn't see it; Nicola was fighting for her life and there seemed to be no help from anyone. 

Fernando sat quietly as a nurse came in to check Nicola over before she left the couple alone again to carry on with her shift; Fernando had hoped this move would do them good but it seemed to have brought nothing but pain. 

Fernando sighed realising that it was time for him to leave for work, he moved to kiss Nicola and whispered that he would be back later that afternoon to see her again.

***

Jogging back down the field, Fernando frowned spotting Steven looking a little nervous walking towards him with Brendan Rogers; he stopped his warm up when they got closer making him wonder what was going on. 

Fernando had noticed that since he had started the training two weeks earlier that he was being watched like a hawk; he had a feeling that he was being kept in the dark over something. 

"Is everything okay?" Fernando asked concerned, he wanted nothing more than to shower and then to go and see how Nicola was; he knew that the children were safe with Alex who had offered to watch them for him. 

Steven shifted nervously knowing that his friend would be upset that he had been tricked into coming back; he had hated lying to Fernando but it had been for a good reason. 

"Let's talk in my office Torres," Brendan insisted knowing that this was going to be an interesting talk, the three men slowly headed off the training field and headed for the offices on the other side of the building. 

The walk there was filled with silence making Fernando even more nervous, he wondered for a moment if the hospital had called with more bad news. 

"I don't know how to tell you this but there is no training programme," Steven revealed softly making Fernando stare at him confused, since his knee injury that had ended his career two years earlier. 

Fernando had focused on being a trainer and that was the job that he had been offered to come back to Liverpool and do, he had moved his family here for that reason and now to find out that the job didn't actually exist hurt him. 

Fernando was an amazing player and it seemed wrong not to give him a second chance when his injury was gone, he deserved to start his career again while he had the chance.