A Shot in the Dark

Breathtaking

As the days passed, Eve learnt more and more about Villanelle's condition. She got shot three times: shoulder, back and lower back. The doctors that worked on her surgery said that they were able to extract the bullets, which luckily hadn't hit any organ; they also managed to save muscular tissue, but she experienced a severe loss of blood which led her to a coma.  It had been two months and even though the organs seemed to function, she didn't wake up since then. As for the brain it had minimal activity, so she still needed the machines to help her go through. They just hoped that the lack of oxygen due to the slow flow of blood didn't cause any cerebral damage. That could have been proved once, and if, she woke up.
"A month ago they told me that she might have been in a persistent vegetative state and that chances of her waking up drop as weeks pass" Pam said that morning. And at Eve's question on why she didn't reach out to her sooner, she replied that they needed to wait for the waters to calm, as what happened on the ferry that night really stirred things up and she couldn't risk drawing attention trying to figure out where Eve lived. The intelligence had been on high alert ever since, and even trying their best with the most skilled hacker, could have been risky.
Even the cab driver that drove them there was one of the most trusted people when it came to these kind of things. As sad as it might sound, they weren't normal people and they couldn't do things in a normal way anymore. However, she tried to avoid the back and forth with the car, for it would have looked suspicious on the long run. Especially reaching an hidden place like that. So she spent most of the days there, or in a cabin that was easy to be reached by feet.
What Eve had left now was to wait and hope that Villanelle would magically wake up. And from the doctor's words, she needed a miracle, as a believer might say. She smiled at the thought of Villanelle trying so hard with the Baptism, but it was a bittersweet smile, for she wondered that if she didn't rejected her so coldly, things maybe would have gone differently. Maybe they could have had more time to think things through and work on a better plan. But things were like they were, and there was no going back.
The beeping noise of the machine didn't bother her anymore, but her favorite sound was Villanelle's breath, for it meant that somehow and somewhere in her long sleep, she was still there. She stayed at her side since Pam brought her there, and the only time she left the place was to go back at her apartment to collect some paperwork and her laptop. She didn't stop her researches, even though things were getting clearer. The tapping on the keyboard was by now merged with the beeping sounds coming from the machines; a wordless and flat lullaby that accompanied her days. But as she continued the assiduous job her hands came to a stop because there was a slight switch to the by then familiar sounds that surrounded her. Still confused, she feared to lift her head, but it all was pretty clear. The breathing sound wasn't so steady anymore, but it became more and more frantic, and the beeping sound started to be so fast and insistent that Eve thought the machine could explode any minute. Villanelle eyes were open in shock, she was panicking Eve could tell. In a matter of seconds a whole group of doctors and nurses came rushing into the room. The blond woman was hyperventilating, and the frown that showed up right after underlined her utter confusion. Eve couldn't do anything but stare at the events occurring in front of her and hope for the best.

"We were able to calm her down with a sedative" the head physician said after the immediate aid that seemed to have lasted an eternity. "As expected after being in a comatose state for so long, she was in shock and highly confused"
"How is she?" Eve said worried. The scene wasn't the best one can witness.
"She's awake, and that's good" the doctor paused for a moment. "But we don't know anything yet about her state. We still need to monitor every activity and it's gonna be a long journey"
Just like the doctor said, the next days were difficult. Although she was awake, Villanelle kept having those episodes of shock and confusion that brought the doctors to keep her on a cure based on tranquilizers. She would open her eyes every now and then, staying silent, and drifted off to sleep right away. Her brain activity was still too weak, and they had to do the best to avoid further damage, if there was any. At least she was responding positively when it came to all the daily checks and could breath on her own. There was no doubt that Villanelle was strong, but Eve knew that she was also exhausted. All she wanted to do was to hug her, tell her that everything was going to be fine and that she was right there with her. And she tried to let her know one night, when the blond woman opened her eyes and silently looked at her. The exhaustion could be seen from ten meters away and Eve did her best to show her that she wasn't alone.
"I'm not going anywhere" Eve whispered, caressing her cheek.
And as on cue, she closed her eyes again. The ex security officer didn't know if she heard her or not, but she could have sworn that she looked calmer.

***

Villanelle's body was a spectacle. It was the first thought that crossed Eve's mind when she gave her a bed bath. Nurses asked her if she wanted to be the one to do so, and she happily did. She wanted to do the best for her; she didn't forget that the woman saved her life on that boat, that night. She moved slowly and gently, for she was sure her body was sore for laying down for so long. Not to mention the wounds that even though seemed to be healed, they still needed to fully heal internally. As she brushed Villanelle's body, she paid more attention to the part of the skin that had the forming scars, as to silently thank her for shielding her with her own body. She stopped when she approached the scar on her abdomen, the one that she caused her with the stab in Paris. They came a long way since then, even though the circumstances weren't the best.
Being finished giving her a wash, she lovingly covered her again, and just like before she thought how stunningly beautiful she was, no matter in which state she was.
"Breathtaking" that's exactly what she thought, but that word didn't come from Eve.
The brunette couldn't help but let out a laugh and a relieved sigh. Villanelle was speaking, only one word, but she was speaking. And by the look of it, she was still the mischievous woman that she knew oh so well, for she could see the slight smirk showing on the woman's face. The blond closed her eyes again for a brief moment, but uttered the same word once again, making sure that Eve knew she was talking about her. And at that Eve laughed even harder, because knowing her she knew that she was making a joke about the breathing issues she experienced some days before.
The two women looked at each other, smiling, and shaking her head at the absurdity of it all, Eve leaned down and placed a kiss on her forehead. Letting Villanelle know once again that she was there to stay.