I will love again

Don't let go

"How's he doing, mum?", Hélène asked, as she entered the hospital room.

Nathalie looked at her with swollen eyes and a red nose, while she was holding Gabriel's hand. She had been the only one, who was allowed to see him on the ICU until Nick had pulled some strings and they had let Hélène in to see her father too.

"They could remove the clot in his coronary artery and the damage to his heart isn't as severe as we already thought, but they are afraid, that his brain was undersupplied with oxygen for too long and might have been damaged", she informed her daughter, sounding almost cold.

Leni gave her a bewildered look, she had never seen her mother like this, had only heard stories of how emotionless she had been able to handle things.

"Mum, it's me! You don't have to be strong! And you're not alone any longer!", the young woman whispered and clang onto her mother just a moment later, both now sobbing into the other's shoulder.

After they had both calmed down a little, the young woman sat down on her father's bed and took his hand into her own.

"Hey dad, it's me, Leni! You know, you've had your share of attention now and can stop pretending to be sick. Marinette and Adrien are barely existing right now. And this can't be good for the baby! So get it together and wake up!", she scolded him.

To her mother's disapproving look, she just shrugged and said:

"Well, it was worth a try, right?"

Nathalie grabbed her daughter's hand and squeezed it tightly.

"Can't you just let an old man die in peace?", came a very weak voice from the man in front of them.

"DAD!", Hélène cried out and hugged him savagely.

Nathalie though just fell to her knees and started to sob vigorously.

"Nath, my love!", he tried to call, but still could do barely more than whisper, "can you please tell your mum that I am fine, napkin?"

"No you're not!", Nathalie now screamed at him and despite her uncontrollable crying, she somehow made it on her feet and walked towards him, quickly taking the trembling hand, he was holding up to her and pressed it firmly together.

With great effort he pulled her close and made her lean her head onto his chest.

"Still beating just for you, my love!", he whispered.

Leni beamed and gave him a gesture with her head.

"I will give the two of you some privacy! Nick and Val are waiting outside, I am really glad, that you're awake, daddy!"
She sniffled before she pecked first her father's, then her mother's cheeks.

"We love you very much, precious! And now go and take care of your baby! I can handle your dad, when he's sick!"

Chuckling her daughter left the room and rushed out of the clinic, to then fall into her fiance's arms as soon as she reached him and their child.

"He's awake!", she gushed out under sobs.

"That's so great, darling! Come, let's get home and tell the others!"

Hélène nodded and pulled back to kiss his lips.

"Thank you for being here with me! Come now, I need to talk to you after we informed the others!"

"Oh? Something serious?", he asked with quirked brows.

"Kinda! I'll tell you in our room!"

"You're not pregnant again, are you?"