Just a Soldier

Chapter 53 - Don't you dare do that again!

Scarlett's POV:

When we reach the door, we all stop and take a moment. "I think the three of you should go in. We'll wait out here." Robert suggests, allowing, Sophie, Lizzie and I to go in together. Soph opens the door, and we follow inside. My heart is racing at the thought of how she's going to look. Flashback from last year keep popping into my mind.

Tears instantly prickle at my eyes when I see her unconscious in bed. But there's a relief to see her without a ventilator this time. She has a nasal oxygen tube, and her arm is firmly strapped in pretty intense shoulder brace. There's the steady sound of her heartrate monitor that instantly provides comfort after seeing her without one for so long earlier today.

They are still giving her a blood transfusion, so a canula is set up in her arm giving her blood as well as additional fluids. I had never seen so much blood in my life and watching it spilling from the woman I love was a sight I never want to see again. What surprises me, is that she actually looks peaceful, apart from the pale skin. There are no angry cuts or bruises like she had the last time she was here. If she didn't have the brace, she would look like she is just sleeping.

Having taken in the sight before me, I quickly make my way to Y/n's good side and take her hand in mine. I lean over and place a kiss on her forehead and run my hand through her hair. "Thank you for not leaving us." I whisper, pulling the chair as close as I can to the bed and taking a seat.

Sophie takes the opposite seat after also giving Y/n a kiss on the forehead and cussing her out for getting herself hurt again. "Next time I'm just going to kill you myself if you even dare to scare us all again!" She scolds, causing us to laugh.

I notice that Lizzie is stood at the end of the bed, her eyes red and puffy, just like the rest of us. She reachees down and gives Y/n's leg a squeeze and took a seat in the corner of the room, just looking on. He eyes look a little lost. "Are you ok Lizzie?" I ask concerned. She doesn't answer straight away, her eyes locked on Y/n. She eventually nods. "Yeah, I'm fine." She mumbles.

I decide not to push it. I know Lizzie and she needs a moment to process and me pushing her to talk isn't going to help. "You know, I think that I'm going to lock you up in the house from now on. I can't risk you getting hurt again!" I joke. I hear Sophie giggle. "Don't tease her, she'd loved to be locked away with you all day." She says, wiggling her eyebrows at me. I shake my head, chuckling lowly.

After a few minutes, the others join us and take up their place on the sofa. The atmosphere is much calmer this time. We know that she's going to be ok. Yes, the recovery probably isn't going to be fun, but compared to where we were this time last year, this is far better. I still just want her to wake up so I can see her beautiful eyes and have that reassurance she's back with us.

I look over to Robert and Susan and I can see the dispair in their eyes. This has really hit both of them hard and it's evident on their faces. The relation between Susan and Y/n has grown a lot of the last few months and the love they have for each other is evident right now as Susan sits with a heartbroken look on her face, as she stares as the unconscious Y/n in front of us. 

"She's been through so much, why can't she just have a break?" Susan whispers, her voice breaking. Robert sits foward and wraps an arm around her. "She's going to be just fine, she's a fighter." He tries to reassure her but I can see he's hurting himself. "I just want to protect her. She spends all her time protecting everyone else, but who's there for her?" She asks and it makes me a little ashamed. 

I have always promised that I would protect Y/n and love her unconditionally. But even our closest friends don't see that she has anyone to looking out for her. They should be able to see that I would do the same in return. Susan's right. Y/n protects everyone, and that was proven today. I need to sort my shit out and prove that I'm worthy of Y/n. I need to be better not just for me but for Y/n too.