Haven's Winter (#Wattys 2015)

Chapter Twenty-Five: Tear Me Apart

Aloha!

First; I LIED! Remember when I said that there were going to be two chapters until the end (including the previous one in Noah's POV) and an epilogue? Well, I didn't count this filler. . .

So, there is going to be one more chapter, THEN the epilogue.

Btw two chapters in two days? Man, I'm on FIRE!

This chapter is dedicated to Tessa146, her comments are seriously the best thing ever!

Vote, comment and enjoy!
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I hate hospitals.

I hate everything about them. The smell, the rooms, the atmosphere. I absolutely hate it.

I reach out for the glass of water that's on the table next to my bed and gasp when the sharp pain slices trough me. That gets my grandma's attention, and she rushes over to me with a worried expression.

"I'll get that for you, honey."

She's been like this all day. Since I wake up, she's been doing everything for me. And I'm thankful, I really am, but I just hate being helpless.

I woke up in a hospital this morning. At first, I didn't remember anything. But then, everything came rushing back.

I was shot. I was freaking shot.

Noah's not here. I've asked for him this morning, and my grandma told me that he was here the whole time during my surgery, then he visited shortly when my surgery was over, but then he left. She doesn't know why.

The ache in my heart returns as I think about him. Why would he leave?

"Thanks, grandma." I say, giving her back the now empty glass of water.

She smiles and says, "I need to fill out some paperwork with your grandpa at the work desk. Will you be okay for a few minutes alone? I don't have to go right now."

I nod and attempt to smile. "Of course I'll be fine. I'll just yell if I need anything." I say. She laughs and kisses my forehead.

She thinks I'm kidding.

When she leaves, I sigh and turn my head to look out the window. The sun is almost setting, giving the town a golden glow. The flowers Anna and Alex brought me an hour ago catch my eye.

They've been here all day, and when I told them that they should go home and rest because they literally looked like zombies, both of them hesitated. I didn't cave until both of them were too exhausted to fight with me.

No such luck with grandma and grandpa, though. They've been here the whole time, too. Both of them look exhausted, worried and under slept. No matter how much time I spend convincing them that they should rest, they decline.

I squeeze my eyes shut, willing myself not to think about Noah. But, I need to talk to him. I have to make sure he understands that this is not his fault. I know him, and he blames himself.

I also know that the reason those people shot me is because hurting me means hurting Noah. And Noah feels responsible for everything.

But, I don't see it like that. He was protecting his brother. I can't blame him for protecting his family.

The second I woke up, I knew he wasn't here. And I knew something happened.

A nurse comes in my room and breaks me out of my thoughts. She asks me the usual questions about my where it hurts, how it hurts and all that, while I answer halfheartedly. As she's about to exit the room, she turns around and says, "Oh, hey, I almost forgot." She pulls out a folded paper from her pocket and hands it to me. "That boy who was here earlier told me to give this to you."