Die In California

20

Rook's POV:

As soon as she said those words and was out cold, I grabbed my phone and messaged Linda to go ahead and arrange a session with the new therapist for as soon as she could squeeze Devyn in. I briefly mentioned Devyn's episode, but made sure the focus was on getting her help. She deserved everything and so much more, and I hated to see her this way.

Once Linda had done that, I put my phone down, my mind at ease as I looked across at Devyn. I was laying beside her, the two of us just inches away from each other as she slept. She looked so goddamn peaceful. It was a sight that made me happy, and one that I'd forever adore. Her eyelashes would flutter against her rosy, tear-stained cheeks every now and then, and her nose would occasionally twitch. But there were no signs of distress. And that made me happy.

Soon enough, Devyn curled closer to me, her head nuzzling against my neck as I wrapped my arms around her, securing the blanket around her and pulling her tighter to me. She seemed to instantly relax, as though her body recognised my touch. After all those years, I never imagined myself falling asleep with Devyn in my arms again. I had her back where she belonged.
In that moment, I realised how eternally grateful I am that Devyn had subconsciously held on for this long.

Dr Holloway managed to get Devyn an appointment three days later, which was truly lucky. So, I went upstairs to my bedroom - where she'd been hibernating in my bed with her blanket - and carefully sat on the edge of the bed. "Devy, you ready to shower and get ready?" I softly asked while brushing her greasy, matted hair out of her face. She was in a state, but I couldn't care less. All that mattered was that she was okay - physically and mentally. Nothing else, especially not her appearance, mattered to me. 

There were no signs of a response for her, much like the past three days, so I quietly sighed while standing up to pull the covers off her. "C'mon, we gotta go. Get showered, then we can go meet Dr Holloway." I tried to coax her out, but she continued blankly staring at the wall. With nothing else to do, I sighed and crouched down in front of her, blocking her dazed view of the wall. "C'mon, darl'n. You need to shower. I don' wanna say this, but you're starting to stink." I teased her, rousing a tiny little smile out of her. But it was the most we'd gotten out of her since her episode.

"No matter how many times you say you don't like showering, I know you love it when you're in, so, let's go shower, an' get you ready, yeah? Get you outta these clothes." I softly stroked her cheek before standing up, holding my hand out towards her. She sighed before taking my hand and sitting up, taking a moment to gather her surroundings and motivate herself to move. I was patient with her, watching her slowly shuffle to the edge of the bed before standing up and following me into my bathroom. 

I set the water running then left her to it, picking out some clothes for her and leaving them on the bathroom counter, along with a soft, warm towel. While Devyn showered, I got myself ready and sat on my bed, scrolling through my phone while waiting for her. 

"Feel any better?" I asked when she came out, wearing my black sweatpants and black hoodie. She subtly nodded as she grabbed her phone, checking it for the first time in three days, then she threw it back onto the bed. "C'mon, babe." I smiled, gently placing my hand on her lower back as I guided her downstairs to the car.

While she was in her session, I ran a few errands and grabbed a few bits for her, then proceeded to sit outside in my car and wait, mindlessly tapping a beat out on my steering wheel as I scrolled through my phone. The car door opening startled me, making my head snap up to look at her as she climbed into the passenger seat. She seemed quiet, still, but I didn't expect a dramatic change. I didn't expect her to be cured.

"You okay?" I asked as I started the car, waiting until Devyn had her seatbelt clicked in before setting off. 
"Yeah." She quietly hummed. I glanced across at her to see her staring out of the window, lightly chewing on her bottom lip as she fiddled with the strings on my sweatpants that she was wearing. I held back a sigh as I turned my attention back to the road, continually reminding myself that it's a process that takes time. She needed space, and of course she wasn't going to be much different. If anything, she was going to get worse before she got better.