The Ghost Of You

Chapter Two

James

After 4 hours, possibly breaking ever road law to get here. It was 2am and I was walking into the hospital. I was anticipating this to all be a mistake, I didn't want to get my hopes up but I knew the moment that he mentioned Riley's name, that was all the hope I needed 
"I'm looking for Room 203?" I said to a nurse in passing. Her body shifted slightly before nodding to the room adjacent to us

I took a sharp breath in staring at the door for a moment, this is about to answer the one question I've needed to know or it's going to hold a thousand more
The moment my hand touched the door, I pushed it open expecting to see something I least expected but I was greeted with an empty room. There was nothing and nobody in there.. What the hell was going on

Before I could react, my phone started to go off again. It clearly wasn't the hospital considering I was stood in it. But I can't think that it would be anyone else either
Incoming call from.. Piper.

"Piper? What's wrong?" I said answering the phone instantly
"What's wrong? James why the hell are you at a hospital? " She said sternly making me instantly cringe remembering this stupid App she made the entire family get when Riley passed away. She wanted to make sure we were always safe
"Piper, it isn't what you think" I said but the scoff on the end of the line meant that nothing I said would help

"What I think? James if you don't give me a valid reason as to why you are a hospital 4 hours away from Home, I swear to god I will go and wake Mum up. I would pay to see you talk her down" Piper answered making it obvious she was serious

"I'm visiting a friend who ended up here last night okay? I'll be home before you know it" I said. It wasn't a complete lie I guess. I knew if I said that I was here for Riley she would have woken up our parents, our friends. She would have let everyone know I was long over due a psych hold..
"Who is it? " She asked 
"I've got to go Pipes, the doctor is here. I'll call you in the morning okay?" I said knowing that I wouldn't be able to think of a legit name right now 

After a few more moments of back and forth with Piper, she finally let me hang up the phone in search of more answers

"I've just been to Room 203 and there is nobody there" I said heading to the nurses station where a man sat tapping away at the computer
"Room 203... Oh. OH" He said looking at me wide eyed
"You're the next of kin for Miss Phillips?" He said and I nodded
"James, Right?" He asked
"My name is Darrien, I've been looking after Riley since she got here. We moved her to Room 105 so that she could have her own room for the night" He said handing me a map showing me where Riley's room was supposed to be 

This whole thing feels surreal like this is exactly how it should have played out 5 years ago. I should have been a call away when she got to the hospital but instead I was across the country. I got back here and it was too late
I never got a chance to say goodbye.. What if this is the worlds fucked up way of letting me do so

That's not possible right?

I got to room 105 and I stood there for a moment, There was a light on in this room which gave me more hope that Riley would be inside, if not someone would really be in there at least
As I opened the door, I was greeted with the same pure white walls that this hospital is made of but that isn't what my gaze fixated on..

I took a step closer to the bed, there she was..

That was Riley, that was my Riley. She look different though, she wasn't the same teenager I grew up with. Her short blonde hair was now long and dark, it was thicker then I remember. Her body was still just as tiny but she had more of a colour to her. Her face looked tired, like this was the most sleep she'd gotten in years
Her arms were covered in small bruises probably from the accident tonight 

She was still just a beautiful as the day I met her, she may not be the same Riley but she's still in there, my Riley is still there deep down
And now she's in front of me. I won't be letting her go again 

"Who are you? And what are you doing in here?" A voice said making my head snap around to see a tall blonde stood by the door to Riley's room
"Who are you?" I asked standing in front of Riley so that the guy couldn't see her
"I asked you first Buddy. What are you doing here?" He asked again
"I was called by the hospital as I'm her next of kin. So who are you?" I asked again getting a little annoyed at this back and forth

"Next of kin?" He asked glancing back over to Riley
"Sorry still didn't get your name there" I said narrowing my eyes at him
"You're the James" He muttered
"Now we've established that. Who the fuck are you" I continued 
"My names Daniel" He said, that name did not ring any bells to me but considering Riley has been a ghost for the last 5 years.. I'm not surprised

"I've got to go but can you pass on a message to Riley when she wakes up?" He asked making me furrow my brows in confusion
"A message?" I asked and he nodded
"Tell her Harrison is at Tanya's and we all need meet back up at Bill's" Daniel said but before I could ask for more context, he was gone.. Long fucking gone 

--

Hours had passed but there was no sign of Riley waking up. I had been sat at her bedside for as long as I could remember. She hadn't even stirred slightly even with nurses constantly coming in the check for an update on her
This was not where either of us wanted to be, Riley needed to be home. Back where she belonged
Not chasing after some Harrison guy or going to Bills. 

There was a subtle shift in Riley's hand making me head snap up to look over at her, her eyes were fluttering slightly as she adjusted to the light in the room. Her big brown eyes hadn't aged a day. They were still young and innocent, but the moment they locked with mine I saw it again. The same spark in them that has always been there

"Ri" I breathed out causing her breath to hitch while she looked at me
"James?" She said making me nod as I squeezed her hand tightly 

She's really here..