Their Scars (COMPLETE)

Chapter 41

It wasn't until Kayla was in the operating room, out of danger, that Collin collapsed. He was exhausted. So very tired. Collin lay his head in his hands, staring at the wall across from him. He could hardly move.
Collin had been waiting. Waiting for the surgery to be finished, for Kayla to be safe. And now she was. He knew how threatening his injuries were, but he didn't care. Kayla was hurt. His hope was with her.

He heard someone come into the waiting room and saw who it was. It was one of the medics, who came toward Collin. "I'm going to check your vitals. Just relax, alright?"
Collin couldn't speak, so he nodded slightly. He sat up in the chair, wincing painfully as the doctor came too close to the wound in his side. The doctor looked over Collin.
"How are you holding up?" the doctor asked quietly.
"What happened? Did she make it? Is she okay? Please tell me she made it!" Collin demanded, tears filling his eyes again.
The doctor looked concerned. "She's in surgery now. She's lost a lot of blood and her fever is rising. We need to keep monitoring her, but I can't do much more right now."
"Can I see her?" Collin asked desperately.
The doctor tried to keep Collin's attention.
"You were shot too, Collin. You shouldn't be moving around too much. If it was any deeper, you both wouldn't have made it." The doctor offered kindly. Collin just shook his head and started rocking back and forth in his seat. The doctor looked sympathetically at Collin. "Are you family?"
"Yes....we're engaged."
"If you don't let us take care of you, Kayla won't have anyone waiting for her." the doctor said softly.
Collin tried to relax.
"Tell her I saved her," Collin said. "Please?"
His eyes were heavy. He was going to fall asleep.

He could feel the doctors taking his bandages off.
"How did you drive all this way with a bullet in your side?" one of them said.
Collin didn't know. He didn't understand.
"Is she going to be alright?" Collin asked.
One of the doctors looked at him and nodded.
Collin's eyes grew wide. "Is she....? Is she going to.....? Is she...."
"She'll be okay. We're going to put you under so we can get the bullet out."
He was too tired to wait, and his eyes were closing. Collin fell asleep.
Collin woke up in a hospital bed. He was groggy. When he got his bearings, he saw Kayla asleep in the bed next to him. She looked so still; her chest barely moving.

He flagged down a passing nurse.

"Can you move my bed so I can be closer?" Collin asked.

"Of course." The nurse said, smiling gently. "There you are."

He reached over and squeezed Kayla's frail fingers. She was still unconscious. She might never wake up.

"Is she going to be okay?" Collin asked.

"She's stabilized. Her fever broke a little while ago." the nurse explained.
Colin closed his eyes and sighed with relief.
"We've done everything we can, Collin. Now you should rest. Do you want some water or anything? Some fruit?"
Collin didn't remember if he answered the nurse or not, but she left the room after moving the bed. He looked at Kayla's sleeping face.

Collin laid back against his pillows and watched his girlfriend sleep. He brushed her hair away from her forehead and traced her delicate features with his index finger. She looked so beautiful. So fragile. Her skin was pale and clammy. It was like a ghost looking back at him.

Collin reached over and stroked her cheek lightly. His thumb rested there, stroking the softness of her cheek. The sound of her breathing calmed Collin. It was the most soothing sound he'd ever heard. He leaned forward and kissed the corner of her mouth and held her hand as tightly as he possibly could.
Kayla... Kayla was so weak, but she was alive. She was alive.....
Collin pulled the pillow closer to his chest and sighed deeply. "I love you, baby. I love you so much." He murmured. "Stay strong for me. I love you." Collin said, tears streaming down his cheeks.