Everything Has Changed

Room 201

"... It's your Grandma."

"Y/N?" Lizzie spoke softly, placing her hand on my knee, "baby who is it?"

"Miss Y/L/N? Are you able to come to the hospital as soon as possible, we don't know how much longer she has..."

"Y/N, darling, what's wrong?" Lizzie asked again.

I shook my head and pulled the phone away from my ear, hanging up. Looking around, all the lights seemed a little brighter and the noises heightened to 100. Lizzie was talking to me, but I couldn't hear her. It was like I had been submerged underwater and everyone else was swimming while I was drowning. I stood up and autopilot took over, walking me towards the exit of the building.

As soon as the cool Italian air hit my face, I felt the tears bubbling to the surface, my hands running through my hair. I felt the panic rising but this time I couldn't control it. It was too strong. I fell to my knees in the alleyway and shook my hands, trying to keep myself distracted. Nothing was working. The sound of the cars was too loud, and I could hear the wind blowing around me.

"Y/N I need you to take a breath," a soft voice asked in front of me.

I shook my head with it in my hands, my chest rising and falling, and my knees pulled up to my body.

"Y/N, baby, please take a breath," she said again, placing her hands on my cheeks for me to look at her.

Lizzie was sitting in front of me, holding my cheeks and wiping away the tears that were still falling.

"Y/N what happened," she asked softly, rubbing my cheek.

"It's- I- Um-"

"Hey, it's okay, can you take a breath please you're starting to scare me," she asked with a shaky voice.

"I- I can't, Lizzie I can't breathe- I"

"You're okay, you're safe," she tried to reassure me.

I shook my head, tears still spilling.

She took my hand and placed it on her chest, "can you feel my heartbeat?" she asked gently.

I nodded quickly.

"Okay can you try and match your breathing to my heartbeat?" she asked breathing calmly.

I breathed in and out when she did.

"In and out, okay?" she repeated, "In and out, you're okay, in and out."

I breathed in and out when she told me to, "okay baby can you look around and please tell me five things you can see?" she asked.

"Um- y-you, the uh- the bricks, cars, a- a spiders web and um- y-your eyes," I nodded slowly, seeing Lizzie smile.

She nodded, "Amazing, you're doing so well Y/N. Five things you can smell?"

"Y-your perfume, t-the sea, um- coffee and y-your shampoo," I said slowly, my breathing regulating.

She nodded her head, still holding my hand on her chest, "that's it," she said softly, pulling me into a hug.

The fire door opened behind us, "ehi, va tutto bene? (hey, is everyone okay)," asked the museum worker.

"I- I don't speak Italain, my girlfriend does but- you know what- do you even speak English?" Lizzie asked, holding my head against her chest.

He looked at her confused until she just gave him a thumbs up, "we are okay," she said slowly as if that would help him understand.

He just nodded and walked back into the building.