Until Him

Chapter Ten

Lorelai - January 26, 2023
I shot up in a sweat. I held my chest as I breathed hard. I looked around the room and sighed in relief.

I only have nightmares when I know something bad happened or is going to happen. In this dream, Jace and Dennis both escaped jail and tried to kill me but they ended up killing Ryder.

I quickly grabbed my phone to see six messages from Ryder.

Ryder✨: hey baby
Ryder✨: I know you are asleep but I got this random text from an unknown number
Ryder✨: can I come over?
Ryder✨: Lorelai, I love you okay?
Ryder✨: take care of Addy and Luc for me, okay?
Ryder✨: I love you always
Read at 2:20 am

Oh, no. I checked his location to see him down the street. I jumped out of bed and grabbed my shoes. I ran downstairs out of the house. I ran and ran until I stopped at a crash.

It was Ryders truck flipped over. And there he was lying in the middle of the road. I ran to him and dropped to my knees.

I sobbed at the sight of him. "Ryder, wake up" I cried. "Come on, baby. We need you. I need you" I whispered.

He opened his eyes. "I love you" he whispered weakly. "Tell Addy and Luc I love them too, okay? Take care of yourself for me?".

"Hey, no," I said shaking my head. "Your gonna be fine, okay? You can't leave us. You can't leave me, Ry. Don't-". He gently closed his eyes and his body went cold in my hands.

"No" I sobbed. "HELP. SOMEONE HELP" I screamed holding him to my chest.

I heard an ambulance. I looked up and waved my hand. I looked back down at Ryder and cried.

"God, please don't take him" I cried. "I need him. My boys need him".

- -

"Have you heard anything?". I glared at Ford.

"Jesus" I mumbled. "If I knew something I would fucking tell you" I hissed.

"Lorelai" he whispered.

"I'm fine" I yelled standing up to pace.

"Mrs. Hayes you need to calm down or we'll have to ask you to leave," a nurse told me.

"What?" I asked glaring at her. "Are you telling me to calm down when my fiancée is fucking dying?!".

"Control her," he told someone behind me.

I felt someone grab me and lead me away from her. They sat me down far from the group.

I looked at Noah. "Lorelai, he's gonna be okay," he told me softly. "But you need to calm down. It's okay to not be okay but too much stress can hurt the boys".

I looked into sad brown eyes. "I'm sorry" I whispered. "Are you okay?" I asked.

"I'll be fine" he replied. "If he doesn't make it you got to promise me you won't shut us out, okay? Those boys are his life. My life. Ryder saved me. He helped me realize that it's okay for me to like boys. For me to love boys. He is my brother so your not the only one that's gonna lose him in this, okay? He loves you. I love you. Without you he is nothing and without him I'm nothing".

I nodded and hugged his neck. We hugged for a few minutes before we let go. We leaned back on the wall. I laid my head on his shoulder.

"You think he is gonna make it?" He whispered.

I shrugged. "I hope so" I mumbled.

"I think he will. No. I know he will" he said. I looked up at him. "When he hurt his knee in sophomore year he couldn't walk for a few weeks but he begged his parents to let him play the last game of the season. Everyone was shocked when we won the game but I wasn't. When Ryder loves something he loves it hard".

He looked down at me. "He is a fighter and stubborn". I leaned up and kissed his cheek.

"Ryder Hayes?". I jumped up at the name. We all pulled up to the doctor. "I need family only".

"I'm his fiancée," I said. "Those are his parents" I pointed at Carson and Madison. "That's his sister and brother" I pointed at Mackenzie and Cameron.

I stepped closer to the doctor. "We are his fucking family".

"Uhh- okay," he nodded. "Mr. Hayes lost a lot of blood so we had to give him a blood transfusion. We lost him at one moment but we had a miracle".

I hugged Noah before turning back to the doctor. "He has a broken leg and two broken ribs. Mr. Hayes will survive this tragedy".

I rubbed my hand over my belly. "Can we see him?" I asked.

"He woke up and he needs rest but he won't go to sleep without seeing his wife," he said. I nodded. "Follow me, ma'am".

We walked down the hall until we stood in front of Ryder's room. He walked away once we got there. I opened the door and walked in. I closed the door.

I walked over to the bed. He opened his eyes and sighed in relief.

"Rory..." he sobbed. I sat at the edge of the bed and held him to my chest.

"Oh, god" I cried. "I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have my phone on silent".

He shook his head. "Stop, Lorelai". I pulled back. "You were asleep. I don't expect you to wake up from sleep because I texted you. Plus I'm fine, okay? I'm alive".

He cupped my face. "What happened?" I whispered.

"Jace and Kylie are cousins" he sighed "Kylie is mad that we had Jace put in jail. She texted off of an old phone and told me that you deserved all of that shit he did to you. I thought she was going to hurt so I got in my truck and drove to your house but she tricked me".

I stared at him in horror. "She waited until we were close to your house to crash into me. She had Kole drag me into the middle of the road and beat me with a bat".

I put my hands over my face. "No" I cried. He moved my hands. "I thought I lost you. The boys almost lost you, Ry. I wouldn't live with myself knowing that I am the reason you-".

He pressed his lips to mine. "It's not your fault. Maybe this is a sign we move in together".

I smiled. "Definitely". I pressed my lips harder against his but we were interrupted by my phone.

I sighed and pulled it out. I frowned at the Mississippi number.

MS: maybe he should have died, right?
MS: then I could have you to myself
PA: who is this?
MS: Hi sis

my eyes widened. "Rory?". I looked at Ryder. "who is it?".

"My old foster brother".

- -
"Maybe I'm just foolish to keep holding on to pain
I just feel so just stupid 'cause I make the same mistakes
Nothing changes
'Cause I thought that we had each other
But it seems that you had another
Maybe I'm just foolish 'cause I'm the one who chose to stay
Maybe I'm just foolish 'cause I don't know how to change"
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