𝐅𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 828 || 𝐌𝐀𝐍𝐈𝐅𝐄𝐒𝐓 𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒

𝐧𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐛 || 𝐭𝐣 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧

"no! no!" you screamed, ben holding you in his arms. tj didn't even want to go to the damn nightclub tonight, but you dragged him along. now a search and rescue team was saying it was no longer a search and rescue, but a search and recovery.

you sobbed and choked as you tried to breathe. the smokey air had filled the new york city treat. it was all your fault, you were the reason he was gone. you should've been the one dead, he sacrificed his life for yours.

days went by, all you did was eat, sleep, repeat. you watched the news on the nightclub fire, eagerly awaiting any news on the suspect of the crime. they'd recovered the bodies of a couple victims, but none were identified as tj. the police department suspected there was too much of a fire to make a recovery of his body.

the news broke your heart. it should've been you, you deserved to be the one in there. you should've waited with him, been with him, anything other than this outcome would've been more desirable.

one night, as you stared up at the ceiling, regretting half the descions you'd made, mascara bled beneath your eyes, your phone rang from your nightstand. you rolled over, checking the name. "Ben Stone"

why would ben be calling this late at night? he wouldn't call you unless he needed you, or was checking up on you. you decided on the off chance that he needed you, you swiped right and answered the call.

"hey y/n, i'm down at new york presbyterian hospital in manhattan, on preveen. there's someone here who really wants to see you." you could hear the smile in his voice from over the phone.

"i'll be there soon." you replied quickly, not much of a tone to your voice. it could just be some passenger who needed help with a calling, and ben wanted backup. it could be anything, really.

you drove down the busy streets of manhattan, pulling alongside the road and walking into the hospital. the hallways smelt of rubbing alcohol and cleaning solution.

you texted ben a quick text, wondering what room to go in. in seconds you receive a text back.

"Room 34A"

you walked up to the receptionist, putting on the widest smile you could, which wasn't much. it was the first time you smiled in days, and it wasn't even a real smile.

"hi, room 34A? i'm meeting ben stone." you said to the woman. she pointed at the pen and paper on the counter, and you signed quickly. she pointed down a hallway, decorated with navy blue and white walls.

"first door on the right." she said, sending a gentle smile back. you nodded your head and made your way down the hallway. the smell of alcohol and bleach was practically naseauting, you could already feel a headache coming on.

you knocked on the half-open door, and ben appears from around a corner. he's wearing his usual tan colored jacket, a wide smile on his face.

"come on in." ben says, pulling you gently by the wrist. "ben, who is it, i just wanna go home-"

that's when you saw him, laying in the hospital bed. iv's hooked up, a grin across his face.

"there's no way." tears of happiness streamed down your face. you ran over and wrapped him in the gentlest hug you could. "i thought i lost you." you whispered.

"you aren't getting rid of me that easily." he whispered back, pressing a sweet kiss to your jaw.

"thank god." you chuckled, making both of you smile, ben watching like a proud dad in the corner.