A Life Worth Living

7.) Awakening

Andi's POV

"Shh, you'll wake him up," There were voices talking so loudly I though my head would blow. It was as if someone was screaming in my brain. I let out a load groan and all at once they stopped. There's footsteps and a low, comforting voice is speaking. "Andi, do you think you could open your eyes for me? No one's gonna hurt you."

After a few moments I'm able to open my eyes without being completely blinded. I'm shocked when I see the same two people I kicked out of my room a month ago standing above my bed.

I had ran the scenario of seeing them again several times while I had been stuck with Kev, and the reality I was in now was the self-indulgent part of me that I had quickly stuffed down. After rudely kicking them out it would have made sense for them to scream, yell, and even attempt to hurt me, but all they did was stand there looking at me like I was an injured puppy.

"Andi? Are you with us?" I gave a stiff nod as a woman in scrubs grabs my attention and within seconds there's a doctor shining a bright light in my eyes. I give a heavy blink and he's suddenly hitting my knees with a rubber hammer, not flinching when a sock covered foot narrowly misses his head.

It's like everything is moving in slow motion while being too fast at the same time. In an attempt to get it to stop I hide my face in my pillow. Nothing changes.

"Hey! Can't you see he's uncomfortable? Give the man some room. My god."

"Honey they're just trying to help."

"Well they can give him a moment to breathe and realize where he's at for fucks sake!"

"....sorry."

The two men from before were arguing, with the bigger man arguing on my side. It was strange seeing the same man who had beat my boyfriend to a pulp was now telling the doctor to go away for my sake.

There's a hushed conversation between him and the doctor that resulted in a few vitals being taken, none of them which involved touching me, before quickly leaving the room.

They stood there for a minute before the smaller man started to lead the man who had argued with me out of the door.

"Y-You can stay if you want." It had slipped out before I could stop it and I could already feel the blush rising up into my face.

They both froze, before making their way into two seats by my bed.

Danni's POV

Hugh had been arguing with the doctor when I saw Andi's hand twitch. His eyes furrowed as if in pain, and I quickly made everyone be quiet. I nudge Hugh and he looks over at Andi, and upon realizing he's awake he asks him to open his eyes.

After a few moments Andi manages to keep his eyes open for more than a few seconds. The doctor rushes over and Andi looks visibly confused. He keeps blinking before shaking his head. His eyes are wide in a panic, his face flush.

"Hey! Can't you see he's uncomfortable? Give the man some room. My god." I shoot Hugh a look. We argue for a few seconds before realizing that all eyes are on us.

Hugh gives a small 'sorry' before ushering the doctor over.

"Listen doc, I may not have gone through exactly what he's gone through, but I can tell you this, you overwhelming him without a breather is only going to keep him from getting better. He's been drifting in and out of staying awake for the last week and you all up in his space the first time he's awake is not going to help."

Hugh finishes his mini speech and I look at him in shock. Hugh is a big man, who is not afraid of confrontation, but it still takes a lot for him to stick up for someone in the way he just did, even less so with people he wasn't familiar with.

The doctor looks shocked, but agrees with Hugh. He checks over a handful of vitals before leaving the room. Hugh and I stand there awkwardly for a moment before he puts a hand on my back and starts to lead me out.

"Y-You can stay if you want." I freeze. Andi's face is so red it's almost worrying, and after watching hi heart monitor for the last week I can tell his heart rate has increased.

We make our way over to two bedside chairs and sit, trying not to stare too obviously. I take a breath, ready to have one of the hardest talks I will ever have in my life.

"Andi do you know where you are?" He blinks.

"A um, hospital?" His voice is uncertain, wavering on scared.

"St. Joseph's Hospital to be exact. Do you what happened that left you in here?" His eyes dart to Hugh who just (tries to) give a comforting smile.

"I can only remember bits and pieces but I kind of think I know why. Did I pass out?" He's clearly lying at the last part, his hands twisting to make elaborate shapes.

"Not exactly. You were found inside a trash bag in an elderly womans trash during her weekly pickup. The garbage men noticed a weird shape inside a bag and when they cut it open you were inside. Your heart stopped just a few moments later. Thankfully one of the men knew CPR and managed to do keep your heart stimulated until the ambulance arrived." He was already crying, shock clearly visible on his face, but I kept going.

"Someone had starved and tortured you before trying to kill you. And they succeeded Andi. Your heart stopped, and there was no guarantee that it would start again. You had lost so much weight you looked like a skeleton. You had four emergency surgeries to keep you alive, and they're waiting to do two more when you're body can handle it. Your concussion was left untreated and that's why you don't remember most of it, and you may never remember. Because of the severe head trauma you sustained there is the possibility of brain damage, but we will deal with that when it comes."

I take a break when Andi starts shaking, so subtle but fast it's almost as if he's vibrating. He reaches to pull the covers off and wails when he sees what's beneath them. His body is covered in thick bandages, so many it's almost cartoonish. He starts to hyperventilate, breaths uneven and fast. Hugh hesitantly reaches out, and to all of our surprise Andi latches on. Hugh leans over until he's holding the Andi, and they stay like that for a long time.

If you or anyone you know is a Twitch streamer I write while having small streamers play in the background and am always looking for suggestions! Doesn't matter what they stream I can't write without something in the background and this way I get to support others.