Fade Into You

I Know The End

"L-lizzie," I stuttered, "I- it's-"

"Who is it baby?" she beamed, skipping around the corner and freezing when she saw Robbie standing in front of us, his hair buzzed and his left arm in a tight sling.

"Liz," he sighed.

She exhaled shakily and dropped the tea towel she was holding to the floor, standing so still that she could easily be mistaken for a stone statue. I turned to look at her as her eyes glossed over and her chin wobbled, and she pulled her gaze away from him to look at me.

"It's uh- it's- it's Robbie," she exhaled quickly, her breath picking up to the point she was physically shaking her hands out in front of her.

"I should've called but- I- I needed to see you-"

"I- I can't- I'm- I'm sor- you- you need to go," she blurted, walking backwards until she reached the steps of her house, sitting down and putting her head in her hands with her chest rising and falling rapidly.

"Just um- maybe sit in the lounge?" I suggested to him.

He hesitated but nodded, stepping into her house and closing the door behind him, "let me comfort her-"

I shook my head quickly and placed my hand on his chest, "that's not your job anymore, just sit in the lounge until she's ready."

He opened his mouth to speak again but was cut off by Lizzie humming loudly, both of our eyes shooting to her as she gripped the hair around her head tightly, so tightly she could easily pull it out. I quickly dropped all concern for Robbie as he took that as his queue to fuck off and I sat down in front of my girlfriend, prying her hands away from her body and holding them tightly so she couldn't hurt herself as she violently sobbed, shaking her head quickly and hyperventilating faster than I had ever seen before.

"Hey hey hey; baby, you're safe, you're okay," I assured her.

She exhaled shakily and looked up at me, "I- I- I- I can't- c-can't breathe-"

"I know, it's okay," I cut her off, placing her hand on my heart, "can you feel that?"

"I can't f-feel my hands," she sobbed, shaking her head.

"Okay um- can I hug you?" I checked, thinking of my backup plan as I moved onto the step to sit next to her.

She nodded without hesitation while I wrapped my arms around her body, holding her close to me and she held onto my jumper with tight fists.

"Can you feel my heartbeat now?" I asked softly, rubbing my hand up and down her spine.

She nodded against my chest.

"Try and match your breathing with my heartbeat," I pushed.

"I- I can't," she sniffled, her tears running dry as she focused more on her breathing.

"You can darling - it's just you and me," I sighed sadly, "take a big breath in."

She exhaled sharply before taking a big breath in, cut off quickly by breathing sharply out of her nose.

"Well that defeats the point," I laughed out my nose, making her laugh slightly too, "there's my girl; try that again, breath in with me."

She took a deep breath in through her nose as I did too.

"And out," I exhaled as she copied, "in again."

She breathed in shakily and exhaled sharply before I got a chance to catch up.

"Again; you're doing so well baby," I smiled sadly, taking her hand in mine and holding it reassuringly.

"In," she whispered, breathing in with me.