Angels Among Us

Chapter 12:

Chapter 12:

"I love you."

Those where the first words I woke up to the early morning after. This was the first time he had acknowledged such a momentous emotion. It felt reassuring to know he felt in such a way after the events that had occurred the night before.

"I love you too," I muttered back tiredly. "Why are we even awake? Its only 2:17." I continued.

"I felt the need to tell you now." Niall blushed at his own words.

"You are so sweet," I gave a weak smile. "But can I go back to sleep now?" I giggled.

"Of course." He answered.

He gently pecked my nose with his tender pink lips and pulled me into his body encasing his arm around my waist and tucking his head into the crook of my neck. The way Niall held me made me feel sheltered, protected by his wing. Pun not intended. Even with Niall's effortless amenity, something felt peculiar. I was certain it had nothing to do with myself or Niall, but something wasn't right. I tried to put myself at ease but something in the depths of my mind kept pulling me away. I shifted and quietly moaned in grief at my overactive brain.

"Is everything alright love?" Niall questioned in a groggy voice.

"Yeah. I'm fine. I think. Just can't fall asleep."

"Just relax." He hummed. He began to trill a legato melody into my ear. They were the same sweet lyrics that he had hummed after my grieving stage when I locked him out. I still couldn't recall the name but that was the least of my worries the moment. I just need to focus on resting and was soon in my dreamland.

-bzz-bzz-bzzz-

My phone vibrated. It wasn't even 4:30 in the morning yet, that could only mean one thing. Niall quickly crawled off me and answered as I braced myself.

"Eve... we need to go."

I threw some clothes on over my lingerie and we were out the door.

Once we arrived at the hospital we were redirected back to ICU. Niall and I rushed to the nurses station to gather any new information possible.

"You must be Eve and Niall?" A nurse greeted us.

I shook my head frantically choking back tears.

"Your father's infection spread to his heart and he went into cardiac arrest. We have him on our strongest drugs but his condition isn't improving. The only other option is a Coronary Bypass Surgery but his chance of survival is only 7% if that."

"Be strong Eve." Niall whispered.

"He has a better chance of living on the anti-arrhythmic drugs. Would you like to see him?"

"Please." I murmured under my breath let the tears run down my cheeks.

"Right this way." She spoke with a hopeless smile.

"Dad!" I cried as we entered his unit. He was connected to every tube and cord possible with tons of monitors and machines coming from everywhere.

"Eve sweetheart, its alright. Everything is going to be okay." My dad moaned. The tone of his voice said the exact opposite.

"Dad don't lie to me! Its not gonna help! Daddy you can't do this to me! I'm nothing without you! You are the only family I have left! You can't leave me..." I broke down sobbing.

"Eve, hun, relax." Niall sympathetically soothed.

I didn't want sympathy or comfort. I wanted everything to go back to the way it was 16 years ago. When my mother would braid my hair and paint my nails. When my dad would put my high on his shoulders to spin me around in our front yard. When morning cartoons were the highlight of my day besides when daddy got home from work. When my only worry was eating my popsicle before the summer sun melted it down my wrist and ended up everywhere. When kissing my the scratches on my little elbows made all the pain go away. When I had my mother and father and we were a simple, loving, happy and healthy family.