New Beginnings In The Tunnel Of Life

Fighting Once More

***SAGE***

The nurse escorts Micah, Summer, Dalton and I towards the ICU. Micah sleeps in my arms as we head to go see Ash for the first time since him coming out of surgery. Tension and nervousness fills my body as the nurse scans her badge opening the doors to the ICU.

"He is going to be in the third room on the right."

Summer thanks the nurse and I head down the hallway feeling more anxious. I kiss Micah on the top of the head, praying that Ash is going to fight through this.

With a shaky breath, I step into the room walking over to the foot of the bed and get a good look at Ash.

He is covered with wires and monitors surround him, and he has a tube going down his through since he is intubated. His arm is in a protective splint for the break and he has cut along his face.

Tears sneak down my face as I stare at him before me, he looks so different lying there in the bed like this.

Dalton taps on my shoulder, "Want me to hold Micah?"

"Yeah that would be great."

Handing over Micah to Dalton, I head towards Ash placing my hand on his cheek. I rub my thumb against his cheek looking at him hoping that somehow I can heal him.

Summer pushes a chair close to me and I sit down squeezing Ash's hand. I lean my head against his hand closing my eyes, if only he wouldn't have said yes to go into the office.

Sitting with Ash whispering words to him and an hour later a knock on the door makes all of us sit up. Summer rubs Micah who she is holding to keep him calm and I turn towards the door.

In the doorway is Tryston and two police officers, "Sage, they would like a word with you."

Dalton helps me up and I walk out into the hallway where the officers look at me, "Are you Sage William?"

I nod and look at them concerned, "Yes. What's wrong?"

One of them puts a hand on my shoulder, "We need to take you to a private room and ask some questions."

Nerves shoot through my stomach and I nod, my hands trembling as I follow them with Tryston following beside me.

Tryston squeezes my arm whispering, "I will be right here beside you okay."

The officers take us into a private unoccupied room, where another agent who I instantly recognized as Xena greets me.

Xena looks at my sympathetically taking my hand, "I'm sorry for interrupting dear. We just need a moment to talk about this."

Tryston and Dalton walk in behind me and the officers shut the doors behind them. Xena pulls out her ipad, opens it up and shows me a picture of a girl that has short brown hair and brown eyes. She is staring at the camera with an evil grin that sends shivers through me as though she is staring right at me.

"Do you know this woman?"

I shake my head, and Dalton inhales a breath, "I've seen her at the beach before."

Xena and I turn to Dalton, he is as pale as a ghost as he stares at the ipad, "She interrupted me at the beach one day and talked to me. The weird thing was the things she was saying were really off and creepy."

Turning towards Xena, feeling fear settle into my stomach, "Why do you ask?"

Xena sighs and pulls up a video, "The camera recorded this and if you don't want to watch it we can stop it."

With horror she presses play, and I am stuck in spot as I watch as Ash's truck comes into view of traffic. Suddenly a red truck comes up behind his really fast ramming into the back of it and Ash's truck spins and rolls onto its side.

Horror keeps me rooted to the spot, and as his truck stops rolling, thinking it was over the red truck comes back into view. It quickly speeds up ramming into Ash's truck again rolling it into the ditch.

1,2,3,4,5, and 6 times I counted as it rolled into the deep ditch on the side of the highway. Feeling sick to my stomach, Xena pulls the tablet away and looks at me.

"She tried to go after him again but an officer was nearby and saw the event and was able to detain her before she could keep going. She tried to shoot at the officer but with backup they took her down."

Hugging myself, shaking all I can think is why would someone do something like this. Seeing the look on my face Xena puts her hand on my arm.

"The reason I ask is because she identified herself and didn't hold back the reason why she was there."

Unable to speak due to the sick feeling and horror going through me, Tryston steps forward.

"What was her reason for doing this?"

Xena holds out another picture, and it all slides together, "She was dating your ex Devon. I guess his plan B was her."

I was angry but so torn apart, these two people tried to tear my whole life apart. Wanting to scream and cry, Micah's blue eyes flash through my mind.

Taking a deep breath composing myself, "Thank you for telling us. Do you think we are safe now?"

Xena looks at me with some hope, "The FBI is tracking every possible lead and taking out anything that could do more harm."

Pulling myself together and looking at her, I nod hoping to keep myself pulled together, "Well, for now I am going to go pray and be with my son."

Xena nods and I leave the room, and as soon as I walk out I almost lose my composure again. Straightening my shoulders, I know that I have to keep it together for my family.

Walking back into the hospital room and I see Micah sleeping in Summer's arms, and I glance over at Ash where the ventilator is helping him breath.

Ash, you have to fight through this, we have to prove that Devon isn't going to take anything away from us.

Blinking tears away, and walking back out in the hallway all I can do is lean my head against the wall and pray. Pray that I am not going to lose the one thing that has fixed the pieces.

A hand lands on my shoulder, oddly warm and comforting, "Sage?"

Wiping away the tears, and turning around to see Dalton staring at me with a worried look. Sucking in a deep breath I try to speak but no sounds come out, only tears. Squeezing my eyes shut and a sob escapes my lips and Dalton wraps his arms around me.

Soothing my hair, Dalton whispers, "Shhh. You're not alone. It's going to be okay."

Squeezing his jacket into my hands, feeling tears just fall down my face, "Dalton, I can't lose the person who means the world to me. I can't do this again, I can't face loss."

Dalton nods against my head just holding me, and soothing me. As long as the tears keep coming, Dalton stays there with me as I process through all the emotions. Emotions make me almost want to cry again when I realize even after everything he is still there for me.

Feeling wrecked and exhausted, Dalton walks me back into the hospital room. Where I crawl into the chair pushed next to Ash's bed, where I hold his hand. Unable to cry anymore, closing my eyes and feeling exhaustion take me.