Hold On To Me (Marina)

39.Florescent

39.

Whеn уоu fееl lіkе fаllіng аgаіn
І рrоmіѕе І wіll dо аll thаt І саn
То kеер уоu аflоаt саuѕе аll thаt І аm
Наѕ аlwауѕ bееn уоurѕ, уоurѕ
(Floya-Florescent)

Keira's eyes snapped open and she sat up, a flash of pain in her ribs. She tried to take a deep breath, but it hurt, everything hurt too much.

"Hey, hey, lay down. Lay down, bella." a familiar, calming voice told her, soothingly. "Everything is alright. Va tutto bene, tesoro.". Keira turned around. Next to her, Carina and Maya were sitting on the edge of the bed, looking at her with incredible tenderness. Keira felt full of shame. She had run away, she had pushed Carina against a chair, she had caused so much trouble and yet they were there, for her. It was so confusing. Why? Why couldn't they let her go? Why couldn't they leave like anybody else?

"We got you, sweetie." Maya said. "Carina is calling Dr. Altman, so she can check on you. Is this okay?". Keira didn't react. She let Teddy visit her rib, without even flinching. She looked so empty, so emotionless and Maya and Carina couldn't help but wonder what she had gone through.

"The stitches are good and everything is fine." Teddy claimed. "I'd keep you here for few days though. If it's okay with your moms.". They're not my moms, Keira wanted to say. Because they weren't her moms. She wished they were, but they weren't. They would never be. And it was all her fault.

"It's more than okay. Thank you, Teddy. I mean it." Carina told her friend, relief in her eyes. The surgeon squeezed the Italian's shoulder, with affection.

"I just wish I could..." she tried to say.

"I know." Carina interrupted her. "It wasn't your fault, Teddy. You gave us more time. And now, you saved her. I will forever be grateful for this.". Altman hugged the OB/GYN, sweetly.

"He'd be proud of you." she whispered to her. "Excuse me, I have to go. Call me if something is wrong, okay?". She left and Keira found herself alone with Maya and Carina again, the need to get up from that bed and run away getting more and more strong. She was laying down in silence instead, not knowing what to say. But did she have anything to say, after all?

"We love you.". That was the last straw. Keira didn't dare turn around. She didn't want Maya and Carina to see her like that. Not after hearing the blonde's words, words she knew the woman had only told her brother and Carina before. We love you. How? How could they love her after everything she had put them through?

"Why?" she managed to ask, her voice trembling.

"Why not?" Carina replied. "Loving a person isn't about what they do. Loving a person is a celebration of their existence. We love you because you exist, Keira. And your existence filled a hole in our own lives. These days without you they were so empty.". Keira couldn't hold the tears anymore. She was now crying desperately, trying to muffle her sobs with the pillow.

"I'm sorry." she muttered, finally.

"We are sorry too." Maya responded, gently caressing her hair. "We broke your trust. We should have told you the truth."

"Raphael asked you not to do it." Keira said. "And when he told me I ran away. Gosh, this is the only thing I can do, running away. Running away and ending up in this stupid hospital."

"This ain't true." Carina replied. "And you know it.". An unreal silence fell between them. There was something Keira needed to ask the two women, but she was so scared to do it. She took a deep breath and gazed at Maya and Carina, who softly smiled at her.