Broken shades (Twilight)(Embry Call)

The Confession

"Oh I will stay with you through the ups and the downs
Oh I will stay with you when no one else is around
And when the dark clouds arrive
I will stay by your side
And I know we'll be alright
I will stay with you"
-Stay with You- John Legend

**Chapter 9: The Confession**

The sterile smell of antiseptic filled the air as Embry paced the length of the hospital corridor for what felt like the hundredth time. The fluorescent lights above cast a harsh glare on the white tiles, but Embry barely noticed. His mind was consumed with thoughts of Kayla, lying motionless on the hospital bed just a few feet away.

Paul sat in one of the plastic chairs outside the room, his head in his hands, his knuckles white from the pressure. He had barely spoken since they arrived at the hospital, his guilt and anger simmering beneath the surface, threatening to boil over at any moment. Sam stood by Paul, a hand on his shoulder, offering silent support as they waited for the doctor's verdict.

Embry couldn't stop thinking about the imprint. He had waited so long, hoped for so long, that when the bond had finally snapped into place, it had been both a relief and a torment. How could he have failed her so completely? The girl he was destined to protect, to love, had been nearly beaten to death, and he hadn't been there to stop it. The guilt gnawed at him, leaving a hollow ache in his chest.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the door to Kayla's room creaked open, and a doctor stepped out, her expression grave. Embry froze mid-step, his heart plummeting into his stomach as he waited for her to speak.

"How is she?" Paul asked, his voice raw with fear and desperation.

The doctor sighed, pulling off her glasses and rubbing the bridge of her nose. "She's stable, but it's a miracle she survived the trauma. She has several broken ribs, a concussion, and internal injuries that we're monitoring closely. She's in a coma right now, and while we're hopeful she'll wake up, it's hard to say when that might happen."

Paul let out a shuddering breath, his hands trembling as he absorbed the news. "But she will wake up, right? She'll be okay?"

The doctor hesitated, her lips pressing into a thin line. "We're doing everything we can. The next 24 hours will be critical. If she pulls through, she'll need time to heal—physically and emotionally."

Embry's throat tightened as the doctor's words echoed in his mind. *If she pulls through...* He couldn't bear the thought of losing her, not now, not when he had finally found her.

Paul nodded, his jaw clenched, but he didn't say anything else. The doctor gave them both a sympathetic look before turning and walking back down the hall, leaving them to grapple with the uncertainty that hung in the air.

Embry finally stopped pacing, his feet feeling like lead as he moved toward the door to Kayla's room. "I need to see her," he said quietly, his voice barely above a whisper.

Paul looked up, his eyes red-rimmed and hollow. He simply nodded, standing up and stepping aside to let Embry pass.

The room was dimly lit, the soft hum of the machines the only sound as Embry walked in. Kayla lay on the bed, her face pale against the stark white of the sheets, an oxygen mask covering her mouth and nose. Her once vibrant eyes were closed, her expression peaceful in a way that tore at Embry's heart.

He approached the bed slowly, feeling like he was intruding on something sacred. The sight of her so still, so fragile, made him feel as though the weight of the world was pressing down on his shoulders.

Embry reached out, hesitating for a moment before gently taking Kayla's hand in his. Her skin was cool to the touch, and he held on carefully, as if afraid she might slip away if he wasn't careful.

He sat down in the chair beside her bed, his thumb gently brushing over the back of her hand. The silence in the room was oppressive, and for a long time, he just sat there, watching the rise and fall of her chest, praying that she would wake up, that she would be okay.

But the longer he sat there, the more the words he had been holding back threatened to spill out. He needed to tell her—he needed to say it, even if she couldn't hear him. Maybe especially because she couldn't hear him.

"Kayla," he began, his voice thick with emotion. "I don't know if you can hear me, but I need you to know something."

He paused, taking a deep breath to steady himself, but it didn't help. The words came tumbling out, raw and unfiltered.

"I'm so sorry, Kayla. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, that I didn't protect you like I should have. I've been so confused, so lost, because I thought—" He stopped, his voice cracking. "I thought I didn't imprint on you. I thought I'd failed you even before I had the chance to love you the way I was supposed to."

He squeezed her hand gently, leaning closer, his heart aching with every word. "But I was wrong. The moment I saw you without those sunglasses, the moment I looked into your eyes, I knew. I knew that you were it for me. You're my imprint, Kayla. And that means you're my everything."

A tear slipped down Embry's cheek, and he quickly wiped it away, his chest tightening as he continued. "I can't lose you, Kayla. I can't. I don't care if it takes weeks, months, or years for you to heal. I'll be here, right by your side, waiting for you. Because you're worth it. You've always been worth it."

He took a shaky breath, his voice dropping to a whisper. "I'm in love with you, Kayla. And I'm going to spend the rest of my life proving it to you, if you'll let me."

The room was silent again, the weight of his confession hanging in the air. Embry's heart pounded in his chest as he watched her, hoping, praying that she could somehow hear him, that his words would reach her in whatever place she was in.

And then, just as he was about to resign himself to more waiting, he felt it—a tiny, almost imperceptible squeeze of her hand.

Embry's breath caught in his throat, and he looked up, his eyes wide with hope and disbelief. He stared at Kayla's face, waiting, searching for any sign that she had heard him.

Her eyelids fluttered, just barely, and then slowly, painfully slowly, they began to open. Her gaze was unfocused at first, but as her eyes adjusted to the light, they settled on Embry's face.

"Embry?" she croaked, her voice weak and raspy, but it was the most beautiful sound he had ever heard.

Embry felt a rush of relief so powerful it nearly overwhelmed him. He let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, a smile breaking across his face as he leaned in closer. "Kayla, you're awake."

Kayla blinked slowly, her brow furrowing as she tried to process where she was, what had happened. But when she looked into Embry's eyes, something seemed to click, and a faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips.

"I heard you," she whispered, her voice trembling. "I heard everything."

Embry's heart soared, and he gently cupped her face in his hands, his thumb brushing over her cheek. "And I meant every word," he whispered back, his voice filled with love and promise.

Kayla closed her eyes, leaning into his touch, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, she felt safe. She felt loved. And as she drifted back into the darkness, she held onto the sound of Embry's voice, knowing that he would be there when she woke up again.