MOMENTS

PNEUMONIA PART 2

The soft glow of the moon filtered through the curtains as Gar lay in bed next to Raven, the sound of her shallow breathing filling the quiet room. It had been a long, exhausting day, and though she was still recovering from pneumonia, Raven had finally fallen into a fitful sleep. Gar stayed close by, his mind racing with concern, but he was hopeful. She was tough—stronger than most gave her credit for—but this illness had hit her hard.

It was close to midnight when Raven stirred in her sleep, her breathing becoming ragged. At first, Gar thought it was just another coughing fit, but something was different this time. Her breathing was labored, more strained than it had been earlier. Suddenly, Raven's eyes shot open, wide with panic as she gasped for air, her body tensing up. She tried to take a deep breath, but it felt like her chest was on fire.

She coughed violently, her hand reaching out instinctively to tap Gar's shoulder, desperate for help. The sudden jolt woke him from his light slumber, and he immediately turned to her, eyes widening in alarm when he saw the fear etched on her face.

"Rae?" he whispered urgently, his voice thick with concern. "Rae, what's wrong?"

Raven couldn't answer, her chest heaving as she struggled to catch her breath. Tears welled up in her eyes as she gripped his hand tightly, her fingers trembling.

Gar didn't waste a second. He scrambled out of bed, grabbing the thermometer from the nightstand and quickly checking her temperature. His heart sank when he saw the number. "102.7," he muttered under his breath. Her fever had spiked dangerously high again.

"Rae, stay with me," he whispered, his voice laced with worry as he stroked her damp forehead. "We need to get you to the hospital."

Raven's grip on his hand tightened, her violet eyes wide with fear. She couldn't breathe, couldn't speak, and the panic was starting to take over. Every breath felt like a battle, and the weight on her chest made it nearly impossible to fill her lungs.

Gar could see the terror in her eyes, and his heart ached as he watched her struggle. He grabbed his phone, dialing the emergency line as quickly as possible. "My wife—she has pneumonia, and she can't breathe," he explained, his voice frantic. "I'm bringing her in. We're heading to the hospital right now."

With that, he hung up, scooping Raven into his arms despite her protests. He knew how much she hated being vulnerable like this, but there was no time to waste. "I've got you, Rae," he whispered, his voice firm but gentle. "Just hold on, okay? We're going to the hospital."

Raven whimpered, too weak and scared to respond. She clung to him tightly, her fingers digging into his arm as she buried her face against his chest. She felt like she was drowning, each breath harder than the last.

Gar carried her to the car, his heart racing with fear as he gently settled her into the passenger seat. He quickly ran around to the driver's side, jumping in and starting the engine. The hospital wasn't far, but it felt like every second was too long as he sped down the quiet streets, his hand reaching out to hold hers.

"Rae, baby, I need you to keep breathing," he said, his voice shaking with emotion. "Stay with me, okay? We're almost there."

Raven's breathing was still labored, each shallow breath coming out in wheezes, but she kept her eyes on him, focusing on the sound of his voice. She didn't let go of his hand, clutching it tightly as if it were her lifeline.

Gar's mind was racing as he drove, his thoughts filled with fear and desperation. He couldn't lose her. Not like this. Not ever.

When they finally reached the hospital, Gar pulled up to the emergency entrance and ran around to Raven's side, gently lifting her out of the car. Her body felt so frail in his arms, and it broke his heart to see her like this.

The hospital staff rushed to meet them, quickly placing Raven on a stretcher and wheeling her inside. Gar stayed by her side the entire time, his hand never leaving hers as he whispered reassurances. "You're going to be okay, Rae. I promise. I'm right here."

Raven's eyes fluttered open, her lips trembling as she whispered his name. "Gar..."

"I'm here, love," he whispered, leaning down to kiss her forehead. "You're not alone."

As they entered the emergency room, the doctors took over, carefully monitoring her vitals and administering medication to help open her airways. Gar was forced to step back, his heart aching as he watched from the corner of the room. He felt helpless—useless—as the doctors worked to stabilize her condition.

It felt like hours passed before the doctor finally approached him, a kind but serious expression on his face. "She's stabilized for now," the doctor said quietly. "The pneumonia caused her lungs to constrict, which made it difficult for her to breathe. We've given her medication to help with that, but she's still weak. We're going to keep her here for observation."

Gar let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding, nodding slowly as the weight of the situation hit him. "Can I see her?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

The doctor nodded. "Of course. Just be gentle with her. She's still very fragile."

Gar walked into the room where Raven lay, her chest rising and falling slowly now, though the oxygen mask over her face reminded him just how close they had come to losing her.

He sat beside her, taking her hand in his and brushing his thumb over her knuckles. "Hey, Rae," he whispered softly. "You scared the hell out of me, you know that?"

Raven's eyes fluttered open, her gaze meeting his. Her voice was weak, muffled by the oxygen mask. "I'm sorry..."

"Don't apologize," Gar said, shaking his head as he leaned in to kiss her forehead gently. "I'm just glad you're okay."

Raven's eyes welled up with tears, her body still trembling from the ordeal. "I... I thought..." Her voice cracked, and she swallowed hard, trying to hold back the emotions threatening to overwhelm her.

"Shh, it's okay," Gar whispered, brushing a tear from her cheek. "You don't have to talk right now. Just rest. I'm here."

Raven nodded weakly, her eyes drifting closed again as exhaustion overtook her. Gar stayed by her side the entire night, holding her hand and watching over her, his heart full of love and gratitude that she was still with him.

It wasn't going to be easy, but they would get through this. Together. Like they always did.