An Astronomer's Guide to Falling Angels

Chapter 31

The hospital room was filled with laughter and warmth as Oda, Louis, Meredith, James, and Tyr gathered around Arty's bed. The sight of their friend awake and talking after so many months in a coma was like a miracle none of them dared to believe would come true. They had come straight from their homes, leaving behind everything else to be with her. Arty's face, though still pale, was brighter than it had been in months.

Oda was the loudest, of course, joking around like always. "You know, Arty," she teased, leaning over the side of the bed, "you're probably so desperate to see Astor that the moment he walks in, you'll propose to him right here, right now—just so you never have to be apart again."

The group chuckled, expecting a typical deadpan response from Arty. But this time, something different happened. Arty, usually so stoic, hesitated. Her expression softened, and she admitted, almost shyly, "Astor's the reason I made it back alive. I... I would do anything to see my angel smile again. Even defy death."

The room fell silent. Arty's raw honesty, usually hidden behind her tough exterior, hit them all like a punch to the gut. She glanced down at her hands, fidgeting with the blanket draped over her. "I promised him we'd spend our lives together, and that was all that mattered to me, even when I was stuck in that space between life and death. He's the reason I'm still here."

It was then that Tyr, sitting quietly at the edge of the group, spoke up. Her voice was soft, tentative, like she didn't quite know how to break the moment. "Arty... I'm Tyr. I'm your sister."

Arty froze, her eyes widening as they locked onto Tyr's. She'd known, of course, that her mother had run away after giving birth to Tyr. But the idea that Tyr had sought her out, that she was here now, felt surreal. And when Tyr mentioned that their mother had remarried, had given Tyr the life Arty had never had—a safe, happy one—Arty didn't react with the jealousy or anger her friends might have expected.

Instead, Arty smiled—a soft, genuine smile that lit up her pale face. "I'm so happy you're safe, Tyr. I've wondered about you for so long. I'm just... glad you're okay. Looks like we've got a shit ton of catching up to do, yeah?"

Tyr blinked, taken aback at Arty's reaction, before nodding, her face breaking out into a genuine smile for the first time since she'd arrived. It was as if that worry, that guilt that had born a pit into her stomach had subsided, and she finally got a chance to start over with the bit of family she's thought -- for a moment -- that she had lost forever. The two shared a moment of quiet understanding. It wasn't a reunion filled with tears and proclamations, but it was real, and that was enough.

Just as the tension in the room started to ease, Oda glanced at her phone, her brow furrowing. "Lukas hasn't come by yet," she murmured, her tone shifting from playful to worried. "I'm going to call him."

Before she could dial, the door creaked open. Lukas stood there, his eyes red, his face pale, his body trembling as if he were holding back a dam of emotions. Everyone turned toward him, expecting his usual light-hearted quips, maybe even some relief at Arty's recovery. But the moment Lukas stepped inside, he ran to Arty's side, crumbling as he knelt beside her bed.

"Lukas!" Arty exclaimed, her voice still weak but filled with warmth. "You missed me that much, huh?" She reached out, trying to comfort him. Her attempt at a joke, to lighten the mood, only made him cry harder.

His whole body was shaking, his hands gripping the edge of her blanket so tightly that his knuckles turned white. Hiccups escaped from his throat, and it took him several attempts to find his voice. "A-Astor," he choked out between sobs. "Astor's... he's... gone."

Silence fell over the room, thicker than before, choking the air. Arty's smile faded instantly, replaced by confusion, fear. "What?" she whispered, her voice trembling. "What do you mean, Lukas? He's—he's not gone. He can't be."