Chasing Shadows

Chapter 22

Jessica stirred awake, the soft beeping of the heart monitor pulling her from the depths of sleep. Her body ached all over, a reminder of the chaos that had unfolded the day before. For a moment, everything felt foggy, like a bad dream she couldn't quite shake.

Her eyes fluttered open, adjusting to the soft glow of the hospital room. It took a second for the reality to hit—she was in the hospital, not the inside of a car, not in the middle of a storm.

She blinked again, scanning the room, but the chair next to her bed was empty.

Tyler wasn't there.

A soft sigh escaped her lips, disappointment settling in her chest. He had been there when she fell asleep. She hadn't even known how much comfort it brought her until now. Waking up to find him gone left her feeling on edge. Did he leave because he felt like he had to? Was it all just adrenaline?

Jessica closed her eyes again, fighting back the surge of emotions. She was being ridiculous. He had probably just gone to get food or something.

The door creaked open, and Jessica opened her eyes in time to see Tyler walk back in, a coffee in one hand and a small bouquet of flowers in the other. He gave her a sheepish smile as he crossed the room.

"I didn't think you'd be awake yet," he said softly, setting the coffee down and handing her the flowers. "These are pretty lame, I know, but it was all the gift shop had."

Jessica took the flowers, her heart warming at the gesture. "You didn't have to—"

"I wanted to," Tyler cut her off, his eyes soft as he sat back down in the chair next to her. "How are you feeling?"

"Sore," Jessica admitted, her voice thick with fatigue. "But better."

They sat in silence for a moment, the weight of the last day hanging between them. Tyler reached for her hand, his thumb brushing against her skin. "I'm sorry," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "I should've been there sooner. I shouldn't have let you get into that situation—"

"Tyler, stop," Jessica interrupted, squeezing his hand. "It's not your fault. I knew the risks. We all do."

Tyler's jaw tightened, but he nodded. "I know, but... when I saw your car crushed under that tree... I felt like everything stopped. I've never been that scared in my life."

Jessica's breath caught in her throat. The raw emotion in his voice shook her. She reached up, placing her hand on his cheek. "You didn't lose me," she whispered. "I'm right here."

Tyler closed his eyes, leaning into her touch, letting out a shaky breath. "I know," he said quietly. "But for those few minutes, I thought I had. I thought I was too late."

Jessica's heart twisted at the thought of how much this had affected him. She pulled her hand back slightly, her fingers brushing the bandages on her arms. "You were the one who got me out of that car," she said. "If it wasn't for you, I might not even be here."

"I didn't do it alone," Tyler said, shaking his head. "But I would've torn that car apart with my bare hands if I had to."

Jessica let out a soft laugh, despite the tightness in her chest. "I believe you."

He smiled at that, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. His gaze dropped to her hand again, fingers tracing the edges of the bandages, careful not to hurt her. "Jess, I don't want you to think I take this—us—lightly. I care about you more than I've let on. And seeing you hurt like that... I realized I'm not sure what I'd do if I lost you."

Her heart fluttered at his words. It was a side of Tyler she hadn't seen before, vulnerable and open, and it made her feel closer to him than ever. "I care about you too," she whispered. "I think I've known for a while. I was just too scared to admit it."