𝗔𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗼 ◇ 𝐌𝐄𝐋𝐓𝐄𝐃

ꊼ

The hours crawled by with agonizing slowness. The sterile, white walls of the hospital seemed to close in on Armando as he sat, his mind heavy with guilt and fear. His hands were still stained with Njeri's blood, though he barely noticed. Mike stood nearby, his face lined with concern, while Christine sat beside Armando, offering silent support, her hand resting on his shoulder.

The doors to the emergency room swung open, and a doctor in scrubs approached them. Armando shot up from his seat, his heart racing.

"How is she?" Armando demanded, his voice raw with desperation.

The doctor sighed, pulling off his mask. "She's stable for now, but the bullet caused significant damage. It missed her vital organs by a hair, but she's lost a lot of blood. We've done what we can, but the next 24 hours are critical."

Armando nodded, his chest tight with both relief and lingering fear. "Can I see her?"

"She's still unconscious, but you can sit with her," the doctor replied.

Without another word, Armando followed the doctor through the hallway. Mike and Christine stayed behind, understanding that Armando needed this moment alone.

The room was dimly lit, with only the soft beeping of the heart monitor breaking the silence. Njeri lay motionless, her skin pale against the hospital sheets, an oxygen mask over her face. Armando approached the bed slowly, his throat tight as he took in the sight of her. He pulled up a chair, sitting beside her and gently taking her hand in his.

"I'm so sorry," he whispered, his voice breaking. "This wasn't supposed to happen. I failed you..."

Njeri didn't respond, of course. The steady rhythm of the monitor was the only reassurance that she was still there, still fighting. Armando leaned forward, his forehead resting on her hand.

"You saved me once," he murmured, closing his eyes. "Now, I need you to save yourself. I need you to stay."

As the minutes turned into hours, Armando remained at her side, unwilling to leave her for even a second. His mind raced, replaying every decision he'd made that led them here. The mission, the fights, the risks he'd taken—it had all seemed so clear in the heat of the moment. But now, watching Njeri fight for her life because of him, the weight of it all crashed down on him.

Hours later, a soft knock at the door broke his thoughts. It was Kelly, followed closely by Rafe and Dorn. They had finally arrived after hearing what happened. Kelly walked over to Armando, her expression soft but worried.

"How's she doing?" Kelly asked quietly.

"Stable. But the next 24 hours are critical," Armando replied, his voice low.

Rafe stood by the door, looking as though he wanted to say something, but his usual cocky attitude was replaced with uncharacteristic silence. He glanced at Njeri and then back at Armando, guilt flickering in his eyes.

Dorn, always the strategist, stepped forward. "We've been trying to track down Samuel and the others. We know they won't stop, Armando. We have to be ready for whatever comes next."

Armando nodded, his gaze never leaving Njeri. "I know. But right now, she's all that matters."

Kelly crossed her arms, leaning against the wall. "We'll keep looking. But we're not letting you do this alone. We're a team, and we're going to end this."

The resolve in her voice gave Armando a small sense of reassurance, though it didn't ease the gnawing fear in his chest. He turned back to Njeri, her face peaceful despite the chaos surrounding them.

"I'm going to protect you," he whispered. "No matter what."

As night fell outside the hospital windows, the weight of what lay ahead settled on them all. They had enemies to face, friends to protect, and a world that had grown far more dangerous than any of them had anticipated. But for now, all they could do was wait and hope that Njeri, the fighter, would pull through.