SEEKING 7 | boys of tommen

g r o g g y

"Gerard, love, are you awake?" My mam whispered softly, nudging my shoulder with a gentle touch. Her voice was heavy, like she'd been up for hours, waiting for this moment.

I blinked, slowly coming to, the exhaustion from the long night hitting me in waves. "I'm up—I'm up." I rubbed my eyes, my voice groggy. "What's going on?"

The morning sun spilled through the hospital windows, casting an almost peaceful glow across the sterile room, a stark contrast to the chaos in my head. I sat up, still groggy, trying to shake the fog from my brain.

Mam sat down beside me, her expression a mix of relief and worry. "The nurse's just been in... she says Aurora's awake now, and—"

"What? She's awake?" I was fully alert now, the drowsiness vanishing as adrenaline surged through me. My heart pounded in my chest, faster and faster.

"Gerard, sit down for a minute. Let me explain." Mam's tone was soft but firm, trying to keep me grounded. "John Sr. and Darren, her older brother... they're in there with her now. They're explaining everything that's happened, and she might be..." She paused, frowning deeply, her eyes filling with worry. "I don't know how she'll be. It's a lot for her to take in."

Just as she was about to say more, the doors to the waiting room swung open with a sharp creak, and Darren came rushing through. His face was pale, his eyes bloodshot and wet like he'd been holding back tears, but he tried to keep himself steady as he looked directly at me.

"She... ah," he started, his voice barely above a whisper, thick with emotion. He wiped at his eyes quickly, trying to pull himself together. "She wants to see you."

My breath caught in my throat, my heart skipping a beat. I glanced at my mam, her eyes soft and tired, but she gave me a small nod. "Go on, Gerard," she said gently.

I hesitated for a second, still feeling the weight of the sleepless night hanging over me. "Mam, you should go home. Get some sleep, please. I'll be alright." I kissed her cheek, feeling the warmth of her skin against my lips. "Love you."

She gave me a sad, worn smile, barely more than a whisper as she said, "Love you too."

With that, Darren and I walked silently down the long, sterile corridor to room 118. The sound of our footsteps echoed faintly against the cold hospital floor. I could feel my heart thudding in my chest, anxiety gnawing at me with every step. What would I see when I walked into that room? Would she be the same? The thought terrified me.

Darren stopped in front of the door, hesitating for a second before knocking gently. He pushed the door open, and there she was.

Aurora.

My Aurora.
My Princess.

She lay in the hospital bed, pale and fragile, her long black hair matted and singed at the ends from the fire. Her skin was mottled with burns and bruises, patches of red and purple covering her arms and face, but her eyes—those soft, blue eyes—looked up at me with a glimmer of life. Despite everything, she smiled at me, that small, familiar smile that made my heart ache.

"They're really trying to kill me off, aren't they?" she croaked out, her voice hoarse and groggy, but still carrying that teasing spark I loved so much. She rolled her eyes, trying to laugh but wincing in pain as she did.

I stood there, frozen for a moment, taking her in. Her arms were wrapped in bandages, and an oxygen tube was hooked under her nose. There were IV drips and monitors all around her, beeping and whirring, reminding me of just how close I'd come to losing her. The sight of her like that, so weak and vulnerable, shattered something inside me. I had to blink away the tears that were threatening to fall.

"Aurora..." I whispered, my voice cracking. I quickly crossed the room and sat on the edge of her bed, careful not to touch her too much, afraid I might hurt her. But I couldn't stop myself from gently brushing a strand of hair out of her face.

She smiled again, though it was weaker this time, the exhaustion catching up with her. "You look like hell," she joked, though it came out as more of a rasp. Her eyes flicked up to mine, and for a second, there was a flicker of fear there. "Gerard, I was so scared..."

I shook my head, taking her hand gently, careful of the burns. "No, don't. Don't think about that right now." My voice wavered, betraying the calm I was trying to project. "You're here. You made it. That's all that matters, alright?"

She squeezed my hand back, her grip weak but steady. "I didn't think I'd see you again," she whispered, her eyes shining with unshed tears. "I really thought... that was it."

I swallowed the lump in my throat, my chest tight. "I couldn't lose you, Aurora. I can't. I don't know what I'd do."

She let out a small, shaky laugh. "Well, guess you're stuck with me, huh?"

I managed a faint smile, leaning down and pressing my forehead against hers, careful not to disturb the bandages. "Good," I whispered. "Because I'm not going anywhere."

For a moment, the world outside that room disappeared, and it was just us. Despite everything—the fire, the pain, the fear—she was here. And that was all that mattered.