Holding On To Hope

Chapter 25: Racing Against Time

The drive to St. Mark's Hospital was a blur. Leon's knuckles were white on the steering wheel, the silence between him and Grayson weighed down by the growing sense of dread. Each second felt like an eternity, the city's streets twisting into a maze of frustration as they sped through traffic. Grayson stared straight ahead, gripping the passenger seat tightly, his mind racing with a hundred different possibilities, none of them good.

Leon's thoughts were spiraling. He couldn't stop picturing Lina, alone, hurt, lying somewhere unfamiliar. His heart pounded in his chest, a mixture of guilt, fear, and a sickening helplessness gripping him. How had he let this happen? They should've checked on her earlier. The uneasy feeling he had that morning now felt like a warning he'd failed to heed.

They pulled into the hospital parking lot at breakneck speed, barely stopping before both men jumped out of the car. Grayson was already on his phone, calling Mia as they rushed inside.

"We're at the hospital," Grayson said, his voice tense. "Lina's been in an accident."

"What?!" Mia's voice was panicked on the other end. "Is she okay? Where is she?"

"We don't know yet. We're going to find out now. Just—just stay by your phone," Grayson stammered, not knowing what else to say. He hung up and stuffed the phone into his pocket, exchanging a look with Leon. The usually composed Grayson looked shaken, his anxiety mirroring Leon's as they headed straight for the reception desk.

"Lina," Leon gasped as they reached the desk, barely able to get the words out. "Lina—she was brought in. Car accident."

The nurse nodded. "She was brought in not too long ago. She's being evaluated by the doctors. You'll need to wait—"

"Wait?" Grayson cut in, his voice sharp. "We need to see her. Now."

"I understand," the nurse said, her voice steady but firm. "But she's still in with the trauma team. As soon as they're done, someone will come to give you an update."

Leon opened his mouth to argue, but Grayson pulled him back, his hand gripping his shoulder. "Let's give them time," Grayson said, though his voice was tight with impatience.

Leon nodded, his mind reeling, and they both sat in the waiting area, the sterile smell of the hospital doing nothing to calm their nerves. The minutes stretched on, each one heavier than the last.

"I should've gone back this morning," Leon muttered, running a hand through his hair. "I shouldn't have left her alone."

Grayson shook his head. "We couldn't have known, Leon. You were worried, yeah, but how could we know something like this would happen?"

"I don't care," Leon snapped, his guilt overwhelming him. "I should have known. I promised her I'd always be there, and then I just left her to fend for herself again."

Before Grayson could respond, a voice interrupted them. "You guys are here for Lina?"

Both brothers shot up from their seats. Standing before them was a tall, athletic-looking man with a serious expression on his face. Leon recognized the voice immediately—this was Blake, the one who had found Lina.

"Yeah, I'm Leon, this is Grayson," Leon said hurriedly. "You're the one who found her?"

Blake nodded, "Yeah. I was on my way home when I saw her on the road. I didn't see what happened, but there was a car speeding away, and she was lying there. She wasn't conscious, but I called the ambulance right away."

"Was she...?" Grayson swallowed, struggling to get the words out. "Was she... bleeding a lot?"

Blake nodded grimly. "Yeah. Head wound, and she looked like she hit the pavement pretty hard. But she was breathing when they took her in."

Leon's heart sank. He couldn't picture it—Lina, his child, lying hurt and unconscious on the cold street. His mind raced back to every protective instinct he had, and they all screamed that he'd failed her.

"Thanks for helping her," Leon managed to say, though his voice was shaky.

Blake nodded again. "I couldn't just leave her there. I hope she'll be okay."

Just as Blake finished, a doctor approached them. "Are you Lina's family?"

Leon stepped forward immediately. "Yes. How is she? Please, tell us she's okay."

The doctor sighed, his expression neutral but serious. "Lina suffered a concussion and several lacerations from the impact. She lost a fair amount of blood, but we were able to stabilize her. Right now, she's unconscious, but we're monitoring her closely. The next 24 hours are critical, but we're optimistic that she'll recover. She'll need time, though—physically and emotionally."

Leon let out a shaky breath, relief flooding his system at the doctor's words, but it wasn't enough to wash away the lingering fear. "Can we see her?"

"You can, but only for a few minutes. She's still in the ICU."

Grayson nodded, his jaw tight. "We just need to see her."

The doctor led them down a hallway, past sterile white walls and the steady beeping of machines in the background. When they reached, Leon hesitated for a moment before pushing open the curtains.

Lina lay on the bed, her face pale, bandages covering her head and arms. Machines beeped softly beside her, monitoring her vitals. Seeing her like this, so fragile and still, felt like a punch to the gut for both brothers.

Leon stepped forward, kneeling beside the bed. He reached out, carefully taking Lina's hand in his, the weight of everything crashing down on him. "I'm sorry," he whispered, his voice breaking. "I should've been there. I'm so sorry."

Grayson stood on the other side of the bed, his expression stoic but his eyes betraying the depth of his emotions. He gently placed a hand on Lina's arm, leaning down to kiss the top of her head. "You're gonna be okay, Lina. We're not going anywhere."

They stayed there for a few moments, each lost in their thoughts, before the doctor gently ushered them out, reminding them Lina needed rest.

Outside the room, Leon turned to Grayson, his face lined with exhaustion. "I'm staying here. I'm not leaving her side."

Grayson nodded. "Neither am I."

They sat back in the waiting area, the weight of everything settling heavily on them once again.