The Bonds We Keep

Before the Battle

Ethan's POV

I sat in the corner, watching Ella laugh softly at something Atlas said. She looked so small, tucked under the blankets with her oxygen mask resting on her face, but even now, with the surgery looming, she was still smiling. She always smiled, no matter how bad things got. And every time, it made my heart hurt a little more because I knew she was doing it for us.

The whole family was here. Mom was sitting on the edge of Ella's bed, brushing her hair back like she used to when we were little, her face a mixture of forced calm and hidden fear. Dad stood by the door, arms crossed over his chest, his expression unreadable but I knew he was just trying to stay strong. That's what he did—held everything together. But right now, none of us could ignore the weight hanging in the air.

Atlas and Ace stood side by side, their matching features softened by worry. Ace's jaw was clenched, like he was holding back something. Milo was slumped in the chair closest to Ella, his hand resting near hers on the bed but not quite touching it, like he was afraid of hurting her. Jasper leaned against the wall near the window, arms crossed, his face tense as if he was mentally preparing himself for what was coming. Beckett stood closest to the machines, his eyes flicking between them and Ella, his doctor side kicking in. He was always the logical one, but right now, he wasn't just a doctor—he was her brother.

I didn't know what to do. My fingers fidgeted in my lap, my foot tapping the floor in a rhythm that only I could hear. I hated this feeling. The helplessness, the fear creeping in around the edges of my mind. I looked at Ella, wishing I could take her place. She didn't deserve this. None of it. But I didn't know how to tell her that. I was scared.

"Hey, Ethan," Ella's voice was soft, but I heard her. I looked up to see her smiling at me, her eyes tired but full of love. "You good?"

I swallowed the lump in my throat and nodded. "Yeah," I said, my voice coming out shakier than I wanted. "I'm good. You?"

Her smile widened just a little, that teasing glint in her eyes. "I mean, other than the whole surgery thing, I'm okay." She winked, and everyone chuckled softly, but I could hear the tension behind it. I hated that she was trying to make *us* feel better when it should've been the other way around.

Dr. Bennet came into the room then, holding her clipboard with the calm expression she always had. "It's almost time," she said gently. Her eyes moved around the room, landing on each of us, making sure we knew what that meant. The surgery was happening. It was serious.Dad nodded, stepping forward. "Thank you, Dr. Bennet," he said, his voice gruff but steady. He reached for Mom's hand, squeezing it as she looked down at Ella with that mother's look of holding back tears.

"I want to go first," Luca said from the doorway, stepping into the room. He hadn't said much since we all got here. He was usually the strong, silent type, but I could see the cracks in his calm. He moved to Ella's side, leaning down to press a kiss to her forehead. "You got this, kid," he said quietly, his voice thick with emotion. "You're the toughest person I know."Ella beamed up at him. "Tougher than you, huh?"Luca chuckled softly. "Way tougher."

Jasper was next. He crouched down beside the bed, taking her hand in his. "We're all gonna be waiting right here," he said, his voice low but firm. "No matter how long it takes. We're not going anywhere." "I know," Ella whispered, her fingers squeezing his. "Thanks, Jasper."

Milo cleared his throat, standing up and walking over to her other side. He didn't say anything at first, just stood there, staring at her with wide, scared eyes. Then finally, he spoke. "Just... come back to us, okay? That's all I care about."Ella's smile softened. "I will. I promise."

Atlas, who'd been quiet for once, leaned in with a crooked smile. "If anyone can survive this, it's you, Els. You're the strongest of all of us.""Damn right I am," she joked, her voice still light, but I could see the flicker of fear in her eyes.

Ace stepped forward, his hands clenched into fists. "I hate that you're going through this, Ella," he said quietly, his voice raw with emotion. "But we're all here. We've got you."Ella's eyes glistened with tears, but she blinked them back. "I know. And that's why I'll be okay. Because I have you guys."

Finally, it was my turn. I stood up and walked over to her, my heart pounding so hard I thought it might burst out of my chest. I didn't know what to say, so I just sat down beside her and took her hand in mine. Her skin felt cold, and it scared me."Don't be scared, Ethan," she whispered, her eyes searching mine.I swallowed hard, fighting back the tears. "I'm not scared," I lied, my voice barely above a whisper. Ella just smiled. "Yes, you are. But that's okay. I'm scared too."I felt a tear slip down my cheek, and I quickly wiped it away, not wanting her to see. "You're gonna be okay, right? You have to be." "I will," she said softly. "I'll fight, Ethan. I promise."

Just then, Beckett spoke from where he stood, his voice steady but filled with emotion. "You've got the best team, Els. You're strong, and they're going to take good care of you in there. We'll be waiting when you wake up."Ella nodded, her gaze moving between all of us. "I love you guys," she whispered, her voice cracking.

"We love you too," Mom said, finally letting the tears fall as she leaned down to kiss Ella's forehead.Dr. Bennet gave us all a small, reassuring smile before looking at Ella. "We're ready when you are, sweetheart."

Ella took a deep breath, her eyes still locked on mine. I squeezed her hand one last time, trying to give her all the strength I had left. "You've got this, Els."With one final smile, she let go of my hand and nodded to Dr. Bennet. "I'm ready."

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A/N 

Word Count:1,058

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