WOULD YOU RESCUE ME?

13.Between Shadows and Breath

Everything felt like a bad dream. Vanessa drifted in and out of consciousness, her mind struggling to hold onto reality. Her thoughts were scattered, memories slipping through her fingers like sand. The crash. The jarring impact. Then, darkness. She vaguely recalled Luke's face, his expression filled with panic, and then everything went black again. The next time she opened her eyes, the blinding white of the hospital lights greeted her, cold and sterile. She blinked, trying to focus, trying to understand where she was. The faint beeping of monitors echoed in the background, a rhythmic reminder that she was still alive.

Vanessa's body felt heavy, every breath a dull ache radiating from her ribs. Her thoughts blurred and swirled, leaving her on the edge of consciousness, hovering between pain and confusion.

As soon as the ambulance screeched to a stop outside the hospital, the medics rushed Vanessa inside, wheeling her swiftly down the corridors. Luke followed closely, flashing the card that identified him as a medical student, insisting that he just wanted to help. The nurses hesitated, but he managed to convince them, his determination evident in his pleading tone. They let him through, and he slipped his phone from his pocket with shaking hands, firing off a quick message in the group chat with Amy, Maya, Cassy, and Simon.

"Vanessa's been in an accident."
"Hit by a car."
"In the hospital now."
" I'll keep you posted."

He hit send after every sentence, his heart pounding as he tried to keep up with the doctors. His mind raced with thoughts of the crash, Vanessa's pale face as they carried her into the ambulance. He knew he had to inform Jack as well, the one person who would have been with Vanessa last night. With trembling fingers, he sent Jack a separate message, explaining what happened, before slipping his phone back into his pocket and refocusing on the scene before him.

The doctors moved with precision, a blur of blue scrubs and urgent voices, their focus centered on Vanessa's injuries. Luke stayed at the edge of the room, trying to keep out of their way, but close enough to feel like he was doing something, anything, to help. He watched as they assessed her condition: fractured ribs, the grim concern of internal bleeding, and the pressure of the fall on her abdomen. A wave of relief washed over him when they ruled out any severe head trauma, diagnosing a mild traumatic brain injury. It explained why she wasn't fully conscious, why her responses were slow and disoriented.

Hours passed in a haze of medical jargon and rhythmic beeping, and eventually, Vanessa was moved to a private room, thanks to the intervention of dr. Bellamy that was also there. The anesthesia still clung to her consciousness, pulling her back into sleep, her breaths slow and steady. Luke stayed by her bedside, watching over her as the minutes turned into hours, refusing to leave until he saw some sign of improvement.

He barely noticed when the others arrived.Amy's worried expression, Maya's arms folded tight across her chest, Simon's pacing, and Cassy's whispered reassurances. They gathered in the small room, a tight circle of concern and hope, sharing silent looks and waiting for Vanessa to wake.

It was Jack who noticed first when Vanessa stirred, a slight flutter of her eyelids as she slowly returned to awareness. He immediately crossed the room, leaning over her with cautious excitement. "Hey, hey, it's okay," he murmured, his voice a low, comforting hum. "You're okay, just... take it easy."

Vanessa's eyes slowly adjusted to the room, focusing on Jack's familiar face. Her gaze softened, but her voice came out raspy, barely more than a whisper. "Jack...?"

Luke stepped forward, offering a gentle smile, though his own worry hadn't fully faded. "You're in the hospital, Vanessa. There was an accident with the car... You had a rough time, but you're going to be okay."

Vanessa furrowed her brow, struggling to piece the memories together. "I remember... bits and pieces. The crash. Seeing you, Luke." She paused, her voice shaky with the effort. "Thank you for staying with me."