Lines We Cross

Chapter 28

The world beyond the hospital windows was awash in morning light, the snow glistening under a clear sky, as if mocking the heaviness that sat in Elizabeth's chest. She hadn't left YN's side, her fingers loosely clasped around YN's hand, afraid to let go even for a moment. The machines beeped in a steady rhythm, a cold, sterile reminder of the fight going on beneath YN's still exterior.

Elizabeth barely registered the passage of time, lost in the swirl of worry and the hollow ache of not knowing. She looked up as the door opened, and a doctor stepped in, his expression calm, measured—though she could see the gravity of the situation in the lines etched across his face.

"Miss Olsen?" His voice was soft, respectful, a small comfort in the sea of uncertainty. Elizabeth stood, her hands clasped in front of her, bracing herself.

"Yes." Her voice sounded distant, strained, as though it belonged to someone else.

The doctor nodded, flipping through a clipboard before looking at her. "YN is stable, which is a good sign, but her injuries are serious. The cranial bleeding is a result of the impact she sustained in the accident. The swelling has been reduced somewhat, and the coma is helping with her recovery. But as of now, we have to monitor her closely and give her brain time to heal."

Elizabeth swallowed, the weight of his words sinking in. The medical jargon was grounding, in a way, providing a clinical frame for the raw chaos in her mind.

"How... how long might she be in the coma?" she asked, her voice barely steady.

The doctor looked down, choosing his words carefully. "It's hard to say. It could be days; it could be weeks. Every case is different. Right now, our main goal is to let her body rest and avoid any additional strain or complications."

Elizabeth nodded, the information swirling in her mind. Days, weeks—time had become abstract, each second dragging on and yet slipping by too fast. All she knew was that she would be here, waiting, hoping, no matter how long it took.

A soft knock at the door broke the heavy silence, and Elizabeth turned to see Nina and Maya standing there. Both girls looked exhausted, their eyes red and swollen, evidence of sleepless nights and endless worry. Their faces brightened, just a bit, when they saw her, and Elizabeth felt a flicker of gratitude.

"Elizabeth," Nina whispered, stepping forward. She glanced at YN, her face falling as she took in the wires, the machines, the sight of her friend lying so still. "How... how is she?"

Elizabeth took a breath, repeating what the doctor had told her, her voice gentle. "She's stable, but they're keeping her in a coma to help with the swelling. It's... it's going to be a long process."

Nina's face crumpled, a hand flying to her mouth as Maya wrapped an arm around her, her own face tight with suppressed emotion. "She's strong," Maya said, her voice shaky but resolute. "If anyone can get through this, it's YN."

Elizabeth nodded, her heart heavy but bolstered by their presence. She didn't have to shoulder this alone; YN was loved, fiercely, by those closest to her. It was a small comfort, but one that helped her breathe a little easier.

They sat in silence for a while, sharing the quiet space, each of them lost in their own thoughts, their own memories. Finally, Nina spoke, her voice soft. "We never thought... I mean, she always seemed so invincible, you know? Like nothing could really touch her."

Elizabeth looked at YN, her chest tightening. "She's always been so much more than she realizes. I think she's stronger than even she knows."

The girls nodded, a glimmer of hope in their eyes as they glanced at YN, as if silently willing her to wake up, to prove them right. But the silence stretched on, each passing second a reminder of how fragile everything was.

Soft murmurs outside YN's hospital room drew Elizabeth closer to the door, her heart pounding as she recognized the tones of Claudia and Alexander Sterling. Their words, laced with worry and frustration, spilled into the room, too compelling to ignore.

"I know we need to focus on YN's recovery right now, Alexander," Claudia's voice was strained, her usual composure fraying at the edges. "That's the most important thing. We can worry about the situation when she's better. Elizabeth is an asset right now."

Alexander's response was terse, his voice a sharp contrast to Claudia's weary tones. "It's inappropriate, Claudia. It's not just a simple fling—it's a scandal waiting to happen. YN is not just our daughter; she is a Sterling. What will people say when they find out she's involved with her professor? We need to protect her from making a mockery of herself and our name."

Elizabeth's hands clenched into fists at her sides, her nails digging into her palms. The way Alexander spoke of YN, as if she were a mere asset to be managed rather than his daughter, ignited a fierce protectiveness in her. She leaned closer to the door, her breath shallow, her every nerve straining to hear more.

Claudia sighed, the sound heavy with fatigue. "Right now, I don't care about the Sterling name or what people might say. Our daughter is lying in a hospital bed, and all you can think about is damage control. Elizabeth cares about her, Alexander. She's been here the entire time, more than we can say for ourselves."

"We'll discuss this with YN when she wakes up," Alexander said firmly, his voice lowering. "We will make it clear that this... relationship is over. And I will personally see to it that the professor does not remain at Yale. No one will jeopardize our daughter's future or the Sterling reputation."

Elizabeth's blood ran cold, the weight of his words settling over her like a shroud. She'd known this would be a risk, that their relationship was teetering on the edge of exposure, but hearing it laid out so starkly, so coldly, made her stomach turn. She felt the fierce protectiveness surge within her, a desperate need to shield YN from the weight of her family's expectations.

Maya noticed the shift in her expression, her brow furrowing as she leaned closer. "Elizabeth, are you okay?"

Elizabeth forced a nod, her heart pounding. "I'm... I'm fine. It's just—her parents."

Nina squeezed her hand, a look of understanding passing between them. "Then we'll just have to be here for her. No matter what."

Elizabeth felt a surge of gratitude, their quiet support strengthening her resolve. She glanced at YN, her chest tightening as she thought about what lay ahead. This was just the beginning—a storm of challenges and choices she couldn't yet see, but that she knew she would face for YN.

She leaned closer, brushing a gentle kiss against YN's forehead, her voice a soft promise. "I'm here, YN. And I'm not going anywhere."

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