Dear Niklaus

Chapter 13: Close Call

RECAP:

"I've been looking for you for nearly an hour. You didn't have the decency to tell me where you were going to be. You know you are sick, yet you insist on acting as if you're not! When are you going to realize that what you used to be able to do, you can't do anymore?"

I noticed he wasn't responding to me which was unusual. 

"Baby are you listening to me?" He didn't move the slightest. "Niklaus...Niklaus!"

I shook him, but got no response. I put my head to his chest and heard no heartbeat. I whipped out my phone and immediately called 911. 

"911, what's your emergency?"

In a panicked tone, "My boyfriend he's not breathing! I need an ambulance! Please get me an ambulance."

"Calm down ma'am. Can you tell me your location?"

"Um...Damn what is the address. I believe it's, ah yes it's 522 Burke St."

"I have the paramedics on their way to your house ma'am." 

"Thank you." Without waiting for a response, I hung up the phone. I was afraid to touch him with the knowledge he might be dead. Disregarding my doubts, I cradled him in my arms until the ambulance arrived. 

"No matter what baby...I love you."

****

Eerie silence filled the empty, confined space of the hospital. Once I spread the news of the happenings of Niklaus to his parents, the hospital quickly filled with family, friends, and plenty of strangers I'm sure not even his parents knew. Five hours have passed and by now the waiting room began to empty of everyone, but Klaus's parents, mine and myself along with a couple of his closest friends. A couple of hours ago the doctors informed his parents that they were able to revive him and that he was stable, but in critical condition and the chance of him living longer than a couple weeks is slim.

An itching urgency to see him suddenly came over me. I could barely sit still in the uncomfortable hospital chair. The doctor was only allowing one person at a time into the room he occupied. Niklaus' mom went in an hour ago and has yet to reappear.

37 minutes and 52 seconds later, yes, I was counting; Niklaus' mom finally emerged from his room in tears. Klaus's dad was waiting for his wife, ready to embrace her. "Kyra, sweetie, he wants to see you," said his mom.

"Okay." I not so subtly jumped from the chair I occupied and ran to his room. After composing myself, I gently opened the door. What I saw shocked the hell out of me. Hooked to his body were all sorts of wires and machines. Several beeping sounds that seemed to increase in pitch resounded around the room. To be honest, they were making me even more nervous than what I was. Not exactly focusing my attention on Klaus, his frail voice startled me.

"Kyra...come here," He said with difficulty.

I hesitated slightly before I gradually made my way to his bedside. I was afraid to touch him because it seemed the slightest movement would break him to tiny pieces. Seeing my once strong boyfriend, now a frail, lifeless looking body lying here made me sick to the stomach. Why God would you do this to him? To me?

"Don't you ever do that to me again. You nearly sent me to an early grave you idiot." I said after rummaging through my brain. He gave a light chuckle that obviously hurt him. "Stop laughing, you're hurting yourself."

"What I want you to do is stop worrying about me. You know I'll make it through this. It's just a little hiccup that'll soon go away."

"A little hiccup is an enormous understatement! How can you be so positive when you have full knowledge that you're dying? I understand you want to keep your hopes up and stick with a positive attitude, but after what happened tonight that is impossible for me to do. Who knows, maybe next time they won't be able to bring you back to life and then...then..." I broke into quiet sobs. With what little strength Klaus mustered, he pulled me into a gentle hug while rubbing my back.

"I think and respond the way I do toward this cancer because I have to stay strong for the both of us. You're strong baby, probably one of the strongest women I know, but still not that strong. You could've easily left me high and dry when I told you I had cancer, but you stuck around to support me and that right there shows just how much you love me. To be honest with you, you are the reason I'm fighting so hard." That latter statement sent me over edge and I could no longer hold back my gut wrenching cries. I buried my head further into his neck.

A knock on the door sounded and the nurse walked inside.

"Ma'am, visiting hours are over. You can come back tomorrow morning at nine." I heard the woman speaking, but I couldn't bring myself to pull myself from Niklaus' embrace.

"Baby you have to go unless you want to see if you can stay. I would like you to stay." He threw in that suggestion.

"I'll stay," I said in a weak, cracked voice. Klaus let the nurse know I'd be staying overnight. "The recliner looks uncomfortable." One look at the chair made my back and neck hurt.

"You won't be sleeping there anyhow. You're lying with me."

"I can't do that. I'll hurt you. Plus you have all these machines hooked to you."

"These machines I don't necessarily need. I'm going to call the nurse and get her to take them off of me." He pushed the red button on his remote and in just a few seconds, a nurse came to his aide.

"Yes sir?"

"Could you unhook these machines from my body please?"

"We need those machines so we can monitor you, hon," The nurse politely told him.

"There's no need for you to monitor me, so take them out please and thank you."

With a heavy sigh, the nurse began unhooking the machines from Niklaus. Arguing with him is pointless because he always manages to win them somehow. After the nurse left, he beckoned me over.

"Now lay your beautiful butt down," He said.

Hesitantly, I gently laid beside him with my body extremely rigid, so I wouldn't put majority of my weight on him. That was pointless though seeming as he pull me into him with strength I didn't know he had. Finding a comfortable nook, I began to drift to sleep. He pulled a sheet over us to contain what warmth circulated between our bodies.

"I love you baby," he said while caressing my hair.

"I love you more."

****

I had this chapter completed for 2 years and didn't know it until now! *GASP* Very short? Yes. Trying to make the next chapter long after a 2 year wait? Yes. Comment, vote, and follow!! I'm tying to do better. I don't want this story to go on forever with like 50 chapters! So I'm shooting for at most 20-25 chapters. XoXo