Lines We Cross

Chapter 32

Hospital - Day 8 (skip)

Elizabeth sat by YN's hospital bed, a book open on her lap, though she barely registered the words on the page. Two days had passed since the doctors had shared hopeful news about YN's progress. The swelling around her brain had decreased significantly, and her vitals were strong. They had told Elizabeth, along with Nina, Maya, and Claudia, that YN might wake up soon, her body fighting hard to recover.

Yet, each minute stretched into hours, and Elizabeth found herself caught between optimism and fear. She gently squeezed YN's hand, willing her to stir. "You're stronger than this, you know that?" she whispered, her voice a blend of encouragement and a plea. "Just a little more, YN. We're all here, waiting."

A sudden, slight movement beneath her hand made Elizabeth freeze. Her gaze shot up to YN's face, where a frown had formed, her brows creasing as if reacting to a distant sound. Elizabeth sat up straighter, her heart racing. "YN?"

YN's eyelids fluttered, her brows knitting together as her senses struggled to catch up. Her gaze, unfocused and foggy, drifted around the sterile room before finally landing on Elizabeth. Confusion turned to fear as her awareness sharpened, and she felt the foreign, suffocating presence of the breathing tube in her throat.

Her eyes widened in alarm, and her hand flew to her throat, fingers clawing at the tube as a panicked sound escaped her. Her breaths grew rapid, shallow, as she tugged weakly, desperate to remove it.

"Hey, hey, YN!" Elizabeth moved closer, quickly pressing the call button. She then took YN's hand, keeping her from pulling at the tube. "You're okay. The nurses are on their way. Just breathe, love. You're safe. I'm right here."

But YN's eyes filled with tears, her fear intensifying as her body reacted instinctively to the discomfort. She tried to fight against Elizabeth's grip, her movements frantic, her breaths coming in shallow gasps that were barely enough to ease the panic.

A nurse quickly entered, and after assessing the situation, motioned for a doctor to come in and help remove the tube. Elizabeth stood back, watching the medical team work efficiently, her hands clasped tightly to control her shaking fingers. When the tube was finally removed, YN gasped, coughing as she adjusted to breathing on her own again.

The nurse smiled warmly at YN. "You're doing great, YN. Just take slow, deep breaths."

YN's head turned toward Elizabeth, her eyes filled with exhaustion but also a flicker of recognition. Her lips moved slowly, her voice barely above a whisper. "Liz... I love you."

A wave of relief washed over Elizabeth, tears slipping down her cheeks. She leaned in, brushing a gentle kiss to YN's lips. "I love you too, YN. More than you know. But don't you dare scare me like that again."

YN's fingers curled around Elizabeth's hand, giving a weak squeeze as if to reassure her. Elizabeth held on tightly, grounding herself in the touch, grateful for every small sign of YN's recovery.

As YN relaxed, Elizabeth stepped out of the room to share the news. Her hands shook slightly as she dialed Nina, and the phone barely rang once before Nina picked up, her voice tense with anticipation.

"Elizabeth? Is everything okay?"

Elizabeth's voice cracked with emotion. "She's awake, Nina. YN's awake."

The squeal of joy from Nina was audible even with the phone held at arm's length. "Oh my god, we're coming up right now!" she said, her excitement barely contained. Elizabeth could hear Maya celebrating in the background, their voices blending into a joyful chaos.

Within minutes, Nina, Maya, and Claudia entered the room, their expressions a mix of relief, happiness, and lingering worry. Claudia approached first, her face softened by a rarely seen vulnerability as she reached for her daughter.

"YN," Claudia whispered, her voice thick with emotion. She leaned down, gently wrapping her arms around YN in a hug that was careful, almost hesitant, but filled with warmth. "I'm so glad you're back with us."

YN smiled weakly, her own eyes glistening. "Hey mom."

Claudia pulled back, brushing a strand of hair from YN's forehead. "You gave us all quite a scare, darling."

Maya moved forward next, taking YN's hand and squeezing it with a mix of affection and worry. "You had to make things dramatic, huh? I mean, if you wanted attention, you could've just asked."

YN let out a faint chuckle, though it was strained and barely audible. "Guess I don't do anything halfway."

Nina leaned in, her eyes red from days of worry. "I hope you know that if you ever pull something like this again, I'm going to haunt you."

YN's lips twitched into a small smile, her hand reaching out to grasp Nina's. "Deal."

The room filled with soft laughter and gentle conversation as everyone took turns holding YN's hand and catching her up on the small, inconsequential things that had happened in her absence. It was as if sharing these tiny, normal details could pull her back to them, grounding her in the familiarity of their bond.

After a while, Claudia, Nina, and Maya decided to give YN and Elizabeth some privacy, each saying a soft goodbye, promising to return soon. Claudia lingered a moment, her hand on YN's shoulder, before giving Elizabeth a small nod as she left.

Once they were alone, Elizabeth perched on the edge of YN's bed, her hand brushing over YN's arm in a gentle, comforting gesture.

YN's gaze drifted to her, a hint of worry in her expression. "Liz... where's my Dad? Has he... been here?"

Elizabeth hesitated, choosing her words carefully. "He... he's been around. I think he's just struggling with... everything," she said, her voice carefully even. "You know how he is. It's hard for him to see you like this."

YN looked away, a flicker of sadness passing over her face. "Yeah," she murmured, her voice barely audible. "I figured."

Elizabeth could see the weight of her father's absence pressing down on her, and she leaned forward, gently tucking a loose strand of hair behind YN's ear. "You're not alone, though. You have your mom, your friends, and... me," Elizabeth whispered, her tone tender yet resolute.

YN looked back at her, eyes softening as she met Elizabeth's gaze. "I don't deserve you."

Elizabeth shook her head, a faint smile on her lips. "None of that. You're stuck with me whether you like it or not."

A small, grateful smile spread across YN's face, and she shifted slightly, wincing from the residual aches but reaching for Elizabeth's hand.

"Will you stay?" YN whispered, her voice tinged with vulnerability.

Elizabeth nodded, leaning in to kiss her forehead. "I'm not going anywhere."

With careful movements, Elizabeth climbed onto the bed beside YN, wrapping an arm around her as YN settled against her shoulder. She ran her fingers gently through YN's hair, feeling the tension in her own chest slowly dissipate.

"I was so scared," YN admitted softly, her voice barely above a whisper. "I... didn't know if I'd make it back."

Elizabeth's heart clenched, and she pulled YN closer, her voice steady but filled with emotion. "You're here now, and that's all that matters. We're going to get through this together."

The two of them lay there in silence, the weight of everything they'd endured settling around them like a protective cocoon. Elizabeth felt YN's breathing slow as she drifted into a peaceful sleep, her face softened by the comfort of Elizabeth's presence.

As she watched YN sleep, Elizabeth's mind drifted, contemplating the path that lay ahead. There would be challenges, no doubt—both from YN's family and from the professional risks they faced. But in that moment, nothing else mattered, YN was safe.

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