Against the Edge

A Fragile Awakening

Later that afternoon, in the stillness of the hospital room, Ethan, Blanca, Louis, and Harvey kept a vigil by Miguel's bedside, each caught in their own thoughts. Hours passed, and the weight of everything left unsaid hung heavy in the air. Adam and Madison had reluctantly left, needing to manage their company, leaving Harvey to stay with his son.

Then, just before dawn, a soft rustle brought them all to attention. Miguel's eyes fluttered open, his face pale against the stark white of the hospital pillow. Slowly, he scanned the room, his gaze stopping on each person. But there was something different in his expression, a coldness, a lifelessness that made each of them tense.

Ethan was the first to speak, his voice soft. "Miguel... you're awake."

But Miguel only stared, his gaze empty. The sight of his friends' concerned faces seemed to spark nothing within him. Slowly, he lifted his hand, noticing the fresh bandages wrapped around his wrist, a reminder of his failed attempt. His lips tightened, but his expression remained cold.

Harvey shifted closer, his face lined with worry and love. "Miguel... son, you're safe. We're here for you."

Miguel's eyes darted away, unable to meet his father's gaze. Guilt clawed at him, a familiar darkness filling his mind. His voice came out hollow, barely above a whisper. "You shouldn't be here."

Harvey felt a pang in his chest, but he held back his own pain, hoping to reach his son. "We wouldn't be anywhere else, Miguel."

Miguel's jaw clenched. He finally turned to Ethan, his gaze sharp and cold. "Why did you saved me?" he asked, his voice laced with an unspoken anger and despair.

Ethan took a deep breath, visibly shaken but determined. "Because I couldn't just stand by and lose you, Miguel. None of us could."

Miguel scoffed, turning his head away as if the explanation only made him feel worse. "You should have let me go. You all would've been better off."

"Miguel, don't say that," Blanca spoke softly, her voice trembling. She stepped closer, reaching out to take his hand, but he flinched, pulling away. Her heart broke at the coldness in his eyes, a look that she'd never seen before.

He finally looked at her, but his expression remained hard. "Why are you even here, Blanca?" His words cut like ice. "You should know better than to stick around someone like me. I'm... I'm not worth it."

Blanca's hands shook, but she didn't back down. "You don't get to decide that, Miguel. You don't get to push us away."

Louis stepped in, his voice steady but layered with hurt. "We're not here because we pity you, Miguel. We're here because we care. You mean something to us."

Miguel's gaze softened just a fraction before hardening again, as if even the smallest hint of hope was something he couldn't bear to feel. "I'm broken. And no amount of you sitting here is going to fix that."

Blanca took a shaky breath, struggling to hold back tears. "Then let us help you. We don't need to 'fix' you, Miguel. We just... we just need you to let us in."

Miguel's resolve wavered, but he pressed his lips together, refusing to let himself believe in their words. His gaze returned to his bandaged wrist, bitterness filling him as he mumbled, almost to himself, "I couldn't even get that right..."

Harvey, who had been silent, stepped forward, his voice quiet but firm. "Miguel, you're more than your mistakes. And you're more than the pain you've been carrying." He placed a hand gently on Miguel's shoulder. "You're not alone, son. You don't have to be."

For the first time since he'd woken, a crack appeared in Miguel's cold exterior. His jaw trembled, and he looked away, as if fighting against an onslaught of emotions he didn't want to feel.