Finally, the longest part was the waiting. What did "for a time" even mean? To organize her thoughts and avoid losing her mind, Lucy, outside of work, needed to control her environment. Yet today, the inability to be given a precise date for when Tim would open his eyes—or if he ever would—threw her into a state of anxiety she would likely never speak of.
Lucy was known for being a rational person, someone who followed instructions—except for today. Today, she had decided her place was here, by his side, until he was back again. No one had managed to talk her out of it. She had lost him once before, and there was no way she was going to risk losing him forever.
On the fourth day, the doctor decided to gradually reduce the ventilator support and the medications keeping Tim in an induced coma, allowing his body to take the rest of the journey on its own.
On the fifth day, when Tim opened his eyes, Lucy was asleep, curled up on a chair, a blanket draped over part of her body. He silently observed her for long minutes, alternating between her and the room they were in. He tried to move but was struck by a sudden, sharp pain, reminding him why he was lying in a hospital bed and not his own. His gaze returned to Lucy, still sleeping on the chair. He vaguely remembered seeing her standing in front of him before everything went black. He remembered her voice, her hand on him, her words—and then, nothing.
Movements and soft groans pulled him out of his thoughts. Lucy.
She opened her eyes instantly, the blanket slipping off as she gasped for air, staring at the wall in front of her. She had just relived the scene for the umpteenth time—the enraged man shooting Tim and ending his own life seconds later. She was haunted by the sounds, the smells, the blood splattering on her skin, and most of all, his gaze. A look she would likely never forget. Mechanically, she turned her head toward Tim's bed.
Tim was awake.
Paralyzed by the fear of dreaming yet again, she didn't move—not immediately. She stared at him intensely, studying every detail.
"Lu... Lucy."
She wasn't dreaming. He was there. Awake.
Unfolding her legs, she rose from the chair, tears welling in her eyes. Slowly, she approached him. She placed her hand gently on his cheek, her gaze locked on his.
"You're awake..."
The silence, heavy with meaning, was interrupted when the nurse and doctor entered the room. For a brief moment, Lucy wondered how they had known, glancing quickly at the monitors and the camera placed in the room.
The doctor asked Lucy to leave the room while they performed their examinations. She refused, unwilling to let go of Tim's hand. It was the nurse who finally convinced her, reminding her that Tim was awake now and wouldn't go anywhere. She hadn't left the room in five days—she needed to see something else. Lucy looked back at Tim one last time.
"I'll be back..."
"I know..."
She stepped away from the bed, opened the door, and quickly closed it behind her, as if to muster the courage to leave.
She wasn't surprised to find Angela sitting in a chair at the end of the hallway.
When Angela saw her, she stood and walked toward her. Lucy threw herself into Angela's arms, breaking down in tears on her shoulder, repeating over and over, "He's awake."
She didn't know how long she stayed there, clinging to her, but Angela didn't move for a second. She was just happy to know her friend was awake and understood that, at that moment, Lucy needed her.
Angela guided Lucy to the chairs, and they both sat down.
"He's awake. He... spoke to me."
Angela nodded, placing her hand on Lucy's knee—a gesture of support. She observed her for a long moment.
Lucy leaned back against the chair, bringing both hands to her head and closing her eyes. Her nose scrunched up, her brows knitting together.
"Lucy?"
"My head..."
Over the past five days, Lucy had completely neglected her own health, setting aside her pain to focus solely on him and his recovery. Angela didn't say anything else, knowing full well it wasn't the right time and understanding that, in the same situation, she likely would have done the same.
They sat there for a while in silence—a silence that was almost comforting.
But the waiting was far too long, once again. Lucy suddenly stood up, motioning for Angela to follow her. At that moment, the doctor exited Tim's room and approached Lucy.
"Doctor?"
"Mr. Bradford will be transferred to another unit this evening for a few days so we can monitor his vitals and pain management before he's cleared to go home. His vitals are stable for now. We're adjusting his prescriptions for painkillers and antibiotics. A psychologist will visit him tomorrow or the day after for a consultation. He'll also need physical therapy before returning to work, but that's still some time away. If you have any other questions, don't hesitate to ask."
"Thank you, Doctor."
"Oh, and Miss Chen?"
"Uh?"
"Remember to take care of yourself too."
Lucy nodded and let Angela go in to visit Tim. She used the ICU's one-visitor policy as an opportunity to inform family and friends that : Tim was awake and that they could visit him starting tomorrow.
Twenty minutes later, Angela came out of the room, making way for Lucy.
Lucy closed the door behind her and approached Tim, who was still awake. She quickly leaned down to place a kiss on his lips before sitting next to him, just as she had for the past five days. Tim clumsily reached for her hand, his body still groggy from the medication.
"Lucy, I..."
"No. Don't say you're sorry. You're not responsible for the actions of a madman."
"I know..."
"Then don't apologize," she said, gripping his hand a little tighter.
"Angela told me that..."
"That I put my life on hold while yours was trapped in a sleep you might never have woken from?"
"Why?"
"I was scared, Tim. Scared. Really scared." Her voice was harsher than she intended. "You... I... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..."
"I know..."
"But I'm fine. You're awake. And you'll be going home soon hm?"
"Hm. So, I think it's safe to say our secret isn't a secret anymore?"
"Oh, you think?"
She watched him smile. She loved that—seeing him smile, hearing him speak.
"Close your eyes if you're tired. I'm staying right here with you."
"I know."
Lucy knew that even this short conversation had required a tremendous amount of effort from him. Between the pain, the medication, the jarring wake-up from a long, forced sleep, and the memories of that night slowly returning, he was exhausted. And, to be honest, so was she.
She let him drift off to sleep, resting her head on the edge of the mattress and closing her eyes as well.
Everything would be fine.
He had kept his promise.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
26.01.25. Hello, Hi :) Hope you enjoyed Chap 1 and you'll enjoy the 2nd one. Take care of you.
See you in part 3. Please vote and comment, it helps.
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