Forever Meant for You.

Chapter 52 A Brother's Silence

Alex's POV

The hallway was empty, but the echoes of the hospital never let me forget the life inside the rooms. I leaned against the wall outside Ava's room, my hands pressed against my chest as if I could somehow steady the storm inside me.

I could still see her—Matt holding her hand, whispering softly, making her smile. And I felt a pang so sharp I almost swayed.

Matt: "She's awake," almost to himself, but loud enough I heard. "Finally... she's awake."

I didn't answer. I couldn't.

Matt looked over his shoulder toward the hallway, probably expecting me to step in, to say something, to... I don't know. Comfort him? Comfort her? Comfort myself?

"I didn't know if I'd ever hear her laugh again," Matt whispered. His voice cracked slightly, and I felt that same ache in my chest, only heavier.

I swallowed hard and stepped back. "You did good," I said quietly, trying to keep my tone neutral. But I knew he could hear the weight beneath my words.

He glanced at me. "Alex... you stayed, didn't you?" His eyes were searching, hesitant. "Through all of it?"

I nodded. "Every night. Every day. I didn't leave her side." My voice was steady, but my heart wasn't. "I promised myself I'd be here when she woke up."

Matt's shoulders stiffened. I knew he understood what I meant without me having to say more. We both knew the truth—but neither of us could say it out loud.

"Thanks," he said finally, a small nod, before turning back to Ava. His hand tightened around hers, just slightly. He didn't notice me lingering there, silently stepping back into the shadows of the hallway.

I exhaled slowly, staring at the polished floor. Loving her shouldn't feel like this—like I was trespassing in my own heart. But it did. Every beat reminded me that my feelings hadn't changed, even though the world had shifted under my feet.

I whispered to myself, almost like a prayer:
"You're awake... now you have to choose what matters."

And with that, I walked down the hallway, leaving the room, leaving her with Matt... and leaving my silence behind.

The hospital was quiet now, the kind of silence that presses in on you, heavy and suffocating. I leaned back in the small chair in my on-call room, the hum of the fluorescent lights above like a metronome to my thoughts.

I closed my eyes and tried to picture her face. Ava. Alive. Awake. Her first words. The way her hand felt in mine, even for just a second. And then... Matt.

Matt. Always Matt. The brother I grew up with, the one I trusted with my life, the one who... had her heart first.

I rubbed my eyes, letting the tension flow down into my fingers. I had promised myself I'd never let my feelings get in the way of our family. I'd promised I'd stay professional, stay strong, stay silent. But silence was starting to crush me.

"She's awake," I whispered to the empty room, repeating the words like a mantra. "And she's smiling at him."

I could picture it perfectly: Matt leaning closer, brushing hair from her face, whispering things that made her laugh. And I... I had to turn away. My heart ached with a strange mixture of pride and heartbreak.

Why does love have to feel like this?

I sank lower in the chair, resting my elbows on my knees. I could feel every heartbeat echoing in my chest. I wanted to go back, to tell her everything I'd felt during those long nights when she couldn't even open her eyes. I wanted to hold her hand again, to remind her that I'd been here.

But Matt was there. And Skylar. And family. And promises. And loyalty.

I let out a long, shaky breath. "I'll wait," I murmured, almost like I was trying to convince myself. "I'll wait... and hope she sees me too."

Outside, the faint sound of a page from the nurse's station pulled me back to reality. I straightened, letting my hands fall to my sides. One step at a time. One shift at a time. One night at a time.

Because right now... that's all I could do.