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LANDO'S POV
"Yes!" Lina and I both blurt out in unison.
"Alright, I have news. Isabelle did make it through," he says, and every nerve in my body suddenly loosens and I finally feel like I can finally breathe again. "However, there were some very serious complications."
"Is she alright now?" Lina asks, biting the skin around her finger.
"Yes, she's stable, but she won't be awake for a few hours. You're welcome to wait, and if you need anything, just press the red button beside her bed. You can go in now, they'll bring her in shortly," he replies.
We thank him profusely before he leaves, and then settle into her room.
After about half an hour, they wheel her in, and Lina and I see her for the first time. She's covered in bruises and small cuts, some stitched, others bandaged, with tubes and wires running across her body. The back of her head is shaved where they had to operate.
Lina immediately breaks down upon seeing her, sinking to her knees and clutching Isabelle's hands. I bring a hand to my mouth, trying not to cry, and gently run my fingers through Isa's hair as I stand beside them.
We stayed with her for hours until we were finally asked to leave since the visiting hours had ended. Lina drove me home since she had her car, and we sat in complete silence the entire ride, neither of us willing to confront the looming question of when, or if, Belle would ever wake up.
Once inside my house, I went straight to the shower, washing away the sweat, champagne, and tears from the long—technically two-day—ordeal.
I then got ready for bed, made myself a quick sandwhich, and tried to doze off, hoping to finally get the chance to my Isabelle one more time.
---
Hours passed, and I didn't catch a single minute of sleep. It was 7:30, and since visiting hours began at 8, I threw on a sweatshirt and sweatpants and went to pick up Lina so we could head to the hospital together.
We made our way in quickly and went straight to her room, settling beside her once again.
What felt like hours passed as the bright white lights, the sharp smell of alcohol, and the constant beeping of machines became repetitive before we finally saw the smallest sign of life.
She let out a loud huff and shifted her head before falling still again. Lina and I froze, completely shocked. The nurse had warned us she might make a few movements, but we hadn't expected anything so soon.
Isabelle's parents were arriving later this afternoon, the earliest flight they could get, and her brothers were traveling with them.
I had brought my laptop with me and finished a few tasks, replying to emails as time passed. I also checked in with my manager, who updated me on everything that had happened last night and reminded me I should probably let the rest of the guys know about Isa's condition.
vroom vroom boys
sexist man I know not all of you are particulary close with Belle but I wanted to let everyone know that she's gotten into a plane crash and was in critical condition
carlos shit is she alright now
alex no way man we're so sorry we're all here if you need us
mad max oh wow that's horrible man are you guys in london
sexist man yea we are
mad max alright im here with martin we'll stop by later and bring you and im guessing lina some food
sexist man yea we're both here thanks mate
max yo im also coming by later and get hungry too
mad max right anyone else
charles over here praying for her with alex 🙏
ricky bobby we're here for you if you need us mate (btw you were missed last night during your celebrations)
I shut off my phone as the messages kept coming in and decided to go grab Lina and me a coffee from the machine downstairs.
I got her a cappuccino and myself a regular black coffee before heading back. The walk felt endless, every wall and every corner looking identical to the last.
I opened the door slowly, careful not to spill the drinks, but the moment it cracked open I froze. Inside, Lina was sobbing into Belle's shoulder, and Belle, now sitting up, was weakly hugging her back.
I set the cups down and hurried over, taking my turn to hug Belle.
"Hey, Belle," I say softly, cupping her face in my hands.
She lifts her hands to mine, gently pulling them away from her cheeks.
