The Delivery Girl

51. Unconscious

Julie

I rush through the hospital. The fluorescent lights and sterile halls disorient me, the scent of bleach and sanitizer sting my nose. My heart hammers in my chest, my pulse pounds in my ears. I barely register the directions a nurse gives me before I take off again.

When I finally reach the room. I pause at the door and take a deep, shaky breath, bracing myself for the worst. My stomach sinks when I see him.

"Oh Callen," I whisper.

Callen lies motionless in bed, besides the steady rise and fall of his chest. He's bruised and bandaged, hooked up to machines monitoring his vitals. There's a small, stitched up cut by his temple. Tubes and wires trail along his arms. His normally warm, olive skin is pale.

The sight knocks the air out of me. The normally untouchable, unbreakable man I've grown to love. Now fragile, vulnerable.

"Julie!" I turn around as Eliza comes into the room. She throws her arms around me. I can feel her body trembling.

"Hey Eliza," I say softly. "I'm so sorry, I didn't get your messages until this morning."

"It's ok, I'm just glad you're here now." She pulls away and wipes at her eyes, red and swollen. She looks at her brother, then back at me. "He's been unconscious since he arrived this morning."

I try to keep myself calm and steady. "What happened?" I ask.

She swallows. "It was a car accident. I talked to the police when I got here. Witnesses reported that Callen just swerved off the highway, and his car rolled into a deep ditch. There wasn't another car or anything he was avoiding... it just happened."

"Was he drunk?"

"No, they didn't find any traces of alcohol or any other drug in his system."

I frown, trying not to jump to conclusions. "But then how did it happen?"

"They think he just blacked out at the wheel. Apparently it's not that uncommon when people are extremely stressed and sleep deprived." Her lip quivers. "I don't know why he was even out so late."

Guilt floods through me and I feel like I'm going to be sick. "It's my fault," I manage to choke out. "We had a fight last night... he left for the office afterwards." My throat tightens and tears start dripping down my face. "If I hadn't...if I'd just stopped pushing...He..." My voice cracks and I can't get my words out.

"Hey, no," she says softly and takes my hand, leading me to sit down with her at the side of the room. "Unless you physically put him in his car and forced him to drive away, it's not your fault. He's an adult who makes his own decisions."

"Thanks Eliza," I say quietly, though I can't fully convince myself she's right. The guilt sits cold and heavy in my chest.

She looks over at Callen and sighs. "Honestly, I knew it was just a matter of time before something like this happened. Our dad had multiple heart attacks back when he was working. I've been warning Callen that he's been heading down the same path."

"I was worried too. I just didn't think it would get this bad."

She rubs the back of her neck. "I was hoping it wouldn't."

I look at Callen. His stillness, the shallow rise and fall of his chest. I think about all the times I told him he was shutting me out. Maybe he was just falling apart, quietly, piece by piece.

We both look over at the sound of high heels clicking against the floor.

"Mom!" Eliza gets up and hugs Anastasia. "I left you a message... I didn't realize you were going to come."

Even without makeup and in plain clothes, she looks impossibly beautiful and put together. "Don't be ridiculous. I canceled my meetings and got on my jet as soon as I could."

She hugs me as well. "Hello, love," she whispers. "Are you alright?"

All I can trust myself to do is nod. If I open my mouth, I'm afraid I'm going to start crying.

She walks over to Callen's bed. She sighs softly and lightly rests her hand on his arm.

"Oh sweetheart," she mumbles. "My darling boy..."

Her expression doesn't move, but I see her jaw clench, just barely. She's strong, keeping herself impressively calm and steady – just like Callen. But I can see the devastation in her eyes. The worry that her fears are coming true – her son is following in his father's footsteps. For better or for worse.

Callen has broken his poor mother's heart.

"I should've tried harder," she mumbles to herself. She turns to Eliza. "Does your father know?"

Eliza shakes her head. "I couldn't get a hold of him. Apparently he's camping somewhere without phone service."

"Camping," she mutters under her breath.

A doctor suddenly walks in.

"Is he going to be ok?" Eliza immediately asks.

She walks over to the bed and takes a look at the machines. "Most likely. He's been pretty roughed up, but no life threatening injuries. The concussion was actually caused by his briefcase being launched at his head when the car tipped." She turns back towards us and shakes her head in disbelief. "The police showed me photos of the scene. With how deep the ditch was and how many times his car must've rolled, it's a miracle he's alive."

It doesn't exactly surprise me. With how important Callen is, it'd be catastrophic if he died. And he knew that. He had his car built and reinforced to basically withstand a bomb.

"We'll still have to keep him here for a few days, but I suspect he'll be awake by tomorrow evening."

My muscles relax in relief. Tomorrow. I can wait until tomorrow.

–

Hours pass. The steady beep of the heart monitor becomes the rhythm of the room. Eliza and Anastasia drift in and out of sleep in the chairs beside me. I can't bring myself to close my eyes.

When she wakes again, she turns to me. "Can I ask what the fight was about?"

In her sharp eyes, I see the look of a concerned but fiercely protective sister.

"Callen and I had been keeping secrets from each other." I say quietly. "And it spiraled into a fight about Callen being closed off. How I felt like I've never been a priority to him, how I feel like I-"

"Come second to Sterling Studios," she finishes, sighing tiredly. "I was worried this would happen."

"I know I'm to blame as well. I-"

She raises her hand and shakes her head. "I'm not interested in blame or whose fault it may have been. I like you, Julie, and I want you and Callen to work out." She reaches over and squeezes my hand. "Callen's had this fight a million times before. Maybe this time he'll finally learn from it. I hope he realizes how special you are."

"Thanks Eliza," I say softly.

Anastasia speaks up, voice calm but certain. "He would be an idiot to give you up for the company, dear."

I smile faintly and look over at Callen again.

Please wake up soon.

Because I can't stand another day of silence between us. I promise myself I won't waste another moment fighting when I could be holding him instead. 

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A/N:

It hurt my heart writing this chapter 😭