Lifeline (Daniel Ricciardo)

Chapter 55: Gone

It was pitch black outside but that didn't stop my body from waking up and wanting to drive down to the hospital. Daniel was rolled over with the covers pulled up high over him, and I couldn't tell if he was asleep or not. Although he had to have been, above the pounding in my head I was certain that I could hear him breathing heavily.

I laid there, debating whether or not to check my mobile. I did, saw that there was nothing new, let a couple of stray tears roll down my cheek before turning back over towards the Australian. Still with my heart racing.

"Night, Dan." I whispered softly. I could barely hear my own voice. "I'll feel better when I get some good news, doesn't mean that I don't love you though." I added, gently running my hand through his soft, chocolate curls.

And that was that, I couldn't have meant it more. Even if he did flinch  before I touched him. Maybe he was awake.

---

The next time my eyes opened, it was half past six in the morning. Maybe then I was a little startled to find my bed empty, and in all honesty, everything felt incredibly desolate.

At first I wondered if I'd dreamt the past twenty-four hours, but as my eyes felt unbelievably sore, and it hurt to swallow, I figured that it was in fact reality. Although that didn't explain why the space next to me wasn't occupied.

Deciding that Daniel had gone for an early morning run, I set about mopping up the bathroom floor from where I had been in a daze the night beforehand. In my defence I had been in a state of shock.

The majority had been sorted by Daniel, and all I had to do was to replace the towels.

"Dan?" I called out over the banister, pulling on my leggings. "Daniel?"

No answer. It was clear that I was the only one in the house.

The next most plausible thing was that he'd gone over to Sam's. Maybe Samuel had heard about Evan.

That did it, my vision got blotted out and I was forced to lean back against the airing cupboard door.

Dialling Jacob, there was only one thing left to do.

The technician picked up after one ring and it was evident that he hadn't slept.

"Jake, it's me," I stuttered. "Can I come and pick you up? I need to see him."

"I got as far as the end of our drive but couldn't go any further. Please come and pick me up." he spoke, and it was almost a plead.

"Twenty minutes." I responded and hung up, holding my phone to my chest. Jacob's contact identity photo was an image of him and Ev.

---

Jacob's eyes were more swollen than mine. He looked broken. Not broken in two pieces, but shattered into thousands of minuscule fragments.

The hospital ward was busy, and Evan's parents were in the waiting room, adjacent the blonde's private room. They hadn't slept either.

"How is he?" I whispered, hugging Rose, Evan's mum.

"Same as last night." she replied, and hugged me tighter. "I'm sure he'll be pleased to know that you're here now, he will know."

"I wanted to stay last night, and I'm sorry that I didn't." I admitted. "They wouldn't let me see him."

"And they won't let us see him again now," Jacob seethed, losing his patients. "Fucking bullshit."

"Jake," muttering, I placed a hand on his shoulder but he shook me off, proceeding to pace up and down the corridor outside Ev's room. A nurse had left the door propped open. "Now is our only chance."