Close As Strangers // c.h.

29

*Ren's POV*

"Wait what's happening? Why am I still here, and why are you alive?" I say looking at Calum.

I can see his heart drop, but there is also a look of confusion playing across his face.

"Ren, what do you mean?"

"I mean I died, then you died, and the boys were all alone and everyone was sad, and I'm confused, did this not happen?" I ask, just as confused as Calum appears to look.

"Ren, take a deep breath, you're okay, I'm okay, we're all okay," he says, his voice shaky despite the smile on his face.

I'm still quite confused, but it doesn't matter at the moment, all of my best friends and loved ones are around me.

I reach up and wrap my arms around Calum's neck pulling him in for a weak hug.

"It's feels so good to hold you in my arms again, baby," he coos in my ear; I can't help but smile.

After we both let go, I take a look around and see teary eyes and happy smiles surrounding me. Kelly sits to my left and is the next one I hug; followed by Lizzie, Ashton, Michael, Luke, and Gabby.

It feels so amazing to be back.

"What day is it guys?" I ask, wondering how much of what I imagined lines up to reality.

"It's Friday, it's been 5 days," Ashton tells me.

Well that's lining up.

"Was I in a car accident with a drunk driver?" I ask, trying to remember what happened and decipher my imagination from reality.

"Yeah..." Calum says.

"We're the boys fighting?" I ask Lizzie and Gabby.

They just nod.

Without thinking, I put my hand around Calum's wrist and lightly brush the bandages around it. He pulls back suddenly, but then realizes that somehow, I know.

"How do you know?" he asks, tears brimming around his eyes.

"I don't know, but remember everything from when I was in my coma," I speak.

I feel a slight twinge in my lower stomach.

Oh no.

I place my hand right where the pain is and look at Michael who is at the foot of my hospital bed.

"Michael, go and get a doctor right now," I tell him, as calmly as I can muster. He doesn't question this, and I'm glad. He darts out of the room and sprints down the hall.

"Wh-why do you need a doctor?" Calum asks, very concerned.

"I imagined this all, and if everything lines up then I won't be here much longer. Unless we get doctors in here right away," I tell them, feeling the pain in my side grow a tad bit larger by the second. Just as I say this, a couple doctors come storming into the room.

"What's the problem, Miss Ren?" they ask.

"Don't ask me how I know this, but there is internal bleeding in my lower right stomach and you have to treat it right away,"

"but Miss Ren-"

"No," I interjected. "Trust me. There is something wrong and you need to fix it!" I yell at them, not able to keep my cool.

If everything plays out, it's okay if I die, but I can't handle everyone else around me in pain because of it. I can't handle these boys, all of our friends, the fans, and this world not having Calum. He needs to stay. If I die, my vision shows that Calum will too; and this is something I cannot accept.