Heartless

Exhaustion

Toni waited the locked cell for what felt like ages. She had no way of escape and no plan came to her mind.

Though she had tried several times, she was unable to wake the Shelby brothers. It seemed to her that all hope was lost and this, in fact, was how she would die.

She closed her eyes, but did not go to sleep. She was too afraid to.

So when she heard the door burst open, she paid it no mind. Instead she squeezed her eyes shut even tighter. Trying to block out all images of what those despicable men would do to her.

She could hear several footsteps inside the room now as a tear fell from her eye.

Then she heard her cell door being opened.

Her body tensed just as warm arms wrapped around her.

"Toni...wake up, Toni," she heard a voice say. Her eyelids fluttered open.

There he was. Tommy had come for her. She forgot all the animosity that she had once held for him and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Picking her up in his arms, Tommy let her cry onto his shoulder.

After she could not cry anymore, Toni rested her head against crook of his neck and passed out from exhaustion.

~

Toni's eyelids fluttered open once again.

Looking around, she could not recognize where she was. She was lying in a small bed with a blanket up to her neck. Underneath the covers she wore nothing but a hospital gown.

She deduced that she was at the hospital. A Birmingham hospital, she assumed.

She tried to sit up as a woman came into the room. Toni could tell from the woman's outfit that she was a nurse.

"Take it easy dearie, you need more rest." She said.

Toni was too tired to protest so she laid back down.

Before the nurse left her room, Toni spoke up.

"How long have I been here?"

"For a few days now. You suffered from terrible shock."

"Did anyone come in with me?" Toni asked.

"No, a gentlemen dropped you off. It was just you."

Toni wondered what became of John and Arthur.

"Alright, thank you."

The nurse left and closed the door. From outside of it, Toni could hear voices.

Someone asked on the other end, "is she awake?"

The nurse answered, "yes, but she's resting."

"Can I see her...please?" Came the voice again.

There was a pause.

"It'll only take a few minutes, I promise."

"Alright but no more than a few minutes. That poor girl's been through enough already, she needs her rest"

Toni assumed that she was the "poor girl" they were referring to.

Then the door opened. Tommy walked in.

He wanted to see me? Toni thought

He walked over to her, and she saw him through her partially opened eyelids. She didn't have the energy to open them all the way.

Her gaze followed him as he walked around the length of her bed.

When he was close enough, he held her ankle through the sheets.

"Hello gorgeous," he said with a faint smile.

"Oh shut up Tommy I look like I've been run over by a train." Toni said, her voice coming out hoarse.

Toni covered her bruised face with the back of her wrist.

"No you don't," Tommy said. Then his face grew serious. He let go of her ankle and walked up so that he could grasp her wrist. "Are you in pain?" He asked her, tracing circles on her wrist.

"Nothing I can't handle," Toni said. "How are John and Arthur?"

"They're fine, they refused to come to a hospital, said they were strong enough to heal on their own." He said.

"You stubborn Shelby boys," Toni said, before smiling and closing her eyes from fatigue. Then she fluttered them open. "Thank you...for saving me," she said.

"I'm just sorry you got hurt because of me," Tommy said. "You're a good person; you don't deserve this."

Toni gave a weak smile, "bad things happen to good people all the time, don't they?"

"And vice versa," Tommy added, losing himself in her eyes.

Suddenly she looked worried.

"What's wrong?" Tommy asked.

"Does my mother know...about this?"

"No, I didn't want to worry her. But, I could let her know if you'd like." He said.

"No, no, she doesn't need to worry. How about my uncle?" She asked.

"I sent him a letter before I came in here. I wanted you to be awake when he came. It wouldn't look as bad." He said

"Its never as bad as it looks," she said.

"I'll let you rest. Your uncle should be here soon." Tommy said.

And with that he left the room.

~

~Dallas Rey