A Heavy Metal Christmas

Chapter 7

~JAKE'S P.O.V~
I jump in my car after the ambulance leaves and race to the hospital.
When I get there, a random nurse was kind enough to direct me in Col's general direction, but not her exact room.
"Real fuckin' helpful," I grumble as I search.
Suddenly, a commotion starts up in a hallway to my right: "Doctor, we're losing her! She lost too much blood in the ambulance!!"
"Get the defibrillator!"
"No, the shock will kill her..."
I turn and run in that direction, but another nurse a few feet away stops me, shaking her head. "No visitors," she says.
She was about to say something else, but a loud, toneless beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep fills my ears. "No," I whispered. The nurse's face pales. "I-I'm so sorry," she says softly.
My breath hitches in my throat, and my heart drops to my shoes.
Col was...
Dead....
"No... No, no, NO!!!!!" My cries turn into screams of agony and I sink to my knees. I could feel my world and heart shattering simultaneously.
I begin to sob, tears trickling down my face as I curse God, the doctors, and death itself for taking away my best friend. My soul mate.
My wife.
I knew I had to tell Corey, but I couldn't quite get up yet.
Somehow, a few minutes later, I struggle to my feet. I know it was going to kill me, but I want to see Colleen one last time.
I stumble to her room, wiping my eyes. I enter, and see her small, pale figure on the bed. I almost begin crying again.
This wasn't the bright, bubbly, beautiful woman I knew. That woman was long gone. This was her cold, stitched-up corpse.
But if I ignore the stitches, she was still so beautiful. The soft rosy tint of her lips hadn't faded quite yet. Her hair was still brilliantly blue. The color in her cheeks was still there, but just barely. She just looks like she's sleeping.
I trudge over to the chair stationed at her bedside and reach for her tiny hand. Folding it in mine, I come to find that she was still wearing the wedding ring I gave her.
I bite my lip, then bring Colleen's hand to my lips and kiss the ring.
"My princess," I whisper, my voice hoarse. "I gave you my heart on our wedding day. You gave me yours. And what couldn't I do with it?" I grit my teeth. "I couldn't protect it. This is my fault."
I look back up at her angelic face. "If I hadn't left you, this wouldn't have happened." I say. I glare at the floor, still holding her hand. "This is my fault," I repeat. And I knew it was true.
I was the reason Colleen was dead.
I bite my lip again. Then I stand, tenderly replace her hand on her chest, then bend to kiss her cool lips.
I linger long enough to whisper, "But even though you are dead because of me, I still love you. I always will. My heart will never belong to anyone else but you, Colleen Taylor Crooks. Thank you for loving me."
Then I kiss her again, for the last time. I stand, then turn and walk out of the room.
But before I step out, I hear a soft, "Jake?"
My eyes shoot open and I sit straight up in a chair, panting. I look around, panicking, then settle as my eyes rest on Colleen's sleeping figure in the bed next to my chair.
I reach over and take her hand which was (thank God) still soft and warm. Suddenly, I remember all that had happened yesterday. Colleen had been taken to the hospital and I actually had followed in my car.
But the doctors managed to save her and stitch up her arms and cheek with no problems at all. Another upside was that the baby was still safe.
I smile to myself, then squeeze her hand, feeling her wedding ring against my fingers. I lift her hand to my lips and kiss the ring.
Colleen moves a little, letting out a soft sigh. Her head turns my way, and her long lashes slowly part, revealing her sparkling blue eyes.
When she sees me, a small smile tugs at her perfect lips. "Hi, Jake," she murmurs.
"Hey, Colleen," I whisper. I reach out to her with my free hand and tenderly tuck a lock of her hair behind her ear. She turns her head and kisses my palm. "How're you feeling?" I ask.
She blinks, then shifts a bit, wincing. "Sore. Mostly my arms, though. How are you?" Colleen asks.
I smile at her. "Delighted that you're okay," I answer.
She sleepily returns my smile. "How long was I asleep?" she asks.
"About four-ish hours. Corey and the others came while you were sleeping." Colleen nods, the tugs on my hand. "Come here," she murmurs.
I sit forward a bit, lean in, and gently kiss her. Her kisses never fail to bring warm butterflies to my stomach.
When she pulls away, I cradle her small, beautiful face. "I love you." I say, looking into her eyes.
She meets my gaze and answers with a smile, "I love you too."

****AUTHOR'S NOTE****
Okay, I apologize for the scare, you guys. But Colleen's not really going to die. She still has a baby to deliver!!!
Sorry if i scared anyone.
LOVE YOUUUUUUUU