Saving U(S)

Chapter Seventeen

Alex and Tobin headed down to the hotel's conference room, hand in hand. Becky had told them to be there at 4pm sharp. Apparently, something was up and needed to be discussed with only certain members of the team.

Alex flashed Tobin a confident smile, and Tobin slowly smiled back.

"We're okay," Alex whispered, slightly leaning her weight against Tobin. "We're together, and that's what matters."

Tobin let out a contented sigh.

"Thanks, Lex," she murmured.

The couple walked into the meeting room. Kelley, Hope, Becky, Ali, and Ashlyn were already there, sitting at a small round table.

"Have a seat guys," Ashlyn gestured to the two empty seats side by side. Alex and Tobin sat down besides Hope and Becky.

"Well, to start off," Becky sighed. "I think Hope has some words to say to you two."

"Right."

Hope cleared her throat, closing her eyes, before speaking.

"Alex, I'm really, really sorry for what I did to you. I know what I did was very inappropriate and I just needed to apologize for that. I hope you can forgive me."

She then turned to Tobin.

"I'm really sorry to you, Tobin. I overstepped my boundaries big time. I took advantage of your absence, and I just wanted to apologize before any of this goes any further. I'm really sorry."

Tobin glanced at Alex. Her brow was furrowed, something she did when she was thinking deeply. Tobin gently squeezed her hand, letting her know that they should say something.

After a few seconds, Alex took a deep breath.

"We accept your apology, Hope," she replied. "Thank you."

Hope breathed a sigh of relief and Kelley placed a hand on her thigh in comfort, the brand new diamond ring they'd picked out for her shining on her ring finger.

"Oh and, congrats on the engagement," Alex quickly added after an elbow in the ribs from Tobin.

"Thank you, Alex," Kelley blushed, leaning her head on Hope's shoulder.

There was an awkward silence of some sorts for a moment.

"Well, alright," Becky broke the ice. "Now that we've got that done."

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Flatline.

That one little sound that crashed Julie's world. A straight shot of pure terror jolting through her body and up to her brain. Flatline.

She stumbled backwards, knocking into stray medical equipment by accident.

"No, no, no!" she whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks. "This can't be happening! Why isn't anyone doing anything?!"

No one was in the small ward but her. Was it because they'd given up? Did they know that she would just die? Where were the doctors? Why wasn't anyone doing anything?!

Julie bumped against the soapstone counter, her hand rattling a nearby syringe.

She turned around and stared at it. The needle.. A few injections would be all it took..

No. Julie shook her head. I can't think like this. This is what I was fighting. And Christen wanted me to win.

Christen. She was... dead.

"NO!" Julie screamed, grabbing the needle. She tore the cabinets off and rifled through them, searching for something to fill the syringe. Nothing.

Julie stepped back, panting heavily, trying to catch her breath. Then she saw it on the counter. Morphine. The painkiller they'd used to dull the abdominal pain Christen originally had. Enough of that would send her to be with her beloved.

Julie opened the container and slowly poured the liquid into the syringe. She lifted it to the inside of her elbow, finding the vein and injected the morphine into her blood stream. Then, she filled the syringe again, and repeated the process.

Pain and depression soon have way into peace and numbness. The needle clattered to the floor, and Julie collapsed beside it. Dark spots clouded her vision as her breathing became heavy.

"I'll see you again, Christen," she whispered drawing in her last breath. "I promise.."