Eyes Open {Book 1}

Chapter 23

"Stay with me, baby, stay with me." - Kiss Me Slowly by Parachute

Chapter 23

Christy's POV

Pain shot through the center of my back. My muscles ached, my head throbbed, and my whole body felt stiff and frozen. I stared up at the white ceiling, listening to the steady beep of my heart beat.

Harry came walking into the room, attempting to juggle two cups in his hands.

"Hey, I got you some water." He said, setting the styrofoam cup on the table next to my bed. I smiled at him as I attempted to sit up. "Here, let me help you." He said, wrapping his hand around my arm. I winced as the slight movement. 

I stared up at Harry as he sipped his drink. I assumed it wasn't water; hopefully it was coffee. He looked like he needed it. His disheveled hair laid messily in tangles at the top of his forehead. Bags outlined the bottoms of his eyelids. He was exhausted, physically and mentally. Who knows when the last time he slept. 

I shakily took the cup into the my hands. I let the cool liquid run down my sore, scratchy, dry throat. As I looked up, my eyes met Harry's. Worry swam within his eyes, like if he looked away, I would be gone forever. I would vanish. 

But I wasn't gone yet and I wasn't going anywhere. 

"Harry, when's the last time you slept?" I whispered, my throat still dry. He sat down in the chair next to my bed; a chair, I assumed, he occupied for the past week. He fiddled with his thumbs, staring down at the ground. His hair covered his face from my vision. 

"I'm fine." He croaked. 

"No, you're not." I said as sternly as possible. "You need to rest." 

"I'll rest when you're okay and when Andrew is six feet under." He groaned, clenching his hands into fists. 

"Harry, I am okay." I laced my fingers with his, unclenching his fists. "Look at me." His eyes met mine. "I am right here. You haven't lost me, so please don't shut me out. We can take down Andrew together." 

"He'll kill you." He whispered, pain laced in his voice. "He almost did." 

It pained me to watch his face. Pain was written all over it. 

"But he didn't." I whispered, lifting his head up with my hands. It hurt to reach across but I didn't care. The feel of his skin on mine soothed. Made all the pain vanish. He was more than my love, he was my medicine. The antidote to my worries. 

"I love you... you know that, right?" He asked. I nodded, unable to push past the lump in my throat. 

Then, he leaned in, placing a gentle kiss on my lips. 

"I love you, too." I whispered, breathlessly, against his lips. 

A knock sounded from the door, interrupting the only intimate moment we've had in the past week. 

"Sorry to interrupt." The doctor said from the doorway. His salt and pepper hair looked slightly disheveled. "I looked at all your test results and you seem to be healing quite well and the infection is descreasing remarkably. If you would like, you are welcome to leave. The nurse at the main desk will check you out whenever you are ready." 

"Thanks, doc." Harry said, smiling politely at the middle aged man. He returned the smile. 

"No problem." He said, then turned on his heel, and left the room. 

Harry's head turned back towards me. I, reflexively, pushed the curls hanging over his forehead out of his face with my small hand. I wanted to see those beautiful green eyes. A smile broke out onto his face, causing me to smile in return.