Song of the Chapter: Ed Sheeran- I'm A Mess
(Gabriel's P.O.V)
He's awake.
The machines are still beeping but the ventilator is gone. Nurse Eva stands beside his bed, checking his vitals, as Tony shifts around a bit. I watch curiously, quietly, waiting but my legs moves on their own, slowly cautiously taking me to him. Nurse Eva walks past me, brushing my shoulder. I halt as she flashes me a smile.
Once she's gone, I slowly step closer to the bed, watching him. His eyes drift toward me. I'm not sure what to say. An apology is on the tip of my tongue, another fucking apology. I don't know what is come.
I don't know who is this Tony.
The unknown feels dreading.
******
The brightness stabs through my retinas. I roll my head on the pillow to escape, and explosions of pain go off in my skull. I can't hold back my whimper. There is a sudden movement next to me, and then a gentle touch on my forehead, on my cheeks, wiping away the tears leaking out behind my closed eyelids.
"You're awake," whispers a man's hoarse voice. "Oh God, Jordan, you're awake."
"Sun," I croak.
"What? Oh, it's too bright?" Max moves about, hurriedly closing the blinds. When the light dims, I cautiously open one eye, which gives me the chance to observe him unnoticed for a moment. He turns and smiles, I'm struck by what a nice face he has, tired, but open and friendly, and full of so much raw emotion it almost hurts to see it. His eyes are red and swollen from crying...but? Moreover, even as I watch, fresh tears well in those blue velvet depths, spilling down round cheeks into the neatly trimmed stubble of his beard. I stare at him blanks my eyes moving as the back of his hand glides soothing down my cheek. I open my mouth to ask—'what is he doing'— but the short rush of air causes pins to stab at my throat, causing cough spittle out of my mouth and pain radiates through my chest driving out any other thoughts, along with the wheezing air from my lungs.
"Can't... breathe," I gasp.
"Shh, calm down. I know it hurts. It's your ribs, but you have to try to breathe deep. Just look at me." I focus on his face, the sound of his gentle voice. A small gold stud glints in each ear, and it's so appropriate, because he reminds me of a gypsy I saw once. "That's it. Just breathe in and out.... Where the hell is that nurse?" he mutters, fumbling with the call button beside the bed. He takes my hand. It's the only part of my body that doesn't hurt. "It's alright don't panic, stay calm, you need to be calm otherwise your wolf will react."
"Wolf!" I croak, my throat feels raw, scratchy. Then, there is a flash of memory, I spat on Max and he in return backhanded.
He must see my panic on my face because suddenly he holds my hand. "What wrong?" He asks quietly.
"No, no please." I cough out a panicked gush of air voice catching in my throat. My hand twisting weakly to free from his hold.
He hit me.
But why?
Why would he hit me?
For a split second, I see a flicker of panic cross his face, but it quickly melts into concern as he beings to fumbles with my hand, as if he is confused whether to touch me or not. "It's okay, Jordan, the doctor will come right now." His calm voice does nothing to me. I don't want him to touch me. I shake my head, which makes the pain even worse. Tears brim and spill on.
"It's okay." He pats the back of my palm assumingly. "I'll be right back. I'm just going to get the doctor."
He isn't gone a minute before he's back with a nurse. Then another arrives. Then one doctor and two, and within no time my side of the curtain is crowded with people poking and prodding and asking me questions, talking over each other when all I want to do is sleep. And on the furthest end of the room I see my family: Laura, Joseph and Rose standing beside Max, who is chewing on his thumb nail. Someone shifts blocking my view of Rose's anxious face.
