Lovely Lonely Lullabies [Sequel to Opposites Attract]

19 - Hostilities

Recap Niki's P.O.V.

"I need to see her." the crack in Louis' voice shattered my heart right where I stood.

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Louis' P.O.V.

Two months later, and it still feels like the first gut wrenching time I saw Ariel lying in that bed, every time I open the door. Her pale complexion is sharpened by the extraordinary strawberry blonde color of the hair that frames her faces. The respirator causes her lungs to inflate automatically, but the rigid movements are so painfully unnatural to see that sometimes I stop breathing on accident. The bandages that originally wrapped from her wrists to her elbows were now only a few inches long to cover the worst area around her wrists. The wraps are changed every two days, but it seemed that I had come on an off day because the normal white was tinged a light pink.

I closed the door behind me and moved to shake the sleepy figure beside Ariel's bed.

"Kel.... Kel." I prodded the woman a few times before she stirred and then sat up slowly. She rubbed her eyes and looked up at me with bloodshot green orbs.

"Oh, Louis dear.... Hello." She spoke kindly.

"Have you been here all night?" I questioned and she ran a hand underneath her nose and glanced at Ariel's unconscious form.

"Yes. I just don't dare leave." She whimpered and I inhaled sharply.

"Kel, I think we should get you something to eat." I instructed and she stood quietly.

"Oh, Louis. You've been such a lovely company for me this past while. I'm so sorry." The older woman wiped a stray tear as she clapped one hand on my shoulder before moving towards the door.

"I keep telling you, I don't blame you for your behavior before. As long as you see, I'm in love with your daughter and I'm not leaving her just because of this hardship." I recounted for the millionth time.

"I know. I know. I just feel awful. Such a lovely, handsome, and loving boy like you having your heart ripped in two. It pains me." She muttered and I thinned my lips into a reproachful line.

"My heart will be okay, as soon as she wakes up." I declared and a small, sympathetic smile was shot my way.

After retrieving some bagels and bananas from the cafeteria, Ariel's mother and I retraced our steps back to Ariel's room. As we rounded the corner, inaudible screams floated towards us. The door to Ariel's room was ajar and as we hurried closer, multiple nurses and a doctor were visible through the crack. I pushed the door open and dropped my food at the scene before me.

Four nurses were fighting to restrain Ariel's arms and legs as she thrashed around the bed, screaming at the top of her lungs. The doctor was fiddling with how much liquid was being released from the i.v. drip attached to Ariel's arm. A fifth nurse appeared out of nowhere and ushered Ariel's mother and I out into the hallway and shut the door quickly behind her.

"What's going on in there? Ariel was awake! I just saw her moving, heard her screaming... What's happening? What's wrong? Please, what is going on with my daughter?!" Kel was in hysterics but I just felt numb. The scene I had just witnessed was unlike I could have ever imagined. I had caught a glimpse of Ariel's face. She seemed livid, absolutely hysterical.

"Mrs. Horan, please calm down. Once she is securely sedated, the doctor will be out to explain the situation. Please, stay here for now." With those instructions given, the nurse opened the door slightly and slipped back into Ariel's room. A few mangled cries escaped into the hallway and my heart gave a lurch. I suddenly felt like throwing up right where I stood.