Saving Link

Chapter Eighteen

Tears of happiness filled Christy's soft green eyes. "You are just as perfect, handsome, wonderful, and amazing! No doubt about that in my mind. And I wonder how I ever got you in my life. You are the best husband anyone could ever have. You are just so amazing to me. There is not one thing about you I would change if I could. Not one thing. You are absolutely perfect in my eyes. Th-thank you, Link. I could never express how much I love you and how happy I am that you're home to us." Christy smiled and Link gently wiped away the tears that were slowly rolling down his wife's cheek. He sat up even farther and wrapped his arms around his wife tightly.

"Gosh, Christy, I just love you so much. The worst torture he put me through was being separated from you and the kids and that he hurt you. That was the most painful thing. My family means more to me than anything else on earth. I just, I love you guys so very much. All of you. You're so perfect, wonderful, amazing, thoughtful, loving, caring, supportive, trustworthy, strong, sweet, kind people. My whole family is and when anything happens to any of them, something bad, i-it just tears me apart. I love each and every one of you with all my heart. You're all so unique and kind and ow.. my head. Oh, I need to stop." Link leaned back in the bed and closed his eyes, a sudden and very painful headache coming on.

"Link, sweetheart? Are you alright? Do you need something?" Christy's voice was soft, but laced with worry. She gently put her fingers on her husband's temples and massaged them. Link sighed in light relief. He whispered softly.

"Just a bad headache, I'm fine. Thank you so much, you always know what to do to help me." Link opened his tear filled blue eyes and they met Christy's green ones. In a single look, the two expressed such deep love for the other. Link eyes slowly closed once more as a heavy blanket of sleep came over him. The pain medication he was on had that as a side effect. Drowsiness. The smallest ghost of a smile lightly danced upon Link's lips as he slept. Christy stopped massaging his temples and placed a light kiss on his forehead. 

             "Thanks again, Rhett!" Lincoln smiled at Rhett as the four got into his car after having ice cream.

"You're very welcome, kiddo! Your parents needed some time alone, and I wanted to take you guys out so you wouldn't be bored. We'll head back now." After each of the kids had strapped in, Rhett pulled out of the parking lot and started to make his way to the hospital. Music quietly played in the background, Lily was the first to break the quiet. 

"Rhett? Where was Dad? What happened? We have an uncle on Dad's side?" Rhett took a deep, slow breath as he drove. He turned off the radio and pulled the car over. He turned and faced Lily who was in the passenger seat.

"You had an uncle. He died. I don't know how much you know, so I'm going to summarize everything. About five weeks ago, you and your mom and siblings went out and I'm pretty sure my family went with you guys too. Your dad invited me over because he was bored. Well, the man that greeted me was not your dad. He was your uncle, and he just went nuts. He was so angry and threw me out of the house. On the way back, I got into a bad accident and went into a coma. Apparently, you had an uncle who your grandma and grandpa couldn't afford to raise. They put him up for adoption. He was your dad's identical twin. And ever since then, he's been resentful of your dad. He tracked him down and kidnapped him. Took him to an abandoned house and hurt him, starved him. And then I found your dad and after maybe a week, James, your uncle, decided to kill all of us. He filled the house with gas. And then he fainted and didn't get out of the house. The police found your dad and I and you know the rest."

Tears filled Lily's eyes and slowly started to fall. She started crying harder and Rhett leaned forward and wrapped his arms around the crying girl. "Shh.. sweetheart, it's alright, Lils. He's getting better. He's alright now. I know it hurts that it happened, but it's over. James is gone. He will never hurt you or anyone in your family again. And your dad's getting better. He's going to be alright. He woke up from the coma and he's already working his way up to a healthy weight again. After that, he just needs to learn how to walk properly again. And I'm going to help him with that, so will your mom. We're here for him and here for you. Don't be scared or worried, everything is alright. Don't you worry. You're alright, your dad's alright, your whole family is alright. Everything will get better soon. I promise. Do you trust me?"

Lily looked up at Rhett and slowly nodded before burying her face in his shirt again, still softly crying. Rhett rubbed her back and kissed the top of her head. He spoke in a soft voice. "Good, then how about we go back to see him? Do you want to see your dad? He's alright. You know that. You saw him. Come on, let's go see him." Lily nodded and let go of Rhett. She gave him a look of gratitude and he started driving back to the hospital after giving her a smile in return.

          The gentle pitter-pattering of the rain on the window mixed with the sound of Link's heart monitor. Other than those two noises, the plain hospital room was silent. Christy and Link were both asleep. Link in his bed, Christy in the chair beside it. The couple held hands as they rested and soon, the door to the room opened. Rhett and the kids stepped in. Rhett brought his finger to his lips as a way of saying to be quiet. Each of the young children nodded and sat down in the chairs against the wall. Lando sat on Rhett's lap, holding back tears of worry. He whispered to Rhett. "D-daddy will be okay, won't he?"

Rhett rubbed the young boy's back and nodded with a gentle smile. He whispered, "Yes, of course he will. Your dad is a tough guy. He doesn't always show it, but he is on the inside. He's gone through so much. But he got through it. He fought his way out of there. And he did it for us. He won't be leaving us. He'll be alright before you know it. The road to recovery is long and hard. The path is rocky and steep, but your dad is not trekking this journey alone. No, not at all. He has all of us, helping him through it. We can't carry him, but we can walk beside him, and lift him back on his feet when he falls. Your dad is a hero. He should be your hero. He has gone through so much. So much... But he made it through it all. He's going to be just fine. He always is."

         Link's eyes fluttered open and he looked over at Rhett with a smile. He spoke in a quiet voice. "Thank you, Rhett. Thank you so very much. I heard that. All of it. You're an inspiration. You, yes you, are my hero." Link smiled weakly, his chapped lips curving into a crooked smile. Rhett smiled back at him.

"Thank you, Link. And truthfully, you are my hero. You are incredible." Link smiled slightly bigger, pain clear on his face, yet his eyes were overjoyed. His brightening blue eyes filled with warm tears. Rhett stood up and placed Lando in the chair. He knelt down beside Link's bed, on the other side. He reached forward and grabbed Link's other hand. He smiled and gently wiped away the tear of happiness on Link's cheek. Then, he wrapped his arms around Link in a careful hug. He smiled as he felt Link's still too thin arms weakly hug him back.

"You know what, Rhett? As much as I've been through. As we've been through, I... I love my life. Despite the hardships and the suffering, there have always been the most amazing, loving, caring, kind, and perfect people surrounding me. Standing at my side. Helping me through it all. Inspiring me to keep going when others would give up. Knowing that if I had let myself die in there, I would never see these people again. The people that mean the very most to me. The people that I need, the people that need me. My wife, my children, my mom and dad, my step dad, and my brother and best friend. These people mean so much to me and I love them all so much. And my job is perfect. Who could ask for better than that? Yes, there are hard times. These times feel like they will never end, but they do. They always do. Nothing lasts forever. That includes the bad times, the hardships, the suffering, the pain. It will all go away. You just need to find an anchor and hold on until this storm passes. My anchor was my family. And yes Rhett, that includes you. Never give up the fight. As hard as life may get, you will get through the hard times. You always do and with people that love you fighting the battle beside you, you will get through it much easier. Despite everything that happened and the pain I am now in, I am happy. I am so blessed. Blessed with the most amazing people in the world right here with me right now. Even those that are not here physically, they are still with me. I made it through this, yes, but I didn't fight the battle alone. Not in the least. I had the greatest help there, my loved ones. They fought this just as much as me. They fought for me. They got me through this and I could never thank them enough. Just remember, each of you, that I will always love you with all my heart. You mean the universe and more to me. Never change, because you are perfect the way you are. Thank you. Thank you all for saving my life. Because you did. And I am going to fight my way through the rest of this tough road. And I know that each of you will be right there. Fighting with me, helping me until the very end. I love you all more than anyone else. You are perfect in my eyes and the greatest blessing a man could ever have."

                                                             
                                                             THE END