Nighttime

Chapter 16 - IU

*The Lumineers  - Slow It Down*

July

I watch as the clear liquid drips down into the IV, my eyes following the countless tubes that lead in and out of Michael's broken body.
It was the sixth continuous night that I spent in the IC next to his bed. I hadn't gone home to sleep or shower, I'd fallen asleep upright in the same seat I'd spent the first horrible night in.

For the millionth time these days, heavy tears spill onto my cheeks, down onto the sweatshirt that had once been his. No, I corrected myself. It was still his.
As the door opens and a young nurse heads in, I don't bother wiping away the tears. "Miss Hemmings, how are you today?" "I'll manage." She gifts me a knowing smile, and I have to look away as to not start sobbing. "Nurse Garzía, are there any news?" She checks the machine Michael is hooked on to, busy as usual when she visited. "Your brother and Niall are recovering just fine from surgery; you can see them today if you want to. Michael however..." Her young face distorts in pain, and I swallow hard. "The internal bleeding has stopped, but the brain trauma and collapsed lung are still taking a toll on him. He'll be alright, okay Emilia?" Never before had she called me by my first name, and as I look up, I see her nodding reassuringly. "Don't lose hope."

The door gets pushed open, a tiny girl shoving herself in, her dark blonde hair a mess. "Ems!" Celina runs towards me, slamming herself into my chest where I hold her tight. "I'll leave you alone then." "Thank you Melanie." "Anytime. Oh, and Emilia? He can hear everything you say. Make good use of that."
"Hey sweetie." Michael's little sister looks up at me, eyes puffy and red from crying. "Any news?" "He's slowing stabilizing." I'd tried to keep most of the details away from her, but it was no wonder that she was stronger than she seemed. Just like her brother. "That's good." Celina shows a little smile, getting up and slowly strolling over to her brother. I join her, wrapping my arms around myself as I look at my boyfriend in the hospital bed. Michael was tall, he'd always been, but he looked small and vulnerable in the pure white bed.
While his sister carefully takes a seat on the side of his bed, I can't touch him. "Hey Mike, it's me. Ems is here as well; she hasn't left your side since you came here a week ago." Taking his large, lifeless hand in her smaller one, she pushes it like she'd always done when she held his hand. "I- I'll give you guys a moment." I lean down to Michael, kissing his forehead. I'll be back baby, don't worry." I pull Celina in for a moment. "Talk to him, okay? I'm going to check on Niall and Luke."

My brother and Niall share a room, Nessa and Vani in between their beds. "Hey." I smile weakly as I head in the room. "How are the boys doing?" "Good, they're supposed to wake up today!" Nessa seems relieved, and even though I'm happy for her and Vani, it hurts that Michael is the worst. Why did he have to be the driver? Why did the car have to crash into his side? I stop my thoughts, clutching onto the frame of Luke's bed. "Are you okay? How is Mike doing?" My best friend gets up to hug me, but I take a step back. If she were to hug me now, I wouldn't stop crying. "He's managing."
Walking around the bed so I can sit on my brothers bed, I turn around as Vani and Nessa both get up. "We're going to eat something, okay? Call me when you need me." Nessa waits until I nod, then they both leave.
"Hi Luke. Melanie said that you guys can hear everything we say, so I guess I'm just trying to use that to make me feel better. Oh, Melanie is the nice nurse that's been taking care of all of us. She's super nice." I take a deep breath as I looked at his face. He wasn't hooked up to as many things as Michael, not needing any breathing support, and I felt my heart breaking. Sobs break out of me as I fall onto his chest. "Mike- he- he's still struggling. There's so much internal bleeding, and, and a brain trauma and his lung collapsed and they're not sure if he'll recover Luke." Holding onto his hand for dear life, I cuddle into my twin, trying to use him as my rock. "I can't lose him Luke. I can't live without him." Struggling to speak despite my heavy crying, I just give up, my heaving breath and desperate sobs the only sound in the room.

"Ems, you need to calm down." I bolt up as I hear Ashton's voice behind me. "What-" "Come on." Picking me up easily, Ash starts to pull me away from Luke. "Let go of me Irwin!" Not even bothered by my kicking and punching, he just carries me away, setting me down for a moment with his back shielding my view. "Emilia listen to me. I know you need your brother right now, but he needs to rest. Otherwise it'll take him a lot longer to recover." Lost for words, I collapse against his chest and don't fight him anymore.
Feeling how he picks me up, I wrap my legs around his hips and let him carry me out onto the hallway. Ashton walks a moment in silence, rubbing circles on my lower back, before we head into the waiting area. He sets me down and as I turn around, I see our mom standing there, ready to hug me. "Momma!" She pulls me in, and as I inhale the scent that had always reminded me of home, I'm suddenly not 20 anymore, I'm 10 again, and I'm home in Australia. "Hey sweet pea." She softly kisses my cheek. "I came out here as soon as I could. Dad, Ben and Jack wanted to join but they're working. Mary is out for some fresh air." She pushes me away so she can look at me, worry and anger on her face. "How long have you been here?" "Six nights, and she said she's not going home before he wakes up." "Shut the fuck up Mary." I turn around to face my sister, anger written on my face. "Emilia!" "Sorry mom, but that's my business, and none of you have to care." "Quite possible, but you're still my daughter, and I still care. You look horrible, and I'm not going to let that pass me without a comment." "Fine. I'm leaving." "Emilia." As I don't listen to her and just grab my jacket that Ashton held, she gets louder. "Emilia Claire Hemmings!" I don't look back. I slam the door shut, walking back to Michael's room to kiss his chapped lips, then I leave the hospital.

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