Save Me from the Dark (A John Gage 'Emergency!' love story Fanfiction)

Chapter 23

At some point consciousness returned to Scarlett, or maybe semiconsciousness. She wasn't sure. All she knew is that she felt like she was floating, her eyelids felt like lead and she didn't have the strength to open them. She could also hear voices off to the side of her but although she couldn't make out what they were saying one voice in particular stood out to her.

It was Johnny and he sounded worried. More worried than she'd ever heard him, but he always did hide most of his concern beneath his trained paramedic mask. Now it seemed to be coming out, maybe because he thought she was unconscious. Scarlett wished she could do something, anything, to tell him she'd be fine but her body wasn't cooperating. The floating sensation was increasing but it felt nice, it was comfortable and warm. It reminded her very much of being in Johnny's arms.

"You'll be fine, I'm here. I promise you'll be okay. You can fight this. You'll be okay. Come on, Scarlett." Scarlett noted the panic in his voice and how he seemed to be trying to reassure himself more than her. It felt like a dagger had punctured deep within her heart. She was hurting Johnny and she had never wanted to.

Scarlett knew she'd failed, she always failed and hurt the ones she loved. Did she love him? She wasn't entirely sure, she'd never experienced anything quite like how she felt for Johnny before. All Scarlett knew was that she wanted to be by his side forever and that right now she was failing and subsequently hurting him and she wasn't sure what to do about it.

She noticed she could no longer feel her body, from the lead weight of her eyelids to her emotional pain of hurting Johnny. All she felt was warmth enveloping her in a cocoon of pure bliss like she'd never felt before. For the first time in her life all of her problems seemed to melt away and all that was left in its place was the warmth.

Scarlett wasn't complaining, not at all. In fact, the intensity of these feelings almost made her want to cry. It all felt so wonderful. So unlike anything she'd ever experienced. It was almost too good to be true. How could anything feel this good?

Scarlett thought back to how it felt being with Johnny. That had felt similar, hadn't it? He had filled her with similar warmth, hadn't he? She wasn't quite sure anymore, her mind felt too muddled to properly think about it.

What was going on? Although her mind felt hazy, Scarlett found she could think more clearly than she had been a few minutes ago. The warmth and good feelings still enveloped her but they weren't affecting her as much.

Where was Johnny anyway? Scarlett couldn't hear his voice anymore and missed the warmth that emanated from his very soul. It wasn't the same as the warmth here but it also felt more right in a way she couldn't possibly begin to explain. Maybe she did love him.