Accidents Happen

Chapter 16

(Ricky's P.O.V)
I try not to laugh as Emery stumbles over his words, after realizing I'm the guy that makes Skylar so happy.
"So, wait a second. You've known each other for like 2 days and you're already dating?" Emery asks, pacing back and forth.
"First of all, you need to chill, and second, it's been almost a week." Skylar says to him and he stops, looking at her.
"That's still not enough time!" Emery says, running his hand through his hair, a sign that he was frustrated.
"Emery, can you please just drop this? It's not that big of a deal." I say somewhat quietly, looking at him.
"Not a big deal?" He asks, making me nod slowly.
"How is it not a big deal?" He asks, starting to pace again.
"Um? Hello, my brother is inside, possibly on his death bed and THIS is what you're worried about?" Skylar asks crossing her arms and glaring at him. I'm so glad I'm not him right now.
"Yes. I am." Emery half laughs.
"Wow, that's real thoughtful." Skylar huffs, walking past me and up the sidewalk back inside.
"Nice." Emery says looking at me.
"What'd I do? You pissed her off." I say to him, walking inside and following her at a distance. She turns the corner and I lose track of her.
"Uh oh." I mumble, walking around another corner and being jumped on.
"What the!" I practically scream before hearing Skylar's familiar giggle.
"Got yah!" She giggles, wrapping her legs around my waist.
"Yeah, yeah. Give me a heart attack why don't you?" I smile at her, putting my hands on her back.
"I sowry." She says childishly, sticking her bottom lip out in a pout.
"Aww, I suppose it's okay." I smile, kissing her cheek gently, her giggle filling the empty hallway.
"Okay, nasty love birds. Let's go." Emery scoffs, crossing his arms and walking down the hallway.
"Wrong way." Skylar says, putting her feet back on the ground and grabbing my hand. Emery groans and Skylar smiles at me, swinging our hands as we walk.
"Can you not?" Emery asks grumpily.
"Be quiet. You're just jealous." Sky smiles at him, walking closer to me.
"I'm. Not. Jealous." Emery says through gritted teeth and Skylar nods slightly.
"Keep telling yourself that." She mutters, pressing the button on the door and waiting for it to open. We walk through it and she leads the way down the twists and turns of endless hallways. We finally reach her brother's room but no one is there, not even her brother.
"What?" She asks quietly.
"He was moved to the surgery wing. I can walk you there if you want." A woman says, standing behind us.
"Uh, yeah, sure." Skylar says, following her back down the long hall.
"Here we are. The waiting room is just inside this door." She says to Skylar and she nods, reaching for the door handle. I reach out and open it for her and she smiles slightly at me. She stuffs her hands in her pockets and walks inside, looking for her parents.
"Over there." I tell her, seeing her parents both sitting silently.
"Mom? Why didn't you text or call me?" Skylar asks nervously.
"We didn't have service. They had to take him back because he had bleeding in his brain." Her mom struggles to explain, Skylar's mood instantly changes and she looks at me. I put my hand on her shoulder gently and she sighs, walking into me, wrapping her arms around my waist, resting her head on my chest, just like always. I kiss the top of her head softly, rubbing her back.
"This sucks." She sighs, cuddling into me.
"I know, baby." I mumble, hugging her closer to me.
"Here, let's go sit down. Okay?" I say quietly, making her nod. I take her hand in mine and lead her to the small couch type thing they have in the room. She sits down beside me, leaning into me and laying her head on my shoulder. I pull her into my lap and she snuggles into me, laying her head against my neck.
"Try and rest. I'll wake you if anything happens." I tell her and she nods slowly, putting her hand on my chest. Emery sits next to me and smiles sadly just as Sky closes her eyes.
"She's in a lot of pain isn't she?" Emery asks softly.
"Yeah, she was worse earlier." I say, playing with her hair gently.
"Really?" Emery asks softly, making me nod.
"Imagine being told your sibling was in a crash and probably won't make it. How would you feel?" I ask looking at him.
"Okay, dude, chill." Emery says, picking up some magazine from the table. I start to get tired and I close my eyes, laying head against the back of the couch, keeping my arms tight around Sky. She starts to stir and I lift my head, making sure she's okay before laying my head back and closing my eyes again.
"Johnson family?" I hear someone call out and I open my eyes, seeing a doctor come over to Skylar's parents.
"So I have good news and bad news." The doctor starts. Oh no.
"We were able to stop the bleeding. But unfortunately, his brain has shut down. He's on his way to ICU and he'll be put on life support. We'll give him 3 days. And if he isn't any better in 72 hours, we'll have to let him go. I'm so, very sorry." The doctor says and I look at Emery.
"How am I gonna tell Skylar that?" I ask him and he shrugs.
"Tell me what?" She asks sleepily, looking up at me.
"Um, sweetie, the doctor just came out." Her mom says and she sits up slowly, sliding between me and the arm of the couch.
"And? Is he okay?" She asks, her voice slightly weak mixed with nervous. Her parents look at each other before her mom shakes her head slowly.
"But I don't understand." Skylar says, tears coming to her eyes.
"He's being put on life support for 72 hours." Her dad says to her and she buries her face in her hands, going completely silent. I sit up and put my arm around her, closing my eyes and leaving my head against hers.
"Sky?" I say quietly, making her look at me without moving her head.
"It's okay to cry." I say, crying myself. She nods and a tear rolls down her cheek.
"I'm sorry baby." I say quietly, making her nod slowly.
"It's not your f-fault." She whispers, grabbing my hand in hers tightly.
"I know. I just wish I could take this all away." I say, wiping my eyes, only to have the old tears replaced by new ones.
"I'd never want you to feel this way." She says, sniffling and wiping her eyes.
"Just know I love you. Okay?" I say, my voice breaking at the end.
"I love you too." She cries, leaning into me. I sigh and wrap my arm around her a little tighter, wishing I could just take the pain away.
"You're free to go see him now. I'm very sorry." A nurse says softly, walking up to us. Skylar's mom and dad stand up.
"Are you coming, Skylar?" Her mom asks quietly.
"N-no. I wanna stay here with Ricky." Sky answers quietly, her parents nodding as they walk away and behind the big brown doors. I stay on the couch beside Skylar, holding her tightly and trying my best to comfort her.
"I called Joby and Liam. They're on their way back." Emery says quietly, sitting in the chair across from us. I nod and look at Skylar, my heart physically aching for her.
"I-I'm cold." Skylar whispers softly. I take my arms away from her, long enough to pull my hoodie off and over her head carefully, letting her pull it on the rest of the way before she leans back into me.
"Thank you." She says quietly, making me nod slowly.
"Anytime. Let me know when you want to go back and I'll go with you." I say and she nods, wiping her eyes and sniffling again. I rub random shapes on her back, doing everything I can to help her calm down a little. I didn't exactly know what to do. But what I did know is that the spark of light Sky always had, has briefly been burnt out. Her whole world came crashing down, and mine, right along with it....