The Healing (Book Two)

Twenty-three - Best Man

Alex's POV

I stood there completely frozen. Her whimpers had stopped and my heart stopped with it. It could've been a second or hours. The meaning of time changed during that instant. A second gunshot echoed through the room which made me unfreeze. I ran towards the noise and my heart dropped at the scene before me.

My eyes first fell on her. Her hands and feet were bound. She was laying in between Taylor and Ethan.

Ethan's motionless body was laying to the right. Taylor's was laying on the left with blood escaping his gunshot wound. I ran towards Mia to figure out if she'd been injured too. My mind was completely detaching itself from the emotional pain. I quickly unbound her and Hunter quickly ran in and headed towards Taylor. At the same time the police and EMTs ran inside the room. Hunter must have told them what was going on because they quickly put Mia on a stretcher and carried her outside. I felt like I could barely breathe.

As I got up to follow them my eyes fell on my best friend. He was lying in an awkward position that did not seem to bother him. The blood pooled around him was more than I had ever seen before. His wound was invisible due to all the blood. I wanted to talk to him and tell him I had to go after her but stopped in my tracks when I saw his blank stare.

Hunter who was next to him respectfully ran his hand over his face closing his eyes and I began to feel the grief consume me. I had to stay strong. For Mia. For my son.

I walked out of the room before the ambulance would leave without me and held her hand. They had to be okay. I couldn't lose them too.

Mia's POV

I was awake. A feminine voice kept asking me to stay.

Push! You're doing such a great job.

Prepare the incubator. He's not ready to be out on his own yet.

Push.

Darkness.

Stay with us! You can do this! Be strong for your little boy.

Mia, baby, I'm right here. Please don't leave me... stay... I love you.

Was that an angel that I heard? Such a beautiful voice.

The lights were suddenly so bright. The pain in my lower body so intense. I wanted to go back into the fog. My lungs burned for air. I heard my screams but I didn't recognize them until I realized my throat was hurting.

One more push! Use all your strength! You can do this! Nurse?

I love you Mia. There goes the sweet angel again.

A newborn cry? My heart beat erratically. Oh what a sweet cry. I wanted to comfort that baby. I blinked quickly. I wanted to see where the baby was.

It's a boy! Take him to the incubator now. We need to stabilize her.

You did it Mia! You did it baby girl, I love you. It's the angel again.

It was silent now. The darkened enveloped me and I felt into peaceful sleep.

Alex's POV

I watched Mia sleeping peacefully on the bed. After the delivery, the baby was taking into intensive care. He was so small. I never imagined having such a tiny little baby. I was scared to touch him because he looked like he'd break.

Mia was stabilized almost as soon as he was taken and now all we had to do was wait for her to get stronger so she would wake up. Despite the trauma and injuries she had a normal delivery and with lots of rest she would get better like the doctor said.

I was trying not to think of my best friend. Taylor. Hunter came in earlier to tell me he was gone. He shot Ethan almost at the same time that Ethan shot him. My best friend died protecting my family. I should have never let him come with me. Maybe he'd be alive if I had not brought him. Addison kept calling me. Wanting to know exactly what happened and I knew she deserved to know so I had picked up to tell her. I had wanted to do it in person to be there when she needed someone the most but I couldn't leave Mia.

Addison was mourning the loss of her love while worrying over Mia and the baby. I had lost someone I considered my brother but she lost the love of her life and I could only try to imagine that.

Mia opened her eyes slowly and I did not notice since I was wallowing in pain and sadness.

"Alex?"

Her soft voice was the best thing I had heard today. I basically ran up to her, "yes? What is it Mia?"

"The baby?"

"He's okay, he's in the incubator but the doctor said he's doing fine."

"Taylor? I saw him"

"Don't worry about that right now sweetheart, you need sleep" I said trying to sound strong even though my voice broke.

"He's hurt?"

"Baby don't worry about that now please just rest, I need you to get better."

"Dead?"

My broken expression must have answered her question because a pained sob came from her throat.

"Baby just worry about getting better right now okay? We'll discuss everything else once you're better"

The rest of the day passed by in a blur. Mia slept most of the day except when she knew someone was in the room other than me. She would immediately wake up as if scared which was understandable.

My mother and sister came to meet our little boy and see how she was doing. Her parents and brother also came for a few hours wanting to check up on all of us. Annabel stayed in the hospital because she knew I was not doing well. I was trying to stay strong but inside I was breaking.

When Addison came I couldn't keep myself together anymore. We met outside before she came into the room and I basically fell to my knees in front of her to apologize. It was my fault that he was gone. If I had gone the way he did instead of him... or reacted faster, or just not taken him with us. If I had never let him come, maybe never told him about the situation, he'd be alive. It was my fault and I would always be sorry.

She kneeled down next to me and cried. She told me that it wasn't my fault. She would forever miss him and it felt like he was still here but helping me was his decision. He knew the risks and he wanted to keep that baby alive. He knew was he was doing but still chose to help us.

After crying for what seemed like hours on the hospital floor, we both tried to look composed and walked into the room. Mia was awake which meant we probably woke her while we spoke outside. Addison immediately hugged her and I had to clench my fists to keep myself from crying again.

After she talked to Mia for about an hour, Mia fell asleep and I took Addison to look at the baby through the glass. He was so tiny. He looked just like Mia except for his hair which was the same color as mine.

When everyone had finally left, I went over to Mia's side and sat on the sofa next to her bed. She surprised me by saying "lay with me" when I thought she was asleep.

I knew it was against the rules but I didn't care. I almost lost her today. I very carefully laid right next to her and gently hugged her against my chest. She immediately relaxed so I knew she was feeling scared and now felt safe. Even though today was one of the worst days of my life, I had also been blessed with my son and my love who I still had with me. Despite the mixed feelings and sadness, I was able to fall into deep sleep.