Chance • {Dominic Sherwood; 1}

031. ever again

Dom and Matt walked into the hospital the next morning, both of them ridiculously tired and ridiculously worried about Annabelle. They hadn't talked much while they'd travelled other than to say how bad she'd sounded when they'd talked to her on the phone the day before and to provide each other with comfort that she was going to be okay.

They found the room number Nora had given them easily and Dom knocked on the door quietly. It swung open a moment later to reveal a tired-looking, tear-stained Nora. Dom pulled the girl into a hug and she held onto him, reaching for Matt's hand as well. They stayed like that for a while, and when they broke apart Dom immediately made his way to Annabelle's bedside.

"Dominic," she whispered, her voice hoarse. He looked her over, not sure he'd ever seen her look so small or so tired. There were thick bandages on both of her wrists and an IV in her arm and all Dom wanted to do was hold her close to his chest and never let her go.

"Hello, little one," he said, kissing her on the forehead before sitting in the chair beside the bed. Annabelle reached for his hand slowly and he gave it to her, careful not to bump her bandage.

"Matt Dadd," she whispered, a tinge of a smile on her face. She reached for him with her other hand and he took it gingerly, perching delicately on the edge of the bed.

"Hey, Belles," Matt said, placing a small kiss on her forehead and squeezing her hand lightly.

"I bet this isn't how you pictured us meeting," she rasped, doing her best to smile again. Matt smiled back at her, shaking his head.

"Not exactly, but it'll do. I'm glad you're okay, Belles," he told her, and she nodded just slightly and directed her attention back at Dom, who was looking at her with tears in his eyes.

"I'm okay, Dom," she whispered, taking the hand he'd been holding and brushing the side of his face with it. "You didn't have to come," she told him, and he was instantly shaking his head.

"I absolutely did have to come. I love you," he said, his voice shaky.

"I love you too," she whispered motioning for him to lean down and kiss her. He did so and she wished she could hold him. "Thank you for telling him when I called you. I'm not sure what would've happened if you hadn't," she said, looking back to Matt. He nodded, squeezing her hand again.

Tears rose to Annabelle's eyes as she looked around the room at three of her favorite people. She wasn't totally sure what headspace she'd been in the day before when everything had happened, but sitting there in that hospital room looking at those three sad faces, she knew she had to make a change, if not for her then for them. She made a promise to herself right then and there that she was never going to be the reason these people looked so sad ever again.