My Protector

Not a Want, but a Need

POV: Kate

Catie has been unconscious for five hours now. The doctor says she might wake up soon, but he doesn't know when exactly. It literally took the doctor and nurses a whole hour just to clean all of the wounds due to them being so infected and full of dirt.

Dr Williams told me and her mom that he was doing everything he possibly can, but due to the infection spreading throughout her body rapidly during those few days, he doesn't know what the outcome will be.

I have been treated for my injuries that are minor compared to hers. Just some wrap around my stomach and some pain killers for my concussion. They did a full-body x-ray on me just to be sure, but nothing got broken somehow.

Catie's dad said he is going to be on the next plane out to be here, but the plane trip itself will take eight hours to get from LA to here.

It's killing me that I can't go in the room. Every time I ask I get the 'it's against policy because she's in the ICU' bullshit. I just want to be with her. All they let me do is sit outside and look at her through the window like a dog would watch someone inside their house while they sat in the rain. I'm helpless right now. Just five minutes with her. That's all I ask.

"Kate, you should go back to the house and get some rest. You went through hell, there is no telling what is going on in your head right now. Just go home and take a shower and then come back after a nap." Catie's mom suggested, more so told me.

"I'm not leaving her." I said in a whisper as I watched her through the window before I felt a hand on my shoulder.

"Kate, listen, she's not going to wake up any time soon. I'll call you if we get any news. Just go home and get some rest, take care of yourself, and then come back." She said in a soft motherly tone.

"Not to be rude, but you don't understand. She is my home. She if my safe place. She is the keeper of my heart. I will not leave her side. She wouldn't leave my side if that was me, and I'm not going to leave her's either." A single tear fell down my cheek as I looked her mother in the eyes.

She kissed my forehead before telling me she's gonna go home instead if I'm not. She hasn't slept at all in the past three days, I have. It may have been on a blood soaked floor, but I slept more than she did.

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"She is breathing on her own now, and her hemoglobin level is to a safe number now, so we can move her to a recovery room till she wakes up." The doctor told me as he came out of the room.

"So when is she gonna wake up?" I asked in a hopeful tone.

"I don't know for sure, it's impossible to say, but I personally believe sometime soon." He gave me a small smile before going to the next room and two nurses followed him with the stretcher Catie rested on.

I followed the nurses closely and as soon as they left her, I got in the bed with her and curled up in her side. I need this. I need to be with her. She cannot leave me. It's not a want, it's a need.

"Please wake up baby." I whispered as I laid my head on her chest.

"I'm awake. Just tired." I shot up at the sound of her voice.

"Catie!" I nearly yelled to her before her smile started to creep on her face.

"You can't get rid of me that easily." Catie mumbled before taking my hand in hers. Her grip was weak, but she could move. I laughed at her response as tears streamed down my cheeks. "No no, don't cry. I'm here and I'm not leaving." She quickly said with furrowed eyebrows. She tried to reach her arm up to my face so she could wipe my tears away, but she was too weak.

"They're happy tears. I thought you weren't gonna wake up." I said with a small smile before kissing her lips, and she kissed back with all of the energy she had left.

"You have no idea how bad I've missed that." She smirked against my lips.

Yup, she's back.

"I love you." She said in the most sincere tone while she looked me in the eyes.

"I love you more. I'm gonna go tell the doctor that you're awake." I kissed her forehead before jumping off of the bed and telling the doctor before calling her mom and her dad before going back into the room to see the doctor trying to get her to stay in bed.

"Catie, you have to stay in bed." Catie's dad said as he held her down.

"I don't want to be in bed anymore." Catie said through gritted teeth.

"You need to gain your strength back." He informed her as he called in 'code strong' which caused a large male nurse to run in the room and hold Catie to the bed.

"Catie, I will put you on probation for a month if you don't knock it off right now and listen to the doctor." I snapped at her which caught everyone's attention.

She then sunk back into the bed and let the nurses take her vitals.

"How in the hell?" The doctor said to me.

"I'm her girlfriend." I said in a laugh and he mouthed an 'oh' in return before leaving the room.

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"Hey babe." Catie snaps me out of my thoughts.

"Yes?"

"I'm hungry."

"What do you want me to do about it?" I asked her with raised eyebrows.

"Get me food." She said with a toothy grin.

"I'll go get her some food." Her dad mumbled in a tired tone as he got up from his chair.

"I can go." I tried to stop him so he could get some rest.

"No, I got it. I need to take a walk." Her dad mumbled as he quickly left the room which caused her mom to follow him soon after.

"I'm sorry you had to go through this." I said as I got into bed beside her.

"I told you, I don't care."

"You should." A familiar voice filled my ears and I snapped my head around to face the one boy who just wants to ruin my life. Our life.

Jake.