A Beating Heart

3.

I woke up to light streaming into my eyes and something tickling my ear. I quickly reached a hand up and itched it, tucking it behind my ear in the process. I froze with my hand halfway back down to the bed. My eyes snapped open and locked onto my hand, suspended in the air.

I could move! I could see!

I looked around for the only person I wanted to see right now to find him slumped down in his chair, breathing deeply, dead asleep.

"Levi..." I rasped, realizing that my voice was hoarse from lack of use. I swallowed, trying to clear my throat before trying again. "Levi," I managed to say a little bit louder this time, reaching my surprisingly heavy arm over the bed to try and shake him awake but being unable to reach him as a bolt of pain shot through my abdomen, causing me to grunt in pain. He stirred then, his eyes fluttering open and then slowly looking at me. He didn't react for a moment, his eyebrows creasing together as he tried to make sense of what was in front of him, but then once he realized what he was seeing, his eyes went wide and he shot out of his chair, taking my hand in his and leaning over the bed, using his other hand to smooth my hair away from my face.

"Maya! Oh my gosh, you're awake! You're actually awake!" he said in a somewhat quiet, disbelieving voice. He ran to the door of the room and yelled down the hall, "Nurse! She's awake! Maya is awake!" Before he darted back to my bedside and taking my hand in his once more.

His eyes darted around my face, seeming to take everything in and I managed to give him a weak smile. I opened my mouth to speak, say something to him, but nothing came out, only a small wheezing sound. "Do you want some water?" he implored, already turning to get me some before I could nod my head. Once he had filled up the cup, he held it in front of me so I could sip from the straw before laying my head back.

"Levi..." I tried again, bringing my hand up to rest gently on his cheek. "You grew facial hair!" I trailed off, surprised, my eyes wide as I ran my thumb over the scruff that had developed on his face. He always kept his face so clean-shaven. He responded with a heart-stopping, beautiful smile and a laugh spilling from his lips. "I have been waiting four days for you to wake up and hear my name come from your lips."

Suddenly a nurse bustled in and a smile breaking out on her face. "Oh darling, so nice of you to join us!" she teases, winking at me and walking closer, beginning to check the machines above me and my vitals. "Everything seems to be right as it should, sugar, I'll go get the doctor to come in and run some tests." She said before walking out of the room and closing the door behind her.

Levi came and sat on the edge of the bed, dangling his legs over the side and taking my hand in his. We looked at me, his eyes shining and a simple smile on his face.

"Maya-"

"Levi-"

We both started at the same time, before stopping abruptly and chuckling. I had missed his laugh. "You start." I said, smiling at him. I started searching for the button to raise my bed up so I was sitting upright. Levi got to it before I did and held the button down until I nodded that it was good.

"Right. Okay." He started, suddenly looking a little nervous and biting his lip. "So after everything that happened, and seeing what could have happened to you...I...I feel..." he stuttered to a halt. He was quiet for a moment before he looked at me a let out a quick chuckle. "This was a lot easier to say when you were asleep." I laughed with him, squeezing his hand.

"It's just me, it's just Squeaks...you can tell me what's on your mind." I told him, smiling at him comfortingly. "Okay," he said, smiling at me and exhaling through his nose. "While you were asleep, I realized-"