What's she Worth to You?

Breathe

E R I N

I run my thumb over her knuckles and smile down at her. She looks up at me and I gently adjust her breathing mask. Her breaths are scratchy and loud as hell, but as long as she is, indeed, breathing, I'm not complaining. She says something but I can't understand it through the mask.

"I'm sorry honey, I can't understand you," I whisper and she looks down, reaching up and taking the mask off in one swift movement,
which makes me very nervous.
"Woah, you don't think that's a bad idea?" I ask and she shakes her head.

"No, I'm okay." She says after she gets used to breathing on her own. Her voice is extremely alarming. It's gravely and rough, and way lower than usual. I clear my throat and try to ignore it.

"So, what were you saying?"

"Oh, I was gonna ask how the girls are," she asks quietly, taking a drink of water. I smile and look down at my phone, seeing the million texts Jay has sent me to asking if they can come and see her too.

"They're doing alright, going crazy over not being able to see you." She smiles, nodding as a quiet laugh falls from her lips.

"How's Jane?" She asks and I give her a questionable look.
"Brooke, I mean..."

"Oh," I start, not quite knowing what to say.
"She's loosing her mind," I laugh and and a bright smile spreads across her face.

"What about Noah? She still resent me?" I slowly shake my head and she gives me a look full of shock and confusion.

"She's actually been worried about you, too."

"Why, I thought she hated me?" I chuckle and shake my head.

"She told me what you said when you went to get her when the house caught fire, how you wouldn't leave her behind." I lay my hand on top of hers.
"She really loves you for that." She nods, looking down.

"I've loved her since the day we found her." I laugh and she gives me a look.
"What, what did I say?" I shake my head, shrugging my shoulders.

"I don't know, it's just kinda hard to take you seriously when you sound like you smoke ten packs a day." The most joy filled laugh falls from her lips, and it sounds like music to my ears.

I was worried I'd never hear that laugh again.

Yet her laugh turns into a cough, and a bad one. It starts off small and calm but turns deep and heavy, and she can't seem to breathe.

"Oh, gosh, Naya," I whisper, helping her sit up in hopes to help her. She grabs and fistful of my shirt and holds it tightly in her hand, so much so that it shakes. Her face turns panicked as she desperately tries to catch a breath, but her cough just seems to intensify.
"Hey, calm down, you're okay," I say over the noise but she just shakes her head violently as her face turns red.
I grab the mask and quickly fit it back onto her face. She finally sucks in a deep, shaky breath, followed by more coughs. I hold her In my arms as she continues to gasp for air, wheezing as she desperately attempts to fill her lungs. She gets one good breath, then slowly lets it out.
"There you go, sweet girl, just breathe. Deep breaths, Naya, deep breaths..." She nods, continuing the process.
At this point, her whole body shakes so violently that it's hard to keep her within my grasp. But I do it anyways. I hold the back of her head and she lays her forehead on my shoulder.
"Keep fighting, Babe..." I whisper, rocking her back and forth.

Her lungs are filled with smoke from the fire, she was in there for far too long. Not to mention the numerous burns on almost all her body parts.

"Are you okay?" I whisper and she nods her head weakly.
"Don't speak for now, babe, I don't want you to hurt yourself, okay?" She nods again, her body falling somewhat heavy against mine. I hold onto her tighter as she fights to stay awake.

"Don't go," she says quietly yet I manage to understand it clearly.

"I'm not leaving you, Naya. Trust me, I'm staying right here." She exhales deeply and her head slightly falls into my neck. The drugs pull her back under and her body relaxes.
"I promise," I whisper, even though I know for a fact that she can't hear me.
"I'm not going anywhere."

The door cracks open just slightly and Brooke's face appears in the door. I nod her in and she smiles, stepping into the room.

"Is she okay?" She whispers, trying not to wake her.

"She's going to be." I respond and she looks at Naya, who's now completely and fast asleep in my arms and smiles.

"She sure has been doing a lot of sleeping lately, huh?" I laugh and raise my eyebrows.

"Yeah, seems to be." Her backpack dings and I give her a confused look.
"What's that?" She pulls a laptop out and I give her a look.

"What's the big scary man from your work's name?" She questions and I have to hold back a laugh.

"Hank?" I ask and she nods.

"Yeah, he lent it to me and Noah when he came up to visit her yesterday."

"Honey, you know that he's my dad, right?" Her eyes widen and her mouth drops open.

"Really?" She says at full volume, and I shush her gently, a laugh falling over my lips.

"Well, more or less, yeah. He basically raised me, love." She shakes her head in disbelief.

"Wow," she whispers and opens up the computer. Her eyes scan the screen and her faces pales.

"What is it?" I ask and she shakes her head, turning the screen towards me and looking down.

Oh Brooklyn, my sweet innocent little
child, I'm going to slit your throat when
I find you, so enjoy your freedom
while it lasts.
- Lucifer
"What the hell," I whisper under my breath and she looks back up.

"Screw it." She says and takes the computer back.
"He wants to play games? I can play games." I shake my head and Naya stirs just slightly.

"Honey, don't," I whisper and she shakes her head.

"So what am I supposed to do? Nothing?" She asks, her voice upset.
"I'm not just gonna let him throw me around, I'm not helpless." I slowly close her computer with my free arm and she looks up, anger falling over her face.
"Erin, why won't you just let me do this?" Her voice elevates to a yell and Naya's eyes flutter open, meeting with mine. Brooke continues to get angry, yet my focus is on Naya's heartbeat. It's getting faster and more rapid. Brooke stops talking as she begins to notice and quickly sits down next to me.

"Honey, calm down," i say as her eyes roll back into her head and her body starts to shake.
"Woah, Naya, I'm here!" I yell over the sound of the machines. The beep of her heartbeat gets quicker and quicker her body shaking gets gradually more intense.
"Naya, listen to me!" I tell, before the line goes flat.