Cry Me A River

Chapter Twenty Six - At First Light

{Dakota}

I squeezed my already closed eyes tighter as the bright light flooded my vision as I woke up. I turned my head, my neck stiff as I did so. A deep ache and stinging sensation ran through the left side of my torso. 

"Dakota?" a small feminine voice asked. I fought against the heaviness of my eyelids and opened them to find Elle sitting in the chair next to me, dry tear streaks running down her cheeks.

"Elle? Are you alright?" I asked. She laughed and got up, moving over to me.

"Am I okay? That's the first thing you say? You almost died, Dakota," Elle stated, a sad smile on her face.

"I know, but I'm here, aren't I? How long have I been out of it?" I questioned.

"Three days," she replied. Three days!?  "And you've been in surgery twice now, and Landon almost decked a guy, and he's falling apart, and your dad almost killed him."

"Whoa, whoa. My dad almost killed Landon? Why?" I wondered.

"Your dad blames him."

"Where is he?"

"No one has heard from him since you last went into surgery, five hours ago. Pierce called to let him know you were out of surgery and that was the last anyone has spoken to him," she explained.

"How are you? Seriously?" I asked sternly. She sighed, refusing to meet me eyes.

"Not great," she replied, pulling the chair up closer to my bed and sitting down.

"Why?"

"Pierce and I slept together during Thanksgiving break..." she stated, trailing off. "...and again during Christmas at the cabin."

"And...?" I pushed.

"And... it's been a little over two months since my last period," she whispered. Oh crap.

"Elle, you're not -" I stopped. She nodded. "Damn. Have you told your parents? Or Pierce?" I wanted to sit up so badly, but my torso was already in pain, and moving would make it worse.

"No. I - I don't know how. He'll flip."

"Elle-" I tried, but she cut me off.

"I'll figure it out. You need to rest," she said abruptly. "Get some morphine. You look like you're in pain." I sighed as I watched her leave, unable to go after her, and then hit the morphine button, my eyelids growing heavy. I closed my eyes, instantly falling into a dreamless sleep.

**************

"What if she doesn't wake up again? I've been so hard on her," my mom worried. I smirked.

"I'm glad you know that," I commented, my voice hoarse again. My mom laughed (probably the only time I'll get away with that) and ran over to hug me. "Careful, careful."

"Sorry. How do you feel?" she wondered.

"Like I've been shot," I mumbled. My mom scowled at me. 

"Well, we're just glad you're okay," my dad told me. Just then there was a knock on the door.

"Mind if I interrupt?" the doctor asked.

"Go right ahead," my dad replied.

"So Dakota, we have a couple tests we sent down to the lab, however they're not back yet, but other than that, you're awake, your vitals are good. Just a few good weeks of recovery and everything should be okay," he explained.

"Oh sorry. I'll... wait out here," Landon interrupted, appearing in the doorway.

"Dad?" I asked as the doctor left.

"No."

"Hon, let them talk. He was with her," mom told him. My dad sighed, frustrated, but walked out.

"Hey," I said as Landon walked in, pushing the door closed behind him. His blue eyes had that same scared glint they had months ago after his fight at school.

"Hi," he replied sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck as he walked to stand next to my bed. He looked like he was afraid I would shatter at his touch.

I was in a propped up position but not exactly sitting up. He looked incredibly uncomfortable.

"What happened to your hand?" I asked, referring to his wrapped right hand. He held it up and shrugged.

"Oh you know, just punching people," he replied casually.

"Who?"

"The person that did this to you," he answered, sticking his hands in his jean pockets.

"Was it Danny?" I already knew the answer, but I needed him to say it.

"I'm so sorry. I shouldn't have gotten you involved," he rushed, sniffling.

"Come here." I pulled him down for a kiss, one hand in a fist, holding his shirt, and the other, my left arm, limp at my side. It would hurt to move it, so I didn't. Landon had his hands placed on either side of my torso, kissing me back. It was a rough, hard kiss... almost like he was worried he'd lose me if he let go. Landon pulled away, walking a couple steps away with his back to me. "Hey," I called. He crossed his arms, continuing to face away from me, and when he turned back to finally face me, his eyes were red. It killed me to see him hurting like this.

"It's not your fault, Landon," I tried.

"Yes it is. I started an argument with him right before it happened," he responded, his voice shaking.

"Landon, you couldn't have known what he was going to do," I replied. He shook his head, running his hands back over his shaggy black hair, his breath quickening. He was going to have a panic attack. "Landon, come here," I ordered, patting a spot next to me. He huffed, coming over and sitting down. I intertwined my right hand with his left. His jaw was clenched and he looked like he'd rather be anywhere but here. "Landon, I love you. And you don't have to say it back, in fact, don't. Take your time," I paused. "I'm not blaming you for this, and you shouldn't either." After what seemed like a never ending silence, he finally spoke, his clenched jaw loosening.

"I'll work on it," he said, his voice sounding gravely. I gave him a small chuckle.

"I'll take that." He smirked his famous Hudson smirk from when we first met and just like it had that day, my heart fluttered.