Fingerprints

Twenty-nine

Newt's eyes snapped open as he took a gasping breath. Then came a coughing fit, so violent that it made his whole body shake. Nurses rushed to his sides, asking him about how he was feeling and if he felt like he was going to throw up. The pain made him groan and curl up, sparks flying in front of his eyes. The only thing he could think of was his friends.

"W..wher..Where are they?" He croaked. The two nurses stopped and glanced at each other.

"Who?" One asked him, placing a hand on his shoulder when he tried to sit up, keeping him lying on the bed.

"S..Sonya..a..and Brenda and Harriet..a..and Minho and Tommy. Where are they?" He coughed out, wincing in pain at the burning pain in his lungs and stomach.

"I'm afraid I don't know who that is, but I'm sure we can find out for you." The friendlier one gave him a him a big smile and ushered the frowning one from the room. "Now, I need you to answer a few questions for me." Newt didn't like her smile. It was too sickly and made his stomach churn. "What's your name?" She asked.

"Newt." She frowned, her light eyes becoming thick with worry.

"Ok. We can try again. What's your full name sweetheart?" The smile was back, but this time it was slightly forced.

"Sam..Samuel Newton." Newt croaked, coughing and breathing heavily. Her eyes lit up with happiness and relief.

"That's right! And when's your birthday Samuel?" She spoke to him as if he were a toddler, and Newt hated the way she used his full name. It made him feel disconnected to himself, like he had passed out one person and awoken another.

"September 7th." He sighed.

"Brilliant! And when is-" She was cut off by four bodies skidding at high speed into the room, crashing into eachother as they hit a wall and then excitably scrambling toward the blond. Newt immediately cracked out a grin as he saw three nurses in hot pursuit of his friends. The kindly nurse turned to the four. "What do you think you're doing in here?! No visitors are allowed yet!" She frowned exasperatedly.

"Slim it lady, we're detectives." He heard Brenda say. But Newt wasn't listening. He'd found Minho and Thomas's eyes and they were all staring at eachother, tears having recently ran down their faces and grinning from ear to ear. Newt glanced up and down them both, checking they were both healthy, and also trying to figure out how long he'd been there. Then he noticed a piece of paper, carefully smoothed out in Thomas's hand. The letter. 'Wait. The letter. Oh fuck.'

"I don't care if you're the President Of space, you can't be in here." The nurse retorted.

"Please. Please let them stay." Newt's voice came out much more desperate and needy than he would have wanted it too, but it seemed to tug at the woman's heart strings, ending up in their favour.

"Fine. But you get half an hour. Then you have to get some rest. I'll be near by, press that button there if you need anything Samuel." She pointed to a small red button that was next to the Brit's bed. She sauntered off and the four rushed to his bedside.

"Hey" Newt murmured. He studied their faces. They were all drinking in the sight of Newt's face like it was a lifeline, tears all having recently run down their cheeks. It broke the blond's heart, but also made it soar to think that they cared that much. "You all look bloody terrible." They burst into happy, emotional laughter, Harriet in joyful tears and Brenda smiling uncontrollably.

"I didn't think I'd ever be so happy to hear you say 'bloody.'" She grinned.

"How long have I been out for?" The Brit asked quietly.

"Three days." Harriet cried. "But you kept falling in and out of being stable." She and Minho clutched one of his hands, and Thomas and Brenda clutched the other, Newt's long fingers giving them all a squeeze.