Here to Stay || Ashton Irwin (completed)

Chapter 16

"There are two options for this situation," the doctor spoke, looming over Ashton, his parents standing opposite. I still sat on the left side, the same as the doctor, as I waited to hear what was to become of him. "We could either increase the treatment or-"

"Increase it," Ashton's mom choked, not even giving him time to finish.

"Ma'am, I understand your decision, but I must tell you that the chances of recovery are not high."

"I don't care," she sobbed. 

"There's no gur-"

"Increase it, will you," Ashton's father interupted, "She's given you her decision, you have to listen to her." He was very monotone as he spoke, as if he weren't all there. I watched as his mom nodded, agreeing with him. 

The doctor sighed and turned to speak with one of the nurses and then turned back to his parents. "I'm required to tell you that there is no gurantee that he will wake up from this."

Ashton's mom looked like she had had enough, "Just do it," she huffed and stormed out of the room. 

I looked back at Ashton's face. It was still as it had ever been, the only movement coming from the rise and fall of his chest. As I stared at his eyes, willing them open, I heard the sound of the door closing behind me. When I looked up again, no one else was in the room.

"Ashton," I whispered, trying to wake him.

I placed my hand on his shoulder and tried to shake him awake, but nothing happened.

"Please Ash," I whispered, my voice cracking again. I wasn't sure how this whole death thing worked. Did other people experience what I did? Or was there some malfunction in my dying that caused me to stick around? What if that was it? That couldn't have been our last moment together. There was so much more to experience, so much more to say. This would be a terrible end note. 

I let a tear fall as I leaned forward and rested my head on his shoulder. My cheek began to rise and fall in rhythm with his breathing and I began to cry even more. I reached my arm across his body and laced our fingers together. My thumb brushed over his limp fingers and I remembered the first time they touched. Horror had danced across both our faces, but wonder had sneaked it's way in as well. It had been a comforting yet terrifying experience. I closed my eyes and tried to get myself to stop crying but it was no use.

- - - - - 

I must've fallen asleep like that because the next thing I knew a blaring light was pouring into the room and at least 10 hospital people, a mixture of doctors and nurses were speeding around the room. I perked my head up and tried to listen to what was going on but all I picked up on was a bunch of medical talk and a rush of orders. Suddenly one of the nurses inserted a needle in Ashton's upper arm and a yellow-ish liquid was sent into it through a plastic tube connected to a machine. The beeping that had taken up the background noise quickly slowed and the panicked feeling in the room disappeared.

"He's good," what looked like the head doctor announced. He wiped his forehead with his sleeve and rested his hands on his hips and observed the monitor. "He should be fine for now," he finally stated after about ten minutes. By now the crowd of people had thinned to three nurses and the one doctor. 

The three patiently waited for instructions as the doctor rubbed his chin. "Continue the IV, keep an eye on the monitor, and enable the panic button." The three women nodded and moved to the series of button boards and screens. They worked quickly and set up what they were told before they exited the room silently.

The doctor was left alone. He sighed and licked his lips, walking around to the side of the bed I was opposite to. He placed a hand on Ashton's shoulder and slowly bent down. "You need to fight a little harder kid," he paused, "Either that or we're going to need a miracle."