New on the block

Hospital

"Is she gonna be ok?" Cesar asks frantically. "Is there a parent or someone we can call?" One of the EMTs asks. "Yeah, her dad but I don't know his number. His name's Monty Finnie." Cesar tells them. They don't say another word to Cesar and he just stares at her. "Please don't let her die." He begs. They get to the hospital and everyone just runs right past him. A nurse leads him into a waiting room and he can barely breathe. "She's going to be ok, she has to." Cesar mumbles. Ruby's mom sits next to Cesar. "It's going to be fine, she's a strong girl." Ruby's mom says. "Geny, Ruby's going to be fine they don't want to release him for at least two days." Ruby's dad says. "And Monse?" She asks. "Eric, please." Geny begs. "They wouldn't tell me anything because we're not family." He says. "That's bad news right? Because if it was good new they would tell you she's ok," Cesar says quickly. "No, it just means we're not her parents so they can't tell us." Geny says. "I don't know where her dad is what if he's working and doesn't get back for a few days?" Cesar cries. "I'll keep trying." Eric nods as he walks back to the nurses. "She'll be ok." He mumbles. A few minutes later Oscar runs in. "Thank you God, I thought you got shot. Why didn't you text me?" He asks as he slumps beside his crying brother. "Que paso? Why are you crying?" Oscar asks as he looks between Geny and Cesar. "Monse and Ruby." She informs Oscar. "Are they ok?" Oscar asks. "Ruby's ok, but they won't tell us anything about Monse." Cesar says. "I got this, I'll be back in a few minutes." Oscar gets up and goes to see the nurses before anyone can get in another word. "I need to speak to nurse Kaia. Right now." Oscar says and once the nurse recognizes him she nods her head and goes to find Kaia. "I can't tell you anything about Monse." She says once she gets to Oscar. "Come on, please. It's for Cesar." Oscar begs. "Fine, but only because it's for Cesar. You disappeared from my life for months this has nothing to do with you." She says as she walks away. Oscar goes and sits by his brother. "Kaia's gonna see what she can find out." Oscar says. Everyone, including Olivia, is now sitting in the waiting room hoping for news on Monse or to be able to go and see Ruby. "She's in surgery it's just a fresh wound but she's there's bullet fragments in her muscle that they need to take out. She'll be fine, she was in shock and that's why she fainted." Kaia tells Cesar. Cesar just sits there wide eyed because finding any words in this moment is next to impossible. "Thank you." Geny says as she hugs Kaia. "No problem, now I need to get back to work." She says before she walks away. "I'll wake up when she's out of surgery, you should probably get some sleep." Oscar yells Cesar.

*two hours later*

"Wake up." Oscar says as he nudges Cesar. "She's out of surgery they said we can see her soon. You can go see Ruby now if you want." Oscar says and Cesar nods. A nurse guides Cesar to Ruby's room and he sees Jamal and Olivia. "Hey." Cesar says. "Hey, we were going to wake you up but Oscar said not to." Olivia says with a sad smile. "I'm so sorry Ruby." Cesar says. "Hey Jamal why don't we go grab some snacks?" Olivia suggests so that Cesar can talk to Ruby alone. "Don't apologize, just find a way to get out of the gang and then I'll forgive you." Ruby doesn't look at Cesar in the eye. "I'm trying!" Cesar cries. "Not hard enough. You should be in here in this bed not me, not Monse." Ruby says. "I know that, I would've taken the bullet for both of you." Cesar says. "But instead you're fine, you're standing there while-" Oscar comes in and cuts off Ruby. "Monse's awake, she wants to see you." He says. They walk down the hallway passed rooms with other critical patients until they reach Monse's room. "You can go in alone, the nurses won't say shit." Oscar says. Cesar opens the door and sees Monse laying down facing the ceiling. For a moment he just stares and watches her release each shaky breath. When the door closes behind him she flinches. "Hey bebé." He says as he walks closer. He'd give anything to hug her but the right side of her waist is covered in stitches. "Hi." She says with pain in her voice. "I thought I was going to lose you." He says as he pulls a chair right next to her bed. "Do you know who did it?" She asks. "No, but I swear as soon as I figure it out-" "Don't, Cesar. That's how we got here in the first place." She says as tears roll down her face. "I know, Ruby's ok. He's pissed but he's ok." Cesar tells Monse. "Where's my dad?" She asks. "He's not answering his phone." Cesar says. "Did you visit Latrelle?" Monse asks. "No, why would I visit him this was probably his idea!" Cesar says. "Because being shot sucks." Monse tries to laugh. "I'll visit him once you're better. For now you and Ruby are the only ones I'm worried about... I'm so sorry." Cesar says. He stands up to kiss her forehead. "It hurts." She says. "When I was in the ambulance I just wanted to die. But I heard your voice. I'm not mad because the second I heard your voice I remembered it wasn't just about me. It's about all of us." Monse says as she falls asleep. "I'm going to take care of you." He says as he holds her hand. Suddenly everything that's brought them to this moment floods into his mind and all he can feel is hate and anger.