Smile (Ashton Irwin || A.u) *discontinued*

Chapter 10

|| Bastille - Poet ||

"Ashton, Ashton are you okay?" Alicia looked over at the sobbing ball of human flesh in the corner of the room. She was hesitant to go over and comfort him as she believed he might snap again.

"I am not weak, I will not break." Ashton's voice was barely audible as he repeated the same phrase over and over.

Alicia stood up from the bed and observed Ashton. She had never noticed the way his shoulder muscles contracted whenever he sobbed. He way his curls had different shades of sand in.

Guilt shivered through her as she took a sharp intake of breath. She couldn't be feeling this way about him could she? Especially when he was in this state.

The sense of reality brung her back from her thoughts as instinct took over. She left her room and ran down the corridor to the nurses office.

"Quick, please someone help! It's Ashton." Her breathing increased as Linda jumped up from her chair and followed Alicia down the hallway.

Alicia ran back into her room and stepped aside, leaving Linda enough room to go over to Ashton.

"Ashton, Ashton are you okay?" She extended her arm as Ashton snapped.

He extended his arm in the space of a blink. His hand wrapped itself around Linda's neck as Linda tried to pry his fingers off her.

Alicia stood there, watching it all in slow motion. She screamed for help, but felt no tug of the vocal cords. She ran over to Ashton, taking his torso from behind and grabbing his right hand.

"Ashton! Stop your killing her!" Linda's face turned blue and her movements changed from frantic to exhausted.

At that moment, another nurse ran into the room, shocked at the situation she had just entered. She grabbed a needle from the side pocket in her belt and ran behind Ashton, inserting the serum into his neck.

Alicia screamed as Ashton slumped to the floor. Linda stumbled back and coughed, putting her hand over her heart.

Alicia bent down beside Ashton as the nurse attempted to pick him up. Alicia growled as the nurse sent her a look.

"What did you do to him!?" Alicia stood up and looked at the nurse, her vision blurring.

"Calm down, it was just a sedation. He will be unconscious for a few hours. Until then we shall keep him under strict watch." The nurse left the room and returned after a moment with a stretcher and another doctor.

They both lifted Ashton and put him on the stretcher, carrying him down the corridor to the medical ward.

Alicia stood in the room and looked down at the human sized imprint Ashton had left on the carpet. A single tear ran down her face and created a tiny damp spot on the carpet.

She looked over to, Linda who had now recovered her breath. Linda looked at the floor before walking over to Alicia and hugging her.

"I don't even know why I'm crying.." Alicia sobbed into Linda, pulling her closer.

Linda sat her down on the bed and sat next to her, resting a hand on the top of Alicia's thigh.

"Alicia look at me, your worried for him. He is your friend, this is what happens when you get close to someone and they get hurt. You get hurt to." Linda smiled at Alicia as Alicia wiped her eyes.

"I'm sorry about before Linda. I didn't mean what I said." Alicia bit her lip and waited from a response from Linda. She looked up and found that Linda was still smiling.

"I understand, you were hurt." Alicia hugged Linda again, wishing she had someone like this at home.

"Thanks Linda. Congratulations with your baby. I'll see you after maternity leave right?" Alicia stood up and walked over to her desk draw. From her draw she picked out a wad of brown sealed envelopes.

"I promise I will come back here as soon as possible. And what are those?" Linda questioned Alicia as Alicia handed her the wad of envelopes.

"These are my letters. I want you to have them. I ain't going to do anything with them. So here you go, as a goodbye for now present." Linda took the letters as a comfortable silence took over the atmosphere.

"Thank you. Really, thank you." Linda stood up and hugged Alicia for a final time. Alicia looked at the clock

4:23

"What time are you leaving?" Linda looked up at the clock following Alicia's line of sight.

"7 minutes." Linda pulled back from the hug reluctantly. "I'm going to go and say bye to the other nurses. I love you."

Then Linda was gone.