Impractical Jokers Requests Book Two

Someone You Loved (Sal x Reader)

Third Person POV

I'm going under and this time I fear there's no one to save me
This all or nothing really got a way of driving me crazy

Sat alone in the hospital waiting room at three in the morning, Sal's mind was racing; fear filled every part of him at the thought of his wife and how she had been rushed into intensive care after a long battle of fighting for her life.

Dark circles were evident underneath his eyes; the stress and fatigue catching up with the man. Sal was too worried to even begin to think about sleep, as he looked around at the bare waiting room, only one other elderly couple sat in the corner.

"She's too young to die," Sal reminded himself. "There's no way I can lose her."

His throat grew dry with each passing second, before the sound of the double doors behind him opening and closing caught his attention, as Sal turned, his gaze falling onto the emergency doctor who had tended to his wife's needs for the past four hours.

"H-How is she?" Sal's voice was hoarse, immediately knowing the answer at the look across her face.

"I'm sorry." Was all the doctor could say in that moment in time, as she led Sal through into a more private area of the hospital. "We did all that we could, but her heart was too weak and damaged."

I need somebody to heal
Somebody to know. Somebody to have
Somebody to hold. It's easy to say
But it's never the same
I guess I kinda liked the way you numbed all the pain

She placed a hand to the back of Sal's shoulder, as his eyes met with the floor, struggling to hold back his tears, as his lower lip began to tremble. "Would you like to see her?"

"I-I don't know..." Sal answered shakenly. "She was...fine."

"She was a fighter." The doctor agreed quietly. "Myself and the team are here to help you through this difficult time, Mr Vulcano. Take all of the time you need."

"I loved her." He began to cry, as a few tears stung their way down his cheeks, though his eyes remained staring into the oblivion ahead of him. "We were going to start a family, but I told her to wait until we were settled. She must have known that she was dying and I...I stopped her from having her dreams of a little family."

"Sir, you can't begin to blame yourself for this." The doctor replied sincerely. "Please come with me, I will take you to our bereavement counsellor."

"No," Sal denied, refusing to move. "I want to see my wife, [Y/N]..."

The sound of her name falling through his lips felt almost weird, as he swallowed hard, composing himself. "I need to see my love."

"Would you like to have a moment to yourself with her?"

"Please." Sal nodded; his voice ghostly.

He followed after the doctor, as she came to a stop outside of the hospital room. Sal tried to compose himself, though nothing could prepare him for what he was about to see, as he stepped silently into the room; the only light coming from the streetlight shining through the window that overlooked the parking lot.

His eyes fell over the silhouette of the girl whom he had loved with his whole heart, as he broke down there and then. Sal felt in that moment that his tears would never end; how could he ever get over losing someone that not even words could explain his love for?

Pulling up one of the chairs alongside the bed in which she lay, Sal seized [Y/N]'s hand within his own, as he studied the vacant features of her face. She looked as though she could awake at any moment, though Sal knew that it was inevitable.

"I love you," He whispered, bringing her cold hand to his lips and kissing softly at the back of her hand. "I hope you know that."

He sniffled hard, shaking his head. "This can't be happening right now. You have to wake up for me...please?"

His last words were almost silent, his voice lost amidst the twists and turns of the emotional turmoil that had come to overwhelm his body. Sal moved to nestle his head against her shoulder, just letting his fingers touch over the softness to her skin. He always loved to listen to her heart beating whenever they laid together at home, being almost angry that he could never experience the same ever again.

His cries had drained him of energy, as Sal was soon awoken an hour later by the same doctor, this time she was accompanied by a man, who Sal assumed to be the counsellor. He was taken out of the room, taking one last look over at his wife's lifeless body, desperate for this all to be some kind of sick and twisted dream.

Now the day bleeds. Into nightfall
And you're not here. To get me through it all
I let my guard down. And then you pulled the rug
I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved

Returning home after spending endless hours at the hospital, Sal felt numb from head to toe. It didn't feel right coming home without her by his side; it was a life that the man was going to have to grow accustomed to. There would be no more mornings waking up together, no more nights of passion, and no more of the little moments that he treasured most with her.

She was gone, and Sal had to accept that. He had to come to terms with his new life without [Y/N] and how so many things would change. He was lost without her presence; she was the reason for his smile and why he did everything in his power to ensure her happiness. He lived and breathed for his wife, and now, it was all gone.

His most prized possession was no more.

I'm going under and this time I fear there's no one to turn to
This all or nothing way of loving got me sleeping without you

Everything within his home reminded Sal of [Y/N]; memories came flooding back to him, making his heart swell inside of his chest; from the day that they moved in together, all the way up to just the other night, as they had a movie night together, resulting in both Sal and [Y/N] falling asleep on the sofa in a mangled mess.

Sal knew that these next few weeks, months, even years, were going to be ridiculously tough to get through; he needed time to heal, to focus on keeping her memory alive and converting his wife's dreams into plans.

The halls felt empty, her lack of presence forming a major hole in his everyday life. It was as though Sal had lost the final piece to the jigsaw puzzle of his life. [Y/N] completed him, made him the man who he was destined to be, and now their marriage was no more. She was now a part of his past, and Sal had no idea where to let his future lead. He wasn't ready to move on; he didn't want anybody else but her.

A void had come between himself and living; a part of Sal not wanting to be here on this earth without the soul mate that had come into his life, just to leave just as quickly. He loved her dearly and always would, this would be a wound that would never heal, scarring him to the point of no redemption.

His heart ached terribly, as he lay there on the bed, wide awake. Too alert to sleep but too exhausted to do anything else. Sal was trapped in an endless cycle; going through the stages of grief and despair wasn't in his expertise, as he remained stuck on the first step: denial. Sal couldn't, and wouldn't, believe that his wife had really passed, as he stared at the framed photo of them both on their wedding day hanging on the wall, bringing tears to his eyes.

"I'll do you proud." Sal whispered croakily. "I promise, [Y/N]."

I was getting kinda used to being someone you loved.