Down But Not Out

Chapter 39

"Liz wake up" Matt whispered somewhere above my head and I groaned before cracking my eyes open to see that he was kneeling in front of me, as I was still lying on Summer's right leg. He smiled and brushed my hair out of my eyes.

"Josh's family are here" he stated and I nodded as Matt handed me a polystyrene cup of coffee when I sat up straight. I smiled gratefully and gulped it down before crumpling the cup and throwing it into the bin at the edge of the four seats where I was sitting.

I looked up to see two women and a man walking over to us and I gulped at seeing Josh's parents and his sister. I recognised Elissa of course since I followed her on Twitter as well as the fact that there were photos of her online. Biting my lip I stood up and walked over to them, Matt following as I did so. I glanced down to my left to see that Dan was sat on the floor with his head resting on Summer's left leg and his eyes were closed while she twisted his hair around her fingers and looked down at him lovingly. I gulped and blinked back tears, suddenly wanting to hold Josh as I stopped in front of his three family members. Elissa walked up to me and I took a deep breath.

"I'm sorry, I should've done more than what I did. I let him down" I cried, covering my face with my hands as my guilt crashed over me. I felt myself being pulled in for a hug as hair tickled the side of my face and I sobbed into Elissa's shoulder. She pulled away from me and I saw that her eyes were a blue colour as well. They weren't as deep a blue as Josh's, they were a little darker but I could see the resemblance in her eyes and cheekbones. She smiled at me.

"Matt and Dan told us what happened on the phone. I'm grateful you stayed with him and kept him awake" she said and I nodded before frowning up at Matt as I remembered something.

"What happened to his jacket?" I asked and Matt looked shocked that I'd asked him.

"In my car. We were going to wash it for you before we gave it you back since the lining is covered with his blood" he stated and I gave him a small smile, which made him sigh with sadness. Elissa pulled away and Josh's parents stepped forwards.

"This is Elizabeth" Matt stated and I rolled my eyes since he'd used my full name. He smiled, "-she prefers to be called Lizzie though. Liz these are Josh's parents, Kate and Richard" he gestured to them and I nodded, before sending them a sad smile. I opened my mouth to say something but couldn't think of anything to say so I bit my lip, standing there awkwardly. Richard stepped forward and encompassed me in a hug. I hugged him back and entertained the thought that he looked a lot more like Josh, than what Kate did. Kate looked a lot like her daughter, with her red hair which Elissa had obviously inherited. Although it was Richard's eyes that had been passed down to his children, although Josh had inherited his father's hair and good looks.

We pulled back and Richard nodded at me, keeping his hands placed on my shoulders.

"Josh mentioned you to us a few times even before you were together. He was ecstatic when he texted Elissa saying that you were his girlfriend. You made him happy Lizzie, and I only wished we could've met on better circumstances" Richard said in a strong Surrey accent. I smiled and nodded but didn't say anything.

"Miss Collins" a voice called and I turned to see the Doctor who had been with Josh in theatre walk over. I bit my lip and turned to face him fully. He smiled at Josh's family.

"You must be Mr Franceschi's family" he said, shaking their hands as Richard and Kate nodded. The Doctor turned his attention to Josh's family sensing that he should tell them what he would've told me had they not been here. I walked out of the way, but leaned against the wall as my legs started shaking.

"It's not good" the Doctor started and I saw Kate grab Richard's hand as she leaned into him but all I could think about was how the Doctor had gotten my name and Josh's.

"Your son suffered some blows. The knife ripped through some of his capillaries, which aren't exactly major ones but it can still be very fatal. He has three broken ribs as well as a fatal concussion which rendered him unconscious as soon as we got him to theatre. The concussion may lead to brain damage but we don't know until he wakes up. He suffered a lot of internal bleeding in his stomach but lost a lot of blood through his wound. We need to give him a transfusion, with your permission?" he explained and Kate and Richard nodded but the Doctor winced, "-the only problem is that we are running low on his blood type. Our usual donors are not due in for another week and a half to give blood. Do any of you match his type?" the Doctor asked and Richard nodded.

"I do" he stated in a gravely voice. I could hear in his voice the worry he held for Josh as well as the pain at how much Josh had suffered.

"That's good, the only problem is that he will need two pints of blood at least. One person cannot give that much without blacking out" the Doctor sighed. I found my voice.

"What type is he?" I asked, just a little louder than a whisper.

"A positive" the Doctor stated and I nodded. That was my blood type to.

"I have the same blood type" I stated, taking a shaky step forwards.

"How old are you miss?" he asked.

"Eighteen" I stated and he nodded.

"That's fine, you don't need parental permission to give blood as long as you volunteer to do so?" he asked and I nodded.

The Doctor smiled and gestured to Richard and I to follow him. I took a shaky step forwards as I thought about the fact that I would have to have a needle stuck in my arm. I didn't mind as long as it meant that Josh would receive the blood he needed to get back on the mend, but I hated needles. I used to cry whenever we had to have shots in school and my friends usually had to hold my hand or keep my attention to keep me from vomiting.

"Liz?" Matt asked and I looked up to see him standing next to me, looking worried. I realised I'd stopped walking, causing Richard and the Doctor to look at me.

"You okay?" Matt asked and I hesitated before nodding.

"Scared of needles?" he asked, a tiny smile on his lips and I sucked in a breath before nodding. I felt someone's hand slide into mine and looked up to see the pale skin belonged to Elissa. She smiled encouragingly.

"I hate needles to. Come on I'll come with you" she said and I smiled up at her gratefully since she was a few inches taller than me.

"Thank you" I whispered and Elissa and I followed the Doctor, who led us down the corridor and into the nearest ward where he sat Richard and I down on a bed each before disappearing.

I tried to make myself as comfortable as possible as Elissa took a seat next to me and gathered my right hand in hers.

"I can't thank you enough for doing this Lizzie, especially since you're scared of needles" she stated and I could hear the truth in her words. She did sound grateful that I was doing this since Josh would have enough blood as Richard wouldn't have been able to give the full two pints needed. I nodded and shot Elissa a small smile as the Doctor returned followed by a nurse, both of them pushing a stand with a clear bag attached to it.

The Doctor walked over to me and I took a deep breath before closing my eyes and thinking of Josh and how he made me feel when he smiled, or hugged me, or kissed me.

"It's for Josh" I said, opening my eyes to look at Elissa who smiled, but seemed a little shocked. She nodded and me and I squeezed her hand as my eyes slipped shut so as not to glance at the needle as I felt it slide into my left arm, before the Doctor placed tape on to keep the needle secure.

"I'll be back to check on you in a little while" the Doctor stated and I nodded at him, but kept my eyes closed, still thinking thoughts of Josh to keep me sane and to stop me from ripping the needle out.

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Note: So there you go, I hope you enjoyed the last few chapters. I've just realised something as well, there are eight more chapter and two epilogues left. Wow, how time flies!! Anyway thoughts please?