My Better Half (Sequel to My Cup of Tea)

Chapter Nineteen

This is it (not the end, just...well, read it).
Also, I couldn't leave y'all wondering so...

I'm so sorry.

"Baz––"

It happened too fast.

What?

The deer just appeared out of nowhere. It came out of the woods on the right. It was a buck. A big one. It tried to leap out of the way, leap over the car, but it couldn't.

Fuck, it's not going to make it.

Instead, it crashed into the windshield on Simon's side.

No...

The glass cracked and suddenly, before Baz could even blink, there were shards everywhere. He could feel them in his legs, in his arms, but he was fine. It hurt, but it was manageable. He could move. He could think.

"Shit," he said.

He peered out to see the deer on the road but he couldn't see it. It was too dark and foggy for him to get a clear visual. Then he started laughing because, fuck, they'd just narrowly avoided death. He turned to Simon to make sure he wasn't too spooked about it, but Simon wasn't there.

Instead, Baz found himself face to face with the deer.

Dead.

Baz launched himself out of the car, ignoring the pain that shot through his body as he moved. He sprinted around to Simon's side of the car to assess the damage––to find Simon. Simon's window was bloody and broken and Simon's forehead had gone clean through it. He could see the blood, he could practically smell it. Simon's eyes were open and staring dead ahead through the place where the window had once been.

He must've been knocked to the side when the deer came through.

Baz opened the door and carefully fished Simon's body out from under the deer.

His eyes were still open, staring straight ahead.

Baz sunk to his knees.

No.

"Simon..." he whispered, combing his fingers through Simon's bloody, matted curls.

No. This can't be...he can't be.

He tried to hold back his tears for Simon. He tried to stay strong.

"Please," he choked. "Love, please wake up. Come on, Simon. You're fine. You're..."

He held Simon's face against his own and felt something flutter on his cheek. He pulled away and saw Simon trying to blink, or maybe trying to focus his vision. Baz smiled at him softly, taking that sign of life to mean that it could be okay because Simon was alive and he would be okay. He could be okay.

"Simon...are you okay?"

It was a stupid question, of course, but Baz wanted him to talk. He wanted to know that he was alive enough to speak and that nothing had been too severely damaged.

Simon tried to laugh but then he coughed instead. His face clenched in pain. "Tip top," he managed with a half-smile.

"I'm going to call 999," Baz said, realizing that he probably should have done that earlier.

Simon nodded, his eyes rolling back into his head as Baz fished his phone out of his pocket. "Don't," he warned, stroking Simon's cheek. He dialed the number. "You need to stay with me, okay? Stay with me. Please."

"Hello, this is the ambulance," the operator, a woman, said.

Baz sighed in relief. "Hi. I need an ambulance. I'm...I've been in an accident and my friend––"

He couldn't breathe. He couldn't say it.

"Sir, hello?"

"Sorry. We're...we're on Ringwood, I think. In Burley."

Simon coughed again.

"Shh, Snow. It's okay. They're coming to help you, okay? You just...stay with me, okay?"

Simon nodded, obviously straining to keep his eyes open.

"Can you describe the nature of the accident? An ambulance is on its way."

"We––we hit a deer. My friend..."

"Is he conscious?"

"Yes. Barely. He keeps...his head went through the window. The deer landed in his lap."

"Is he breathing?"

"Yes."

"Is he responsive?"

"Yes. Hardly. I'm trying...I'm trying to keep him awake. I don't––please get here soon. I'm not...I don't think there's anything else I can do..."

Simon reached up and squeezed Baz's hand, shooting him a soft smile. "I'm okay," he whispered.

Baz shook his head, disregarding whatever the operator was saying. "You're not okay. You're––"

"I'm just gonna sleep. Just for a minute or two. I'm...tired, Baz. So..."

His eyes started to close again and panic flooded Baz's chest.

"Hurry! Please! He's dy––I can't lose him. Do you––"

There were lights in the distance, flashing erratically. Baz waved his arm frantically, hanging up with the operator in the process. He kept one arm firmly around Simon, holding him tight to his chest.

You'll be okay, he tried to tell him as the paramedics put Simon on a gurney and wheeled him into the back of an ambulance. Baz got in with him, refusing to leave him for a single moment. They hooked Simon up to machines and drips and Baz held his hand, rubbing soothing circles onto it.

I love you and you'll be okay and I'll be here with you, Simon. Don't you dare let go. Not now.