The One

Part 10

Earlier...
Finnigan was trying to get the gun from the man after he let Brielle go. But he didn't know what happened when the man suddenly yelled what he was lying about. He understood the situation the man was in and shot his gun, hitting Finnigan on the left side of his tummy. Brielle was yelling in fear. After shooting Finnigan, the man immediately left the room, and then Brielle heard another gunshot. The thought that someone else might have been shot outside the room filled her with fear. For a moment, she was frozen, unable to think, until she heard Finnigan's pained groans. Rushing over to him, she quickly assessed the extent of his injuries. As she witnessed the blood flowing out, she swiftly applied pressure to the wound. "Hang in there, Finnigan. Stay awake!" Leaning against the wall, she cried out for help, desperately hoping for a passerby to come to their aid.

Finnigan struggled to keep his eyes open as Brielle carefully worked to extract the bullet lodged in his gunshot wound. Despite his pain, he knew they couldn't risk moving to the operating room with the shooter still at large in the hospital. They had to find a way to ensure their safety before they could proceed with the urgent medical care Finnigan needed. "But how? We don't know where he is," he said, groaning in pain. "Well, then I will bring the equipment here. Just wait for me," Finnigan said as he held onto her hand. "Don't go. Please," he said, and she sat back down beside him.

Tears already flowed down her cheeks. She was scared. She was terrified of losing him. Even though she still couldn't love him as much as he loved her, she couldn't bear to lose him. Not now. "I'm so sorry, Fin. I always seem to cause you so much trouble," she said, her voice trembling as tears streamed down her cheeks. Finnigan looked up at her, his hand touching her tear-stained face gently. "Don't be sorry. You've done nothing but give me someone to love," he said, a faint attempt at a smile crossing his lips. "I don't care if you don't love me..." His words were cut short as he began coughing, his groans filled with pain. "I am grateful for the chance to love someone as my wife," he managed to say, his voice strained as he took a deep breath.

With tears streaming down her face, Brielle urgently pleaded, "Please don't leave me." She applied firm pressure to the wound and quickly scanned her surroundings for anything she could use to fashion a makeshift bandage. Then she spotted her coat and realized she could tear it into pieces to help. "Fin, keep applying pressure here. I'll find something to help. Don't worry, I won't be far." She tenderly lowered his head to the floor. Determinedly, she removed her coat, struggling to tear it off. When she thought it was good enough to wrap around the wound, she carefully wrapped it around his torso. When she was done, she returned to him and took his head to lay on her lap. When she saw that he wasn't moving, she slapped his face. "Fin! Wake up! You can't fall asleep," she said, and Finnigan groaned weakly. He had lost a lot of blood and all of his energy. "I'm awake," he said weakly. Brielle sighed in relief. "Please stay awake for me; I'm sure help is already coming."She said, and Finnigan just nodded his head. "Is the operation room far from here?" He asked, and she shook her head. "It's quite far. I don't know if you could walk over there with this condition," she stroked his head. "I can walk. I already told my partner to send help here," he sighed softly. "Maybe they're already here," he said, looking up at her. "I have loved you since we met for the first time when we were 13. Maybe you don't remember me because you and your family moved to London after that," he said with difficulty. Brielle was shocked to hear that. Why couldn't she remember him? "Remember we were swimming in the pool at your place, but then you almost drowned because your feet cramped? I saved you that day," he said, then coughed. A little blood flowed out from the edge of his lips. "You can tell me that story when you finish the operation, okay? I will wait for it. I promise," she said, wanting him to save his energy.

Finnigan wore a weak smile as he closed his eyes. "What if I don't make it?" Brielle was overcome with sobs upon hearing those words. "Don't say that. You will make it. I promise you," she said softly as she leaned her forehead against him. "Maybe this is the way that I could let you go," he said weakly, causing Brielle to sob even more intensely."No, please don't let me go," she pleaded, her voice trembling with fear. "I know I'm wrong, but I promise I will be a good wife to you once we make it out alive from here." As the words left her lips, she heard footsteps approaching, causing her heart to race with dread. At that moment, she silently pleaded for the approaching figure not to be the shooter. "Just stay awake for me, okay?" she whispered, kissing his forehead gently. She carefully eased his head back onto the floor and tiptoed to the door to investigate the sudden commotion outside. As she peeked through the crack, she spotted the familiar silhouette of a police officer and hurried out to seek assistance. Returning to the room, she knelt by Finnigan's side, her heart racing with worry and confusion. "Help is here! Stay with me," she urged, desperation evident in her voice as she received no response from him. "Fin! Wake up!" She pleaded urgently, shaking him gently. With no change in his condition, she resorted to slapping his face lightly to rouse him.

Slowly, Finnigan's eyes opened wide as he registered the sensation of her slaps. Brielle's head dropped against his chest in relief as she saw him responding. "Please, stay with me," she implored, her voice filled with concern. Just then, the medical team arrived with a stretcher to transport Finnigan to the Operation Room for urgent medical attention. Brielle anxiously approached one of the police officers. "Did you guys get the shooter?" she asked, her voice shaky. The officer nodded solemnly. "Yes, we did. And he is no longer a threat," he replied. Brielle let out a deep breath, her mind racing with questions about what could have driven the assailant to such violence.

Urgently, they whisked him away to the operating room. The hospital appeared to be in shambles, with various items scattered about. As she navigated through the chaos, she noticed bloodstains on the floor, prompting her to worry about whose blood it was and how many others were injured, aside from Finnigan. Finnigan was swiftly transported to the sterile operating room, where a team of experienced doctors took charge of his care. However, Brielle could not conduct the surgery as a capable surgeon. Her hands trembled as fear coursed through her. The memory of Finnigan being shot in front of her haunted her thoughts. He had taken the bullet to save her life, a selfless act that showed he was willing to die for her.