Allurance

Chapter Nineteen

Tom's POV
Gwen started to turn around and Oscar was about to shoot. I scrambled out from under the table and tackled her to the ground. The gun shot went off. I wasn't hurt. I didn't hear it land on the floor. I looked behind me. Everyone else was safe. I looked back at gwen. She was bleeding badly onto the floor but she was facing down so I couldn't see where.
"Gwen!" I shook her and turned her over. She was bleeding from her neck.
"Shit I missed!" Oscar shouted. I looked up from Gwen.

BANG BANG BANG

Three perfect shots to his chest. He doubled over then fell to the ground.
"Call 911!" I shouted. Harrison called. Gwen was still breathing but very slowly.
"Come on Gwen, stay with me." I cradled her head. I moved her hair away from her neck and face. I even winced at the wound, it was worse than I expected.
"Can people hurry the fuck up?!" I shouted. Then we heard sirens outside the building. "Gwen, come on baby stay with me." I slapped her on the face, trying to keep her awake. Her eyes kept rolling to the back of her head. "Gwen come on! Only a few seconds!" I couldn't stop myself from sobbing. She can't be dying. She can't be.
"Move! Move! Move!" Paramedics shouted as they stormed into the building.
"Help!" I shouted. A woman rushed over. "Breathing? Conscious?" She asked.
"Slowly and barely. She's probably the only one here who isn't dead or fully alive." I said. Others came over and lifted her onto a stretcher.
"Will you guys be okay?" I asked everyone else. "We'll be fine, go!" Mum shouted. I followed the paramedics and I held onto Gwen's ankle. I didn't want to let her go. We got into the ambulance and raced to the hospital.
She can't be dead. She can't be dead.

3 months later
I walked into the hospital with a ton of balloons and a bouquet. I walked through the familiar halls again. The hospital is practically my second home now. I finally got to the special room I had reserved for her with two security guards on watch 24/7. I walked into the room.
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Gweeennn. Happy birthday to you!" I sang to her, walking over to her bed.
"You'd have loved that." I laughed to myself and sat the flowers on her bed and the balloons on the floor. I sat down next to her. She had a thing called an endotracheal tube thing which is a tube that goes down your throat and helps you breathe. She had tubes coming in and out from here there and everywhere too.
"You know, now would be a great time to wake up. There's chocolate cake at home." I smiled and took her hand.
"Once you wake up and get better, we're having a huge birthday party for you. I'm kind of hoping you wake up today - well, I hope you wake up everyday - but today I really want you to wake up because we have your welcome home banners up and your chocolate cake and everyone's waiting...that does depend on if you still love me or not. I mean you mouthed it...but you thought you were going to die so there's a difference." I paused. I was on another tangent. I rubbed my thumb on her hand.
"You're 24 now jesus you're old." I smiled. "Technically I'm older but whatever. I forgot to tell you about my birthday actually, it wasn't that fun. Annie throws the same shit show every year and then I -"
"Mr Holland?" A nurse entered the room. "Sorry do you need in?" I stood up.
"We need to change her." She smiled.
"So I have to leave?" I asked.
"Only for a few minutes." She smiled.
"Okay. It's her birthday today so that's why she has the flowers and stuff." I said, walking out the room.
"I'm sure she'd love it." The nurse smiled and I closed the door behind me.

"Well, today was good." I took a bite of the chocolate cake.
"I'm glad I brought a few slices from the house. You know, if you wake up then you'll get some." I smiled to myself. I came in at 10 this morning and now it's 10pm and I was tired, but I really wanted her to wake up today so I'm staying until I get told to leave.
"It's 10:58, they're going to kick me out in two minutes." I said. And then the two minutes went by and I had to leave. I walked out of the room and down the hall. I pressed the button for the lift but just when it came up multiple doctors and nurses ran past and were heading in Gwen's directions. No way. I sprinted after them, pushing past people and dodging abandoned wheelchairs and followed the nurses back from where I had just been. Her private room door was open and the guards were standing to one side. I could hear doctors talking. I walked closer to the door, and peered in. Her eyes were open and her fingers were moving oh my god. I knocked on the door.
"Mr Holland you can't be here right now." A doctor said. Gwen made a noise and shuffled in the bed.
"I have to be she doesn't have anyone else." I pushed past the doctors and grabbed her hand. "Gwen I'm here, I'm here don't panic." I said softly. The doctors were moving around and frantically shouting orders and taking notes and moving Gwen and talking to her. Her eyes stopped rolling and she blinked a few times before completely opening them. God I've missed those eyes.
"Gwen? Can you hear me?" A nurse asked. Gwen nodded slowly. Her eyes were shooting around the room and they almost looked black because of how dilated they were.
"Do you know who that is?" The nurse asked and pointed to me. She grabbed my hand tighter and looked at me. She made a noise and nodded.
"I love you." I said, trying not to burst into tears. She closed her eyes and a tear came out then opened them again.
"Do you feel aware and completely awake?" The nurse asked. Gwen nodded. Her nails were digging into my hand but I didn't care.
"Okay, we're going to take this tube out alright? It will be uncomfortable but don't panic." She said. They started removing the tubing. Her hand gripped even tighter on mine and I was finding it hard to watch. She kept gagging and tears were streaming down her face.
"You're doing great baby okay?" I said. She nodded.
"Okay this is the big one, when I say, take a huge deep breath, alright?" The nurse asked. She nodded. They twisted the tube a few times and then started pulling it out.
"And breathe!" She said and they took the tube out. She gagged then took a huge breath.
"Good job!" They immediately put an oxygen mask on her and she coughed a few times.
"You did amazing." I said. She was sobbing now. She has no idea what's going on.
"Gwen, you were shot in the neck 3 months ago. Luckily your boyfriend somehow managed to move you in time before the bullet hit you. If he didn't do that then you wouldn't be here right now. You've been in an induced coma for 3 months now." The nurse explained.
"I'll leave you two alone. She shouldn't speak so use hand signals." The nurse said and all of the nurses and doctors left the room. I sat on the bed. She smiled and tilted her head back into her cushion and then looked back up.
"Guess what?" I asked. She furrowed her eyebrows.
"Happy birthday." I grinned and gave her the bouqet of flowers. Her eyes widened. "Yeah...you're old now." I laughed.