It had been well over twenty-four hours before a nurse came out to get Frank.
"For Charlie?" she called and Frank stood instantly, startling her.
"Is she okay?" he asked immediately.
"Are you direct family with the patient?" she asked first.
"She doesn't have any family left," he told her, silently begging her to tell him she was okay.
She sighed. "You're with the Saints?" she asked, rubbing her temples as he nodded. "What's your relationship with her?"
He blinked a few times. "Boyfriend?" he said, finally, for once in his life, sounding like he was asking a question but in a situation where he shouldn't be asking a question.
She looked at him, her eyes narrowing.
"I'm the closest to family she's got," he decided to say. He never thought he'd say those words about someone else ever before.
"Hell, this is already illegal," she huffed. "She's stabilized."
He let out a breath of relief.
"But," his heart raced. "She hasn't regained consciousness. By now she should've. It's not even a coma she's just...asleep."
"Is that not good?"
"Well, its neither good nor bad right now. She should've regained consciousness but, based on her wounds, she probably went through hell so it does make sense for her to be still asleep. However, if she doesn't regain consciousness then she will be diagnosed with a coma."
"That won't happen right?"
She sighed once again. "Listen, we won't know if she regains consciousness within the next forty-eight to seventy-two hours. Like I said, it's most likely her body simply recovering from the trauma. I, personally, do not think there's anything to worry about but we're going to monitor her until she wakes up."
"Can I be with her?" he asked, and she was taken aback by the brokenness of his voice. He sounded desperate which did not go with his overall appearance.
"Follow me," she said, taking him behind that door he'd been staring at nearly the entire time he'd been there.
He followed that nurse through the stark white halls, some doors were open allowing him to see some of the patients. Some had visitors, some were alone, some were asleep, others were staring into nothingness. They went to the far end of the hall to a secluded room. She opened the door for him and motioned for him to enter.
He stood there for a moment, hearing the gently beep of the heart monitor from within. The nurse left him to gather himself and it took Frank a great deal of time to enter that hospital room. He slowly stepped in, allowing the door to silently shut behind him. The beep of the heart monitor seemed to get louder as he stood in the room.
He was afraid.
He didn't know what he was afraid of, he was just scared. Of all the situations he's been in, all the near death experiences, all the blood he's had to shed; this is what scared him. He couldn't see her for the curtain was drawn around her bed but he could see her covered legs at the end of the bed.
He stepped towards her bed, slowly pulling the curtain aside to see her face. She had more color in her face than before, her arms were covered in several bandages and gauze and she was hooked up to two different IV's and an oxygen mask.
He sat in the chair beside her bed, immediately clutching her hand.
He had already lost the man who gave him a chance at life again and now he was watching the one person to made him want to live, fight their own demons. "You better come back to me, woman," he grumbled, trying to keep his composure as he stared down at her hand that didn't clutch his back. "I never gave up and neither should you."
Charlie was fighting. Her past was spreading through her mind like an infection, no matter how much she tried to run she ran into another demon. She was being consumed, being drug to the deepest, darkest parts of her mind. She was reliving every single painful memory, every single memory that held her back and caused her to have nightmares only now she was stuck in a never ending nightmare.
At one point, she shut her eyes and covered her ears. "It's just a nightmare, it's not real," she kept trying to reason with herself.
She could feel the presence of those demons, lurking around her, waiting for her to open her eyes so they could proceed with their torment.
"Charlie."
She could hear someone, faintly. A voice she recognized but couldn't pinpoint in that moment.
"You better come back to me, woman."
The voice gradually got louder, and she recognized it. The man she loved, the one and only person she could trust and depend on, the one and only person who gave her a home without knowing he was her home. It was then that she could see a light from behind her closed eyes and she slowly opened them, proceeding with great caution.
The demons around her were gone and a bright light appeared, reaching out to her.
"I never gave up and neither should you."
"I won't! I won't give up!" she called, running towards that light until it completely engulfed her.
Frank watched her face, watched as she fought a hard mental battle, one he couldn't help her with.
However, suddenly, her hand clutched his and his head darted down to watch her hand. It didn't move and, for a moment, he thought he imagined it until it clutched his hand again, this time holding it tightly.
He looked back up at her face, seeing her eyes open and already staring down at him. Like a flash, he stood and leaned over her, his other hand touching her cheek softly. She smiled at him weakly, a few tears running down the side of her face.
"I'll never give up on us," she said, her voice raspy and breaking.
He placed his mask-covered forehead on hers, shutting his eyes as the biggest relief washed over him.
"I didn't doubt you for a second."
Sorry to disappoint y'all but Charlie is gonna stay alive for a while.
I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, it would've been done yesterday but I moved back on campus which was an all-day event pretty much.
I will continue to try and update as frequently as I can. I have a lot more ideas planned and ready for this story and it will most likely end in another 10-15 chapters.
After this story is complete, I plan to create some sequels, however, surrounding some of the other Saints.
Until next time, please continue to vote and comment, it helps me out a lot :)
I love you all, please eat well, get plenty of sleep, drink lots of water, and don't forget; you're all amazing in your own unique ways.
With care,
D. M. Brightwell
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The Saints' Devil
Romance{The Wattys Awards Shortlist} The Saint's Brotherhood motorcycle club was known all over town, they were ruthless. They were feared, they got their reputation from one member in particular, one member that was so unbelievably intriguing and mysterio...
