Fallen

Chapter Fifty Eight

I was nervous as we drove towards the hospital Ellie had been transferred to, but I could tell that Nick was ten times as anxious. He was staring out of the passenger window in the back seat deep in thought. I glanced at Blaine through the rear-view mirror as he drove us. We shared a look before he glanced in the mirror at Nick.

"You alright back there, mate?" Blaine asked.

Nick shook himself out of his thoughts. "Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Just...thinking."

I reached out to grasp his hand. "You know El. When you see her, you'll think of the right thing to say. Just be honest, she'll appreciate that."

Nick nodded, but I wasn't sure if he was completely listening. I smiled at him nonetheless and squeezed his hand. Ellie loved Nick; she always spoke fondly of him when he wasn't around. I knew that she'd love to hear how Nick felt the same way.

As soon as Blaine found a parking space in the car park, Nick and I climbed out. I leaned through Blaine's car window.

"Good luck, sweet," he said before kissing me on the mouth. "Tell Ellie that I'm thinking of her."

"I will. See you in a bit."

Blaine winked at me before I met up with Nick already pacing towards the front entrance to the hospital. His breathing was short and heavy and all I could do was hold his clammy hand and reassure him that Ellie would appreciate what he was going to tell her. After asking the kind man behind the desk if we could see Ellie, he rose from his chair and led us to her room. It was considerably smaller than the one at the rehab centre, but the staff were just as friendly.

We were left outside of her door. Nick's hands were visibly shaking and his usual charming smile was there, but it seemed false. I rubbed his back which caught his attention. He looked down at me with anxiety in his eyes.

"You ready?" I asked in a hushed whisper.

Nick hesitated for a moment. His breath was held. Eventually, he nodded and I knocked on the door. There was some quiet movement from behind the door until it opened up. The heavy weight on my chest since the moment I said goodbye to Ellie at the previous hospital lifted when I saw her smiling and healthy again. Her hair looked recently washed and she wore a cute white summer dress that drifted around her knees. I missed her smile and warm eyes. She grinned and flung her arms around me, pulling me into the tightest hug. I held her back just as closely, smiling into the hair on her shoulder. The sweet smell of lavender brought me back to my childhood in an instant.

"Baby sis," she said, squeezing me before letting me go. Her hands came to my arms and I couldn't help but notice the bandages around her wrists and forearms. It made my chest hurt, but I didn't want to dwell on it. The colour had returned to her face and she looked happy again.

"You look so well," I said.

Ellie smiled. "I feel good," she added before turning to Nick. Her smile changed to a cheeky one when Nick finally looked up from his feet and met her gaze. The grins they shared was as if nothing had changed.

"You don't look so bad either," Ellie teased.

Nick gestured to himself. "I always look good, my love."

The comment made Ellie laugh before she welcomed us into her room. It was smaller than her last one, but it was still cosy. I sat down on the yellow armchair as Ellie and Nick sprawled out on the bed together, both lying on their stomachs and sharing sneaky glances to each other.

"How is this place treating you, El?" I asked.

"Good. I've made a few friends here, but the sooner I get out of here, the better."