The Only Exception (Dilmer Fanfiction)

Chapter Five

“I love you too” he must have been dreaming, she wasn’t really speaking to him. He had remembered her voice, every day he had played her voicemails over and over again. He never wanted to forget her, not even for a second. It couldn’t have been her.

He blinked and blinked, he saw her blinking back. She was awake. His baby girl was awake. “Demi?” he questioned her, he wanted to believe it, he didn’t want to wake up and realise he had dreamt this. He dreamed so much about them being back together like this, reunited and happy that this just seemed too good to be true.

She opened her mouth to reply and began coughing, her chest was rising so far upwards she was almost sitting up without any support behind her, he quickly pressed the buzzer which John had told him to do, and rushed besides her. He put his arm around her, trying to help her. He noticed the red liquid revealing itself out of her mouth. He didn’t want to freak out in front of her, he knew she didn’t need that, but blood was never a good sign. It was clearly coming from her lungs. He had heard horror stories about such things before and this couldn’t be happening. He breathed deepily and saw John and a few nurses who had been checking on Demi recently come to her beside. They carefully ushered to him to the side to watch while they tried to sort her out.

“When did she wake up?” John asked Wilmer. He was currently listening to her chest and seeing what the diagnose was. He didn’t look happy by any of this. Wilmer could see the panic in his eyes. It wasn’t good news he already knew that but John had just confirmed it.

“Ummm about a few minutes ago. She spoke to me…i didn’t know if it was really happening…I” he paused. For the first time he couldn’t do this. He couldn’t be the brave one for Demi anymore. He should have buzzed quicker, if he buzzed quicker would they have done something different, would she just be sitting there normally now. These thoughts ran crazy inside his head, hunting him down like knifes til he could only fall to the floor and cover his head with his hands.

“Wilmer…” John left the nurses with instructions before he went over to Wilmer. He bent down beside him resting his hand on his shoulder. “You’re not responsible for this. It’s normal in coma patients, but we will need to be careful…” he tried to reason with him. Even though Wilmer nodded he knew he didn’t believe it. He truly blamed himself. “Why don’t you go ring Dianna and the rest of the family while we sort Demi out?” he suggested. Wilmer got himself on his feet and stood outside the room and rang the familiar number on his phone.

“Wilmer…what is it? Is she…” Wilmer could hear the concern down the phone from Dianna. She was clearly breathless and crying just as soon as she realised who was ringing her.

“Dianna, it’s okay…she’s awake” he heard the phone silent. And then a scream from her. She was now shouting around the house telling everyone who must have been in different rooms that Demi was awake.

“Oh my Wilmer. How is my baby girl? We’re all getting in the car we’ll be there soon…” he sounded so happy, just on fire over the news.

“She’s not too good at the moment. Umm, John sent me out… he said it’s normal…” He couldn’t even pretend to be happy right now. He was happy of course she was awake but now he had to watch her in pain, he had to see her family come see her like this. And compared what she had been like in her peaceful state this would devastate them as much as it did him.

He said his goodbye to her and waited for them to arrive. He poked his head closer towards the room and saw that Demi had finally settled down. But he couldn’t help but notice the container beside her bed full of what had just come up from her body. He hated it when she was sick, he always felt so useless. He’d hold her hair and rub her back but it never felt like enough. He always wished to do something else to help her.

They must have literally got every green light possible, as they all arrived once again in a bundle. Everyone instantly peaking through the windows to see her laying there. Her eyes were flicking more than before and it was obvious she was now clearly alert of her surroundings. John looked over and nodded for everyone to come back in. Wilmer came in last and stood at the back.

“Demi?” Dianna was first to go closer. She looked scared. It was her daughter laying there. She was finally awake and alert. Demi flickered her eyes further until her gaze focused solely on her Mom. “Mommy” she cried softly. Dianna couldn’t do it any longer. She threw her arms gently around her daughter’s body, holding onto her tightly as she felt herself beginning to cry. She moved her mouth towards her forehead and kissed it over and over. She had missed this.

Eddie slowly came over and sat down next to Dianna, he held onto her hand tightly. It felt so glad to feel her hand gripping onto his. After all those times he’d come hold her hand, and it would be cold and she wouldn’t react. Now she was reacting and it was warm. She was back. His little girl was back. “You had us all worried you know” he tried to make light of the situation, he needed too. He couldn’t cry in front of her. Especially not now she was alert and understood everything. It took everything in him not to cry when he saw his wife break down. She had done so well.

Dallas and Maddie were next, they slowly sat either side of her. She watched as they both just dived into each side of her body. Holding tightly onto her. They were all like the three amigos. They stuck together through thick and thin. They had been there for each other no matter and this was only another barrier they overcame and fought. She had never been prouder of her two sisters. They had achieved so much and she loved them equally. “Don’t do that again okay?” Maddie said clearly. Her expression meant she was serious. Demi laughed softly at her comment. “I’ll try not to Mad” she winked back. She had hoped this would never happen again. She still felt groggy and icky. She didn’t want to say anything though. When john had been with her when she felt woke up he had told her the basic details…that she’d been asleep over a week, that she’d almost died, that her family hadn’t left her side, that Wilmer literally didn’t leave…wait where wad Wilmer.

She tried to move, John came back over to try stop her. “Woah there Demi…you won’t be moving for a while okay?” he reasoned with her. The fact was they were no clearer to finding out what happened and how this may have triggered any problems further for her. He wanted to have MRI scans and had scheduled them for later in the day to see if anything had changed from when she first came in.

“Wilmer?” she cried softly, he came closer to her and she instantly settled again. She felt her weak body just fall back into the pillows. She couldn’t contain herself around him. She knew he’d never leave her side. She remembered him telling her how much he loved her, she actually remembered it. “Kiss me?” she asked him. His face was now so close to hers she could feel him heavily breathing against her chin. “Please” she begged him. He nodded and pressed his lips roughly against hers. He had missed this. Their contact. The love that came across through their touch. He would have deepened it if it wasn’t for the room full of people who were staring awkwardly at them. Demi blushed slightly when she saw the faces her Mom and Eddie were pulling.

“Right everyone, I hope you don’t mind, but one of the nurses just informed me theres been a cancellation in the scan room and I’d like to take Demi now while she’s comfortable and awake…” they all nodded and stepped out the way. They stood waiting for her to return and to hopefully find out what had happened…