A Moment in the Cabin

If I Don't Wake Up, Let Me Go.

This must be what it felt like for Rose when I lost consciousness after the caves. Except the difference here is that I was unconscious due to blood loss; she has been in a coma for two weeks. I switch the wilted flowers out of the vase with new ones, chrysanthemums, and toss the dead ones into the trash bin. I look over at her and realize just how small she is in that bed; her eyelids taped down, her arms laying on the blanket with IV's hanging out of them, breathing tube down her throat. I think the most startling thing is how pale she looks under the lights.

I pull the chair beside her bed again and carefully take one of her hands in mine, pressing her palm to my cheek. I close my eyes and try to focus on the warmth of her hand, praying that she will walk up soon. No matter how many times Lissa has tried to heal Rose, all it has done is bring her vitals up.

Lissa is not only suffering because her magic is not waking Rose up, but because the bond is gone. Christian was in a panic when they finally caught up with us at the hospital. He said Lissa was distraught when she felt the bond break and demanded that the Guardians turn the car around, but they were bound by duty to take her and Christian back to court.

At least one good thing happened that night. The two of them were unharmed. Rose and I did our duty. But now Rose's life is hanging on the line.

"You really should go and get some sleep," someone says. I look over my shoulder to see Janine standing in the doorway, her arms crossed over her chest with a sad expression on her face. "I haven't been able to sleep," I say turning back to look at Rose. Janine walks into the room and sits down in the chair on Rose's other side, running her hand over Rose's arm.

"Did the doctor say anything about her ribs the last time he was in?"

I shake my head and shudder at the thought. When I searched for her pulse and couldn't find one, I went into autopilot and started CPR. I did it for so long and frantically that I cracked her sternum and broke three ribs. But in the end, I guess we all would rather her living with broken bones than dead. I press my lips to her palm before placing it back on the bed, stroking the back of it as best as I can with the needle in the center of it. I look over at Janine before standing up.

"I'll give you some privacy. Maybe I'll try to get some sleep."

_____________________________

I feel a hand stroking my cheek and I turn my head towards the gentle caress. I open my eyes to see brown ones that I have fallen in love with looking back at me.

"Roza?"

Rose smiles and runs her thumb over my lips before leaning in and replacing it with her lips. I cup the back of her neck and hold her against me, moving my lips against hers eagerly, drinking in the sweet taste of her.

Rose pulls away to breathe and pants heavily in my face, her breath fanning over me. I pull her body flush to my body, drinking to the feeling of her moulding herself to me. I rest my forehead against her with a sigh and rub my hand over her back while her fingers brush over my chest.

"I miss you," she says, and I pull back a little to look at her. But her face isn't what catches my eyes, the room itself does. We are back in the cabin. I shake my head to clear the confusion, but I am still confused about why we are here and not in my room.

It is only a dream.

Rose rubs her thumb over my cheekbone and pecks my lips again. "I don't know how long we have, but I had to see you. Thank you for this morning by the way," Rose says with a smile and I furrow my brows at her.

"You sang to me. I don't know what you were singing, but it was beautiful."

I nod at her cautiously as I try to find any hint as to why I am in this cruel dream. Rose wraps her arm around my shoulders and rolls us, so I am leaning against her chest. "It's a Spirit dream, Comrade. Adrian was able to get through to me earlier, and I begged him to try and connect us through a dream."