Creating My Dreams•A BYE Fanfic

Chapter 16

Toby's POV:

I'm trying my hardest to get back to normal. Or at least anywhere that isn't in what Riley calls my depression state. We all still have no idea what's happening. We can't get anything useful out of the radio so when Sam wakes up we don't have anything to tell her.

After she wakes up though, I don't dare leave her or fall asleep. As much as I want to, I can't. I promised her I wouldn't. And I plan on keeping that promise. Multiple times throughout the night, I feel her lean closer to me like she's scared out of her mind. I don't wake her because she needs her rest. Connor said she lost a lot of blood so we shouldn't push her past her limits.

When she wakes up screaming once, I comfort her as best I can. I don't know what to do. Neither does Connor or Riley, but at least they don't have the feeling like its their fault on their shoulders.

Sam tells me to get some sleep after placing her hand on my forehead. Its comforting, not only because its HER hand, but also because it feels good to know she's in control of herself again. When she falls asleep again, I still stay up to watch over her anyway.

Connor comes in the back room a little after Sam falls asleep. "Hey, how's she doing?" He whispers.

"Fine I guess. She just fell asleep again." Connor nods and takes a seat next to Sam's leg, rolling it up. "I'm gonna change this again. Just to be safe." He leaves and comes back with new bandages and rubbing alcohol.

When he uncovers Sam's leg, the bandage is covered with dry blood, but the majority of the blood flow has stopped. He starts to clean around the area but Sam pulls her leg away whimpering a little, startling Connor and I.

"Hey Sam. Sorry I'm just trying to clean this up a bit." Connor says. She moves her leg back but is now tensed up. "This might burn a little, okay?" Connor says clearly sorry. She nods her head obviously not ready for the pain.

When Connor starts again, her eyes start to water, but she tries to blink them away. They fall down her cheeks and I brush them away. I can't stand to see her cry anymore because of the pain or the fear. It shouldn't have to be like this.

By the time he's done and her leg is wrapped up once more, Connor has repeated,"I'm sorry," too many times to count. He gets up and heads for the front of the bus.

"Connor... Wait." Sam says he turns to look at her, surprised she spoke. "Thank you." He gives her a small smile and says, "your welcome Sam." And he leaves.

After a few minutes of peaceful silence, Sam says, "What's even happening." "I don't know," I say. "We don't have signal but we have a radio that keeps tuning in and out. Riley's been playing around with it but I don't know if he's found anything yet." I pause. "You wanna go see?"

"Yeah." She lifts her head up and for the first time in a long time, I get a good look at her face. Even though she has gotten hours of sleep, there are bags under her tired blue eyes. She slides off of my lap and sits up with her feet on the floor once more. I stand up and stretch considering I've been in the same position for hours.

I turn back to Sam. "Ready?" She stands up on one foot and sways a little. I grab her arm worried that she'll fall. "Can you walk?" She puts a little weight on it and winces. "Not really." I come up next to her and wrap my arm around her waist. Then I take my other arm and put it behind her knees lifting her up and careful not to rub against her wound.

I lift her bridal style into my arms. She wasn't ready because she squeals and wraps her arms around my neck, smiling and laughing a little, something I've been missing for so long. I smile back as I carry her through the doorway, past the bunks, and into the front room where Riley and Connor are sitting playing around with the radio.