The dent in our vows

𝟒𝟒

David's POV

I, David Earl Argent take you, Dawn Araceli Montgomery as my lawful wife...

All my life, I'd always thought I'd experienced enough to know what real anguish was. I thought I knew what real pain felt like, but bursting through those doors and staggering into a scene where my wife lay down on the floor, curled up in her pool of blood made me realize I only knew the tip of the iceberg.

Time stooped utterly as the world around me disappeared into a clangor of agony. It was like my life had taken a big hit from an avalanche. The feeling... It ate me inside out, hurting so bad, so awfully bad that my lungs closed and my body went rigid.

My knees buckled. I crumpled to the floor next to her. "Dawn.." My voice broke as I took her hand and placed it on my cheek, hoping that it would pulse but it was cold, too cold and her body was as pale as a lily crowned with moonlight.

My heart bled.

"Dawn, baby, it's me, David please say something." Her chest barely moved, oh God. "Dawn?" I shook her, calling out to her, desperate to hear her speak, or blink, or open her eyes to look at me. "Dawn, say something!"

"We don't have time for this David!" Tanner who I'd called earlier thinking he would arrive before me, snapped, barging in through the door. "We need to get her to the hospital. We can't wait for the ambulance to get here."

I turned to him, eyes bloodshot and burning with tears. "Tanner, she's not answering me... she's not—she's not —" I choked on my words, shaking my head, confused, shattered. I was supposed to protect her, I was supposed to be there at all times but I didn't, I wasn't, and now she was...

"David!" Tanner yelled, charging toward me and slapping me right across the face. "Get your shit together and pick your wife up!"

Air rushed into my lungs. I snapped out and blinked. He was right. Nothing else mattered at this moment except getting Dawn to the hospital. I stood and lifted her carefully into my arms. She moaned something incoherent, her eyes fluttering open and when a breeze of my name left her bruised lip, my heart leaped. Hope blossomed in my chest. "I'm right here baby," I told her, walking out. "You're gonna be okay, I just need you to stay with me, okay? Stay with me."

Tanner ran out before me and kept the door open for me as I placed Dawn into the back seat and entered.

He rushed into the driver's seat and started up the car while I remained in the back, holding Dawn in my arm, afraid to look between her legs because it was a mess there.

"David..." She whimpered, clutching my shirt, shivering. "I'm sorry..."

Her words made my ears bleed. I held her tighter, kissing her sweaty forehead, desperately praying to God for mercy even though I didn't believe in him. "Shh... You're going to be fine," My voice stuck to my throat as I struggled to hold my tears back. "Everything is going to be fine," I assured, my heart aching as I did. "We'll be at the hospital soon and it will all be over," I whispered, repeating the word over and word, believing that if I said it enough times she would be because seeing her in so much pain made me so fucking angry. What the hell was I thinking leaving her at home alone? I had only one job! Just one job!

I didn't know how much time was passing but I didn't stop squeezing her to me until we arrived at the hospital and the paramedics rushed in along with a doctor who stopped me from walking with them into the emergency room.