~❤️~Always Better Together~❤️~

~ 40 ~

~ Amarra's P.O.V. ~

"Vallie"

A soft whisper escaped from my mouth. The small blonde figure that was huddled in the corner lifted her head from her knees, still sobbing like her life depended on it. She directed her gaze toward me and for a moment, just that moment I couldn't recognize the girl.

Vallie looked like a different person in that moment. Like she had aged ten years. Her cheerful face was replaced with a stressful face with dried tear stains on her cheeks, last night's mascara and kohl were smudged making her look like an actress from a horror movie, her blonde locks were dishevelled and her tshirt was crumpled as if she was sitting like that for hours. Which she was, now that I recall. Alex has been looking for her for hours now.

I crouched down and sat next to her wrapping her in my arms. Vallie conceded in the hug instantly as if she were looking for a shoulder to cry on for decades.

She cried. She sobbed. She wailed.

And I let her.

Because that's what you do when a person is in grief. You let them grieve. I am all too familiar with this situation because I was in one only a few years back. I was the one in Vallie's shoes. People were consoling me, trying to get me to eat and drink water, getting me to bed.

But I was in a different world with the people I had lost that night. I was just playing out the events of the night differently in my head so that I could save them. I heard everyone but at the same time I didn't.

I know how much Liam means to both of us. And we don't want to lose him. But what more can we do other than having faith in the divine power and Dr. Bradley.

'Get it together' I told myself sternly.

"He'll be fine Vallie. Have some faith." I repeated Derek's words to her hoping to see some reaction but she was still crying like a baby.

I pulled my phone and texted Derek that I was with Valerie in the north wing surgical floor.

I held her close and patted her back continuously. Her sobs were receding but she wasn't letting go of me. Her hands clutched my hands tightly as if she was holding on for dear life.

I wasn't crying anymore. I controlled my tears for Vallie's sake. I have to be strong for her and for Liam. I have to be their wall of support. And Liam has to come out of those metal doors alive and well. I will not forgive him if he doesn't. We have to live a life together. We can't be separated now.

We sat there for another hour or so. I am not sure since I have lost track of time. I felt multiple footsteps at the far end of the hall but I didn't look in that direction. The floor was eerily quiet. Every now and then I saw a few nurses moving about but other than that, nothing.

After what felt like two decades, Vallie shifted from my lap and sat upright next to me. She looked me in the eye and a lone tear escaped both our eyes.

"He doesn't know I like him so much. If he dies, he will never know." She said, her voice was dry and her lips were parched. She needed to drink some water.

"He will know and he won't die." I placed a firm hand on her shoulder and she nodded. 

"C'mon you gotta drink some water." I stood up holding her. She didn't protest and tried to stand but she was so weak that she couldn't hold herself upright.

Before she could stumble and fall down, a strong pair of tattooed arms held her up and carried her to the on-call room for doctors. He held her genuinely concerned and his facial expression said a lot more than just concern. He was Alex 'freakin' Anderson. 'What is up with him??' I asked myself but got no answer.