𝐏𝐈𝐄𝐑𝐂𝐄𝐃 // 𝐇.𝐒.

70.

Chapter 70

My vision is blurry, but I recognize two blocks of fluorescent lights on the ceiling above me. I hear static or noise I can only describe as fuzz and when my ears tune it out, I hear familiar voices all around me.

I feel pain pulse on one side of my face and it's very hard to swallow. When it hits me, what went down, I quickly sit up with a gasp for air.

"She's up!" I hear and then I realize where I am. Back in the safe house, in the infirmary, I frown in confusion as I wonder how the hell I got here.

"Jo... Hey, you're okay." My father grabs ahold of my arms, searching for eye contact.

But I can't stop my rapid breathing. "Harry," I slip when I last remember looking for him. "Where's—"

"Who's Harry?"

On my left, Penny stands near my bed as she asked her question. I look around again only to see several women looking at me with curiosity. Not one of them is my mother. "Mom!" I then shout.

My dad holds me down when I try to get out of bed. He looks at the women and Penny and tells them, "Can you check on the other patients, please? Go!"

I wiggle and try to get out of my dad's hold but my body feels far too weak. I groan before eventually giving up.

"Sunshine," he calls me, but he doesn't say anything after that. He pulls me into his chest and I give in by hugging my dad tightly.

I shake when it comes in flashes. From my mother yelling at me to leave to Eileen dying in my arms, and to thinking I finally found Harry. "Oh, God," I mumble in my dad's chest. "Please... tell me we found Mom and we found Harry..."

Slowly, my dad pulls back to look at me again. This might be the first time I've ever seen him cry—or about to cry. He caresses my face as if he's hesitant to tell me what he knows.

"Dad..." I feel my lip quiver. "I tried. I tried to get her out of there—"

He hugs me again and I grunt from the pain I feel when my head tilts back. I squeeze him anyway.

"I'm just glad you're alright," he tells me. "That's all I care about."

I pull away from his hug with a sniffle. That might be all he cares about, but not me. I have to fix this.

I'm in an oversized t-shirt and pair of sweatpants, I notice when I look down. I then see the IV in my arms. I ignore my dad when he tells me to leave them alone. I peel at the tape that's almost glued stuck to my skin.

"Jo, what are you doing? Don't do that. You need the rest."

I shake my head, yanking the needle from my arm before he could stop me.

"Jo—" he tries again.

"Dr. D'Amore, do you mind if I speak to Jo?"

I watch the blood from the inside of my arm drip and hit the floor, but then I lift my head when I hear Finny's voice. He stands at my bedside with hands in the pockets of his jacket. My dad allows him a minute to speak to me when he walks off. Quickly, I remember the devastation I felt when I found out it wasn't Harry who pulled me out of the water.

"How are you holding up?" Finny asks.

I look up at him again. "What happened?" I ask him instead.

Allowing himself to take a seat by my legs on the bed, he presses his lips together. "Can I ask what you remember first?"

I want to huff or complain, but when I remind myself that Finny must have all the answers, I give in. "Harry... he was shooting at Dante and so was I. But then I heard a splash and when I looked over to where he was, he wasn't there. I dived in after him in case he fell, but—" When I begin to hyperventilate over the memory, Finny places a hand on my shoulder to assure me that I don't have to go on.