You Changed Me (Mitch Grassi Fanfiction)

Chapter 14

It's funny how after a near death experience, when the first thing you see is a bright light, your brain immediately thinks you are in heaven. However, I wasn't dead yet, and those lights were just the ridiculously bright fluorescent lights in the hospital. I blinked a few times to let my eyes adjust to the sudden brightness. I tried turning my head slowly to the sides to see if I could move. I groaned in pained when I realizes how sore my entire body felt.

"Chloe? You're awake!" I turned to face the large windows and saw Mitch walk over to the chair next to my bed and sit down, taking my hand in both of his. "Hey, honey. How do you feel?"

"Like I got hit by a bus," I groaned.

"Yeah, that's expected. I'll just get the doctor to check up on you, okay?" He smiled at me when I nodded slowly, then got up and walked out of the room.

I turned my head to look around the room. I spotted a vase of flowers on the bedside table. Beside it was a giant teddy bear with a tag attached around its arm that said "From Scotty, xoxo." I laughed quietly to myself. Scott was such a sweet heart. There were also a few packages and goody bags at a corner of the room. Some of them had tags and labels, and I could vaguely make out a few names like Jenna, Kevin, Avi and Alex. I must have been out for a couple of days if Scott and Alex had both returned to LA.

The door swung open and a doctor walked in, followed by a nurse, and finally Mitch. He stood in the corner while the nurse checked all the machines I was hooked up to and the doctor read through the clipboard he was holding.

"Miss Evans! I'm Doctor Roberts. It's great to see that you are finally awake."

"How long have I been unconscious?" I asked him.

"About two days. You hit your head on a rock at the bottom of the river. We assume it was after you passed out since the impact should have knocked you out, but according to Mr. Grassi, you were still conscious a few seconds after landing in the water. Your lungs filled up pretty quickly, and even after Mr. Grassi pulled you out and gave you CPR, you were still unconscious because of your head injury." I looked over at Mitch and he smiled at me softly. He saved me?  The doctor continued talking. "Thankfully, there were no serious injuries besides that, so you will be just fine. Maybe a little sore for the next couple of days, but nothing to worry about. You can be discharged once we are done checking all your vitals."

Both Mitch and I thanked the doctor as he walked out. The nurse finished up with the machines and soon left us alone again. Mitch sat back down on the chair next to the bed.

"You jumped into the water to save me?" He nodded. "I though you weren't good at swimming."

He chuckled. "Ya, it wasn't easy, but I got some help from the people at the park. I didn't think twice before jumping into the water, I just wanted to get you out of there." I smiled and he leaned down to kiss my forehead, then took my hand in his again. "You have no idea how terrified I was when you didn't wake up. I thought I had lost you. I started freaking out but thankfully another lady there told me there was still a pulse, and not long after the ambulance arrived.  Kirstie had called them as soon as we started pulling you out of the river."

I felt so guilty for all the trouble I had put him through. I started tearing up. "I'm so sorry Mitch. Sorry for dragging you into this mess. I didn't know what to think when I walked in and saw... It's just the first thing that came into my mind and-"

"Hey, hey, hey, Chloe. It's okay." He cupped my check in his hand and ran the thumb over it soothingly. "I would've thought the same thing if I was in your shoes."

"Are you sure you're not just saying that to make me feel better?" I teased, but he was still humorless.

"No, I'm serious. Trust me Chloe, I've been cheated on once too, I know what it's like to feel betrayed and hurt."

"So, what exactly happened?" I hesitated to ask, but I had to know the real truth, not what I had quickly misunderstood.

He took a deep breath and sighed. "Sam was an old friend. He's had a thing for me since like, forever I guess, and he was always bothering me for a relationship, but I was never interested. When he randomly came over that day, we were just having small talk and some wine when he asked again, but I told him I was already in a relationship. Then I suddenly started to get really dizzy, and then he... you know. I found out when I woke up later that he had spiked my wine. I wasn't high the second time he forced me and I struggled to get away, but that's when you walked in. I managed to lock him up in the closet and barricade it, then I came looking for you."

I had tears in my eyes by now. "I'm so sorry Mitch. I should've helped you. I was so selfish when you were the one being hurt."

"Chloe, it's okay. It's not your fault. If you hadn't walked in, I wouldn't have got the chance to fight back and get away from him. He's was very much stronger. If you had stayed to help, he could've hurt both of us. I called the cops after we arrived at the hospital and Sam has been put away temporarily. His trial is this weekend."

I was hoping this psychoSam would be charged guilty and put away for good. I couldn't imagine why anybody would want to hurt Mitch. Granted, he was sexy as hell, but he was also one of the nicest and sweetest people I knew.

The door opened again and the whole band and Alex walked in. "Ayyy! Sleeping Beauty is awake! Did you break the spell by kissing her, Mitch?" Scott adorably laughed at his own joke, and Mitch just rolled his eyes in response. Mitch helped me to sit up on the bed and everyone walked over to give me a giant group hug.

"Guys, I can't breathe and I'm sore!" I squeaked, and they released me while laughing. We started chatting away and they insisted I opened the presents they brought me. It was mostly chocolates, besides the teddy bear from Scott, a guitar ornament from Avi, and a pair of cute earrings from Kirstie.

I was discharged an hour later and everyone came back home to my apartment. Mitch Insisted I should rest at least for the rest of the day, but I didn't want to miss out on the fun with my friends. Jenna and Makayla stopped by after class once everyone else had left. We hung out until after dinner, and then it was just Mitch and me. We both lay down on my bed to snuggle in silence, with my head on his chest and his arms wrapped around me. I still couldn't stop feeling guilty.

"I feel like I don't deserve you Mitch."

"What?" He lifted my chin so he could look at my face. "Chloe, why would you say that?"

"You and your friends are too nice to me. I can't help it. I haven't really been so loved and appreciated by anyone besides my sister. I haven't been the best person in my life and I still don't understand how you can put up with me."

"Oh honey, it's all in the past though. The girl I met that day at Starbucks stole my heart the moment I saw her. And she still has it." He kissed my lips, earning a smile from me. "I promised I would make your future better. We might have come to a bump on the road but I am still planning to keep that promise."

"Thanks Mitch." I laid my head back on his chest for a moment, going through my thoughts from earlier that day. "I was thinking... I want to go see a therapist or support group or something. Something to help me get over my depression."

"Really?" He asked. I hummed in response. "If you want to. I guess it would help. I wanted to suggest it, but I didn't want you to feel like you HAD to do it for me."

"I think it's the best thing to do if I want to get better. I don't want this to ruin what we have."

"Whatever you decide, I'll be there to support you the whole time." He kissed the top of my head. "I love you, Chloe."

"I love you too, Mitch." I kissed him on the lips again and went back to cuddling.

I fell asleep soon listening to Mitch's calming heartbeat.