Broken Road »» Rick Grimes (TWD)

Chapter 140

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My head was heavy and my eyes burned as I continued watching Rick's chest rise and fall with every breath.

"You're still here, Jess?" Janet asked as she approached the hospital bed.

"Yes." I answered.

"You should go rest." She replied while looking at her watch.

"I'm resting." I muttered.

"Honey, it's six a.m." She stated while looking to me.

"I don't care. Dr. Caxton said I could stay here as long as I wanted so I am going to sit here and watch him breathe until he himself wakes up and tells me to leave." I replied, a bit more hateful than I meant to.

"Stay as long as you want, honey." She sighed while giving me an sympathetic smile.

I nodded my head and looked back to Rick before adjusting myself in the uncomfortable chair.

"When will he wake up?" I asked.

"I'm not sure. They sedated him while they worked on getting the bullet fragments out." She answered.

"Oh." I muttered.

"I'll bring you a blanket. It's a little chilly in here." She mumbled while leaving the room.

After a few moments, Janet returned with a blanket and glass of water for me.

"I have to ask... why are you here and not his girlfriend?" She questioned with a small smile.

"She's resting." I answered while taking the blanket from her.

"And you still love him." She stated while her smile grew.

"Does everyone want to discuss our relationship or something?" I asked while draping the blanket over my lap.

"Well...  after he died and you came in, there wasn't a dry eye in the room. So, yes. Everyone does." She replied while laughing softly.

"Guess I look like a crazy ex-wife, huh?" I questioned while she handed me the glass of water.

"No, honey. Just a still-in-love-with-your-ex-husband-wife." She replied while patting my shoulder.

"Thank you for the water and blanket." I mumbled as she headed for the door.

"Anything you need, let me know." She ordered as I watched her open the door.

I nodded to her before turning back in my chair, finding Rick stirring in his sleep. I sat my glass of water down and watched as he turned his head slightly to his left before back to his right. I sighed, watching as his body settled down and he went into a deeper sleep.

Seeing him lifeless was something I never wanted to see again. Not hearing his heart beat, not seeing him breathe, and not feeling his pulse destroyed my soul. He was empty. Nothing was there. My heart stopped with his. I died, too.

Tears pooled in my eyes again at the remembrance of feeling that disgusting, torturous emptiness that came with his death.

After a couple of hours of ensuring he was breathing, the door opened behind me.

"You're here early." Mariah stated from behind me.

I froze, feeling unsure of what she would say about me being here but I didn't care.

"Yeah." I mumbled.

"How is he?" She questioned while circling the bed to go to his left side.

"Stable. Vitals are good." I answered while she placed her hand on his arm and leaned over to press her lips to his.