𝐛𝐢𝐫𝐝𝐬 • 𝐣𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐛 𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐥𝐞𝐝𝐠𝐞

𝐣𝐨𝐡𝐧 𝐛 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐝𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐬𝐚𝐲 𝐠𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐛𝐲𝐞

dove blinked her eyes open. they were so squinted that they looked like coin slots.

her head turned to the side and she looked at john b.

"bird." she exhaled.

"hey, birdie. hey. you're okay, sleepyhead. sleeping beauty." he said, stroking her head.

"what's going on?" she asked in a whisper.

"don't worry about that right now, okay? i'll explain everything later."

"did we get the gold?" she asked.

"forget about the gold. all that matters is you." he replied.

she turned her head, then turned it back to john b.

"i feel numb. i can't feel anything. is something wrong with me?" dove asked.

john b sighed. "birdie, you were shot. by rafe. i took a shot at mary and when i did, rafe took a shot at me. i missed. he missed me, but hit you."

"oh."

"but it's over now. you're going to be okay." john b smiled, hopefully.

dove swallowed. "okay. um...if i don't make it, though—."

"hey, don't...don't talk like that." john b shook his head. "i just need you to stay with me. okay? can you do that?

"just let—let me speak. if i die, john b, just know i have always loved you. since—since we were little and we ran around outside of the chateau and played that hide and seek game. you were always my favorite person in the world and...and um...and...you're my bird. you'll always be my bird. you're always gonna come get me and i'll always—always come get you. even if i'm not here, i'll always be there to protect you like you always did for me."

"dove—."

i love you, she mouthed.

then, she blinked her eyes and closed them again.

john b closed his eyes and let a tear slip out.

"dove, open your eyes." he said as he opened his own.

the machine started beeping.

"doc?"

"hold on! i'll be right there!"

"doc! hey!" john b yelled.

the doc stumbled over.

the doctor explained to john b how to do cpr and they began doing it.

john b pushed on her chest until told to stop.

the doctor put a mask over her face and began pumping oxygen into her.

she was still flatlining.

"okay, go again."

john b began doing chest compressions once more.

the doctor pursed his lips as he watched john b.

"stop."

john b kept going.

"stop."

he didn't listen.

"stop. stop."

john b stopped.

"come on, come on." he whispered.

the doctor bent down to get a better look at dove.

"what's wrong? what's...what's going on?"

the motor beeped off and the doctor began walking away.

"where are you going? help. help me."

"she's just lost too much blood, kid. i'll leave you with her."