Silent Witness

Chapter 19

Ryder

There was just so much going on around me, Ethan's mom was trying to get me to open up and she kept trying to touch me. I just wanted it all to stop, I wanted to be left alone, with my dad who I wanted to wake up. I was hurting and no one understood what I was going through, I just wanted it to stop. "Ryder honey please have something to eat" Gloria said as she pushed a plate of food in front of me. I wasn't hungry and I couldn't eat, I used to it before I met Ethan not eating, I turned away from her and curled into a ball hoping she would get the hint and leave me alone. More people came into the room, "Gloria just let him be please, stop pushing him" Riggs said. "Jax the boy needs to eat it has been 2 days since he has" Gloria said, "I know but right now his whole world is crashing down and the one person he loves the most is not here to comfort him. Please for the love of your own son just leave his alone" Riggs said, I silently thanked him. "Fine but if he dies from starvation don't come crying to me" Gloria said, "he won't die from starvation, he went 3 years of his life barely eating I am sure he will be fine" Riggs said. I mean he was right I lived off bread, milk and old pizza. 

Ethan's mom never left and I just wanted to be alone with Ethan I wanted him to wake up. After Riggs left, Zoey came in and she sat beside me. She held Ethan's hand and rubbed my back, it felt nice. She too didn't push me but she knew how much I was hurting, "Ethan please wake up this little boy needs you" she said and she was right. It had been almost a week that he was shot and he still was in a coma. In that time I was kidnapped by my real father and beaten by him because I wouldn't join him. He also tried to kill me and Riggs saved me, most of the time it was Ethan who saved me. I was grateful to him but I just wanted Ethan he was the only one who could comfort me right now. I curled up closer to him hugging him tight as quiet sobs left my body. It seemed that I have been crying a lot these days it felt like it was all I did, Zoey kissed Ethan on the cheek as a doctor came in.

Dr. Finch came and she wanted to look at me, "Ryder honey is it okay if I check you?" she said, "I shook my head I didn't want to be touched. "I know sweetie you are hurting but I need to make sure you are okay. I promise it will be quick then you can cuddle him again okay" Dr. Finch said. I sat up and nodded, she checked my eyes and my head. "Are you in any pain honey?" she asked me I shook my head. "Okay, how is he doing?" she asked the adults in the room. It was as if I wasn't even there. "He doesn't eat and he is always crying, he is hurting" Gloria said, "I know he's been through so much, Ryder honey please eat okay we need you to stay healthy. We can get you something else if you don't like this" Dr. Finch said, I looked at them and nodded. "Is there something you want?" Gloria asked, and I nodded again, there was something I wanted and only Ethan would know. "Can you tell us sweetie?" Gloria asked me but I didn't say anything I just cuddled into Ethan. Dr. Finch also checked him over and I needed him to wake up. "If he requests something then please let us know" Dr. Finch said as she left the room. I could tell Ethan's mom was frustrated with me but I didn't really like her. I fell asleep again all this crying really wore me out.

Ethan

I wasn't sure what happened after I heard the gunshot, I remember looking into Ryder's eyes and then nothing. I opened my eyes and I was in the hospital, I could feel Ryder he was hugging me so he was okay that is good. I saw my mom and she was asleep in the chair next to me, what time was it even? How long has it been, I grabbed my mom's hand and squeezed it, "Oh thank god!" she said as she hugged me. "Mom" I said, "I will get the doctor just hold on" she said leaving the room. Ryder woke up and squeezed me I hugged him tight, "you good?" I asked him and he nodded. I wasn't sure what was going on but he seemed sad his little brown eyes looked sad. How long had I been out? My mom and the doctor came back in, "Ethan good to see you awake how are you feeling?" Dr. Finch asked, "I am okay, what happened?" I asked, "you were shot in the chest a week ago, you have been in a coma. I think it was your bodies way of recovering" Dr. Finch said. "I see, Ryder was hurt?" I asked, "yes its a long story and he won't eat or talk either" my mom said. I looked at the food and looked at him his little eyes studying me, "bacon?" I asked and he smiled and nodded. "We can do that, anything else?" Dr. Finch asked, "pizza?" I said, and he nodded again his 2 favorite food. Dr. Finch laughed and said, "I can do that" she said and left then room. "Well I for one am glad you are awake, getting him to say anything is hard" my mom said. "What happened to him? Why is he not saying anything?" I asked as he hugged me tighter I knew something was wrong and it couldn't have just been me getting shot. He had a bruised cheek and a black eye so I needed to know what happened.