Caught in the Balance- a.i [completed]

Epilogue

A silence fell over the room. The beeping and whirling of machines all seemed to fade away. And Ashton went completely blank, the words she had just said on a continuous loop around his head. "who are you?" He couldn't believe it. How could she forget him like that?

The sounds returned to the room, and he found that she was just staring at him, the confused look still colouring her features. His eyes started welling up, and before the tears could spill over, he rushed out of the room. Eden sat there, she didn't know who he was, or why what she said had made him so upset. She tried to call after him, but she didn't even know his name.

Her chest hurt from the look on his face as he had run out of the room. It was full of pain, and it didn't take a genius to figure out she was the one causing it.

Ashton could hardly see through the tears filling his eyes, miraculously they hadn't already spilled over. He fumbled with his phone, pulling it out of his pocket and trying to get to Meghan's number. She picked up right away, prepaid for an upset Ashton after having said good bye. She hadn't expected him to call so soon though. Ashton struggled to get any words out, so Meghan told him to sit tight and she would be there in ten.

Ashton was definitely glad he had met Meghan. She had helped him so much. Put a smile back on his face. Took his mind off Eden for a few hours. She was a God send.

Meghan pulled up outside the hospital just as she said she would, and made her way up to Eden's room. She had been once before, and it didn't take her long to retrace the steps. Though she didn't have to go all the way, because just next to the nursing station was Ashton, with his head in his hands and knees jittering as his feet bounced in a nervous habit. Meghan slid into the seat next to him, her hand resting on his shoulder.

"Hey," she said soothingly. Ashton pulled his head up to look at her. And the tears spilt.

"Oh Ashton," she cooed, trying to gently calm him down. His sobs reverberated through her as he clung to her for dear life.

Eventually he was calm enough to speak. And what he told her was not what she had expected in the slightest.

"I went in to say goodbye, but i couldn't say anything. And then she started choking. It was the most horrible thing I've ever seen. She couldn't breathe and I didn't know what to do. I was just standing there. Like I eventually woke up and got the nurse, but what if it had've taken me longer? She could've died." Ashton took a breath here, needing it to stay in a somewhat calm state. Meghan didn't quite understand why he was so cut up. He had said "could have died" not "she died". So she's alive, she thought, isn't that a good thing? She didn't say anything though, she knew there was probably about to be more to the story.

She was right, not three seconds later, Ashton continued talking. "When all the doctors and nurses and every one started clearing out, I finally got to see her. All the life was back in her eyes, and it was so beautiful, and then she said 'I'm sorry, do I know you?' She doesn't remember me Meghan, she didn't even look like she knew me. She looked at me like a complete stranger. What am I going to do now?" He looked at her with pleading eyes. He didn't want to give up on Eden, but if she didn't even know him, where could he even start?

"Okay, here's what we're gonna do. We're gonna go back in there, and you're gonna tell her your name. And then, you'll figure it out from there. I know you will Ashton."

Ashton searched her eyes, and, upon finding no uncertainty in them, he knew that she was right. So he got up and marched back into Eden's room. She looked up, slightly startled at first, but then recognition swept over her features.

Ashton took in a feel breath, and said the only thing he felt appropriate.

"Hello."