All On Contract

Chapter 98 - Intruder

Marshall's P.O.V:
"Iris!!" I yell and walk away from the staircase and into the kitchen where Karla is having a cup of coffee. "Coffee at midnight?" I say as I reach for a glass and fill it up with water.

"I have a night shift." She states.

"Thought you said you didn't have any night shifts anymore?" I say and place the empty glass in the sink. "Iris!" I shout for her again.

"Hold on!" I hear her yell back.

"I know but I need to do extra work." She says as she walks towards the kitchen. "Can you drop me off too? Chris will need the car. His car is at the garage." She says as she picks up her jacket.

"Yeah. Come on." I mumble and reach for the keys. I walk past Karla and walk towards the stair case. Letting out a small sigh I yell for Iris once again.

"I am coming." She rolls her eyes as she walks towards me.

"Well walk faster then." I say. She stops in the middle of the stair case and looks down at me.

"I...Am..." She says slowly as she walks down the stairs like she's in slow motion.

"Iris." I chuckle lightly. "You can stay here then." I say and walk away. I hear Iris laugh lightly before she runs down the stairs and quickly wraps her arm around me.

"I'm joking." She mumbles.

***

"I'll see you guys later." Karla says as she hugs Iris before she quickly walks out the door leaving us

"Will she wake up." Iris mumbles as she places Tessa's gift on the bed and sighs.

"It's only Christmas eve yet." I say as I get out of bed and walk towards Iris.

"She won't wake up for Christmas." Iris shakes her head. "But at least she's here, right?" She says as she stand next to her.

"Right." I force a smile on my lips.

After a couple of minutes of us talking about Christmas, Iris starts to feel sleepy and lays down on the spare bed whilst I sit down on the chair next to Tessa.

I look away from Iris who's fast asleep and back at Tessa. It's almost two in the morning and just like the past three months, I can barley sleep. I take a nap here and there but I haven't had a good night sleep ever since the day of the attack.

"Wake up, baby." I whisper as I pick Tessa's hand up and kiss it. "Wake up, please." I whisper. I let out a sigh and look up at the machines around her. "I told Iris what you said." I swallow the lump in my throat and look down at Tessa. "I told her that you love her..." I say slowly as I push the tears back.

Man up Marshall!

"It brought her to tears." I state. "She cried that night you know." I add. "And then....She cried every night after that. Sometimes I still catch her crying." I add. "She loves you Tess. She needs you. I know we didn't sign up for this whole parenting thing....But you need to be there for her." I say. "I can't do this on my own." I say, my voice cracks a little near the end. "I can't raise a 16 year old on my own." I whisper.

***

Karla and I walk next to eachother in silence as we walk down the hall and towards Tessa's room. Karla takes out her badge and places it on the scanner before the doors unlock.

"How long have you been working here?" I ask Karla, making her look up at me.

"I started working here recently actually, Chris and I both. Since Andrew owns the hospital, he lets us work he as soon as possible." She says. "It's nice here. More fancier than the last hospital I worked at." She explains.