Back to You (Sequel to Take Me Away From Here)

Chapter 33

Faith POV: 

Machines tower over a hospital bed, their clicking and beeping like nails on a chalkboard to me. A thick breathing tube is jammed down his throat and taped to his lips, forcing his chest to inflate at a steady rhythm. His eyes are swollen and black, due to a broken cheekbone and nose. Stubble lines his jaw, where he normally keeps it clean shaven. He hasn't moved in nearly a week. 

I listen to the nurses talking in the hall, but I never gather much on his condition. I've only heard remarks about how he looks like he's been hit by a semi. Gracie sits in the chair beside his bed, grabbing onto his hand, before placing her hand over her eyes. She begins to sob, making me feel hollow. 

"I'm so sorry..." She whines quietly, while glancing up at her father. 

She's been terrified ever since the event, and has hardly calmed down enough to sleep. Tim's awful state medically hasn't helped her either. Somehow, by some miracle, I'm not worse off than I am. One of the bullets pierced a kidney, while another hit an artery. The doctors simply took out a kidney and removed the bullets, before stating that I was one of the lucky ones. It's rare to get shot three times and not suffer more severe consequences. My theory is that Tim aimed away from anything lethal.

I stayed conscious until help arrived. I remember a police officer kneeling down beside me, and then pitch blackness. Tim on the other hand... He lost consciousness long before me, which made Gracie go berserk. I lost consciousness from blood loss, while he lost his due to a heart attack brought on by a lack of oxygen and the amount of pain he was under. Gracie firmly believed that he and I were both dead, and I'd have to say, she wasn't far off. I would've bled out had an officer not arrived at that exact moment, and Tim's still clinging onto life. He has a pierced lung, a demolished liver, and severe head trauma. 

I grab onto Tim's hand, although I don't think he'll feel it anyways. I give it a squeeze, before feeling a cold rush come through me. 

I'm temporarily blinded, before my eyes start to adjust to the light in the room. I stand in the back of a room painted with yellow shiplap, the sun's glare bouncing off the ocean waves and through the windows that coat the wall facing the sea. In the middle of the room rests a coffee table, surrounded by a couch, a couple chairs, and three little girls. Tim kneels down beside them, talking to them quietly while they color. He smiles brightly at them, running his fingers through Audrey's hair. 

"What's that supposed to be?" He asks her softly, causing her to hold up the picture proudly. She can't be older than three. "Let me guess... a fish?" He says, while she shakes her head, giggling in a way that makes my heart skip a beat. "Hm... maybe... a cat?" He guesses, while she nods, smiling his way. She sets the picture down once more, adding some final touches. He continues to watch them, before glancing over his shoulder. His smile suddenly disappears as his eyes seem to land on me. "Faith?" His voice rasps. He quickly stands, while I feel out of air, feeling his eyes on me once more. "Babe..." He lets out, like he's on the verge of tears. He rushes toward me, reaching out. The second before his fingers touch my skin, he disappears... 

I'm back in his hospital room once more, feeling my heart pound. I look around the room for a moment, completely out of breath, while Gracie sits just as she was before. Tears slip out of my eyes, before I reach my hand on my chest, trying to catch my breath. Kim walks in the room with three coffees in a carrier, handing one to Gracie, before handing another to me. She sits down beside me and begins to sip her coffee, setting it down once she realizes it's far too hot. 

I stand up and walk out of the room, feeling like I need some distance. I walk out onto the smoking terrace and look at the skyline for a moment, trying to get rid of the nauseous feeling I have in my stomach right now. I grip onto the railing and shut my eyes, wishing this all were a dream. I hear my keys drop out of my pocket, forcing me to bend over and pick them up. I hold them for a moment, before walking back inside. I stop outside of his room, feeling my heart sink at the sight of him in that damn hospital bed. I glance down at my keys, before charging toward the elevators.