My demons: Healing (book 3)

Waiting

When Alex opened her eyes, her first instinct was to reach over for Sky's body. But her fingers reached out for nothing, because half of the bed she was resting in was empty. Cold. And her sleepy self just couldn't get used to it. 

It had been over a week since Sky had been shot. They fixed her up the best they could before letting her rest. She still hadn't woken up but her heart was still beating steadily, giving them hope that some day, she will open her eyes again. 

She reluctantly lifted herself off the bed, feeling even more tired as she did when she went to lay down. She needed to see Sky, to know if there were any developments. She had stopped hoping but did it every morning nonetheless.

She stopped by their dining room, knowing that's where the bar with all the alcohol was. She was greeted by Manuel who was sprawled across the sofa, nursing a drink of his own. He hadn't been the same since Chrystal passed away. Months ago, Alex wouldn't really be able to understand despite Emmet's passing that had taken a toll on her. But now, she couldn't help but relate to him.

"Morning," he greeted and she nodded in acknowledgement. 

"Want me to fix you a drink?" he asked, noting the tiredness in brunette's limbs and heart. He ached for her. 

She nodded again, settling on the barstool while he placed his glass down and made his way to the bar. "What's it gonna be?" he asked, stirring her out of her thoughts. 

"Vodka martini," she responded averting her gaze from him. She couldn't bare the pity reflecting in his eyes. 

"Shaken? Stirred?" she heard him ask and contemplated it for a moment. "Both," she finally sighed in defeat. He nodded again before getting to work.

Two drinks later, Alex reluctantly made her way towards the infirmary. 

She hated it. She hated seeing Sky lying on the bed so peacefully, as if she had only been sleeping. She hated looking at her from the distance and pretending that she was. She hated walking closer and noting the paleness of her skin, numbness of her limbs. Sleeping people never looked like that, dead people did. She hated how the thought made her shiver.

She still opened the door, letting her gaze wander from the bed down to the chair right next to it.

Claire was sitting on it, elbows resting on her knees, fingers intertwined, staring at the floor. She looked like she hadn't really moved since Alex had left her alone the previous night. 

"Nothing new?" she asked and hated the way her voice sounded; pained, defeated. 

Claire looked up at her and Alex felt a sudden need to empty her stomach contents. 

"No," the black haired beauty whispered, her voice broken and full of pain, eyes glistening with tears. 

Alex let her shoulders slump in defeat as she hesitantly lowered herself to the ground next to Claire. 

"What are you doing?" the broken girl asked from her chair that had seemed to become a part of her by now. 

"I'll stay here for a while," Alex said softly, knowing that her friend needed some company.

"Claire?" she broke the silence after what felt like hours, noting the girl next to her had started crying silently some time ago. 

"Yes?" Claire choked out in response, trying desperately to choke back her sobs but failing as a something close to a wail escaped her throat. 

"She will be okay."

"You think so?" Claire asked and her voice sounded so small and vulnerable that Alex wanted nothing more than to pull her in for a hug. She wasn't sure that would have been appreciated at the moment, though, so she settled for a gentle squeeze of Claire's thigh. 

"She has to be."