Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
The monitor next to the bedside of Annabelle Carter beeped steadily as the young woman took soft breaths. She had drastically improved within the few days she had been in the hospital since her ordeal with the Count yet she had still not awakened. Oliver was anticipating her coming to but knew she would be in so much pain when she did. The doctors had to analyze her pain to see what dosage of medicine she needed. That was not what Oliver wanted to see.
Sighing, Oliver stood up from his chair and stretched out his arms, hearing multiple joints crack at the sudden relief of pressure. He walked over to the large window looking out at the hospital garden and saw people walking about and observing the families with their loved ones being pushed in wheel chairs. He smiled only slightly before he heard a soft and admissable groan from the bed feet away. He turned immediately and saw Anna's hands clasped over her stomach and a grimace on her face. She was breathing heavily through her mask covering her face and quickly, Oliver rushed over to Anna and pressed the emergency button next to her head.
Oliver lifted his hand and brushed a strand of hair from Anna's eyes and watched as her eyes peeled open. There was pain in her tired eyes and once she saw Oliver, she shook her head. Pain filled her body and she whimpered, rolling onto her side with a fierce grip on her stomach to try and ease the pain. "Hey," Oliver whispered, placing a hand on her shoulder to try and get her to turn back over. She let out another whimper and muttered "You should have let me die," underneath her mask. Before Oliver could respond, a nurse entered the room and rushed over to Annabelle. She looked at the monitor and noticed how the heartrate was increasing quickly and she grabbed the IV and began filling it with morphine. "Ms. Carter, how is your pain?" she calmly asked, watching as the girl shook in her bed and her ex-boyfriend knelt down next to her to try and ease it. She shook her head yet again and Oliver heard her say, more clearly this time, "Please, let me die."
Her sentence was fragmented but not any less heartwrenching and Oliver held her hands while the medicine took effect. The morphine allowed her to fall into sedation and Oliver held her while her eyes gently closed. He was expecting her to be in pain, but he was not expecting her to choose death over life, especially when he was sitting right beside her.
•••
"You need to try eating, sweetheart," Moira told the woman who was helplessly laying down in her bed with an untouched bowl of soup next to her. "I am not very hungry," the girl weakly responded while tilting her head to the side where Oliver sat and giving him a small smile. She was in a better mood since she awoke nearly nine hours ago and had been able to stay awake for small amounts of time and even entertain visitors. She had already seen Thea and Lance, and right now it was just Diggle, Moira, and Oliver in the room. Tommy had made plans to come the next day.
"But you haven't eaten in days, Annabelle," Moira reminded her while folding the soft blanket from home and laying it gently on the edge of the bed. "Mom," Oliver spoke, trying to get her to ease up on Anna. "Would you mind getting Anna's pajamas from home? I think she'll sleep better."
Moira smiled, "Of course. Is the pink set okay, darling?" she asked the girl. Anna nodded softly, "That would be great."
Moira beamed in pride, "I'll be back soon."
The woman left and Oliver, Diggle, and Anna were left alone. "What's happened since I've been missing?" Anna whispered, feeling suddenly weak. Diggle looked over at her, "Not much. Oliver's been training someone new. Helena, or something."
Oliver glared at the man and sat on Anna's bedside, "That's not important. I'm just helping her get back onto her feet."
Anna smiled at him and placed her hand in his, caressing her fingers over his soft skin that she missed so much. "I'm not mad, Ollie. That's noble of you."
Oliver chuckled and shook his head, "You're tired, Anna," he said while running a hand through her hair. She melted into his touch and softly closed her eyes to feel relief of slumber. "And delusional," he added. Anna opened her eyes and watched Oliver stand up and reach over her to grab her remote for her bed. "You have to eat something."
Anna rolled her head back and whined, "I'm not hungry, Oliver."
Oliver rolled her eyes and signaled Diggle over to the other side of the bed to help her sit up. Oliver pressed the remote and the bed moved upward and Anna cringed as her torso bent. Diggle held her arms and helped her sit up completely and she dropped her head back onto the pillow Oliver finished fluffing. "That did not make me feel any better," she complained while glaring holes into Oliver's head. He shrugged and did not take her glare into heart, "You have to eat," he said nonchalantly. "And your puppy dog eyes stopped working on me years ago."
Anna huffed and lightly pushed Diggle away who was laughing at the two. "Soup for one, Miss Carter?" he played along as he pushed the tray to her side and tapped the place next to the spoon.
Anna looked down at her hand which was continuously shaking and had not stopped shaking since Christmas a month ago. She sighed and lifted her left hand instead to grab the spoon and carefully filled the spoon with a small amount of soup and lifted it to her mouth. Her stomach rumbled but as soon as she swallowed the soup, her stomach grew upset and Anna panicked and grabbed a nearby empty container and threw up everything she had. Oliver quickly pulled her hair back and tied it loosely before helping Anna put her bowl onto the table. She paled and began to breathe heavily before shaking her head lightly. "I can't eat anymore," she whimpered. Oliver nodded, "Okay, we can try again later."
She nodded and as Diggle pushed the tray away, she took the blanket weakly from his hands and pulled it over her shoulders. "I-I want to lay down now," she told Oliver. "Yeah," he replied. "Try and get some rest, Annabelle," Diggle told her before leaving the two alone and shutting the lights off and the door behind him. The bed collapsed once more and Anna snuggled into the pillow with the blanket pulled all the way up to her neck. Even though she was cozy and warm, she was shivering and could not help but feel cold. Oliver laid down beside her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder, pulling her close to help her feel comfortable and warm.
Within minutes, her breathing had calmed again and she was asleep, but Oliver could not help but worry about her overall health and ability to eat. He just hoped she would be okay.
