The Devil's Saints

Chapter 14: Breathe// I'll Always Love Her More

Aubree's POV

You'd think my alarm going off at six am would put me in a sour mood considering I've collectively had about four hours of sleep. Turning off my alarm, I roll over to see Zander's perfect sleeping face. Kissing his chest, I roll out of bed. I put on a pair of spandex shorts, Zander's T-Shirt and throw my hair up. I plan on making a quick 'to-go' breakfast for all the guys. I walk downstairs into the empty kitchen and start on the coffee because as Oby would say 'It's all about the coffee'. Just as I start on putting the eggs and toast into little to-go containers Lizzy comes downstairs. "Good morning Aubree!" I say good morning back as I'm putting coffee into mugs and adding everything each boy likes. "I probably won't need your help in the kitchen today till later in the afternoon, I have Monica and the triplets helping me out. The less bodies in the crowded kitchen the better." She laughs as do I, knowing how crazy the triplets 'helping' will be. "Once they go down for their afternoon nap I'll get you to come help if that's alright?"

"Of course! That's not a problem!" Lizzy and I chat for a bit before all the boys start to come downstairs and walk out the door, not without a tired mumbled 'thank you' grabbing a to-go container of breakfast and a coffee mug with their name on it. Oby's mug of course being the biggest, he almost falls down the stairs in his still half asleep state.

I feel him before I see him. Zander wraps his arms around my waist from behind "Good morning princess. You smell amazing." He mumbles against my neck "I'll be back in a couple hours, I love you, behave." he kisses my shoulder, my nose and finally my lips before smacking my butt lightly, grabbing his mug and breakfast. I yell a quick 'love you too' as he walks out the door blowing me a kiss.

All of a sudden there's yelling coming from upstairs and Gunner is racing down them. "Aubree, Jay, nightmare" is all he says and has to say before we are both sprinting back up the stairs to Jays room. "I don't know how to help him! He's coughing, Aubree he's not breathing please help him!" Gunner is panicking and I have to assess the situation as fast as possible. Jays eyes are closed but he's sputtering and grabbing at his throat, while thrashing around.

"Grab his hands! DO NOT PIN THEM DOWN! Just hold them so he doesn't hurt himself, he needs to feel like he's not being weighed down." I've learnt from trail and error the safest way for both Jay and myself to get him to wake up. "Okay sit him up, I need to get behind him." Jay is still coughing and thrashing, till I'm sitting behind him, he's now in a sitting position, the back of his head against my collar bone. "Jay, you're okay open your eyes, you're at home, you're not in the water, you can breathe" I'm staying calm knowing what comes next isn't pretty. Jays eyes snap open and he flips himself over, his one hand gripped tightly on my thigh. He's keeled over on his knees his other hand on his throat, he's gasping as if he can't get any air into his lungs.

"Gunner, tea please. Go." Gunner stands stunned for a moment before running out of the room. I grab Jays face. "Look at me, watch me." His eyes are wide as he watches me slowly inhale and exhale over and over. "You can do it Jay, you can breathe. You're face is turning blue, you need oxygen, now. Inhale." Every time this happens it breaks my heart even more, it never gets easier to see him like this. The second he takes the breath of air into his lungs he starts crying. Breathing deeply and silently crying. I again knew what was coming next, just as every time before, Jay wraps his arms and legs around me. Silently crying into my neck, breathing deeply. "It's okay, you're okay I'm right here."

Gunner must have went to get Zander, because I don't know how long they were standing in the doorway watching till I heard Zander's soft voice and looked up. "I'll put his tea on the bedside table." I can feel Jay tense up, he holds me tighter and buries his face deeper in my neck, obviously not wanting anyone to see him in such a vulnerable state. I say thank you, Zander kisses my head, careful not to touch Jay, because for some reason when he's like this I'm the only person that can help him. "Jay is excused from this meeting. Gunner I'll get you to catch him up when he's feeling better. Thank you for being here for him." Zander has a look on his face I can't decipher, but he smiles at me before leaving, taking Gunner with him.