𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐅𝐔𝐋 || 𝐑𝐄𝐆𝐔𝐋𝐔𝐒 𝐁𝐋𝐀𝐂𝐊✔️

XXXXII• Heartbreak

Regulus' footsteps could be heard hitting the marble floors from down the hospital corridor. He was pacing, and had been for the past ten minutes. He just couldn't seem to understand why the healers were taking so long to check on Cecilia. She was fine. She had to be. She was just over tired; a new baby and a wedding was too much for her. She just needs a nap and a bit of food and she'll return home with Regulus to see Kayla again. Everything will be fine. Right?

"Regulus you're giving me motion sickness," Kristen groaned from her seat. "Stop it! Sit down."

Perhaps Regulus didn't hear her because of the millions of thoughts running through his head because he continued to pace. Kristen sent Dirk an irritated look which made him approach his friend.

Dirk's hand gripped Regulus' shoulder firmly. "Take it easy mate," he whispered. "Don't wear yourself out."

Dirk has barely gotten a reaction from Regulus before the door on the wall behind them opened and a healer walked out. Regulus almost lunged towards the lady, but Dirk's grip stopped him.

The healer's expression wasn't a good one and she shook her head when Kristen has asked what's wrong. The healer's eyes travelled across the group of three and the usual bustle of people moving about the hospital. "Perhaps we should go somewhere more private to discuss Cecilia's wellbeing."

"Dirk, you go," Kristen said immediately, earning a look of complete outrage from Regulus.

"She's my wife!" Regulus exclaimed. "No! I need to know what's the matter with her!"

After some convincing and Kristen wrapping her arms around Regulus' arm, Dirk walked down the white corridor with the healer. Kristen managed to get Regulus into the seat next to her. They sat in complete silence until Dirk returned.

"It's not good news," Dirk rushed when he returned. He was avoiding the eyes of both Regulus and Kristen. "I'm going to owl Narcissa. Kayla needs to be here."

He was gone before Regulus could object. "Not good news?" He breathed. "What does he mean by not good news?"

Kristen could feel the tears building behind her eyes but she forced them back and gave Regulus a weak smile. "We'll be okay, Reg."

"We'll be okay?" Regulus' voice was abnormally high. "I don't care if we're okay or not. Cecilia is the one who needs to be okay."

Kristen reached for Regulus' hand, but the boy pulled it out of her reach and used it to hide his face from the world.

Regulus only looked up when he felt a pat on his shoulder. He looked up to see Dirk, his best friend, smiling softly at him. Regulus hated his friend for it. When we're they both smiling at him? Wasn't it obvious he was about to lose it?

"Narcissa's on her way," Dirk said. "But the healer said we can go into Cecilia now."

Regulus was up like a shot. Dirk and Kristen shared a look while they watched their usually calm and collected friend, barge into the hospital room like a madman.

Cecilia was asleep. Just asleep. With tubes coming from her soft skin and connecting to the machine next to her. The matching was beeping slowly and even though none of the three friends were healers, they knew it was showing Cecilia's weak heartbeat.

As if she knew they were there, Cecilia's eyes slowly opened. Regulus settled himself into the chair next to her and cradled her hand in his. His face was showing complete worry, and it made him look ten years older.

Narcissa arrived with Kayla. Cecilia took her daughter into her arms, the sleepy baby nuzzling into her chest. Regulus noticed Cecilia's eyes looking glossy as she pressed a kiss to Kayla's head.

"How are you feeling?" Regulus asked, trying to keep his voice under control. He used his thumb to trace circles into Cecilia's hand, since he knew she loved it when he did.

"Tired," Cecilia croaked in a way that broke Regulus' heart. "Really, really tired. And cold."

Regulus eyed the sweat gathering on Cecilia's forehead. He squeezed her hand and she squeezed back weakly. Cecilia looked over at Narcissa, who got the hint and took Kayla from her mother. Kristen moved to entertain the baby, but she was really just trying to distract herself from the current situation.

"I love you," Cecilia whispered trying her best to smile. "You're a great father and you'll and Kayla will be okay."

"Don't talk like that," Regulus said harshly. "Like you're going to- because you're not-"

A single tear rolled down Cecilia's cheek before she closed her eyes.

The machine next to him stopped beeping and Regulus' heart plummeted to his stomach. It was in that split second that his entire world ended. The earth stopped spinning, the sun exploded, the stars fell from the sky and left marks in the earth that would never heal.

"Lia," Regulus whispered. He stood from his chair so quickly, it fell to the floor behind him with a loud crash. He held onto Cecilia's face and shook her gently. "Cecilia wake up. Open your eyes, please."

Kristen called his name, but Regulus didn't hear her. His brain had gone to mush and his ears were ringing. He couldn't focus on anything but Cecilia, and how he'd never hear her voice again.

Regulus brushed Kristen off when she tried to pull him away. "Cecilia," he was yelling now. "Come on Cecilia, you can't leave. Not now!" Tears filled his eyes, blinding him. He couldn't see, but he could still feel her, cold beneath his touch. And that was okay, as long as he didn't let go of her.

Two sets of hands were clawing at his back and they eventually succeeded in pulling him away. He was pulled into the arms of who he guessed was Kristen, while Healers swarmed Cecilia. Regulus sobbed into Kristen's shoulder while she stroked his hair, trying to provide comfort. But it wasn't working, nothing could comfort Regulus now.

"Get him out of here," Dirk whispered to Kristen, who then led Regulus out of the room. Regulus complied, his brain too foggy and cloudy to object.

Regulus was pushed into a waiting room chair, his face in his hands. Narcissa followed them out, a screaming Kayla in her arms. Kristen watched as Regulus' shoulders slowly stopped shaking.

Kristen noticed that Narcissa was having a hard time calming Kayla down so she placed her hand on Regulus' shoulder. "Reg, can you help calm Kayla please?"

Regulus shook his head, his face still hidden from the two women and his daughter.

"Come on Regulus," Kristen sighed. "Be the father Cecilia knows you can be-"

"Don't say her name," Regulus spat. He burst from his seat, clawing at his own hair. "Don't say her name!"

"Reg-" Kristen began.

"I've just lost my fucking wife," Regulus yelled, his voice cracking and his cheeks tear stained. "I've lost the most important person in my life! So you don't get to tell me what to do!"

"And Kayla has just lost her mother!" Kristen screamed back. "And I've lost my best friend!"

They both fell silent, breathing heavily and staring each other down. The tears stopped falling from Regulus' eyes and his face grew cold and expressionless.

"I'll take Kayla home," Narcissa spoke into their silence, but over Kayla's loud cries. "Maybe Orion and Walburga will be able to calm the child."

Once Narcissa left, Dirk emerged from the hospital room. He eyed Regulus and Kristen, having heard their conversation through the wall. He approached the former cautiously. Dirk placed his hand on the back of Regulus' neck and pulled his best friend into a hug.

It took a few seconds before Regulus' body started to shake once again and he hugged Dirk back. Kristen's eyes started to water at the sight of the two boys, holding each other like brothers.

Dirk broke the hug only for enough time to invite Kristen in. The three friends clung onto each other, shedding silent tears, displaying the pain of broken hearts, having each lost an important aspect of their lives.

Her.

A/N
I'm sorry :(
I didn't want to but I had planned this since the start and I had to stick to my plan even though it made me so sad to write this :((((((