Extinguished

~32~ Sasha

Taylor's POV

It's been three days, and Ellie still hasn't woken up. There's always somebody here with her. The hospital has given in, and now looks the other way at the amount of people always in her room.

She's making improvements; Her body is starting to heal itself. They are now more optimistic that she will regain consciousness. They're surprised that it's taking so long, since she's doing so well otherwise. We always try to talk to her, and get her to squeeze our hand, but she doesn't respond at all.

Liam is still having a horrible time, and he hasn't been back since the day he saw her. He's gone to the hospital, but he refuses to go into the room. It's too hard for him. He'll just sit in the nursery and hold his sister. He has fallen completely, and utterly in love with her. 

I am sitting in her room, with Alex, her dad, and her brothers. Megan and Greene stopped by a while ago, and Keegan and Ryder were here this morning.

One of the nurses comes into the room to check her vitals, and empty the catheter bag.

"Mr. Preston, we're going to need baby girl's name soon. We cannot finish the birth certificate without it."

They have told me this for two days now.

"I'm not naming her without Ellie," I say for the millionth time.

She sighs quietly and leaves the room, without looking at me again.

Her dad looks at me now, a little annoyed. "Taylor, she could be like this for a month. Maybe longer. That baby has got to have a name. She can't stay in this hospital for a month."

"Mind your own business," I say, angrily. This man is on my very last nerve.

"Excuse me? This is 100 percent my business. That's my granddaughter. This is my daughter!"

I chuckle darkly. "That's funny. You only use that card once in a while, but you really slam it down when you do use it, don't ya? Where have either of you been? The moment she moved out, you two packed up and left. You barely even check in. Jake is an ass, but at least he's there for her once in a while. What about the two of you?" 

There's silence for a while. Nobody says anything. I glance over at Alex, and he's smiling slightly. I know he's wanted to say the same thing to them for years—But Alex would never do that.

"Ellie's gonna wake up. When she does, she and I will name this baby together. Until then, keep out of it. And if you're already deciding that she isn't going to wake up, then I don't want you here. So just do what you do best, and leave. Alex, Jake, Liam, and I will take care of everything."

I'm so mad now I have to quit talking. Ellie could be listening to all of this; I don't want her to hear me yell.

So to calm myself down, I stand up and walk over to her. I brush her hair off of her face and kiss her head gently. I sit down next to her and hold her hand.

"You're still in love with her, aren't you?" Her dad asks, finally speaking.

"Of course I am," I snap.

"She'll find her way back to you. You've always been the one for her. No offense, Alex."

"None taken," Alex says softly. "He loves her in a way I never could. A way I always wished I did. We were only meant to be together so Liam would be here. They are meant to be together forever. They will be. Ellie is completely in love with him, too. She just has to let herself go there again."

I let the tears fall; This has been a rollercoaster. All of it. I'm so tired.

The nurse comes in again, this time with our baby. "I thought if we put her on Ellie's chest, it might help," she says as she takes her over to Ellie.