He Cares 💕

Chapter 7

His eyes focussed on the numbers on the door "251."He traced them with his eyes, taking the time to recognise the wood pattern and the exact color. To be fair he was just staring at plain old black numbers, but it felt like so much more. He was staring at the door to her. The door to his poor, sick, helpless rookie. His chest rose and fell, then rose and fell, then rose and fell. A few hours ago he wanted nothing more than to get to her. A few minutes ago he was rushing through the hospital to find her, not caring about the so-called "boundaries" he had forced on her a couple months ago. Now a few seconds ago he was standing at her door, counting his breaths instead of finally going to her. He had to prepare himself to see her emotionless soul on a hospital bed. Ethan had to know that she was in a coma, and no one could truly know when she would wake up.

He finally cracked, he wanted more than anything to at least see her alive. His hand reached for the cool metal handle, wrapping his fingers tightly around it, before pushing it down and away. The door swung open, creaking into the room, disturbing the quiet atmosphere. In classic Ethan Ramsey style he stopped at the door frame, leaning a shoulder to it for support. His eyes wondered over all the equipment set up, watching her heartbeat show clearly on the screen he was fixated to. A glance around the room showed enough to confirm she wasn't in a good state. Multiple different machines were gathered around the head of her bed, each one connected to her in one way or another. His eyes roamed her body to see just how many things she was connected to, and for the first time in hours he looked at her face. Well he stared at her face really, carefully analyzing each crease and line, each tube and wire. She looked peaceful in her coma, her face pale and hollow, but peaceful. He could already feel the tears gather in his eyes as each second went by making it harder to see: and at that point all he wanted to do was hold her hand and whisper sweet and sappy things into her head. He moved the door once more before shuffling a seat closer to her bed.

His warm hands engulfed her small cold ones, as he let his eyes wonder her once more. She looked so small, so weak, and yet he hadn't seen her so peaceful since the last time he caved and slept with her next to him. A some-what amount of relief washed over him as the thought he would be there if something were to happen. He sat there for a while, watching her chest rise slowly, and then fall just as slowly. That day had been tiring from the moment he woke up, but he waited to be safe with her before even considering sleeping. His eyelids became heavier and heavier and heavier, until he was barely able to shake himself awake again. He was just on the verge of sleep when the image of her on the ground crossed his mind again, awakening him enough to open his eyes and grip her hand just a little tighter. "No sleep, not till Tiffany is ok again," the promise to himself. So instead he flicked on the t.v and sat there watching whatever he could.

Throughout the night he had gotten stares through the window, from flustered nurses, to confused residents, to jealous Harpers. Yet not one made him lose his grip on his rookie. The hours ticked by from 2 in the morning, to 11 am, to 5 p.m. At this point Ethan was reading to her an article from a medical journal, when suddenly a raspy and heaving coughing became loud. Her eyes fluttered open to reveal pain as he rushed to her aid. "Tiffany? TIFFANY! You're awake" his large arms surrounded her deflated frame as soon as the coughing fit was over. "Om my Tiffany you're ok." Optimism could be heard in his voice. "My my. A close death experience is all it took from The Ethan Ramsey to be optimistic." her giggle filled the room as she smirked at him relentlessly. "Almost dead and she still has a sense of humour." They talked for a while before Harper finally entered. She was going to make a comment to Ethan but was more concentrated on the young doctor's condition. He spent the afternoon at her side, bringing her food and talking her through everything, well everything except his feelings. "You must be shattered. Please don't tell me you stayed up the whole night by my side?" "Of course I did, I wasn't letting you go, not when you were most vulnerable." Ethan looked at her with his no nonsense look which made her giggle a bit." "Well, i'm tired and sore all over so while i sleep, you must too," she declared while biting back another fit of laughter. "Absolutely not, I'll be waiting for you to wake up." "Excuse me, last time I checked i'm the one in the hospital, old man. You are to follow my wishes because I could die any minute. Now if you're done protesting, take off your shoes and come cuddle with me." "Tiffany, you need rest, and that hospital bed is made for one, not you and me. So you are to sleep because you are not dying, not on my watch." She pouted her bottom lip out at him, and created her best puppy dog eyes. Somehow in a hospital bed she still was adorable and hard to resist. "Ethan Jonah Ramsey, I swear if you don't come here now and cuddle me, there will be consequences." She made her voice demanding and yet somehow it was all so cute. "Fine fine, only if you promise to sleep." "I promise." He gave in and slipped his shoes off, before shimmering onto the hospital bed next to her. He wrapped his arms around her and she rested her head on his chest, listening to his heart beat as they both slowly drifted off to sleep.