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I barely feel the tightness around my arm, too paralysed to even investigate what it is. My eyes close tightly, shutting everything and everyone around me out.
*** *** ***
I feel presence in the room, but I don’t open my eyes to investigate. Instead, I let myself drift back off, their voices fading into the background. “Have they said what’s wrong with her?”
“She’s in shock. She’s not processing. It’s bad, Banner. They’re talking about admitting her into the psych ward,” Mark reveals, his voice gruff.
“Banner, you need to go rest. You’ve got a concussion and a head injury,” Levi demands. “If her condition changes, I’ll come and find you.”
“I’m not leaving her,” Banner growls, his voice husky and dry.
“Mate, we can watch her,” Mark says, agreeing with Levi.
“I said fucking no,” Banner snaps. The sound has me jumping, opening my eyes. “Emma?”
I blink over at Banner, tears gathering in my eyes when I see the bandage wrapped around his head. He runs a finger down the side of my face, forcing a small smile.
“Banner?” I croak, my throat raw.
“Emma? Oh, my God, you’re awake. Are you okay? Do you need anything? Should we get a nurse?” Mark rushes out, coming around the bed to stand next to Banner. Levi comes into view next and I blink back more tears, feeling my throat tighten. I glance back at Banner, needing to touch him, to make sure he’s real. I can’t move though, too afraid it’s an illusion. “There was so much blood, Banner. So much.”
I close my eyes when I’m bombarded with images of the night’s events. I keep seeing Darren’s face, the anguish and pain written all over it. I know he tried to hold back, not wanting to show me just how badly he hurt. But I could read it in his eyes.
I close my eyes tighter when I see the moment Banner fell into the river, the torment I saw there. He looked petrified, but not for himself—for me.
“I’m sorry, Emma. So sorry,” Banner whispers.
I let the tears I was afraid to let fall, flow down my cheeks. “I thought I lost you forever when you fell into that river.” As soon as the words escape my lips, I break down, sobbing into the pillow. I clutch it in a tight grasp, the pain in my chest unbearable.
I’m moved, and then Banner’s climbing into bed with me and laying me on his chest. “Shh, baby, I got you. You’re safe now.”
As I cry harder into his chest, I feel Mark or Levi, or both, place their hands on my legs, squeezing them gently in a soothing gesture, showing they are here for me.
“Darren saved me. He died saving me,” I sob. “I tried to help him, but he died in my arms. He died.”
At a loss for words, Banner doesn’t say anything. He holds me closer, running his fingers through my knotted hair.
I press closer to him, feeling my tears soak his hospital gown. I begin to feel drowsy, and I struggle to keep my eyes open through my tears.
“Go to sleep, Emma.”
“Don’t leave me,” I whisper.
“Never,” he vows, kissing the top of my head.
*** *** ***
I’m groggy when I wake, feeling a hard chest beneath me. I glance up, seeing Banner’s handsome face in a deep sleep. He’s no longer wearing the bandage, and instead, has a plaster covering where he got bashed in the head. A bruise runs down the side of his face. As I run my gaze down the rest of his body, I make out scratches on his neck, a few bruises, and more on his arms.
He got so lucky. I really could have lost him.
I look down the bed into my room, jumping when I find Mark watching me, Levi asleep next to him in a chair. I wasn’t expecting him to still be here.
“Mark?” I call out, seeing the tortured expression on his face. He gets up from his chair in the corner, moving to sit down in the one next to the bed. His eyes water as he reaches out to take my hand from Banner’s chest, clutching it in his.
“When I got the phone call a week ago, I thought I lost you,” he chokes out, his eyes closing with despair.
“Wait! A week ago?”