Chapter 57

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|Aaron's POV|

MY EYES CLOSED to the sound of her heart monitor beating. She was alive and in that moment that was all that mattered to me.

Her breathing, her heart beating and the direct chance of her eyes opening.

I clasped my hand over her own which held drips and tape around it. Her torso was wrapped in a long, white bandage that scared me.

West hadn't awoken in a week. The doctor said because of the intense loss of blood it might take her longer for her body to regain its stamina and consciousness.

Her eyelashes were brushing against her cheek and I sweeper my eyes to the shallow rise end fall of her chest. She was going to be okay.

Just to confirm myself I place my fingers at the pulse on her wrist. It was better then before. I run my hand across her delicate skin and stare down at it.

There was a ringlet of a bruise on her narrow wrist. I traced around it slowly, anger unfurling in my chest.

How can I be awake and she asleep? It feels worse and worse everyday. Waking up here only to see her still sleeping. It made me feel empty.

I just hoped that wherever she was it was enough to make her feel safe.

I had a thorough discussion with Andrea. Amelia had flagged down the doctor to come Ava where daughter. I was staying here while Amelia, Jake and the twins plus Miles were outside. They checked in about every hour of the day and Amelia would take shifts with me.

I was holding her slot now. A, because I don't want to be away from West. And b, because Amelia looked like hell. She was tired as fuck and her blood pressure had increased. Andrea had gone forward and booked a stay in room at the hospital to monitor Amelia's health and keep her close to her daughter.

Catherine wasn't easy either. She reminded expressionless but as soon as the doors closed and people went away If pups hear her sniffle and just stand there. I could glance through the small window through the door and see her just standing. Unsure of what to do.

Louis was the opposite. She and Miles would be there together hand in hand. Louis would cry and then be forced to sit down for the sake of the baby. She was too pregnant to carry stress at this stage. According to Miles, she was ending her third trimester. Her baby was due any week or day now.

The sparrows all left school too to come here often. They couldn't stay for it was the hospital policy but they tried to cramp in every visit that they could.

Owen recently got discharged and the amount of shock and emotion in him burst through. He heard about Bryce and asked Olivia to push him in his wheelchair to her. He cried watching her and I couldn't help feel depressed too.

Though Bryce had good vitals she was taking too long to wake up. The doctors wouldn't say but I heard them whisper about. She could lapse into long-term coma but the chances of that were slim. She had no neurological damage. A slight concussion was there due to Liam. The motherfucker was soon to be rotting in jail.

West had already undergone a bronchoscopy and some router shit. She was done now. All she needed to do was show those pretty eyes of hers.

"Hello." I look at contain my shock as her grandmother walked on sniffing. I looked at her and didn't bother getting up. Not because I was rude but I was glued to the chair. I didn't want to get up. "Archer told me Bryce was here."

I nod unsure of what to say so I remain silent. She slips into the seat next to me and smiles down. "I'm Julia for the the record."

Again I don't know how to respond/

Cool. I'm Aaron?

Hi Julia?

Oh, okay?

So instead I swerve the conversation all together. "I can give you some privacy." I scramble up but she puts a firm hand on my shoulder.

Holy fuck, for a grandma she sure has iron strength to her. Her eyes don't meet mine as she focuses on her granddaughter. "I don't think I've ever seen at such peace as I see her now. She's a burning spitfire isn't she?" She chuckles as if a memory was playing in her mind. "Her father was the same. Most people say I'm like her but her old man was wild. Trust me I would know. I walked home at least once a week to the station or the school trying to categorize his problems. At the end of it all I had a recycled answer for everything." A small smile tilts my face as I listen on.

Julia takes in a deep breath and heaves a sigh. "She's such a young girl. And yet she goes through such things. She doesn't deserve it."

"I know." I softly put looking at West. "And I don't know what I'm going to say to her to comfort her when she wakes up."

She hums looking at the floor. "When I first met her, I thought to myself what a gal? She was about eleven and she had a huge scowl on her face. Huge. I remember James and Amelia trying to get her to eat food but she kept throwing it around. She even gave some to my dog. And when we asked her to stay the night she walked straight out the door mad widowed by the car impatiently. It was hilarious."

I snort and rest my arms on my knees.

"And then after I let her be with Charlie, my dog, she became obsessed. She came back every week just to sit in the front gardens with him. She thought him soo many tricks it was astonishing. Then Charlie died and she felt sad. So I took her to a pet shot and bought her another dog. Jack. She loved Jack even more and then we kind of grew close. Especially after her addiction started too. I was the only one she confided in. It made trust feel like an honor." Julia amusedly said clasping her hands in front of her. "I was soo happy to see her happy when she met you. Honestly when I first looked at you it was hate."

I tense and she stares directly at me. Well if this isn't awkward. I grit my jaw as she assessed my features. "I thought you were one of those asses who'd use her body and then discard her. Take her magic and run off. That was until you ran after when she found out about my cancer. You looked so worried and sick out of your mind that I wanted to laugh. I think I did too in my car. You were such a hopelessly in love boy." She starts laughing again and I frown.

"It's so fucking funny I forgot to laugh." I grumbled as she laughed harder. Seriously are all the women in the Weston household so dominating?

"I'm sorry. It's just is what it is. I find it rather refreshing and entertaining. You follow her around like a lost puppy." Julia smirks as I roll my eyes. The silence is filled with the strong rhythms of her heart monitor. Every tick of it rhythms with my own heart beat.

Beep.

Beep.

Beep.

"She's going to wake up. A fighter, that one." I agreed with her on that. "And when she does I want you to promise me one thing."

I look at her direction with narrowed eyes.

Julia glances at Bryce as she speaks, "You'll make her happy."

"I already know that-"

"I know you do. But people are also capable of harsh things in the midst of time itself. I want you to promise me you'll take care of her. Her whole life she's been doing that."

"I promise."

"And promise me you'll let her do the same for you. It should be divided. She loves you just as much as you love her. And I quite fortunately believe in young love to blossom into beautiful things."

I sigh and run a hair through my hair. Fuck, I needed a haircut. "She wants to break up with me. Before going to Harvard."

Julia blinks and then composed herself with amusement lighting in her eyes. "Of course she does. Sometimes I think she's a lot wiser then me. Don't tell her I told you that though. She'll pester me about forever." I chuckle and rub the back of my neck. "I'll best be waiting outside though."

"You can wait here." I offer nodding to the benches. She shakes her head and gets up.

"I'm old and have a horrific back ache. Plus Amelia and the girls need me right now. Take care." She exits the room and I scoot my chair forward resting my head on the bed. I feel so so fucking fired but I don't want to close my eyes.

I don't want to be asleep when she wakes up.

I lace her cold fingers with mine and brush my lips against her knuckles. I look at the heart monitor and see a small spike on it.

A smirk paints my lips. "Wake up, love."

...

|Bryce's POV|

My limbs are dead. I feel so tired that even breathing feels like a burden. But even then I feel a force on me.

Wake up, wake up, wake up, it murmurs to me. And what hurts even more is that it sounds a lot like my father's voice. His strong charismatic voice. Wake up, kiddo. The world still needs you here. It's too cold for you to come up right now.

And then the voice changes to a lower octave. A voice I knew for a while now. My own personal mantra. Wake up, love.

And I do. I fight through the ice of the darkness absorbing me and I feel my breath knock against my rib. My senses feather around me and I weakly blink and eye.

A blinding flash of white slaps my face. It's an effort to keep them open. I breathe a gallop of air but it's not strong enough. My throat hurts too much. I blink again and look at my body. It's not moving. It's not responding to me.

Fucking hell.

It feels claustrophobic. Like I'm trapped. I breathe again and then an alarm triggers. It's loud and piercing and I almost fall back into my slumber because of it.

"She's up!" Someone shouts. Aaron. Aaron shouts it. His icy eyes hover over mine. A transparent mask is clamped onto my face. The itchy straps scratching against my cheek and my scalp. I feel so greasy.

"Breathe. Just breathe." Andrea instructs me holding my chest down. "I'm going to count to three. Three breaths I need from you."

"One."

"Two.

"Three." My lungs expand and I gasp as air travels into me. I inhale it greedily taking it all in. Andrea slowly removes the mask once my breathing is back to normal and she flashes lights into my eyes. Her thumb holds down the skin under my eyes and extend its orbit.

The blinding light waves in front of me before she pockets it. Her back turns to me and she speaks to the nurses. "She has no delay. Get her food and recheck her vitals." She then looks at Aaron. "Give her water and stay with her. She's in the good zone now."

Then the door closes. A hand in slid behind my back and I am pushed up against the care bed. The plastic slides behind my cold skin making me shiver as a crystal rim is pressed against my lips.

"Drink the water, West." Aaron gently coaxes my lips apart and I stare at him as I swallow a mouthful of water. I chug it down like I have never tasted it before. After I finish he sets it down and wipes his thumb across my bottom lip.

I smile at him and he looks at me uncertainly like he cannot comprehend I am alive and well. "Hey."

"Hey." He breaths darting his eyes around my face. "How are you feeling? Are you okay?"

I close my eyes and nod. "Yeah. I've been better but I feel fine. Tired but fine. How about you?" He scoffs and shakes his head. He bows his head down as he stands next to my bed.

I furrow my eyebrows at him. "What's wrong?"

"Everything." He blurts still not meeting my eyes. "You got shot and I you are asking me how I am? I've been worried shitless about you. Fucking hell." He grips his hair and I continue to stare at him.

I reach out to his his hand and tug him forward but does not move. He is rooted to his spot. "Aaron. Aaron I'm okay." He raises his head. His eyes are filled with tears.

I think my chest is paining now.

"I thought I was going to lose you." His voice cracks as he whispers. He closes his fists at his sides and a muscle ticks in his jaw. I bite my lip and sit up straighter. "And it would be because of me. Because I could protect you."

"Hey." I sternly snap getting his attention. "It wouldn't be your fault. You have to stop blaming yourself."

He rolls his eyes but I can see something like cheeriness light in his eyes. "I'll hand it to you to rule me into place after just waking up from coma."

I chuckle and wince at my sore throat. He immediately walks forward and holds another glass of water. I shake my head. "I want to sleep. Is that weird?"

"Considering you've been asleep for a week? Maybe just a little." He teased and kisses my forehead. I close my eyes at the feeling of his soft lips on me. "I missed you."

I pull away with a grin. "I would say the same thing but my unconscious mind did not make you it's top priority." Aaron scoffs looking at me in shock.

"Are you sure you aren't high on morphine or something?"

"Nope. Not that I think so." I shrug and look down at the drips down my arm. It looked kind of freaky to be honest. I always find a way to end up at the hospital.

I feel Aaron staring at me and I let out a sigh with a smile. "Sit next to me."

He hesitates.

I scoot over and pat the area next to me. He gingerly shuffles on the bed and I have to pull his arm to finally have him sit. I place my head on his shoulder and close my eyes with a small hum.

His arm goes behind me and he wraps it around his waist. We stay like this for a few minutes before I break the silence. "How is everything?"

He understood what I meant by my voice. "Liam's been pressed charges by multiple people and it's pretty much written in stone he's ending up in jail. Owen's awake and healthy. He ugly cried when he saw you." I let out a small laugh as he went on, "Everybody is out that door waiting for you. When you're ready you should meet them."

I bury my face into his neck. "I need a shower. I feel disgusting."

"I can help with that." My smile drops against his neck and he lets out a laugh. "Or...you can have some nurses bathe you."

"Or I can just shower myself." I reasoned and shifted my chin to his shoulder. "But your offer sounds more tempting." He smirks down at me and I swear even at this state I have butterflies bursting through me.

"Easy there. You're still pretty banged up and sex won't necessarily ease that."

I feign shock and check his temperature. "His Aaron Mercer ducking the offer of having kind-blowing sex with me?" He shoots me a pained look and I cannot help but tip my head back and laugh.

He joined into too. God, life really was worth living.

The door pipes open and I watched my mother and grandma walk in. They both whimpered and rushed over to me and squashed me in a sandwich. My mother was full on sobbing into my hospital gown while my grandma was laughing out of overwhelming emotions.

"Oh god. Thank god you are okay." My mother pulled back wiping her emerald eyes. She kissed my cheek and then pulled back with a frown.

I watched Aaron silently slip out of the room. He mouthed me Good luck and gave me a wink.

Bastard.

"Do you have any idea how worried you made us? Made me? Any?"

I offer her an awkward smile. "By the waterworks of my shirt? Yes I have a hunch." She swatted my shoulder and shook her head.

"This girl and her witty replies. Can you believe my baby just got shot? With a bullet? An actual bullet from a gun?" She exclaimed.

My grandmother chuckled wiping her eyes. "Well guns weren't made to tickle, dear." My mother rolled her eyes and muttered something about genes.

I laughed and looked between them in awe. Awe because I got to call them my family. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"Nobody bloody means to get shot. Unless you've got a James Bond aspiration." My grandmother cuts in. "But you did good, dear. You were so brave and so strong. You really were incredible."

"Good god, Julia. Why not give her a Nobel prize award while you are at it. She's been shot and you are giving her a verbal ovation." My mother scowled and looked at me. She cradled my cheek and just stared at me. "Are you alright? Do you need anything? Do you have pain anywhere?"

I lean against her hand and shake my head. "No mom. I'm fine. Really."

"Okay." She nods but I can tell she is frustrated that she cannot offer me anything. "Well everybody is here to see you. If you are tired then rest for a while. I'll keep them out and they can meet you tomorrow if you like."

"It's okay. I'd like to meet them now." I tell her. My eyes dart to my grandmother who is biting her lip in contemplation.

"Amelia I'll be out with you in a few minutes. I just want to talk to Bryce." My mother nods and gives us privacy. The door shuts behind us as my grandma nudges my butt back and perches on the bed.

I trace my eyes over her black fabric cap that hides her head. I remember the memory and they wrap around my heart and throat squeezing me. "I'm sorry." She states looking at her conjoined hands. "About not telling you. It was my mistake and I take full responsibility for it. You deserved to know and I hid it from you because I was scared you would become depressed."

I lick my lips and sigh. "Well I guess you were kind of right. I became an embarrassment after I ran off. It was humiliating." I wish I could toss that memory away and burn it into ash. It was totally horrific and made me cringe to the point where I wanted to blend in with the shadows.

"You were right to react. I don't find that embarrassing I find that human. I'd rather have you overreact then bottle them up. Plus your grandfather was always like that too. When I first turned down his proposal he went to France and drank all the wine there only for the hospital to notify me he got knocked out. When I met him he looked like a floor mat." She rumbled with a laugh to her voice. "That's when I realized I wanted to spend the rest of my life with that stupid man. I wanted exciting things in my life and he made that happen. To this day I don't regret a thing." My eyes stung as I stared at my grandmother.

I place my palm on her own hand and she shudders with a smile. "I forgive you. Do you forgive me?"

She slaps my face lightly and embraces me. I inhale her simple perfume and stay content in this position. "How do I forgive someone when they did absolutely nothing to be wrong in the first place? Rest Bryce. We still have soo much to do. I'll get better, don't you worry about me. I'm not going anywhere until I take you to Las Vegas and teach you my tricks in both poker and having actual fun." She shoots me a sneaky grin which I return back. "Well I'll go now. Shout if you need anything."

I watch the door closed only for it to storm right open and allow Louis and Catherine to strut in.

Before I could form a sentence they squeeze the shot out of me and start mumbling things to me.

"You gave me such a fright, bitch." Louis closes her eyes pulling back.

Catherine looks at me more concerned then anything. "How are you? I fucking pressed charges on everyone involved and I have lawyers working to tape Liam's dick to a wall."

I snort and look between them. "I'm amazing

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