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The emergency room buzzed with frenetic energy, the chaos of it all assaulting my senses. The blinding lights, the antiseptic scent that lingered in the air, the loud din of urgent voices, all merged into a disorienting symphony that had me reeling. I scanned the room, desperation etched into every fiber of my being, searching for help.
The faces of the medical staff contorted with shock and disbelief as they took in the state of me. Blood stained my clothes, bruises painted my skin, and the weight of our harrowing ordeal bore down upon me.
But their momentary hesitation was shattered by my piercing scream.
"Someone, for the love of God, help him!" I cried out, my voice raw with anguish and desperation. "Please, save him!"
In an instant, the medical team sprang into action. They rushed towards me, and I led them out to the car parked right in front of the entrance. Their trained eyes immediately understood the severity of Cain's condition. With a swift yet gentle motion, they lifted him out of the car, and placed him on a gurney, their movements efficient and urgent.
Minutes felt like an eternity as they wheeled Cain away, disappearing behind the double doors of the emergency surgery unit. I sank to my knees right there in the entrance, my body trembling with a cocktail of fear, exhaustion, and an overwhelming flood of emotions. Tears streamed down my face, each drop a testament to the depths of my love and my understanding that my world was falling apart.
Gurneys carrying Remington, Stellan, Paxton, and Nina soon followed Cain through the double doors.
And then I was all alone, unable to follow them further inside.
The waiting room became a sea of whispered conversations and anxious glances, a microcosm of collective worry and shared humanity. I clutched onto fragments of hope, praying fervently for Cain's survival.
The seconds stretched into minutes, and the minutes morphed into hours, as time became an amorphous entity that refused to be tamed.
With every passing second, my heart splintered further, fragmented by the weight of uncertainty. The sterile walls of the hospital seemed to close in around me, suffocating me with their clinical detachment.
Finally, an exhausted looking doctor approached, her eyes filled with both weariness and guarded hope. “Aurora?” she asked as I sprang to my feet, her eyes widening only briefly as she took me in. I hadn’t bothered to get cleaned up yet, and my shoulder was still bleeding from where the bullet had hit me. I didn’t feel like I could do anything until I knew they were alright.
She spoke in measured tones. "Cain made it through surgery. It was touch-and-go for a while. We lost him twice. But he's holding on now. I think we’re out of the woods."
Relief washed over me like a cleansing wave. I wiped away my tears. “And the others?”
“Severely malnourished and dehydrated. Remington and Paxton both had infections brewing in their cuts. But they should be okay. It will just take awhile.”
I nodded, my throat clogged with my tears.
“Aurora, I think you should see a doctor as well,” she murmured.
I shook my head. “I’m fine. I—I just need to get cleaned up.”
She eyed the blood clinging to my skin with concern, but she finally nodded her head, not having the time to argue with me, I was sure.
“You can go see them if you want,” she told me. “Cain can’t have visitors yet, but the others have been asking for you.”
My heart leapt in my chest, nausea and nerves suddenly springing to life.
I’d spent all this time trying to save them, that I hadn’t thought about the after part. When they knew everything I’d done, and didn’t want me anymore.
"I'll take you to them," she said, missing my inner meltdown.
I would just see for myself that they all were okay. And then I’d leave.
There wasn't a way back for us after all that had happened.
I felt like I was walking to my death as I followed her to the hospital room. I was getting all sorts of looks, thanks to my crazy appearance. Somehow the police hadn't shown up yet to start asking questions, usually an automatic if you rolled up to a hospital like we had.
At least, they were alive. I could handle losing their love, but I couldn't have handled them not existing anymore. For the rest of my life, I could at least find solace in that.
"Here you go," she said gently, stopping in front of a room. “You should be able to see Cain in the morning."
I nodded, hopefully giving her a grateful smile, because I was still having trouble finding words.
She patted me on the shoulder and hustled away, I’m sure to scrub her hands after touching me.
