Sarantaduo [ 42 ]

My heart was heavy as I slept with Kara on the hospital bed. My head rested against her chest and I was woken up by a tugging feeling in my body. It was like something had completely changed as I was able to feel Kara completely.

I quickly climbed off the bed and watched her closely as her eyes twitched and then slowly fluttered open. My lips parted in shock and I released a relieved sigh when the beautiful browns I was always so enchanted with stared into my eyes.

She seemed groggy and slightly out-of-it, but I knew she registered my presence because I felt the strong wave of her love flood through me.

"Kara…" I brokenly whispered, clasping her fingers in mine as I stared at her in disbelief.

My heart dropped when she suddenly tensed before her eyes rolled backwards. She roughly pulled her hand from mine and gripped her head. A pained moan tore through the air as her face scrunched up and she tipped her head backwards. She sunk into the pillow and screwed her eyes shut as her breaths became laboured.

The machine started to beep erratically, and Nuka and a few other nurses, burst into the room in a panic.

Fear took me at a stronghold until I realised what it was. I quickly cupped her face and forced her gaze to mine. "Kara, you need to block them out. It's the pack link forming in your mind." The pain brought tears to her eyes and my hands lightly shook as I spoke again. "Focus on me, baby. Just me."

She stared at me through her tears and a choked gasp tore from her throat as I felt a light pressure in my mind. Within a few seconds, her whole body sunk against the bed and she whimpered as her eyes fell shut. I kept my hands on her face as I brought my lips to her head, kissing her hair lightly in hopes to ease her pain.

She feebly gripped onto my wrist and when she opened her eyes, I gently rested my forehead on hers so not to hurt her any further. I couldn't believe she was finally awake and the gaping hole in my heart that was left as a result of her absence slowly began to close.

The hope reignited in my heart and a thick lump of emotion threatened to close off my airways as I shut my eyes and emitted a shaky breath. I could hear her fast heartbeat and it was such a difference to her incredibly slow one that it brought me to tears. She was alive and looking at me. I had missed her eyes so much and the possibility of never seeing them again broke me.

Her hand weakly lifted to my head and she dug her fingers into my dark hair, caressing gently. "Tr-Tristan, I'm here." Her voice was scratchy and quiet. I could barely hear her over the loud sound of blood rushing in my ears.

I moved my head to rest against the curve of her shoulder and my shoulders shook as I focused on the comfort she was giving me just from putting her hand in my hair. "Kara…" I gasped in a breath of much-needed air. "I was terrified of losing you."

She was silent but I could feel the fear in her heart as well. She gently curled her fingers around the back of my neck, pushing a thought into my mind. A quiet groan fell from her lips as she did so, and I knew she was still adjusting to having links with five hundred people.

'I'm here with you. I held on for you.'

I lifted my head and stared into her eyes. I almost went to kiss her when her gaze turned to Nuka and the nurses he was with. I looked over my shoulder to see expressions of worry but relief. Nuka stepped forward and smiled politely.

"I'm Nuka, your doctor. How are you feeling, Luna?"

Kara had a thousand and one thoughts in her head and I winced when I felt the utter turmoil that was occurring within her. I knew the whole ordeal had uprooted her world and she didn't know how to get a grip on things.

She grimaced and lifted a hand to her throat. I caught on quickly and reached for the pitcher of water. Pouring her a glass, I held it to her lips as she gulped down the water. I gave her another glass full before she spoke a bit clearer.

"Thank you for saving my life." She couldn't muster up a smile and her gaze dropped. I knew she wasn't in any state to talk and the room went silent as she stared blankly at the pattern on her hospital gown.

I offered an apologetic glance to Nuka and he nodded his head as he took a step back. They left without a word and I reached for Kara's hand. Her fingers were unmoving for a long moment until she squeezed my hand, forcing her gaze up.

"Tristan…" her voice cracked but she seemed unwilling to cry as she blinked rapidly. She leaned her head back against the pillow and released a shaky breath. She pulled on my hand and I laid down on the bed as best I could, facing her as she pressed her forehead to my chest. "I'm in so much pain." She whispered tearfully and let go of my hand to grip my shirt as tightly as she could. 

My heart broke in my chest and I gently caressed her hair, staring towards the window as my eyes began to water again. "I know, αγάπη μου. I'm so sorry."

She took in my scent and her movements were groggy as she craned her head up to look at me. With half-lidded eyes, she stared at me with great pain etched on her face. I gently stroked her cheek and kept my eyes on hers.

"I could hear everything you said." Her soft voice soothed my heart and I watched as she smiled through the pain. "I could feel when you were in the room. You kept me alive, Tristan."

I breathed shakily and brushed the errant strands of her messy hair from her forehead. "I'm so glad you're alive, Kara—I can't live without you."

She closed her eyes and dug her face into the crook of my neck. Her warmth brought rest to my limbs and I relaxed against her. "I thought for sure that I was going to die. I've never felt pain like that in my life." The anger exploded in her chest and a growl died in the middle of her throat.

I tried as best I could to pour her more water with one hand, and after I brought the glass to her lips, her eyebrows lowered in anger.

"She tried to kill me." Her eyes looked like fiery embers of mahogany. "I remember what she said to me when she stabbed me. 'He was meant to be mine, I've loved him from the beginning.'"

Her anger soon fuelled mine and I could feel it simmering. My expression was stony and I clenched my jaw. "She's going to be dealt with, αγάπη μου."

Kara gripped my shirt tighter and leaned in. "Tristan—I want to kill her. For what she did to me—for what she wanted to do to us." She implored with desperate eyes and punctuated her sentence with a wince. She coughed and leaned back into the pillow. "Please."

I desperately wanted to ease her pain so I conceded, no matter how much I wanted to kill Mindy. I nodded and I reached for her hand. It was silent between us for a long while as she took deep breaths.

I knew I was deeply in love with her because the only thing I could think about was how incredibly stunning she still looked. Her heart was beating in her chest and she was in the room with me—properly. That was all that mattered.

"We can deal with Mindy later, baby. I've spent the last two days scared out of my mind and I just want to hold you." She allowed me to slide my arm underneath her head and I gently coaxed her closer to me as I pressed a kiss to her hairline. "I love you."

She turned onto her side with a quiet groan and her hand lightly brushed against her bandaged wound before she rested it on my chest. "I really love you, Tristan. A lifetime—that's what we deserve."

The emotion came over me like a wave and I knew she felt it too when she gripped my chin and turned my gaze to hers. I glanced at her lips and with every fibre of my being, I wanted to feel her mouth against mine.

Lowering my head, I pressed my lips to hers and felt the emotion expel out of me into the kiss. We came together with gasps and whimpers and I felt content as she melted against me, kissing me back passionately. She was frail and tired but she leaned heavily on me until she pulled back for air.

For the first time since before she was hurt, I slowly grinned. "Yes. A lifetime. That's exactly what we deserve."