AGE 27: The Night Daniel Dies
It was almost morning when Robin woke up. Squinting against the darkness, he sat up, disoriented. At first he forgot where he was, but looking outside he swiftly remembered. The view wasn't great but he could clearly see the New York skyline and hear the sounds of the city coming through the window.
He was at Regina's loft, sleeping on her couch.
After a few seconds his mind grew sharp and he remembered exactly why he'd come there in the first place.
He remembered getting ready for bed with his wife by his side, then hearing the phone ring. He remembered his confusion at the incoherent sobs that came through the speaker before the police officer came on. Once the situation was explained, he'd booked a flight without a second thought. Marian would be driving up in the morning - he was sure her parents would be coming along as well - but that night he came alone, sad, worried but still ready to help his best friend through what would surely be the worst night of her life.
He still couldn't believe Daniel was dead.
Moving his feet to the ground, he swiftly stood up. He could hear sharp cries coming from the bedroom down the hall and rushed to be by her side. He and Regina had seen each other through a lot of pain in their lives but still… nothing prepared him for this.
When they'd first left the hospital, the nurse told him she'd been given a sedative to help keep her calm. She'd been blank and quiet, only slightly cognizant of everything that was happening. She didn't even speak one word to him, her mind had been so muddled. It was probably the only way he'd been able to get her to sleep.
But the sedative had long since worn off. And she was feeling everything.
He found her, curled up against her bedroom wall, still dressed in the wrinkled clothes she'd been wearing when her husband took his last breath. Her face was flushed red as sharp, hiccuping sobs came from her throat, one after the other in a rush, as she wrapped her arms around herself.
Without hesitation, he fell to his knees by her side, wrapping his arms around her shoulders. Once there he saw that she wasn't hugging herself like he'd thought. She was clinging to an old, worn out Columbia sweatshirt. Daniel's Columbia sweatshirt.
As soon as his arm went around her shoulders, she let her head fall against his chest. Tears fell onto his t-shirt as her sobs grew faster and heavier, shaking her whole body. He didn't know what to do, or to say. So he just held her close, letting her cry, every once in a while taking a moment to whisper, "just breathe… you're okay, i promise, just breathe."
I know this was angsty but I hope you liked it. Please leave a review if you did!