A/N: I'm sorry I keep putting characters in the hospital. I am. Really. Sorry.
Her chest felt like it was caving in, closing in on her lungs and she couldn't breathe. Her entire body trembled, and she didn't know why. "Hi, is this Victoria Vega?" "Yes, that's me." "It says here you're Ms. Jade West's emergency contact?" "Y-yes, that's correct. I'm sorry, who is this?" "I'm calling from Cedars-Sinai. There's been an accident." "W-w-wha...is Jade okay?" "I'd prefer to not disclose details over the phone, but you should probably get here as soon as possible." Her pulse beat furiously in her temples, the throbbing in time with the pain behind her eyes. Her head was in her hands, and she dug the heels of her palms in her eyes. She couldn't muster up any tears, her body feeling cold and the expression on her face mirroring the shock that coursed like ice through her veins. Jade could die. Air rushed to her lungs as she gasped, the first lucid thought popping to the front of her mind as she sat in the waiting room. Her hands covered her mouth as she stared blankly ahead, the thought wrapping itself around her mind, implanting itself in her brain and taking over her thoughts. Her girlfriend had been in surgery for eight hours already, and that's how long Tori had been sitting in this chair, thoughts scrambling wildly as her mind provided her with a selection of possible scenarios, each one more gruesome than the last. They said she had been in a car accident; Tori had been in rehearsal when she got the call. Jade had been heading over to surprise her after her session at the studio, when the other car t-boned hers. "It was a drunk driver. He was driving a pickup, and going full speed into the intersection," the officer had informed her. "Her car flipped, and she was trapped inside. When they brought her in I couldn't even tell she was still alive." Her breath stuck in her throat as the words rang clear in her mind. "I couldn't even tell she was still alive." The passing of Jade's parents just half a year ago meant that there was no one except for Tori in the room, and to the singer every tick of the clock echoed in the confining space, the seconds ticking past too quickly and not quickly enough, all at the same time, leaving the singer to wonder just how long Jade could hold on for.
It ended up being a 12-hour long surgery.
When the masked surgeon finally pushed his way out to see her in the waiting room, Tori stood slowly, legs weak. As he pulled down his mask, it was evident the doctor was exhausted. His face grim, he turned to her.
"You're Victoria?" She nodded silently, fingernails digging into her palms painfully as she clenched her hands into fists. The doctor rubbed at the back of his neck, sighing. "She'll make a full recovery, which is a miracle, because she flat-lined a couple of times while we were trying to find all the internal bleeding. But she's shaky right now, she needs her rest. She's very lucky." Finally, the surgeon gave her a tired smile. Tori reached out and shook his hand.
"Thank you," she whispered, relief flowing through her body, once cold with shock, flooding it with warmth. The doctor nodded and gave her another tired smile, before turning and heading to the break room. The nurse who took her information when she came into the hospital gestured to Tori to follow her, and led her to Jade's room. "Thanks." Tori whispered, before slipping through the door and closing it quietly behind her. The entire left side of her girlfriend's body was either mottled with bruising or wrapped in bandages, and her left arm was in a cast. A brace encased her left knee, and Tori assumed it was sprained. With a soft sigh, the singer settled herself down in a chair and resigned herself to a difficult couple of days. She slid a hand gently onto her girlfriend's arm, over her pulse. The beating beneath her fingers reassured her, and she fell into what would be a fitful sleep.
Amber eyes snapped open at the soft clearing of a throat.
"Jade." She breathed, eyes flickering over her girlfriend to make sure she was safe. A sigh of relief escaped from her lips as she met confused emerald eyes. "Thirsty?" Jade nodded, wincing as she moved her head. "Don't move." Tori chided softly, pouring her a glass of water and helping her take a couple of sips. They sat in silence, Tori gently brushing her thumb over the back of Jade's hand.
"Sorry." Jade finally spoke hoarsely. Tori shook her head, tears springing to her eyes. Swiping at her eyes, she took a deep breath to compose herself.
"You have nothing to be sorry about, babe." The singer smiled, tears welling in her eyes. "I'm just so happy you're here." Jade reached up to wipe away a stray tear with a thumb, sighing.
"I wanted to surprise you." She chuckled, wincing a little and placing a hand over her ribs. "I guess I did kind of." She smiled sheepishly, slipping her hand back into Tori's.
"Yeah," Tori sighed, running a hand through her hair tiredly, before pleating a kiss gently on Jade's forehead.
"I really am sorry, Tor. I'm sorry you had to go through that." Jade reached up to cup Tori's cheek. "How long did you have to...wait?"
"You were in surgery for twelve hours. Out for 3 days after that." Tori leaned into Jade's hand. Jade sighed.
"I'm sorry, babe. I really am." Tori smiled, shaking her head.
"It's okay. You're alive. Nothing else matters."