AN: Omg I'm so sorry! It's been like over 2 weeks since I last updated!! I was away for like 9 days and then volunteering at a camp all last week and I've just been so busy. But Melissa (Team M) was bugging me to update so I did! XD x3 It's kinda short, but I hope you like it :) I don't know when I'll get to update next...hopefully soon :) Oh and, everything I say is totally fictional, like all the medical stuff :P
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
Chapter 11
(Nick's POV)
Half an hour later we were still sitting impatiently in the waiting room, hoping for more news. After I got back it had been mostly silent, they didn't tell me anything while I was in there, except that they were looking for the cause of the problem. Since then there had been no more news.
My mom walked over and sat down next to me. Joe was snoozing in the corner, Demi and Kevin were whispering quietly a few chairs away and Demi's mom had gone to get coffee for everyone.
"Nick, sweetie, what happened to Miley?" my mom asked me.
I looked over at her, "I don't know, they didn't tell me, they were still trying to figure it out."
"Not tonight Nick, in the past," she looked over at my stricken expression, "why was she shot?"
"I-uhm- I promised I wouldn't tell, mom, it's not my place. I'll leave it up to her to tell you the whole story when she's better."
"What if it's important?"
"I told them what's important, how or why she got shot isn't," I finished just as the doctor walked into the room, making me jump out of my seat.
"Stewart?" he called into the waiting room, just like the nurse did before. My mom stood up beside me and waved the doctor over.
"Is she okay?" I heard Demi say, coming to stand next to me, along with the rest of my family and her mom.
The doctor took a look at us all before starting, "Well, we hope so, she-"
"You hope so?" I interrupted.
"Nick, calm down," my mom said sternly, as Demi placed her hand on my shoulder, squeezing it to try and get me to be quiet.
"As a result of her condition, she had a metal cap placed on the bottom half of her heart, to ensure maximum function. Our x-rays show that a section degraded, causing the cap to shift and interfere with the pumping of her heart. Unconsciousness is the body's natural response when the heart's not pumping correctly, it means the body can focus on getting the heart to work properly without having to worry about normal body functions." the doctor continued.
"So she's okay?" questioned Joe, cluelessly.
"Well, we're not sure what caused the metal to degrade, as only some things do, none of which Miss Stewart should have in her body. We need to operate in order to fix the cap so it stops interfering with her heart, but we're not entirely sure whether we should replace it or take it out entirely. She would be fine without it, but it does improve the pumping of the heart if she has it, but we don't want it to degrade again and cause problems. If it happens again we can't guarantee she would survive."
"How are you going to make the decision?" Demi's mom asked.
"We are running some blood tests now to ensure she's not intoxicated with anything."
"She wouldn't drink, she's a good kid." Demi interjected.
"We're not talking about alcohol or drugs, we're talking about chemicals and the like. We should have the lab results soon and we will make a decision then. Of course, a parent or guardian will have to agree. I'll come get you as soon as we have news." The doctor explained.
"Can we see her?" I asked, before he left.
"Yes, we gave her some sedatives but she should be waking up now. Only one at a time though, her body's under a lot of stress, despite the fact that a machine's helping her heart pump." He replied, walking away, leaving us in silence.
I so badly wanted to see her, but I didn't think I could without breaking down. And I couldn't let her see my cry. How could a girl I'd only known a week already mean so much to me? I didn't understand it, it's like while I was trying to get her to open up, I saw a side of her I never thought I'd ever see, a side that made me fall in love with her. No. I couldn't love her. It was too soon. But I do.
"You want to see her first, Nick?" my mom said, interrupting my thoughts.
"Oh, uhm," crap, I need to make a decision, fast! "Yeah," I finally said. 'What?' I thought to myself. I didn't know what I was gonna say! I lifted my head up to see everyone staring at me, "oh, uhm, I'm just- uhh - yeah…" I stuttered turning around and walking towards her room.
I walked in just as the nurse left the room, and saw Miley lying there, looking so fragile with all the machines hooked up to her. The mere sight of her brought tears to my eyes, but I blinked them away and grabbed the chair in the corner, pulling it over and placing it beside her bed. She was still asleep so I just sat down and stared at her breathing. I reached out and grabbed her cold hand and wrapped it in my own. Her eyes fluttered beneath her eyelids but she remained asleep.
"Miles," I sighed, "Miles, what am I going to do with you? Every time I think we're finally on our way to a greater friendship, something happens that sets it all back. I can't let you go now. I see how fragile you are, yet so strong at the same time. I admire your courage, Miles, you're one of a kind, you really are. I could've gone my whole life and never have met you, and I would have been fine. But since I met you, I just haven't been the same. And not in a bad way, I'm a better person because of you Miles, everyone's been saying. But I've only known you a week."
I looked over at her sleeping peacefully. I really needed to say this to her when she was awake, when she could actually hear me. I continued anyways, I needed to get this off my chest.
"You need to me okay Miley. You will be okay. After all you've been through I know you'll survive this. Just a little longer and you'll be fine. You're stronger than any of us, you know? You'll be fine."
Realization dawned on me. When she woke up there was going to be questions, questions I knew she really didn't want to answer. "I think I owe you an apology. Everyone, they're going to wonder what happened to you, not just now, but before. The doctors needed information, I let slip you're condition in front of them. I'm sorry, I really am. But I promise, I'll be with you every step of the way. I won't let them judge you; I won't let anyone hurt you ever again. I love you, Miles, and I promise I'll protect you." Did I really just say that? Thank goodness she wasn't awake.
I reached up with one hand and started stroking her hair, pushing it off her face. I was shocked to see tears coming out of her eyes. Suddenly she was awake, whispering my name.
"Nick" she said.
"Miley! You're awake," I said, pulling my hand away from her hair. "I need to go get a nurse," I continued, releasing her hand from my grip and standing up. But Miley was quicker than me, she held tightly onto my hand, forcing me to sit down again.
"I heard everything," she mumbled through her tears.
"Everything?" I whispered back, my cheeks turning bright red.
"Everything." Oh, lordy, I thought to myself, I wasn't really ready for her to hear me say all of that.
"I'm gonna just, uhhh, go…" I said questioningly, standing up again and walking towards the door. I heard her giggle behind me.
"Nick?" I turned around to face her, "I love you too," she said as I walked through the door in complete shock.
AN: Yay!! I finally figured out how to do that line thingy :p lolz. So uhmm... tell me what you think :) Hope you liked it :)
