Chapter 25 – Tris

It's as though I am living in a horror movie with no ability to wake up and I can't foresee an end in sight as seconds turn into minutes and minutes into hours, which seem to drag on for days.

I soon realise that it is now the early hours of the next morning and with Christina and Will taking Ruby back home and Uriah having to leave as he needs to work it is only Zeke, Shauna and I who remain. Silence consumes us and I don't and can't move in fear of anything happening, much to their dismay as they continually bug me about eating something or getting some sleep. I know they're just making sure I am okay but all we should be concerned about is Tobias as his condition is a greater concern than my own.

I haven't been provided with many details as to how the accident happened or any new updates on his condition, other than them continually saying he is in a critical but stable condition. It only encourages my mind to delve into the darkest of crevices thinking of all the possible ways in which the accident unfolded and how bad his condition could be. Although the lack of updates don't provide me with any sense of calmness I suppose, as they say, that no news is good news.

That bubble is soon burst when I hear a voice beside me say "Tris" with a slight nudge to my shoulder. I quickly glance their way to see that it's Zeke whose eyes are not focused on me but the door by the waiting room where a doctor strides towards us. My heart skips a beat and a wave of nausea flows over me as he gets closer. I try and read his expression for any indication of if the news is good or bad but from what I assume is a lifetime amount of practice, his expression is simply unreadable.

I shift in my seat as the dread starts to sink in as three years ago I sat in a similar seat, albeit Tobias was by my side on that occasion, being told that both my parents didn't make it. They were killed in a car accident and the comparison between both set of circumstances is obvious, which only serves to remind me that maybe true happiness is something that I am destined not to experience again.

The doctor comes to a halt a few feet away from our seated position and without hesitation I rise from my seat and immediately Zeke is by my side holding me steady, obviously sensing my instability.

"Are you here for Mr. Eaton?" he questions and all I can do is nod as words fail to formulate but Zeke manages to supply a firm "yes" in my absence.

"I understand you are not immediate family, but as I have been made aware that he no longer has any remaining members I will make an exception as I see it fit that you fulfil the requirements." Who is this guy?

Tobias may not have any biological family left but I firmly believe he hasn't since he was eight when his mother passed away. We have been his family for the majority of his life and despite what has happened between us I will always consider him as family and this doctor has no right to tell me otherwise.

With what I assume is now a deeply embedded scowl on my face I look back up to meet the doctors eyes as my distaste for his opening remark is put on the backburner whilst I receive a much needed update on his condition.

"As you know Mr. Eaton was in a serious accident and he sustained a number of injuries, both internal and external. We were able to take him into surgery and successfully stop the internal bleeding," I let out a sigh of relief at that piece of news before he continues.

"He does however have numerous broken ribs and severe gashes over his entire body, and more importantly he appears to have sustained significant head trauma." I feel Zeke's grip tighten as my knees begin to buckle, "it isn't apparent how serious that is and only time will tell unfortunately."

I start to feel faint at the news as the worst case scenarios resurface in my mind and just as I am about to crumble to the ground a voice breaks the silence, "can we see him?" It's Shauna. I had almost forgotten she was here but her question does assist in momentarily steadying me as I await his answer. He seems to mull over his decision for what feels like a few minutes and I'm really starting to dislike him as he doesn't appear to have an ounce of sympathy in any of the 206 bones in his body.

"I suppose so, but I must insist on only two at a time" he replies rather sternly and I am about to mouth off at him for his lack of compassion when I feel a gentle touch on my upper back and Shauna's soothing voice directed towards me. "Tris, it's alright. You and Zeke go in and get his stubborn arse better and I will wait out here," I want to appreciate her humour but all of my concerns are directed solely towards Tobias and whether or not he will make it through this, and if he does will he have any lasting complications.

I realise I must have zoned out once again as I find myself being guided by Zeke to what I presume is Tobias's room, and my breathing quickens as a result. I feel my heart rate escalate and my palms become increasingly sweaty as I contemplate what I will be faced with when I walk into his room. As we come to a halt outside a room I turn to hold onto Zeke as I try and absorb any ounce of his strength in order to keep myself together.

"I must warn you that he has a lot of wires and tubes attached to him and that the bruises and swelling is currently at its peak but it should begin to diminish as time progresses, but everything is there to assist in his recovery" the doctor informs us as he pushes the door open and gestures us inside.

I take small tentative steps inside the room with Zeke closely by my side and I am immediately aware of all the monitors and machines which he is hooked onto by the constant beeping. My eyes are still trained towards the ground as I muster up the courage to face the reality of Tobias' condition.

Everything up until this point has felt like a dream, or more accurately a nightmare in which I have been able to, in certain moments, believe that this isn't real. However I know as soon as I see him that will all fade away and I will be left with a heavy weight on my heart and my mind as I wait for any signs of improvement.

Zeke's grip is just as tight as mine as we shuffle closer to Tobias' bedside and I realise I am not the only one feeling the weight of this situation.

I suddenly stop in the middle of the room and take a deep breath before I raise my eyes, and as quickly as I inhaled the faster it left my body as the sight of Tobias bruised and swollen with tubes and wires everywhere is of little resemblance to his usual appearance, and it has sucked the air completely out of my lungs.

"Tris…hey" Zeke says loudly attempting to break me out of my trance, "he needs us to be strong for him, he's tough he'll pull through. C'mon" he adds with renewed strength whilst gesturing towards Tobias.

My breathing becomes fast and shallow as I follow him and I feel the tears slowly slip from the corner of my eyes as the man I have always associated with being a pillar of strength is now laying helplessly in a hospital bed.

…..

"Tobias you need to wake up…Ruby needs you and all your friends do too." I look over at Zeke who is asleep on the other side of Tobias and has been for quite some time, but despite how my eyes sting and scream at me to shut them for more than a few moments, I simply can't in fear of anything happening. I doubt he can hear me but it's talking to him is helping me to stay awake and get things off my chest. "Zeke needs you, he might be too proud to tell you in words but I know you mean a lot to him and he'd be lost without you. I know you wouldn't want me to bring it up but when you were gone he…wasn't the same" I tell him whilst playing with his fingers and clutching his hand tightly. "He cares for you a lot more than he lets on…and…so do I" I add in a whisper whilst staring down at our joint hands.

The sudden sound of the door creaking open takes my gaze away from our hands to where I see a nurse, and a notably beautiful one, making her way towards Tobias. "No wonder you want to stay here a little longer if all the nurse's look like her" I try and murmur discretely.

She gives me a genuine and sympathetic smile which I assume indicates that she didn't hear me and I let out a sigh in relief, but I do feel my face starting to heat up in my own embarrassment.

"I'm sorry to interrupt I just need to check his vitals and make sure he is comfortable" she tells me, and instantly I feel a lot more at ease with him being in her care than that doctor from earlier.

I watch her closely as she moves around Zeke and fiddles with each monitor and the drips going into him for any sign of decline or improvement. "How…how is he?" I ask tentatively.

She turns her head towards me as she scribbles down some notes and without hesitation she replies, "he's stable and his vitals look good, so although there has been no noticeable decline there is only very little improvement, so he is still critical." I scrunch my eyes together at the update I keep receiving, "you should keep talking to him though" I instantly open my eyes up in shock as I didn't think I had been caught which causes her to stifle a laugh.

"Uhmm yeah I was just-" she interjects my rambling and adds,

"It's okay, it's been known that they can most likely hear us so hearing a familiar voice will only help him." I nod whilst gazing at Tobias's bruised face wondering if he had indeed heard what I said.

"I don't know everything you've been told but I do want to tell you that he is in the best possible care, and although his current condition is serious I do believe he will pull through. He has a strong heart beat and he has recovered well from surgery so we just need to hope that the swelling in his brain reduces soon so that he can wake up. I'll leave you too it if you need me or any assistance just hit the green button by the door, and don't forget to take care of yourself too."

She gives me a final smile and leaves to continue what I assume is her round of check-ups and I can't help but wish that every doctor and nurse which has come into the room was as gentle and informative as she was.

"So apparently you may be able to hear me…and I know you're not usually one for conversation but its rude not to acknowledge me you know" I add trying to lighten the mood.

With no response and the room in relative silence, or as silent as it can be with a number of devices constantly beeping, I continue to hold tightly and fiddle with his left hand as I am comforted by his pulse which remains constant and it reminds me that he is still here and where there is life, there's hope.

I cast my eyes up and look towards the window and notice the sun starting to peek through the blinds and that means that Christina is most likely going to arrive soon with Ruby in tow. I don't want Ruby to see Tobias in this condition and I know he wouldn't either, "Ruby will be here soon and she'd love it if her daddy opened those gorgeous eyes of yours…" I hang my head as my emotions suddenly start to bubble over and I feel tears fall from my eyes and land on our joined hands.

"Please don't leave us…please. You..we need more time and I can't have our last encounter be the last and I'm so sorry for the way I've treated you at times since you've come back." I take a deep breath to try and fight the tears, "I just…I didn't know how to move on from how you left but I do need you and want you and I do, and always have lo-"

I stop suddenly as I feel a delicate squeeze on my hand which is laced with his and I rise instantly to my feet with my heart racing at the thought of him being aware, or even waking up.

"Tobias can you hear me?"

A few moments pass where I feel the hope fade as realistically he can't possibly be awake, but then I feel another small squeeze and I feel my heart soar, "Zeke, Zeke" I shout aloud.

"I think he's waking up!"

Admittedly this isn't the best of chapters which is why this one took a little longer than planned, but I do want to say a massive thank you as we've reached 200 reviews! That's crazy and I appreciate it greatly as I love hearing all your thoughts and opinions