Jamie didn't leave Eddie's side for the rest of the night. Hospital rules generally would not permit visitors in the ICU after 10 pm, but it was clear that he wasn't going anywhere, so the nurses looked the other way and left them alone.
He was startled awake the next morning to the sound of nurses making their rounds and he sat up.
"The doctor will be by shortly," the nurse told him as she adjusted the pillow around Eddie's head before she left the room. As promised, the doctor came in twenty minutes later and told Jamie she seemed to be doing well but they wanted to keep her under sedation a little longer.
It is the middle of the day now, and Jamie still hasn't vacated his spot beside her, and he doesn't plan to any time soon, but he feels the soft weight of a hand rest on his shoulder and turns around.
Eddie's grandmother is behind him with tears in her eyes. Now standing, he turns around and envelops the old woman in a hug. Neither can form words at the moment, and they cry together.
"I'm so sorry," he tells Betty through sobs.
She has always been the rock of her little family, and she can tell Jamie needs that from her right now too, so she digs deep to find that strength for him. She can see he feels responsible for this and she holds him tighter.
"I couldn't protect her. I'm so sorry."
Betty pushes away from him and stretches her arms out to reach his face and she gently cups his cheeks in her palms.
"This is not your fault, Jamie. She has a chance because of you. Do you understand me? This is not your fault." She assures him as she pulls him into another tight hug.
"It's mine," she whispers so low that he doesn't hear her, as she looks past him to her granddaughter laying in the hospital bed.
Jamie reluctantly left Eddie's side for the first time in twelve hours after placing a delicate kiss on Eddie's forehead. Her mother was in the waiting area, they wouldn't let them both go back before since Jamie was in the room, hospital rules were two at a time in the ICU.
Erin showed up shortly after Jamie sent Lena back and convinced him to leave for a little while. He tried to protest, but he was still covered in her blood and in desperate need of a shower.
Her family was there, and they needed time with her, so he eventually agreed and went to Eddie's apartment. It was much closer to the hospital, and he wanted to be able to get back quickly if he needed to.
Jamie walks into her apartment, and immediately he is overwhelmed with emotion. They should be celebrating their engagement right now. She should not be fighting for her life in a medically induced coma.
As he shuts the door behind him, he notices the bag she packed yesterday, still sitting on her floor. He crouches down and opens it. He is not sure what he expects to get from that, but he can't help it. The first thing he sees is the framed photo of them. He pulls it out slowly and holds it against his chest.
He sobs, just like she had before she packed it away yesterday. A few moments later, he stands. He knows he has to pull himself together, especially for her. He needs a shower, he thinks maybe that will help.
He is leaning against the tiled wall of Eddie's shower, as the hot spray washes her blood from his arms and hands, and he watches the water at his feet turn a disturbing shade of pink as it swirls down the drain.
He finishes quickly and lays down in her bed. It smells like her, and he just needs to rest for a minute. He is startled awake a few hours later by the ringing of his phone on the pillow beside his head. He sits up fast, he didn't mean to fall asleep and he wonders how long he has been out.
When Betty calls to tell him that the doctor is going to reduce the dosage of medication that is being used to keep her sedated, he can't get back to the hospital quick enough. He knows she won't wake up right away, but he is going to be there when she does, whenever that is.
When he returned to the hospital, the doctor told him they had begun the reduction in medication, but it could still be a while before she wakes up. All they could do was continue to wait. They were confident she would wake up, her body was healing quickly from the trauma, but they wouldn't know the full extent of the damage until she did.
Jamie wouldn't leave her side again until he saw her crystal blue eyes sparkling back at him, and until all their questions were answered. She had to be okay. He needed her to be okay. He wasn't sure he could go on without her.
"Jamie, hon," Betty said softly as she placed her familiar hand on his shoulder again.
He didn't move, he didn't look away. He wouldn't let go of her hand. He would never let go of her hand again.
"Jamie," she said again slowly.
Her heart was breaking for him.
"It's been two days. Why don't you take a break, go get some fresh air."
They began the reduction over forty-eight hours ago, but Eddie still hadn't woken up. She had shown signs of coming to a few times, but never fully did. He didn't move from his position beside her bed.
"I'm not going anywhere," he told her, his voice filled with fatigue and heartache.
His face stained from the tears shed over the last two days. Betty sighed as she sat down beside him. She and Lena had been escorted back to Eddie's apartment each night so they could rest, but Jamie wasn't leaving. She knew her efforts were useless.
Time dragged slowly as Jamie sat by Eddie's side, her hand in his, waiting for her to wake up. He needed to see her eyes sparkle at him like they did for the last year. He wanted nothing more than to hold her in his arms, but he wasn't sure if he would ever be able to do that again.
He wanted to talk to her, tell her how much he loved her, tell her how much he needed her. He wanted to promise her everything was going to be okay. She just needed to wake up.
"I was going to ask her to marry me," he admits to Betty through shaky breath.
He doesn't look at her though, he never takes his eyes off Eddie.
"I got a ring…I had the perfect proposal planned," he continues as he squeezes her hand softly.
Betty remains silent beside him. "I never got the chance. I may never get the chance," he cries out as he drops his head.
"She should be awake by now," he says as he struggles to raise his head back up.
Betty rubs his back gently and finally speaks.
"You will get your chance, Jamie. She will come back to you. Believe that," she tells him firmly.
"I can't believe I slept that long," she says as she finishes getting ready.
"It's ok, just hurry please," he playfully rushes her.
He is like a child and she wonders if he has never been to a beach before. A few minutes pass when Eddie finally emerges from the bedroom in a pair of denim shorts and an olive-green top that hugs her beautifully and Jamie can see the thin straps of her black bikini top tied around her neck. She reaches for her beach bag and sunglasses, and Jamie is nearly dragging her out of her apartment.
"Slow down," she laughs, "the beach isn't going anywhere," she says jokingly.
"I know that," he says as he rolls his eyes. "I'm just excited, now let's go," he says as he leans in to kiss her and then drags her out the door.
She quirks her eyebrows at him and smirks a little, wondering why he is in such a hurry to get to a beach in New York. They can't be that great, she thinks. She has no idea what he has waiting for her when they get there.
They are walking the shoreline of Manhattan Beach, their arms linked at their elbows, as they stroll through the shallow water, sand creeping between their toes. Eddie is in no hurry, but Jamie is. He tries not to let it show and stays in a slow pace with her.
A few minutes later, she notices a small crowd of people in the distance, but she doesn't think much of it until they get closer. This is it, Jamie thinks to himself as he slowly lets out a deep breath, careful not to give anything away.
The group ahead of them is just a few yards away now, as Eddie looks up at them. She stops walking immediately and pulls her arm away from Jamie's as a little girl in a pink sundress and pigtails is running towards her.
It takes her a second to realize the toddler a few feet away is Gracie. And then she looks up to see her mom and grandma, Jamie's mom and dad, and even Erin and Danny.
She smiles at them, but she is very confused and huffs a short laugh as she looks back at Jamie, trying to figure out what is going on.
He doesn't get her attention for long, though, because she remembers the toddler running to her and turns back to Gracie, who is now approaching, and she realizes the little girl has a box in her hand.
Jamie leans down to pick up his daughter and kneels on one knee in front of Eddie as he places Gracie on his thigh and whispers in her ear.
Eddie is in shock. What is happening, she wonders? Are they all really here right now? Is Jamie down on one knee in front of me, with his daughter on his lap? Am I losing my mind again?
She blinks a few times as she looks away from them very briefly to see the small crowd of family members, his and hers, standing around them, who have inched a little closer now.
Time is moving so slow, she thinks. Seconds feel like minutes. She looks back at Jamie, and Gracie reaches out to hand the black box to Eddie, and it is déjà vu.
She sweetly accepts the box from the little girl and opens it slowly, revealing a beautiful diamond ring that glistens in the sunlight. Tears are streaming down her cheeks when she looks down at Jamie.
He stands with Gracie on his hip and takes the ring out of the black velvet box.
"Will you marry us?"
Tears are filling his eyes now, as Gracie repeats his words to Eddie.
"Yes."
Eddie answers them both through her own sobs and Jamie slides the ring on her finger. He captures her lips in his, and Gracie claps her hands while cheers and tears are heard simultaneously from their audience of family members.
"I love you, Eddie."
"I love you too, Jamie."
A few hours had passed, and Jamie was jolted from his restless slumber when he felt a gentle squeeze from the hand he held for the last two days.
"Eddie," he said softly, as he witnessed the slight movement of her head and waited patiently for her eyes to open.
Quiet moans escaped her and finally, her eyes blinked slowly. He was engulfed with joy in that moment and a warmth washed over his entire body until the beeping from the heart monitor increased to a rapid unsteady rhythm and a slew of medical personnel flooded her room.
He was pulled away from her and before he understood what was happening, he was watching through the glass window as doctors and nurses surrounded her. The warmth that he felt seconds ago was replaced with debilitating fear and all he could do was watch them work from outside her room.
Minutes felt like hours before the frenzy inside her room cleared, and a doctor approached him.
"She is awake and stable now," he said, and tears of happiness spilled from Jamie's eyes.
"She is asking for you."
That was all Jamie needed to hear for now, and he entered her room. The nurses had adjusted her bed to a seated position, and he was overwhelmed with joy when he saw her.
"Hey," he said calmly as he approached her side, and she immediately began to cry.
She remembered almost everything, and she knew she was lucky he was here. So many emotions were rushing through her entire body. She was happy he was there, but she was terrified that he was going to be mad at her. He should be, she knew that.
She knew her past that she tried so hard to keep hidden from him for the last year was no longer a secret and she knew he had every right to be upset about it. She expected him to be. She was ashamed to be lying there in a hospital bed again and embarrassed for him to see her like this, weak and vulnerable, beaten and bruised. But all she saw in his eyes was love.
Jamie comforted her with a gentle, enduring hug. He didn't care about anything that happened before, he was just glad she was awake, and she was going to be okay. She welcomed his embrace and buried her face in his neck and continued to sob.
"I'm so sorry Jamie."
Her voice was hoarse and weak, and they cried together.
Eddie pulls back slightly to look up at Jamie. She is still ashamed of everything, and she knows she doesn't deserve for him to be here, holding her right now.
Jamie can see the anguish in her eyes as she pushes away, and he reaches for her hands, taking them both in his. It is a gesture he hopes assures her that everything is going to be ok. She has stopped crying for the moment, but it doesn't last long. As soon as she tries to speak, her tears are back.
She gazes into his eyes, wondering how, after everything, he is still sitting in front of her. She had planned to leave him and told him not to look for her. She doesn't deserve for him to be sitting here right now. His eyes are glassy and she can tell he has been crying with her.
She knows she has to talk to him, explain to him, and apologize to him. He deserves that much. She hopes he will understand at least, and prays he will forgive her.
They sit there for a few moments longer before Eddie begins to speak. She has very little energy, and every movement she makes is a struggle. She doesn't stop crying but her sobs do slow as she looks into his eyes. It is hard to speak, but she does her best.
"I didn't want to wake up," she admits, as more tears fall.
Her statement breaks Jamie's heart. Why didn't she want to come back to him? He can't believe what he is hearing.
"I was finally free, and I knew if I woke up, it would never end," she admits again, her words cracking as she speaks.
She remembers the attack, but she has no idea that Jamie was the one who saved her. She doesn't know that she will never have to experience Jake's rage and torment again.
"Eddie," Jamie says, pleading with her.
"We were happy, Jamie. You and me and Gracie. We were safe, and we were going to get married."
She is still forcing her words and it is hurting to speak, but she continues.
"You proposed to me on the beach, and everyone was there." She pauses and looks down at her hands. "I know it was all a dream, but I didn't want to wake up from it."
She is still looking down, away from Jamie. She can't look him in the eyes anymore. She knows everything she is saying is hurting him all over again. Admitting that she didn't want to live anymore.
She knew it wasn't fair to anyone else, it was selfish, but she was tired. Tired of running, tired of lying, tired of living in a world where Jake Singer existed.
The repetitious beeping of the heart monitor behind her is steadily increasing, and that is exactly what Jamie didn't want to happen. She is still sobbing, her body shaking and tears falling freely.
"Hey," he says softly, yet with much emotion, attempting to calm her.
In that instant, she is reaching for him again. She doesn't say a word, and he meets her more than halfway, enveloping her in a gentle hug, still worried he will hurt her if he holds her too tight, but her body collapses into his. She wraps her arms around his neck, buries her face into his chest and cries.
The sound breaks his heart again, and a tear rolls down his cheek. He wraps one arm low around her and the other lands softly on the back of her head, and he holds her. He will hold her for as long as she needs. He needs it too.
"Eddie, look at me," Jamie says as he turns her face back towards his. "Jake Singer will never hurt you again. I promise."
She wants to believe him, but she isn't sure she can, and she is shaking her head at him as her tears continue to fall.
"How can you be sure, Jamie?"
"Because I killed him five seconds before he killed you."
Eddie can't believe what she just heard, and she thinks her heart skipped a beat.
"You don't have to be afraid anymore." Jamie promises her again.
"I'm so sorry, Jamie," her mouth is trembling as she presses the words through her sobs.
She wants to look away again, but she doesn't. She is so grateful for him, but she hates that he had to go through that. She hates that he had to take someone's life for her.
Jamie doesn't need an apology from her though, he would do anything to protect her, but he still wonders why she felt like she had to hide the truth from him. Tears are still spilling down her face, but Jamie's have dried.
"I'm so sorry….I'm so sorry," she repeats, almost uncontrollably, shaking her head in the disappointment of herself.
He reaches for the lone spot of her cheek that isn't bruised or slashed and rubs his thumb gently there to ease her, and he turns her head to face his.
"Look at me, Eddie," he says softly, as he guides her face back to meet his eyes.
Everything about him is so delicate. His voice, his words, his touch. He knows how fragile she is right now, and he knows he needs to make her understand immediately that he isn't mad at her.
"I love you so much."
He is trying to hold back his tears again, but he isn't sure he will be able to.
"I'm just glad you are ok," he tells her.
And just like that, their tears are flowing again as their lips come together to express the emotions they are feeling. After a slow tender kiss, Eddie pulls away slightly to look into his eyes.
"I love you too. I'm so glad you are here," she whispers as she leans into him, gently resting her forehead against his. She doesn't care about the sharp pain she feels when she presses into him, or when he wraps his arms around her, she needs this right now.
If Eddie could have stayed in his arms forever, she would have, but the pain she is feeling is intense and she needs to readjust. She pushes herself away, attempting to sit up a little straighter, and Jamie is reaching into his pocket. She furrows her brows slightly and winces at the pain that the expression causes, but she is confused at what Jamie is doing.
He has been carrying her ring with him for the last few days and now he is holding a small black box in front of her. Her lips begin to quiver again, and her eyes are watering as Jamie opens the top and shows it to her.
"This is not how I planned on doing this," he puffs out a quick laugh, but he is so grateful to have her back that he can't wait any longer.
She slowly brings her hand up to cover her mouth, she can't believe what is happening.
"Will you please marry me?"
He is almost begging her, and the tears are back in his eyes as he watches her nod her head in response.
He smiles as he slips the ring on her finger and a tear rolls down his cheek. She can't form any words, and he leans in to kiss her again.
Eddie's mother and grandmother are standing at the window of her hospital room and Betty glances over at Lena with tears in her eyes. She smiles and manages to speak through joyous sobs.
"He got his chance."
A/N: Well, that is the end of this one. I hope you enjoyed reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Before I ever thought to post it, I was thinking about a sequel but couldn't come up with any good ideas. I know a few of you have requested a sequel already so I'll do some brainstorming. If you have any ideas, I'd love to hear them. Also, remember that if I do write a sequel, unfortunately it won't be published as quickly as this one was since this was complete before I started posting. Again, I appreciate all of your kind reviews and really can't believe how much praise I have gotten from this story. Thank you to everyone who has read and reviewed. Even to the guest who thinks Eddie is stupid for not telling Jamie and deserves what Jake does to her. I don't agree that anyone deserves what Jake did to Eddie, but I respect your opinion.