After getting checked Luke in and filling Barney in on the good news, Robin was emotionally, physically and mentally drained from all the stress that had built up inside of her just two hours ago. But although she was exhausted, she knew she had to be by Luke's side.
She had stumbled down the hall in a hurry, seen him and gasped. She did not gasp in horror, nor did she gasp in sadness. It just seemed like the reaction to have.
What she did not understand was how Luke had seemed so fine, lying peacefully on the hospital bed with tubes coming in and out of him. His face, for some very miraculous reason, was filled only with shallow cuts and nothing that big or obvious of that sort, and having not listened properly to what the doctors had said about his situation as her mind ran free, she only assumed there were internal injuries.
Robin paused, not knowing what to do.
She had dealt with situations like this. She remembered that one single day when both Ted and Barney had ended up in the hospital. She had been there, and she had been fine. But she had not dealt with situations like these on her own. And despite everything she shared with Luke, she felt as though her presence was somehow disturbing the quietness in the room.
Pulling out a chair from the other side of the room, she sat down on his bedside, fiddling with her fingers.
"Hi honey," she started and cleared her throat as she noticed her voice how her voice had cracked before even speaking the second word. "I'm so glad you're okay."
She clicked her tongue, staring at him, praying it was all a joke. The doctors were not really performing surgical tasks in the operation room hours ago. He was not really hurt and he was not really in a coma right now. It was all a big, funny joke. It was all a joke to get a reaction out of her.
Any time now, God would snap His fingers, Luke would wake up, tearing out his tubes and his bandages would come off, and they would go home, laughing at her reaction together over some Nando's.
Why did this have to happen to her anyway? Out of seven billion people in the world, why did it have to be them?
Or this must be some kind of nightmare, Robin thought.
Seven billion people are roaming this Earth right now. Seven billion. Luke is one out of seven billion. He's a mere cell in an entire human body. And it happened to him.
She probably just fell asleep after watching Doctor Who, and as science fiction was as scary as they came. She must had made this entire thing up in her head and brought it to her sleep. It had to be a nightmare.
Why?
Completely kicking the rational side of herself away, at least for a moment, she prayed it would be a nightmare and she prayed it was a sick joke. She did not believe in God, but she prayed. She prayed as hard as she could with crossing fingers, good-luck charms and quick whispers into the air.
But that was not the way the world worked. Miracles did not come as one wished and this situation was no exception. And she realised that.
Sighing, she shook her head, eyes closed, trying to clear her mind. And after what seemed like forever, she opened her eyes again, her gaze this time filled with determination.
You can sit here and mope and whine and complain and pray that things will get better while you keep holding this negative attitude, she thought. Or you can be thankful he is still alive and get on with your life right now, preparing for your future together until he gets better and you put those plans on paper.
Knowing she could not sit around waiting for him to wake up, she knew she had to make sure she was handling her life decisions rationally and she knew she had to do all the things Luke could not do right now.
He isn't dead. He's here. Living and breathing. You prayed for that, and you got it. Stop bargaining and let things take care of themselves.
As usual, her alter ego backlashed immediately.
But I can't. He needs me. He needs me to talk to him and he needs me to be here with him to get through this.
No he doesn't. He needs me to live my life as it was and as it had been. That is what he needs. Now keep quiet.
And with that, she shut up her stupid alter ego; seemingly happy with the conclusion she had formed.
"Take as long as you like. Just promise me we'll be all right," She whispered. Grabbing hold of his hand with both of hers and kissing it good night, she got up and got ready for the long ride home. Alone.