This chapter is dual POVs. I decided to post two chapters yesterday because I had time. Thanks for reading!
Bella's POV
"Maxon!" I try to stand up, but I can't. I flip myself over so I am on my stomach. I belly crawl towards Maxon. "Maxon, wake up. Maxon!" I shake him gently. He doesn't respond. I crawl towards his leg. "Oh my gosh." His leg is dripping blood and there are shards of glass in his leg. "Maxon, I'm so sorry. This is all my fault," I whisper. I start crying silently. I now know what Maxon went through when I slit my wrists. I crawl back towards his head. I touch my forehead to his and let my tears run. "I'm so sorry," I whisper again.
"Bella, it's not your fault. If anything it's mine for yelling at you," Maxon says softly, waking up. He looks at me and wipes the tears from my cheeks.
"Maxon…" I say, "it's ok. You didn't know I would do that." I kiss his forehead. I stand up slowly and become dizzy. I lean against the wall, hoping that the world will right itself.
"Bella!" Maxon says, starting to stand up.
"Maxon…I'm fine…just give me a minute…" I push myself away from the wall and my knees almost give out. "Maxon…lean against the wall and don't put pressure on your bad leg." Maxon does as I say and his face has a thin layer of sweat, and I bet mine does too. He hisses. I slowly walk towards him. I start to sway, but I walk towards Maxon.
"Bella, I'm fine. You, on the other hand, look like you are going to pass out any moment now."
"Max-on," I say through gritted teeth, trying to stay upright. "Stay there. I'm fine." I make it to Maxon and I lean against him, exhausted just from those few steps.
"Darling!"
"Just let…me…rest for…a bit…" I say, sinking to my knees. I take deep breaths, trying to stay conscious. Maxon tries to bend down, but his leg almost gives out and he leans against the wall again. I stand up slowly and lean against the wall next to Maxon. "C'mon," I say, grabbing Maxon's arm and putting it on my shoulders so he could put some of his weight on me.
"Bella, you're weak from the blood loss. I can walk on my own…" Maxon replies and he steps forward and his legs give out.
"Maxon!" I say as I pull him up. I grunt, hoping that my legs won't give out. "Just let me help you. We are almost to the infirmary. I think I can get you there." We start walking and Maxon grimaces each time he puts his foot forward. "We're almost there…" I say, and we stop by the staircase. There aren't any guards around. They are probably dealing with the mess from the bomb. I start to get Maxon on my back, going to give him a piggyback ride down the stairs.
"Bella! I can't let you do this! You're going to hurt yourself even more!"
"Maxon Calix Schreave, I have to do this. There's no other way around this." I lift him on my back and we slowly start down the stairs. I hold onto the railing so tight that my knuckles turn white. My legs buckle underneath all of this weight, but I keep going. We finally reach the last step and I get Maxon off of my back. I collapse to the ground, my legs finally giving out. Maxon gasps, in pain or surprise, but I don't know. My head hits the ground and I see stars. I gasp and cry out. I clutch my head, trying to stop the spinning.
"Bella! My love, look at me. How many fingers am I holding up?" I look at him and see three fingers being held up.
"Mmm…three," I say, getting myself into a sitting position. "Maxon, I'm fine…just give me a minute." I feel something warm running down my neck and I touch it. My fingers come back red.
"Bella! You're bleeding! Oh no, this is not good. You already needed a transfusion and now you are losing more blood...Bella, I can't lose you!" He starts crying. I stand up and slowly walk towards him, clutching my head. I get to the wall and I lean heavily on it.
"Maxon, even if I do die, I'll never leave you," I say as I reach Maxon and I put my forehead on his. I wipe his tears from his cheeks and I kiss his cheeks. "I love you, Maxon Calix Schreave, and I'll never leave you. Ever."
"I love you too, Bella Starr."
"I don't think I have much time left before I bleed out on the floor." I grab his arm and have him lean on me. "We're almost there, correct?"
"Yes, just go to the end of this hall and take a sharp right." We do just that, but very slowly. I focus on putting one foot in front of the other. We make it to the end of the hall and I look to my right. I see the infirmary doors. My legs start to shake, ready to give out. "We're almost there, my dear. Just a few more steps…" I make it to the infirmary doors and Maxon opens the door. We step inside and the room tilts.
"I love you, Maxon Schreave," I say and I fall to the floor, falling asleep once again.
Maxon's POV
"Bella! Darling! Wake up!" I yell, bending down to shake her gently. There's a pool of blood forming under her head. "Doctor! Someone! Please help!" I yell. Dr. Ashlar rushes out of his office and runs over to us, along with three nurses.
"What happened to you two? You were supposed to be down here by now!" Dr. Ashlar says, taking in the scene. He looks at me, noticing the blood dripping down my leg and my torn pants. He then looks at Bella, noticing the pool of blood underneath her head.
"It's a long story. I'll tell you some other time. Right now, we both need help," I say, already trying to stand up with Bella in my arms. My leg buckles and I drop Bella. "Bella!" I cry, diving down to catch her. I caught her just in time, but I hurt my leg even more. I cry out in pain. We fall to the floor, but I cushion Bella's fall. She's so light, I think, realizing how much blood she has lost.
"Your Majesty!" Dr. Ashlar exclaims, running over to my side.
"Take Bella first," I say, wanting her to get help first.
"I'm sorry Your Majesty, but you know that you come first, especially since there aren't any heirs," Dr. Ashlar says, lifting Bella off of me. He grabs my hand and helps me get up.
"But…" I say, but Dr. Ashlar is already pulling me over to a hospital bed. "What about Bella?!"
"My nurses will take care of her until I'm done with you," Dr. Ashlar says, gesturing for me to lay on the bed. I do as I'm told, hoping that it will make this go quicker and Dr. Ashlar can get to Bella sooner. "Ok, Your Majesty. What happened?"
I tell Dr. Ashlar the story of what happened, while he starts preparing to get the glass out of my leg. I finish and he leaves to check on Bella. I hope you are ok, Bella, I think. I need you. Dr. Ashlar comes back to my bed.
"Your Majesty, I'm going to give you some anesthesia so this doesn't hurt," Dr. Ashlar says, already poking an IV in my hand. "I have to tell you something…" he says, looking nervous.
"What do you need to talk to me about?" I ask, worried that something happened to Bella.
"Well, Bella lost a lot of blood and you did too. We have plenty of blood for a transfusion, but the problem is both of your blood types are O negative. We don't have any O negative blood and both of your systems only take O negative blood."
"What? Why don't we have O negative blood?!" I ask, realizing that there is only one of us who is going to survive, and that person is me.
"I don't know, Your Majesty. I don't understand why either. But this means that only you are going to survive because you will receive the rest of Bella's blood. Bella has to die because it's between the lives of the king and if you don't mind me saying this, a peasant. You have to live, especially since you have no heirs. I'm sorry Maxon, but you are going to have to say goodbye to Bella."
"No. No. This can't be true. No," I say, starting to tear up. Dang it, Maxon, keep it under control. "There has to be another way…"
"I'm sorry Maxon, but there isn't. I've exhausted all my options. I recommend you say goodbye to her now before she becomes unconscious again."
"How am I going to get over to her?" I ask, already sitting up.
"Well, I'm going to pull the glass out of your leg first and fix your leg. I'll give you crutches afterward and you can walk over to her."
"Ok, be quick then. I need to see her." Dr. Ashlar has his nurse get a tray with tweezers, a cloth, bandages, thread, and a needle.
"Alright, Maxon. I'm going to start the procedure." He picks up the tweezers and pulls the glass out of my leg. Bella, I think, I'm coming. Hold on, my dear.