The beeping of the machines seemed louder now. Steady, constant, each beep syncing with the rapid thudding of Rose's heart as she stared at Dimitri, who had just whispered her name. His eyes were open, barely, but open nonetheless. After days of waiting, worrying, and fearing the worst, he was awake.
"Roza…" Dimitri rasped, his voice weak, but his lips curved in a faint smile.
Rose's breath caught in her throat, her heart leaping into her chest. She was by his side in an instant, her fingers trembling as she hit the nurse call button. The emotion hit her all at once—a tidal wave of relief, fear, guilt—so overwhelming she could hardly breathe.
"Dimitri…" she whispered back, her voice shaky. "You're okay. Just stay with me."
His eyelids fluttered, as if even staying awake required all his energy. He looked at her, struggling to say something, but the words wouldn't come. His hand twitched, moving slightly toward hers, but he was too weak to lift it.
Before he could say anything else, the door swung open and the nurse hurried in, a look of relief crossing her face as she saw Dimitri awake.
"He's conscious," Rose said quickly, stepping aside to give the nurse space.
The nurse smiled reassuringly, though her focus was on Dimitri. "Let's check you over, Mr. Belikov. Try not to move too much."
Rose hovered near the edge of the bed, watching anxiously as the nurse went about her work, checking his vitals and adjusting the tubes that connected him to the machines. Dimitri's eyes flicked toward Rose every few seconds, as if trying to keep her in his line of sight, trying to speak to her despite the nurse's calm reminders to conserve his energy.
"Everything looks stable," the nurse finally said, after what felt like an eternity. "You've been through a lot, but you're doing well. Just take it slow, okay?"
Dimitri barely managed a nod, his eyes never leaving Rose.
The nurse glanced at Rose, sensing the tension and unspoken words between them. "I'll give you two a moment."
Rose nodded, biting her lip as the nurse exited the room. The door clicked shut, and the small hospital room seemed to shrink, leaving just the two of them in the heavy silence.
For a moment, neither of them spoke. Rose stayed rooted in place, her eyes fixed on Dimitri's pale face, his lips still parted as if he wanted to say something but couldn't find the strength. The reality of how close she had come to losing him hit her all over again.
"What happened?" Dimitri managed to ask. "After?"
Rose sighed. "I called the ambulance. And the cops," she explained. "They came and took my statement while the paramedics worked on you, and – Tasha. She's fine, by the way. She just had a concussion. But they took her into custody after I explained everything."
Dimitri winced as he tried to move up in the bed.
"Don't move," Rose instructed. "They had to operate. You'll be sore for a few weeks while you heal."
Silence fell between them again.
"I'm so sorry," Dimitri finally whispered, his voice hoarse. His hand moved again, shakily reaching for hers.
Rose blinked, her breath catching. She sat down in the chair beside his bed, gently taking his hand in hers. His skin was warm, but his grip was weak, and it broke her heart to see him like this.
"You don't have to say anything right now. Just rest."
Dimitri's brows furrowed, frustration flickering across his face. "No… I need to talk to you, Roza. I came… to see you… before… everything happened."
His voice was ragged, and Rose could hear the strain it took for him to even speak. But his eyes—dark and intense, even in his weakened state—were pleading with her, desperate for her to understand.
Rose shook her head. "Dimitri, please. Not right now. You need to rest."
His hand tightened ever so slightly around hers, a small but determined gesture. "No… I need you to know… I was coming to talk… about us. I never got the chance to—"
Rose swallowed hard, cutting him off gently. "Dimitri, stop. It doesn't matter right now."
"Yes, it does," he insisted, though his voice wavered, weak from the effort. "I came because… I needed to tell you the truth. I was—"
"Dimitri," Rose interrupted, her voice firm but soft. "This isn't the time. You almost… you almost died, okay? I just needed to know that you're going to be okay." She bit her lip, fighting back the flood of emotion that threatened to overwhelm her.
Dimitri looked at her, his eyes searching hers, as if trying to gauge whether she truly meant it. After a long moment, he nodded, too exhausted to argue further. He closed his eyes, letting out a shaky breath.
The silence in the room was heavy. Rose sat beside his bed, her heart aching, a storm of emotions swirling inside her. She wanted to stay. She wanted to hear him explain himself, to understand how everything had gone so terribly wrong, but at the same time, a part of her felt like she couldn't bear it.
She shook her head, trying to clear the confusion that weighed on her mind. There were so many things she still didn't understand. She had let herself believe that she could have something real with him, only for him to shatter that belief when it mattered most. But now… now he was lying here, and despite the guilt and confusion that still lingered between them, he looked at her like he needed her. Like he cared.
But she couldn't trust that feeling. Not yet.
Rose bit her lip, staring down at him for a moment longer. His breathing was steady, and the colour had started to return to his cheeks, but the fatigue still clung to his features. He was still too weak to argue, to explain. And she wasn't ready to listen, not just yet.
"I'm going to call your mom," she said. "Let her know you're awake."
With a deep breath, Rose stepped away from his bedside and walked toward the door.
As she reached for her phone, Rose hesitated, casting one last glance back at him before leaving the room. He was lying there, breathing softly. She should have felt comforted by the sight of him resting, recovering, but instead, all she felt was the weight of the unresolved questions hanging in the air.
Her fingers hovered over the screen of her phone, and then she dialled his mother's number.
The line rang for a few moments before Olena's voice answered. "Rose?" Olena said softly. "Is he… is Dimitri okay?"
Rose swallowed hard, trying to keep her voice steady. "Yes. He's awake."
"Oh, thank God," Olena whispered, a small sob escaping her.
"I just needed to make sure he was okay. You should come and be with him."
"Thank you," Olena's voice cracked with emotion. "Thank you so much for being there, Rose. I'll be there soon."
The line went quiet, and Rose slipped her phone into her pocket. She glanced back towards Dimitri's room one last time before walking away, her heart heavy with a sense of finality. She had done what she needed to do—made sure Dimitri was stable and alive.
It was a long walk down to the exit of the hospital, and the further she got from Dimitri the heavier her heart became, but she didn't stop. Things didn't magically right themselves between them because he'd got hurt. There were still unanswered questions, hurt feelings and broken hearts.
And yet here she was, walking away from the one person who had made her heart race, made her feel like she'd truly fallen in love for the first time.
She couldn't do this. Not now. She had to give herself the time and space to heal before she could even think about deciding what came next.
For now, all she needed was distance.
And maybe, just maybe, some peace.