“I don’t want to leave her,” I say, lacing my fingers with hers.

“Declan, come with us,” Lena says after a moment. “You need to eat, and you need to be strong for her. Fiona can keep guard, and she’ll call if anything happens.”

“Yeah, Declan, I will. Go get us some food,” Fiona says. “I’m hungry.”

“Then you go get it. I can’t leave her.”

No one says anything and I lay my head gently on her leg, matching my breathing with hers. Taking in a deep breath before letting it out to calm myself, I feel on the brink of losing it and I don’t know how to control that.

I feel my father beside me before he speaks, and I wish he’d go away.

“Declan, son, I need to speak with you. Come with us. We’ll be back in no time.”

I don’t want to go, but I can hear it in my da’s voice that he needs me to follow him. Thinking it may concern Casey, I get up and send a look to Fiona. “Call me if anything happens.”

“I will.”

Kane squeezes my shoulder before dropping into the seat I just left and leaning into the bed. I follow my parents and Lena out of the room. Nothing is said as we get the food and head back. I am starting to think this is pointless until my da turns to me and says, “How are you holding up?”

I shrug. “I’m here.”

He nods. “Kane tell you they got that fucker? He is in jail as we speak, and my legal team is building a case. I told them that we will let them know when Amberlyn wakes up.”

I like that he says when Amberlyn wakes, but it still doesn’t ease my pain. As much as I want Casey to go to jail and rot, I wish more than ever it was he in that bed instead of her. Looking up at my da, I say, “Thank you.”

He looks at the ground as he says, “So she stepped in front of you?”

My throat goes tight as my heart speeds up in my chest. “Yes.”

“My God,” my ma breathes. “That is such a selfless act and just shows what kind of person she is.”

“The most amazing,” Lena says. “I liked her from the moment I met her, and I can’t wait to get to know her once she is better.”

Lena laces her fingers with mine and smiles up at me. I try to return the sentiment, but I don’t think I will smile again until it’s for Amberlyn. I feel my eyes flood with tears and I want to go back to her but before I can, my da says, “I was wrong to think what I did of her and I am sorry for that, son. I plan to tell her the same. I owe her the world for keeping a part of me alive.”

When a tear spills over my cheek, I hate myself for looking so weak in front of my father, even though he bared some of his heart to me. I never thought this day would come but looking up to meet his gaze, I can see the pain and concern that the last couple of days have brought onto him. I look away as I take in a deep breath.

“Thank you,” is all I manage to say before I head back to Amberlyn’s room to hand out everyone’s sandwiches.

Everyone leaves to eat except for Fiona and me. While she eats, I hold Amberlyn’s hand, my sandwich on my legs as I watch her breathe. It makes me feel better to see that she is alive, but I hate that the future is still unsure.

It’s well past eight that night when the doctor finally strolls in. My sandwich has been left on my legs uneaten, and it falls to the floor once I see who has entered. Kane wakes Fiona, and we watch as he looks Amberlyn over and checks her file.

“Good news, everyone. She is ready for the tube to come out.”

I feel as if someone has kicked me in the gut. I bow over, holding the side of the bed. “She is going to be okay?” I ask, because that has to mean she is going to be okay. Right?

“We will see. We aren’t out the dark yet, my friends, but we are close. She is a strong woman, that’s for sure.”

I nod as Fiona’s hands come around my wrist. I look over at her to see the tears spilling over and rolling down her cheeks. “Yeah, she is,” she agrees, sending me a grin.

I swallow hard as I look back at the doctor. “Okay, let’s clear out the room while I do this, okay? There is a glass window you all can watch from.”

We do as he asks and watch from the window he mentioned. Finally, two nurses come in and they slowly remove the tube. Washing his hands, the doctor looks back at me as he says, “Now we wait for her to wake. Talk to her, don’t shake her or anything, but encourage her to wake up.”

Taking our spots beside her, I take hold of her hand and kiss her palm.

“It looks positive, folks. Stay that way for her,” he says before leaving the room.

Kissing her palm once more, I stroke her wrist as I try to hold back my tears. Fiona is crying, looking extremely stressed out, and I know I look the same. I’m not sure how long it is going to take her to open her eyes, and I hate the unknown. I worry for her and I find myself praying that she wakes up, that God and her parents allow me more time with her. I promise them that I’ll love her and treat her the way they all would want me to. All I need is more time.

As minutes turn into hours, I start to get frustrated. The doctor said to stay positive, but it’s hard when she isn’t responding to anything I say. I’ve done everything—touched her, talked to her, even kissed her, and nothing has worked. So has Fiona, and she hasn’t moved an inch. Her eyes haven’t even fluttered or even gave me any kind of hope that they are opening. Thankfully, though, her chest continues to rise and fall and that is promising, but I still crave to see those aquamarine eyes. To kiss those sweet lips and utter the words that have been dying to come out for days.

“I want to tell you I love you, Amberlyn, please,” I whisper. “Just wake up, look at me. Tell me you love me too.”

“Do you think she can’t hear us?” Fiona asks. “Maybe I should scream at her?”

I raise my eyebrows before shaking my head. “Don’t, she’ll come at her own time.”

She nods before dropping her head onto the bed, looking at me from across Amberlyn’s body. “I hate him and I know that when she comes to, she’s gonna tell me to forgive him. I don’t know how to do that.”

Biting into my lip, I take in a deep breath. “Yeah, I know.”

Lacing my fingers with Amberlyn’s, I run my thumb along the back of her hand.

“She’s gonna wake up, right?”