My Other Half

CH23

I flutter my eyes open to a plain hospital room. I tried to move but it only caused flashes of pain in my side. Wincing, I sat up looking around, my head felt lighter, my hair cut into a pixie cut. To my left, my eyes snag on Adrien’s body covered in scars from the fire. It broke my heart to see him connected to a ventilator. Tears started rolling down my face from the pain and the sight.
“Oh good, you're awake.” I turned my head to see a nurse standing in the doorway. I watched her lift a walkie talkie to her face and say something into it before directing her attention to me again. “Do you mind me asking you a few questions? Don't worry, they're simple.”
“No.” My voice came out gruffer than usual and felt sore after saying it.
“Okay, what’s your name?”
“Marinette Dupain Cheng.”
“Date of birth?”
“The 9th of July.”
“Mhm, and what’s the last thing you remember?”
I thought hard, my face scrunched up in concentration.
“Don’t push yourself too hard, people’s minds are built to block out trauma like that.”
I started shaking when I remembered the fire and the beam falling on me. I look down to see scars covering my body as well along with a newly changed bandage on my side that hurts. I raised a hand to my mouth, I couldn’t speak for a long moment.
“Fire?” I ask, her solemn face confirmed my suspicions. “How long?”
“How long were you out?” I nodded. “This is the morning of day three. I’ll go get you something to eat and drink.” I thanked her and leaned back taking all the information in. she came back with my parents and Gabriel in tow. I nibble on the food and sip the water, not feeling very hungry after the information I just received. Eventually, my stomach got the best of me and I finished the plate, but I wasn’t happy about it, nor was I sad, I was just numb.
“How are you dear?” my mom asked. I didn’t respond, I just clenched my fist, gripping the blanket my parents brought from home to comfort me.
“I hope it makes you feel better, but they caught the person who started the fire.”
“Who,” I took a wavering breath, wary of surprise smoke, there was none but it scared me all the same. “Who was it?” I asked.
“A girl named Lila Rossi.” I sucked in a sharp, painful breath at the name and looked away.
“We understand if you want us to leave, we know it’s a lot to take in. We’re just glad you're back.” I listened to them excite the room and walk down the hall.
I fell asleep for a moment, but was woken up by a strange feeling. I looked down at my hand and let out a wild scream of pure terror.
Medical professionals raced in through the door but I ignored them. I just watched helplessly as my red string started to fade.
A different nurse approceded me, with urgency in her eyes, asking what was wrong only to get an answer from the heart monitor going flat on Adrien’s side. They put 2 and 2 together and started treating him. The crowd of doctors blocked my view of my soulmate. After a moment, the beep stopped and the monitor went back to normal and I heard everyone let out a sigh of relief. A nurse started passing me tissues to dry my tears with and I gratefully accepted them. I stared at my red string as it started to come back.
A nurse stayed by my side at all times for comfort as I waited for Adrien to wake from his coma. It took a week longer than me before he finally opened his eyes.
“Adrien?” I asked as he looked over to me. My eyes were flooded with tears of joy. “You almost died.” I limped over to him. He sat up and I fell into his arms. We both winced a bit at the pain, but we endured it, just happy to be in each other's arms.
“When I found you I thought you were dead!” his voice gruff and loseing some letters.
“No Adrien,” I pulled back a bit to look into his eyes. “The string started to disappear.”
“What?” he pulled me back into a tighter hug. I climbed into the bed and cuddled up like we did before. A nurse came by, asked Adrien the same questions and got him some food. He wanted me to have some but I told him that I was alright and that I wanted to see him eat it. He  scarfed down the food.