23. A NIGHT AT THE HOSPITAL

"Princess, are you sure you want to stay here tonight?" Ezra asks for the trillionth time.

I frown in agitation and nod my head once again, "Yes, yes, I do. Stop asking the same question over and over, my answer won't change." I say.

He exhales loudly and shake his head, "Okay, I won't ask again. I'll just be outside then if you need anything." He says and leaves the room.

"Wow, he's crazy annoying." Natasha chimes in.

I turn to look at her sitting on the couch with a book in her head, "You're reading fifty shades freed? In the hospital?" I ask in horror.

She shrugs casually and looks at me as if I have grown horns on my head, "So what? You want me to read it in my bedroom? It's safer reading it in public anyways, doesn't give me any ideas." She says with a wink at the end.

My jaw drops as I stare at her, "I just can't with you." I say shaking my head.

"Meh." She mumbles and goes back to reading.

It was currently eight in the evening and Natasha and I had come to the hospital an hour ago. She wanted to pay Nick a visit.

"At what time will you leave?" I ask going to sit beside her.

"So you see your boyfriend and forget your best friend?" she asks placing a hand over her heart pretending to be hurt.

I roll my eyes with a small smile and nudge her shoulder playfully, "Of course, not! You aren't that easy to forget, trust me, I have tried."

She slams her book shut and fold her arms on her chest before looking away, "I hate you."

I laugh hugging her from the side, "I love you, too!" I say in a sing-song voice.

She eventually smiles and hugs me back, "Liza, I'll probably take my leave now. It's getting late."

"Oh, sure." I reply standing up.

She followed suit and after saying goodbye to Nick, she went out the door. I sigh loudly, all signs of happiness evaporating in thin air, as I turn to look at Nick who is fast asleep.

I cautiously walk over to his side and sit down in the chair placed next to his bed. His face looks so calm, my eyes involuntarily dart to the heart rate monitor which displays a steady heartbeat.

I take his cold, pale hand in mine and envelope it with both my hands. I have never missed anyone's presence this much. Even when I was living in Moscow, away from my parents and siblings, I did not miss them as much as I miss Nick.

It makes me wonder how much we take our lives for granted, I mean one second he was right in my sight and the next his car was rolling across the road. You can never really know when is the last time you are going to see someone or when is the last time, you are able to see them alive and smiling. It is true what they say, we can never know the true value of something until it's gone.

I swallow a painful lump in my throat and rest my head on our intertwined hands, "Just wake up, Nick. How hard it can be? We're all waiting for you. It's been twelve days. Nick. I feel like, like I am stuck in time. Like I am reliving the same routine over and over. I just, I miss you." I whisper quietly and kiss his cold hand.

Someone knocks on the door and I look up to see Elijah standing there with a cup of coffee in his hand and a brown bag.

"Hey princess, thought I'd stop by and drop this." He says raising the bag in the air.

I smile and stand up to hug him as he walks closer, "Hey, thank you." I say hugging him.

"Any improvements?" he asks nodding his head towards Nick.

"No, it's the same." I tell him gloomily.

"He'll be fine, princess, he's a fighter." He rubs my back while smiling down at me.

"I hope so." I shrug.

He places the bag and coffee on table, "Coffee and doughnuts, remember to eat." He instructs.

"Yeah, thank you. I love you." I smile at him.

"I love you more, princess. And I will come tomorrow morning, okay?"

"Yeah, okay." I nod my head and he leaves the room.

I walk over to the window and lean against the frame gazing at the deserted road outside, my mind drifting to Isaac's words in the hallway.

How can someone stoop as low as Daniel? I mean yes I did get scared when he held my arm but he never once crept me out. There has to be something else, it can't just be that between him and the boys.

Deep in thoughts, I did not realize when Ezra knocked on the door and came inside.

"Hey, where are you lost?" he asks snapping his fingers in front of my face.

I blink and look up at him, "Sorry, I was just thinking." I say shaking my head.

"About what?" he asks flicking my forehead.

I smile rubbing my forehead, "Nothing in particular, just this new guy at the school."

"Hey missy, just because my brother is in deep sleep, doesn't mean you can let any guy mess with your head." He jokes.

I chuckle, "No, no, of course not! Just that this guy is not just any guy, Nick knows him."

He frowns, "Really? Who is he?" he asks.

"Daniel. Daniel Rogers." I tell.

His expressions falter for a moment and his frown deepens, "Are you sure that's him?"

"Yeah." I nod my head once.

"Do you know him?" I inquire.

"Yeah, he and Nick had a fight once at school. Anyways, I just came here to tell you that I'm going home for a shower. Be back in an hour, take care, princess." He says in a hurry, kisses my temple and leaves.

I frown staring at the door Ezra had just gone through. He definitely knows something else and it isn't just about the fight at the school.

I rub my face and grab my coffee before sitting on the couch and opening Netflix on my phone. I look at Nick once before starting my episode of stranger things.

Halfway through, I feel as if someone is calling my name so I take my headphones off and look in Nick's direction to see that he still hasn't moved.

Shrugging, I think of resuming to watch the show but instead I turn my phone off and go to the bathroom to wash my hands after throwing the disposable coffee cup and doughnuts box in the trashcan.

Drying my hands with the paper towels, I come out and see my phone vibrating. I pick it up to see dad's name flashing on the screen.

"Hey, dad." I greet after answering the call.

"Hey, kiddo. How are you? Do you need anything?" he asks from the other end.

"No thanks, dad. I'm good." I tell him.

"Okay kiddo, if you need anything please call me and be safe, yeah? I'll pick you up in the morning." He instructs.

"Okay, old man don't worry about me. Love you, take care." I say.

He chuckles and says goodbye before hanging up the call.

I throw the phone on the couch when I hear a croaked voice, "Tell Adam not to worry, I am here for you."