Never Give In, Never Back Down

Chapter 10

Andy's POV
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I could hear police sirens in the distance. I was still swinging at the man, who had already seemed to have given up. I didn't care though, I just kept going. He was bleeding from several large wounds I had made already, but I wanted to watch him suffer for what he had done to Ashley. I wanted him to collapse in pain just like Ashley. And I was not going to stop until he had.

I heard the front door slam open just as the man collapsed in agony, and I burst into tears as I ran over to Ashley and pulled him into a tight hug. I cried as I pulled him into my lap. I checked for a pulse, it was faint, but still there. He wasn't breathing either.

I wasn't even aware that the police were in the room dragging the strange man downstairs until I felt someone violently grip my shoulder and forcefully take Ashley from me. I followed them all downstairs as they carried Ashley downstairs from behind the man. I didn't know if he was going to make it, and that made me cry even more. They basically flung Ash into the back of a police car so that they could take him to the hospital, there would have been no time to wait for an ambulance to arrive.

The man was also being taken to the hospital, but in a separate car. I think they knew that I would have killed him if they put him in the backseat with us. Every time that the car turned, Ashley was flung around. I finally held him against me. I felt so helpless.

I watched as we pulled into the hospital and they started dragging the man into it on a stretcher. I guess Ashley was next. I saw the door open and without even looking at me, they dragged Ashley out as I followed them inside.

~time skip, 20 minutes~
They told me to go sit in the waiting area while they examined Ashley's condition. I bit my fingernails to the stubs nervously. After what felt like eternity, the nurse said I could go in and see him.

I walked into the room and gazed at him. They had cleaned most of the blood off of him, but he no longer looked the same as he once had. It's not that he had suffered any physical harm that changed his appearance or anything, it's just that he also most had a worried look on his face, maybe it was... Fear? I didn't even know. I broke down crying almost immediately after looking at him. They had stitched his wounds, but I was so worried.

They told me he was in a coma because of excessive blood loss, and it would be a miracle if he even woke up from it. It was when they asked me if they had a parent who they should call when I completely lost it. I sobbed hysterically. When I was in his house, I looked through all of the rooms in his house trying to find him. I noticed that Ashley must have lived alone, because every other room in the house had no one else's belongings in them. When Ashley woke up there would be no comfort of a parent. That was then I vowed not to leave his room unless completely necessary. He may not have a parent, but... He would have me. I also realized that without a parent, no one would pay his hospital bills.

I decided to call my parents. We could work something out, right? Finally, after what seemed like hours of arguing and explaining what happened, and how I was incredibly stupid for doing something like that, they agreed to pay it, if I worked double shifts at Smith's music and gave them the second paycheck. I said that it was fine and hung up. I even had a little surprise for Ashley, I worked it out so that ash could come live with us for a while! I gave my boss a call to see if I could take a few days off. He argued with me until I sent him a picture of Ashley. Then he agreed.

~time skip, 4 days~
It had been 4 days since the attempted murder. Ash's condition was not getting better, but not getting worse. I had not left his room for those four long days, my phone ran out of charge around the second day. I was incredibly bored. All I could stare at was Ashley. Somehow, his facial expressions seemed to have gotten sadder and more frightened as the days went on. All I wanted to do was hold his hand and tell him it was okay. I was so worried. I didn't know what to do. Finally, I did grab his hand. I mean it wouldn't hurt. I was worried about him, and it broke my heart to see him like this. Just as I grabbed it, I saw his eyes almost... Twitch. I pushed the button for the nurse at the first sight of the subtle movement. She rushed in just as Ashley's eyes started to flutter open.

~time skip, 2 hours~ (I'm sorry for the time skips)
They made me leave the room while they checked on his condition. I couldn't stop smiling. He was going to be okay. We needed a miracle, and one was granted. It was then when the nurse cheerfully came out and told me to go see him.

I entered the hospital room and smiled at Ashley. The fear and worry disappeared from his face from when he was in the coma. No doctor was in the room. I sat down in the chair I had become so familiar with over these last few days. We both just looked at each other for a moment until Ashley started talking.
"So.. You really stayed here for four days?"
"Ya... I was really worried about you" I hope I didn't sounding a creep who sat by his bed at night watching him.
"You were? Why...?" He looked very confused as if... He had never had someone to worry about him... Ever... In his life. And that killed me.
"You where in a bad condition... I didn't want to just leave you here... Alone..."
"Hey Andy?"
"Yes?" I replied
"Thank you for saving my life. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for you..."
I moved to the edge of his bed and sat down.
"No need to thank me... Anyone would have done the same" I looked down at my knees.
"Hey, look at me Andy" he used his finger to bring my chin up to eye level with him.
"No one would have done what you did Andy. No one. And I am so thankful I met you"
I hope he didn't see me blush.
I cleared my throat. "Anyways, they said they could let you out tomorrow." He seemed so sad by that news.
"Okay... Can you stay with me until then?"
"of course" I said and sat right back down in the chair.
"No need to move down there. Come up here!" He patted the hospital bed right next to him. I walked over and sat down rather stiffly. He laughed.
"Stop being so uncomfortable! Come on! I've got my phone, let's watch something on Netflix!"

~time skip, 2 hours and 45 minutes~
The movie was nearly over. I made him watch batman, it turns out he really liked the movies too, so it was a win for both of us. We actually started to hold hands in the middle of the movie. It was when it finished, when we started taking. I asked about a bunch of random things, and he did the same. We both never broke eye contact. I realized that we where leaning closer to one another, without even realizing it. Our lips crashed together into a kiss. It felt so good. I didn't want it to end. It was when he pulled away, looked at me blushing furiously and laughed, that I noticed how completely handsome he was. I wouldn't mind dating him, even though I thought I was straight.

~Time skip, tomorrow mourning~ (sorry)
I had already told him that we would pay the hospital bill and he could come live with us. (Although I didn't mention that I had to work double shifts for it) he seemed delighted at the news. He hadn't brought up the kiss, although I suspected that it would be the first of many. We were in the car driving to his house so that we could pick up his things. I pulled into the driveway and helped Ashley out of the car, he was still aching. It took us a while to pack, and I did most of the work because Ash was too much pain. I was going to be very happy to have Ash living with us.