Little Doll

Chapter 23: Everything is you

Arabella

Feeling a hand stroke down my head, I turned to one of my favourite smells in the whole world.

Opening my eyes with complete urgency, I looked around praying that I wasn't dreaming his presence.

"Relax doll".

Feeling two strong hands pushing me back, I gasped out in shock at the man I truly believed I had lost. With Alec's hands on my shoulders, I placed both of my hands on his cheeks and started to cry.

"What have I always told you beautiful girl. Do not waste your tears on me" he whispered into my ear, but his softly spoken words only made me cry harder.

"How can I not cry, you were dead. You stopped breathing, he, they said you were dead. I, you're not real, are you. This is my brain trying to protect me from the harsh reality. Oh God, please, don't leave me. I can't cope losing both of you" I sobbed into my hands, but my hands were quickly replaced with Alec's.

He let me cry, but continuously wiped away at every tear that fell.

"Baby, look at me" Alec whispered soothingly, but I couldn't. I feared he'd disappear and wake up back in the car being forced onto a plane.

"Forever beautiful, stubborn and always mine, feel me. My heart, you can feel it?" Alec grabbed my hand and placed it on his white suit shirt.

"Please, don't wake me up Alec" I cried as Alec attempted to soothe me.

Before I could plead with him, Alec opened up the buttons of his shirt and moved my hand away so I could see his bare skin.

"I'd rather not have you see it, but this is the scar I sustained from everything that happened. Now, baby, do you believe me?".

Looking away from his lap, I slowly raised my head up his exposed body before stopping at a small scar that was below his left pectoral.

"It missed your heart?" I asked as I slowly trailed my fingers over his scar.

"Inches, apparently. Doctors were surprised by my recovery. They joke that an angel was protecting me, but it was the thought of coming home to you which kept me strong".

Alec has always been a smooth talker, and he's not one of those guys who have to try. Everything he does is effortless and I love him.

"S-So, you're real. I'm here with you?" I asked out as I brought my hands up to his handsome face.

"Yes baby, I'm so sorry it took so long to get back to you, but I promise I will never let you slip from my fingers and ensure you never go through that pain again".

"Are you serious? You nearly died and you are focusing everything on me, why?" I cried as Alec joined me on what appeared to be a much larger than usual hospital bed.

"Because everything is you. The only reason I am alive is because of you" he whispered softly before pressing his lips on my forehead.

"Isn't that a bit of an insult to the Doctors and Nurses who saved your life?" I laughed out but frowned as Alec playfully tapped me on my nose.

"Still mischievous as always, little girl" Alec smiled as he pulled me into his huge body.

I always loved it when Alec hugged me, he made me feel safe because he was so much bigger than I was.

"But it's true, your concerns about Leon saved my life".

Looking up at Alec in confusion, I turned my attention to his shirt buttons and began to fiddle with them.

"What do you mean?" I asked, still nervous to talk about Leon to Alec.

"Leon and I always have this rule that when something is off, we alert others. Now, there's a lot you don't know and I promise one day we will tell you, but Leon and I are in charge of a large number of people. When you said that something was off with Leon, I trusted your gut feeling and pressed a small button on my ring".