For the Love of Football [Fernando Torres]

16

"You will never touch her again, gilipollas!" Fernando snarled, shoving the man.

Patrick staggered, his face full of anguish. He didn't retaliate and Fernando wanted to hurt him even more for being so cowardly.

"I love her; I want to marry her. I need her. She's mine." Patrick was begging now, his voice full of his unshed tears.

"She was never your possession and this is why you hit her. I never thought you would be capable of such a cowardly and horrible action. She won't marry you, not anymore!" Fernando shouted at him.

Patrick's shoulders were shaking and Fernando couldn't help but get even more outraged. Before he could deck the asshole, the door was pushed opened by a nurse. She stopped short, her eyes wide due to the uncomfortable atmosphere in the room.

"I'm sorry to bother you two, but we need to prepare the room for the patient. You two should be in the waiting room." She admonished the men.

She didn't comment on the tense silence or the shouting that had emitted through the door. Being a nurse meant holding many secrets for others and this was no different.

"I'm sorry madam, but we cannot be in public there." Fernando apologized, "Not unless you want the hospital to be overrun by paparazzi."

She looked at him with confusion and then, the realization hit. She went bright red in embarrassment and started apologizing profusely.

"I apologize, I really didn't recognize you Mr. Torres. You're welcome to wait in the Doctor's room, but we really do need to prepare the room for the patient. The doctor is looking for her relatives anyway. I will ask him to meet you there. It's not a problem."

The two men nodded in thanks and left the room in tense silence. They walked down a corridor and asked a nurse to show them the room. She directed the two and they entered the room after finding it a few minutes later. Luckily, there was no-one there. Fernando whirled around and stalked up to the broken man in front of him.

"Why are you still here?" His hiss was full of poison.

Patrick winced, his head hung low.

"I need to know that she's okay." Patrick admitted, talking to the carpeted floor in front of him.

His leg suddenly started emitting a tune and Patrick fumbled in his jean pocket under the hard gaze of Fernando. He answered the phone call and Steph's frantic voice came through. He explained where they were and she hung up on him.

"Once she gets out of here, she's living with me." Fernando said, his voice stern.

"She's my fiancé." Patrick said, his voice now full of fury.

"Your fiance? No she's not yours. You're not even a real man anymore, no man would hit a woman. Especially the one they claim to love. You will leave as soon as the doctor tells us her prognosis."

Patrick wanted to argue but the sharp intake of breath behind the men made them realize they weren't alone anymore. Steph was standing there, shock and anger on her face. She had heard the heated exchange and her hatred for her best friends assaulter clear on her face. Patrick looked like he had been speared in the heart. He couldn't meet her eyes.

"You did this?" She pointed at Patrick, whose head now hung in shame.

He nodded, the action slow and lethargic. Before she could leap to hurt him, Aaron held her back.

"The doctor is behind me. We can hash this out later, my love." His voice was tight but soft towards his girlfriend.

She nodded and entered the room. Her murderous face melted into one of intense concentration. The doctor eyed the party with a cautious look and then sighed, the tiredness of the surgery settling into his bones.

"Marietta is fine but because she hurt her head so severely, we had to induce her into a medical coma. She had some heavy bleeding on her brain. She has multiple contusions, she broke a few ribs and we had to repair her left knee."

Steph gasped, tears filling her eyes. The doctor stopped talking, obviously confused at their reactions. Patrick looked grief struck and Aaron brought his fiancé closer to him. Fernando didn't understand their reactions himself but he could see the pain on their faces.

"I'm sorry, Doctor, I didn't mean to interrupt you. She's a dancer, would she be able to dance?"

"I'm sorry ma'am but with an awkward break like her left knee, I am afraid that she will never be able to dance the way she wants to again." The doctor had a sympathy filled look on his face.

Fernando felt his grief for the girl multiply. He knew she was a good dancer, he had seen it at the club and felt it when they danced together. He regretted that he will never see her dance again. He swallowed, the pain for her future settling in his throat. She was going to be devastated.

"She should heal during the medically induced coma; we will slowly take her off the medicine in a week or two. We will then see what has happened. We will remind you that the brain is the most delicate organ in the human body and we don't know what the damage is until she wakes up. Now, I will walk with you to the patient but only three visitors are allowed."

They nodded and followed the older doctor. Steph was silently crying, tears running down her face. Aaron held her around her waist and Fernando walked behind them, his whole body tense. Patrick trailed behind the group, his guilt, shame and anger making him cold to the bone.

The doctor left the silent group at the door and Fernando mentioned the couple to go in.

"Patrick will be leaving us." Fernando hissed.

Patrick tried to protest but Steph stopped him with a hard look on her face. She pushed him away from the room and he flinched.

"You will never, ever come near her again."

Patrick's face crumpled in anguish and he nodded, although he hated it. He left the group, his shoulder shaking. He did this, did this to the only girl he ever loved.

She didn't need him nor want him right now but he needed her.