Broken Wings

Chapter 22: The Recovery

All I can feel is pain, everywhere. What the Hell happened? I look around the room. This is not my house, this is not my room. I'm in the hospital. Ryder is sleeping in the chair next to my bedside. I can't breathe without it hurting. Ugh, my pelvis, my ribs, my face, my head, they all hurt. "Hey, you're awake." Ryder yawns. He fakes a smile, but I know that something is wrong. Then it all comes back to me. The ride home, the black ice, the tree, Zee.
I woke up in a cold sweat and my body thriving in pain. I haven't had this dream in a while. It's probably because that's the first time that I had swelling of the brain, and after my own accident that's exactly what I had. I got out of the bed and stumbled over to my door. I couldn't breathe. I was panicking and crying. I flashed back to the whole accident.
"No! No! No!!" I screamed and held my head. My head was still fuzzy and my room was almost pitch black. "Hey! Paislee! Paislee!" Hunter got up and raced over to me. He grabbed me after I punched my wall.  He wrapped his arms all the way around me and held me close  to him. "Paislee, it was just a dream. It's okay. Shh, I'm here now." He whispered. I don't know how he did it, but suddenly all my anxiety was gone. My head wasn't fuzzy anymore and I could finally breathe. I sobbed softy as my legs gave out. He leaned against my door and we slowly slid to the floor. "What's going on in your head?" He asked whispering in my ear. "I had a dream about the accident. Like Zee's accident. I  haven't had that dream in a while. After, I woke up I flashed back to it all." I explained, my voice cracking with every word. "Okay, Pais. It's all over, okay? You're okay. I've got you and I'm never letting you go. Okay?" "Okay." I sighed and turned so I could put my head on his shoulder.
We sat there for a while in silence. He was running his hand through my hair and I was concentrating on my breathing. I was calming down. Eventually he got me to stand up and lay back in bed.
There was a knock on my bedroom door, and then Ryder came in. "Hey, you okay?" He sat next to me and put his hand on my back. "Yeah, I'm sorry that I woke you." I sighed with tears in my eyes. "You're fine. Mom and Dad are still sleeping. Plus, I always hear when you have this dream. It's been a while." He laughed a little. "Yeah, I know." "I heard you punch the wall, is your hand okay?" "Yeah, it's starting to hurt now." "Are you going to be okay?" He asked as I sat up. "Yes." "I know that you don't want to, because you never do after this dream, but I think you should try and go back to sleep. You need your rest." Ryder hugged me and I held on to my brother as tight as I could.  "He's right. I definitely think you should go back to sleep. I'm right here next to you." Hunter rubbed my back. "See, you'll be okay." Ryder joined back in. "Okay, I'll try to go back to sleep." I agreed with a yawn and a nod. "Good. I love you. I'm only down the hall of you need me." Ryder kissed me head and got up. "I love you too. Night Ry." I laid back down. "Night Pais." He walked out and closed my door behind him.
Hunter laid back down next to me and wrapped his arms around me. "Hunter, are you sure you want to do this forever? Because, I don't know if these dreams will ever stop." I asked. "Paislee, I love you. I'm in this for the long haul. I will do this a million times over if I have to. It's okay, I'm here forever. I promise." He kissed me. "I love you too. And I was just making sure you weren't re-thinking anything. You've never seen my nightmares before now. And, now that you're living with me you got to see it. One of the worse ones too." "I'd never re-think our relationship. I know you went through a traumatic event, and I know that it broke you. When, I first met you, you were broken into a million pieces, and I don't know how you held yourself together. But, believe it or not you're healing. I'm here to help you, no matter how long it takes. You may have broken wings, but baby you can still fly." He kissed me.
"How did I get so lucky, to have you?" "No, I'm the lucky one. I have the most beautiful girl in the world and she loves me almost as much as I love her." "What?! I love you more!" "No, not even possible! I love you way more." "Well, then I love you most." "No! Because I love you more and more and more everyday. And that beats most!" "Hunter!!!" I groaned and laughed.
"GO TO BED YOU TWO! YOU'RE MAKING ME SICK!" Ryder yelled from his room. I couldn't help but burst out laughing. "Shh! Go to sleep before he yells at us again!" Hunter laughed and shushed me. "I'm sorry.You're right." I laughed more. "Goodnight Paislee-Jay." "Good night Hunter Liam." "How did you know my middle name? I've never told you!" "I can't reveal my sources! That's why I know everything." "Shh. I love you." He kissed me one more time. "I love you too, you big butt head." I kissed him back and smiled.
I don't know why, but I slept peacefully the rest of the night. I think it's because of Hunter. I honestly don't know if the truth ever would've came out, if we weren't together. I probably would still be having worse nightmares and flashbacks than tonight, with no one to comfort me, until Ryder heard me of course. I am recovering from a lot, and he's been amazing and so has Ryder.