Bound in Love

Chapter 38

"Calm down." Andy grabbed both of her hands and she looked at him with her eyes wide opened. Scared, Ellie was completely scared and lost, he could tell.

"He needs you and your baby girl needs you too." Andy affirmed "You can't stay here, Ellie. You have to go back."

"But I can't come back... I can't..." She cringed. "I tried and I always end up here alone." She looked around her again. "There's nothing... there's light... light that blinds you even... there's not a door... nothing..."

"My mission is to kick your ass back to them." Andy smirked. "I guess I am your door, moon."

"I want to see my baby girl grow up." Ellie told him. Andy nodded, placing both his hands on her shoulders.

"You're going to see her grow." Andy smiled and nodded. "She's so beautiful, Ellie. But be prepared, your baby daughter looks like him ..." He giggled. Ellie realized again how she missed his laughter, his good spirits. "She yells like him too."

"Chris is gorgeous, so I don't mind that she looks like him." Ellie told him. Then, Andy's semblance changed to a concerned one. "What is it?" She asked.

"He needs you, Ellie. That crazy guy loves you more than anything." Andy told her.

"And I love him." Ellie whimpered.

"Yeah..." Andy nodded. "I know you do, but Chris's head works in different ways."

"What are you trying to tell me?" Ellie asked.

"Listen to what I am going to tell you..." He looked straight into her eyes. "You need to save him." After his words, Ellie curled an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?" She asked, feeling her chest heavy suddenly.

"I can't tell you more than this." Andy said. "I just know that a time will come when Chris needs you to save him. You have to be there with him. Ellie, you MUST be there with him. Don't leave him alone."

"You're scaring me." Ellie exclaimed.

"I need to warn you..." Andy told her. "It's gonna take years yet but pay attention to him, Ellie." With that he kissed her forehead and Ellie closed her eyes feeling the soft touch of his lips. "Now, go back to him... go..."

"How?" Ellie shrugged and started looking around. "How do I come back?"

"Just open your eyes, Ellie." Andy almost ordered her and turned around to leave.

"Don't go..." Ellie pleaded. "Don't leave me here alone."

"Go back to him." He said and he started walking away.

"Chris..." Ellie whispered. "Chris..."

Chris entered the hospital's room to find her as he had left her before he went out for a smoke. Motionless. Tubes all over her. Tubes in her arms, tubes down her throat, in her nose. The beep of her heartbeat was steady, he knew that now by heart but he couldn't stand that sound anymore. Tears came to his eyes as he sat by her bed and then held her hand. He cried himself to sleep every night holding onto her pillow. Sometimes he drank himself to sleep and one time he was taken to the hospital to clean his stomach for he had taken more pills than prescribed and Millie found him on his bed foaming through his mouth. If it hadn't been for Heaven crying nonstop, it could have been fatal. He claimed it had been accidental, that he had mixed it with alcohol, but since then Millie kept a closer eye on him. Nothing similar ever repeated though. He barely ate. He barely talked. Still, he spent time with his daughter and was tender and caring. The only times Millie saw him smiling were the times he was with the baby.