SECOND CHANCES (ORIGINAL WORK)

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Sylvia stood to join the boys, distracting her. That must have been the longest she'd sat still. Matthew came to sit beside her, too, and grabbed her other hand.

She glanced at the clock. It was after one in the morning. With each passing hour, the clawing emptiness expanded, consuming her, choking her. She knew deep down inside she was preparing herself for the worst. She closed her eyes and offered up another silent prayer, clasping both Jeffrey and Matthew's hands.

Opening her eyes again, she stared into the fire once more, the flames still licking and curling around each other, blazing brightly. They stepped out of the emergency room, and everything went into slow motion.

"She's going to pull through."

Holy fuck... Samantha. She was alive. Aaliyah gazed numbly at the surgeon, trying to work out if she was misinterpreting or if she was really alive.

When the surgeon broke the news to them, Sylvia hugged him, clinging to him with desperate force.

"Thank you," she breathed. "Thank you." Over and over, she repeated the words.

Finally, the tears start to cascade down Aaliyah's cheeks. She's alive, she's fine. Jason sat down heavily in the empty spot beside her and let out a relieved sigh.

Slowly, gently, Aaliyah gazed up at him. She lifted her hand and stroked his cheek lovingly. "She's really alive, Jason," she murmured.

***

Aaliyah sat in the passenger seat and dug her nails into her knees as Lucas drove her home on a darkening, ice-covered road. Jason had stayed behind at the hospital to be with Samantha while everyone went home to rest. He had asked Lucas to take Aaliyah home. Aaliyah didn't think she'd have any rest tonight when she thought about Samantha's health and stared at the empty house as Lucas pulled up.

"You think Samantha will be okay?" Lucas asked, staring directly into the windshield.

Aaliyah thought about it and whistled in resignation.

"We can only hope," she answered after a moment's hesitation, debating the question still.

Lucas heaved and took his hand off the wheel. He pushed his door open, and just then, Aaliyah returned from her small flight of thought.

"You don't have to walk me inside," she hinted, looking straight at the porch of her home and then she shook her head.

Lucas climbed out of the car and took a long whiff of the cool breeze that rushed at his face. With a feeble smile on his face, he leaned over and stared straight at Aaliyah.

"No can do. I made a promise to Jason to make sure you get home safe and sound," he said.

Aaliyah shook her head again and pushed her door open. She stepped out silently and shut the door behind herself. She led the way up from the car to her door. The car squeaked lock when they stopped at the door and Aaliyah held herself from jumping. Lucas perceived her trepidation and he offered a mouthed apology.

She paid no mind to it once she discovered no immediate danger to herself or him, turning to her purse and digging through its content to pull out her keys.

She opened the door and stepped in first from instinct, freezing once she was inside as the aroma of coffee hit her. They rushed out of the house that morning to go to the hospital. There was no time for coffee.

Aaliyah flipped on the light switch. The blood drained from her face as she stared directly at those translucent green eyes. He was here, right in front of her, and judging from the smirk on his lips, he was in a state of euphoria.

"Nathan," she breathed.

***

Jason sat by the side of Samantha's bed, quietly watching as she slept. He caught her hand, caressing his thumb again around the palace where the IV connected to her vein. A part of him was refusing to believe she was lying there, wounded, but the doctor's reassured him she would recover. Samantha looked so much younger and more vulnerable in her sleep.

He lowered his lips to her skin, pressing softly. "I'm so sorry, Sam," he croaked.

A nurse came in and checked her vitals.

"Sweetie, why don't you go up to the fourth-floor cafeteria and have some coffee," she coaxed.

"I don't want to leave her,"

"She'll be fine," she said. "I'm sure she'd want you to take care of yourself too."

With a reluctant sigh, he relented. "Fine."

In the cafeteria—almost deserted at midnight, Jason purchased a small coffee and headed back toward the elevators. He took a sip of his coffee while he reached into his back pocket and retrieved his phone. When he checked his phone for the time, he noticed he had a missed call from Samantha along with a voicemail. He clicked the play button for the voicemail and placed the phone against his ear to listen to the message.

"Jason, pick up the damn phone." There was a pause. "Aaliyah's in danger. There was this guy who showed up at the diner just now. He-he's here. Nathan found her. I don't know how, but he did. I'm heading to your place now. Please call me back—"

He heard her gasp, as if in terror. "Oh God!" she screamed. "Help me!" then followed the sounds of hurried footsteps as she ran. "Please!" She pleaded.

Jason flinched when he heard a loud bang followed by glass breaking. The phone disconnected.

There was a shattering sound as the coffee cup landed on the floor.

He dialed Aaliyah's number. Nothing. She must have forgotten it at home when they quickly left the house this morning.

Or not...

"Shit," Jason growled and punched the elevator button. He dialed Lucas's number, hoping to reach him before they made it to the house.

"Hey, you've reached Lucas. I'm unable to answer the phone right now. Leave your name and number, and I'll return your call as soon as I can. Thank you."

"Goddammit, Lucas!"

Jason pushed his index finger against the round button again and began to press as rapidly as he could.

The doors to the elevator finally slid open.

He lunged into the waiting elevator. He pressed the button and it started downward. His heart pounding rapidly, his mouth filled with the metallic taste of adrenaline. He prayed that Aaliyah hadn't made it home yet. If she had already made it back to her house, she and their baby were in terrible danger.

Just before he stepped out of the hospital, he dialed 911 on his phone, hoping to heaven that they made it to Aaliyah before anything life threatening would happen to her or their baby.