𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐄𝐏𝐃𝐀𝐃 𝐀𝐅𝐅𝐀𝐈𝐑

~𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓅𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒯𝓌𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓎-𝐸𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉~

KOHEN

I opened the door to Tara's room slowly, my heart heavy with both worry and anticipation. I'm worried about her. She hasn't come out of her room to even eat or call me to bring her something.

As I stepped into her room, I noticed that the curtains were still drawn shut, casting a gloomy shadow over everything in sight. The air felt thick with despair, making it harder to breathe.

And there, on the floor, lay the open bottle of sleeping pills. Panic surged through me as I noticed that more than half the bottle was already missing. My mind raced, and my thoughts swirled in a frantic frenzy as the implications took hold in my consciousness.

No, this couldn't be happening. Not today. Not like this.

Without a second thought, I rushed over to her bedside, the scent of her sweet perfume filling my senses. My hands trembled as I reached out to shake her limp form. "Tara," I whispered, my voice quivering with both fear and desperation. "Bella, wake up."

There was no response, no hint of movement from her. My heart drummed painfully against my ribcage, threatening to break free from its confines.

I'm going to have a fucking heart attack!

"You're not leaving me. Not like this."

I scooped Tara's fragile body in my arms. She felt like a feather, so light and delicate, almost as if she could float away in an instant. I cradled her gently against my chest, her head resting against my shoulder.

I stumbled towards the front door, leaving any rationality behind. Time seemed to stand still as I rushed out into the cold night air.

The car keys practically flew into my hands as I fumbled with them, desperately trying to find the right one. Finally, I managed to unlock the car door and gently laid Tara in the back seat.

Barely thinking, I jumped into the driver's seat and slammed the door shut, my heart pounding in my ears. The engine roared to life, and I accelerated down the street, my eyes wild with desperation. I couldn't let her go. I couldn't lose her.

"Stay with me, bella. Stay with me, please. Just for a little longer..." I say loud enough, not knowing if she can even hear me.

As the cityscape blurred in my periphery, I focused all my thoughts on that small moment, that singular chance to save her.

We raced against time, each passing second a cruel reminder of what could be lost forever. I need Tara to wake up. There's so much I haven't said. There is so much we haven't done.

Finally, the emergency room loomed ahead, a beacon of hope in the darkness.

I rushed inside, Tara cradled protectively in my arms. The nurses and doctors reacted instantly, surrounding us with their urgency and their expertise.

"What happened?" One asked.

"She's... she's my stepdaughter. She overdosed on sleeping pills." I explain while staring at Tara's almost lifeless body.

"Okay, sir, take a seat in the waiting room, please."

As they whisked Tara away, the truth hit me like a punch to the gut. I loved her. I always did, and I always will. If this world took her from me, I'd burn it. I'd give her everything, even the clothes on my back.

God, if you take her from me....

But now was not the time. And as I stood in that sterile hospital hallway, waiting for any news, I knew that I would do everything in my power to support her, to protect her, and to love her in whichever way was best for her fragile heart.

~

I paced nervously in the hallway, feeling a pit of dread settle in the depths of my stomach. It was my fault. All of it. Tara overdosing on sleeping pills is my fault, me failing to protect her. I ran my hands through my hair, desperately trying to calm the torrent of guilt and fear raging within me.

The door creaked open, and a tall, middle-aged man stepped out. He wore a white coat, his kind eyes hidden behind rectangular glasses. My eyes landed on his name tag. Dr. Henderson, the man who held the answers to Tara's fate. I glanced at him, swallowing hard, before stepping toward him.

"Doctor," I stammered, my voice barely audible. "How is she.. how is Tara? Is she... is she going to be okay?"

The doctor studied me for a moment, his eyes filled with a mix of sympathy and concern. "Sir, I can't promise anything just yet. Tara's condition is stable for now, but her body had a severe reaction to the sleeping pills. It's too early to say anything definitive."

I leaned against the wall, my legs feeling weak beneath me. "But she's alive," I muttered, half to myself. "She's still alive."

Dr. Henderson nodded, placing a hand on my shoulder. "Yes, she's alive. You brought her in just in time. It takes great courage to seek help, and you did the right thing by bringing her here."

Well, I wasn't going to leave her unconscious on in her bed to die.

The weight of his words pressed down on me, a mixture of relief and overwhelming guilt. How could I have missed the signs? I should've taken away her pills. I should have been smarter and more cautious so she wouldn't hurt herself.

"Can I see her?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Dr. Henderson sighed softly, his expression filled with understanding. "She's still unconscious. We're going to keep her under observation for a while, just to be sure. I'll let you know as soon as she wakes up."

I nodded, unable to form any words. The doctor's hand squeezed my shoulder gently before he turned to leave, leaving me to my thoughts. What had I done? How had I failed her this much? It felt as if my chest would burst from the burden of my emotions.

As I walked back to the waiting room, my hands clenched in fists.

I failed her. Even though she's alive, I failed her.

~☆~