NO STRINGS ATTACHED

THIRTY-TWO

                      Beep.... Beep.... Beep.....
Nick listened to the lonely sound of her heart monitor as it rang throughout the sunlit room. It had been two weeks, three days, eighteen hours and thirty-two minutes since Abby had been admitted to the hospital since the tragic incident.

He cancelled all his flights, meetings and appointments to be with her. He hadn't been home in two days and had grabbed a snack and drink from the vending machines just down the hall and took a few bath in the hospital bathroom. Everyone came everyday to visit her and left but he stayed.

He couldn't leave her. She had cut her long hair into a short bob that stopped chin level and added a bang. He liked it.

Athena came by everyday to read to her and clean her, she always brought food along for him but he rarely found the appetite to eat any.

He hated seeing her in this state and wondered if she felt any pain. Her waist was covered in fresh bandages, her arm and leg in a cast. And a clean white bandage wrapped around her head from the surgery. There were minor cuts on her face but they were heeling up slowly.

The most hurtfully part was when he held his baby in his arms. A baby boy. He had a full head of black hair like his and even the same grey eyes. Nicki had brought the baby to he's chest sunk to the floor and cried his soul out. He didn't want to let it go. Not even two days after when he had to burry his baby.

Everything ripped him to shreds and it was all completely his fault.

A tear fell as he gripped Abby's hand. "You look so peaceful." He commented, barely above a whisper. He sat by her side watching over her. "This is all my fault." He brought her hand to his lips and kissed it. "I shouldn't have let you got in that cab, I shouldn't have let you run away from me......."

"Now look at what's happened." Nick felt his anger rising. "I lost our baby and now I don't know if I'm gonna loose you too. I must be the stupidest man on this earth."

Nick got up and went to the window. He looked out trying to control himself. He looked down at the busy traffic down below. Cars, trucks, busses rushed by with no concern about consequences. The world went about their businesses.

He shoved his hand in the pockets of his slacks and turned back to where Abby laid peacefully.

"I'd give anything to know what's going on in that beautiful head of yours." He walked back to the bed and sat in the chair. "But I need you, baby. I can't loose you, Abbigail."

Nick lowered his head in heart. His heart was heavy and he was scared. He'd trade places with her in a heart beat.
      
There was a soft knock on the door before Della came in. "Come on big bro, lets go get you some coffee."

"Can't you bri----"

"No I can't. Abby would want you to get it yourself too." She teased lightly. "Come on, if anything the doctors will be here in less than five seconds. Take a little break."

"Okay, but just five minutes." He says then kisses Abby forehead then left. Closing the door.

                               ☀️☀️☀️

Abby raced through the woods. She could still hear the loud crying of her baby, ringing in her ear. She had to find her baby. Now.

She leaped over a fallen tree branch, slipped on some moss, she quickly regained her balance and dashed through the bushes. A broken twig tore her left cheek; but all Abby could hear was her baby's cry for help.

"Its all your fault!" She heard the voice that belonged to the man she loved. Only it was angry and laced with hatred.

Her pounding heart and fear lending her the speed she needed. She took a narrow path through the trees and down a slippery slope. Her lungs cried for air and her legs threatened to give away, but she pushed on.

"You'll never make it." She heard the angry voice again. "Its too late."

Abby dogged some hedges, and ducked beneath a couple of branches. She ran on.

It was too late until she spotted the hollow made in the ground by an animal. One foot went down in the hole, throwing her off balance. She pelted forward landing painfully on her front on the ground. Her ankle twisted as gravels tore at her knees. With a loud cry of pain, she struggled to her feet, tears streaming down her face.

Everything were dead silent now, no crying, no breeze no birds or animal sounds.

Abby looked around frantically, she was in a clear opening. Tall shrubs swayed gently in the slight wind, ferns and moss covered the forest floor. Then she saw her baby.

She struggled over to where the baby laid on the ground, wrapped in soft white blankets. Abby sank to the ground ignoring her bleeding legs.

"Mommy's here, baby." She cried as she picked up her baby and held it to her heart. She rocked in gently.

"You killed our baby."

Abby's head snapped up to find Nicki standing some feet away from her. He dropped to his knees in tears.

"No! I--I---he's not-----" her eyes fell to her baby's face. It didn't move and its chest wasn't moving up and down.

Abby screamed out as she cried.

"Its your fault!" Nick yelled as he punched away angrily at the ground, his fist becoming bloody.

Abby cried in horror as the white blankets began to turn to red, soaking with blood a it spread to her white dress.

The sky turned red and the breeze picked up heavily. Abby stared as the blood spreaded to the grass around them.

"I'm sorry!" She cried. "I'm sorry baby. Please come back to mommy!"

Abby cried as she stared terrified as her baby slowly started to disappear from her arms. Her baby was gone.

"I'm sorry Nic----" Abby stared up. She was alone in the forest. Abby cried endlessly.

She lost him too. Abby felt a sharp pain at her heart as she fell to the ground.

      ☀️☀️☀️

"What's wrong?!" Nick rushed into the room as a nurse tried to held him back along with Gwen.

"Get the EKG ready!" The doctor yelled. "Now!"

"You will need to wait outside, sir. Please." The nurse yelled.

"Nick! Come on!" Gwen swiped at her tears as she tried her best to hold him.