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Chapter 24

"I'm sorry but fuck you, doctor. I'm staying with her!"

The accent I hear is thick. "As I've told you before, Mr. Reid, only immediate family are allowed to stay the night... Unless you are engaged to her? Is that the case?"

There's a slight hesitance before he answers no.

"Well then, I'm sorry, Mr. Reid but the answer is still no. You're welcome to stay all night in the waiting room."

"Well you're going to have to fucking drag me out of here. I'm not leaving her like this willingly."

There's a sigh. "So be it."

...

"I came as fast as I could... How is she?"

Viktor.

"No change."

Stellan.

...

"Hold her head! Maintenant! Doctor!"

"Qu'est-ce qui ne va pas?" A husky tone sounds suddenly as I feel my throat contracting violently, my body being held upwards.

"She's been like this too long," the woman whispers as if right over my head.

"Get the man out of here, Julie," the husky man answers.

"Sir... Sir... You need to wait outside, please."

"Is-is she going to be okay?"

"We're doing our best, sir. Please, go now. I'll be out to speak with you once she's calm."

I soon feel the hands that were holding me upwards leave to be replaced by others- smaller ones. I want to tell them to let him stay but a sound of agony only leaves my throat as my throat begins contracting again.

...

"Stellan."

I move my fingers off the sheet, searching the air for him. I can move.

"Stellan."

I force my eyelids open, adjusting to the bright light shining through the windows. I hear the sound of a chair suddenly screeching back before a cool hand takes mine.

"I'm here, baby." My focus sharpens on his face above mine and my brows curve.

"... What happened to your face?"

He shakes his head, closing his swollen eye. "It was nothing."

Grasping my face, he shakes his head. "You scared the absolute shit out of me, Iris."

"I'm sorry," I whisper hoarsely. He leans in and I turn my face in his hands. "I'm sick."

"I don't fucking care," he utters breathlessly, suddenly wrapping his arms around my shoulders. I rest my cheek against his chest, closing my eyes in exhaustion as he strokes my hair with a lightness that could coax me back to sleep.

"What happened?"

He pulls back, inhaling. "You got sick in the night- I fell asleep and when I woke up, you were barely unconscious. It's been days since then."

"Days?"

"Yes. Three. Yesterday was the worst... You were vomiting- more than you should have been... We almost lost you- I almost lost you."

With no recollection of the last couple of days apart from bits and pieces, I stare at him, wide-eyed. Died? I almost died?

"What do I have? Is it bad?"