All We Thought // Ashton Irwin [AU]

Chapter 17: Let Me Be The One To Save You

"Everything is fine, I just think that he has a lot going on right now."  I replied

I thanked her and headed to my office.  I sat down at my desk and pulled the piece of paper from my blazer pocket, reading the address printed in red ink over and over.  As soon as work ended, my search for Ashton would continue.

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A hospital.

The address brought me to a hospital.  What the heck was going on?

I walked inside the main waiting room of the hospital, seeing rows of chairs filled with patients waiting to be taken care of.  That's when I realized I didn't even know where to go, Luke never gave me a room number.  Ashton still wasn't answering his phone, and I was slightly scared to call Luke, I didn't exactly want to start trouble with demon girl.  

Well Roxie, it's time to do some acting.  I told myself as I walked up to the front desk.  My hands were trembling and my ankles were quivering with each step I took towards the help desk.  This plan could go really good, or really bad.

The nurse behind the desk was wearing blue scrubs and had her dark brown hair pulled back into a pony tail, she was looking down at a clipboard, flipping through the pages.  When I approached the desk, she greeted me with a warm smile, "Hi, how can I help you?"

I tried to sound frantic and worried, "H-h-hi...I'm looking for...I'm looking for my husband and I don't know what room he went to.  His family member was rushed here and I came as soon as I could get here, but there was so much traffic.  My phone is dead and I can't get in contact with him.  I just...I just don't know where he is."  Everything came out in one rambling breath, just like I wanted it to.

Her face softened, "No worries dear.  Take a deep breath, we will find him.  What's your husband's last name."

"Irwin"  I stated, almost choking on the word

She typed the name into the computer, and I waited, praying she didn't ask for my ID.  A moment later, she gave me the room number and I thanked her before hurrying down the hall according to the directions she gave me.  

Room 104...Room 110...Room 116...Finally I reached Room 118.

The door was open, and no sounds were coming from inside.  When I cautiously walked inside, I bit my bottom lip to avoid making any sounds due to the scene that was in front of me.

Laying on the bed was a boy, who couldn't be more than 12 years old.  His eyes were closed, his chest rising and falling with every breath.  He looked so fragile.  His skin was pale, his arms were so small and scrawny, and his blonde hair was matted to his forehead with sweat.  

His arms had bandages on them, one of them with light red splotches on it. His cheekbones and collarbone under his blue hospital gown were prominent, making him appear very sickly.  There were IVs and monitors hooked up to each arm, with a ton of wires running to each machine.  There was a steady beeping noise, signaling every ounce of life in him as his heart continued to beat.  

The part that was even more of a knife straight through my heart was Ashton.  He was sitting on a chair next to the bed, hunched over with his head resting on the bed.  I couldn't see if he was sleeping, or just resting because his head was face down on the bed.  His hand was gripping the little boy's hand so tight, that his knuckles were white.

I stood there, frozen, unsure of what to do.  

I must have been standing there long enough for Ashton to feel someone's presence in the room.  He lifted his head and his tired, glassy hazel green eyes met mine.