Emilia ✔️ NOW PUBLISHED!

1

He lifts his head slightly, directing his words to the man up front. "Leo, I need you to take us to the cabin. The doctor is there, if anything should happen to me don't deter from the plans."

The man has a name, Leo. He nods once before peeling out and onto the road. Howard looks up at me, his eyes somber.

"Don't die on me." I beg of him as my tears drop in his salt and pepper hair.

He smiles, "Emilia, you're like a daughter to me."

I give him a weak smile, trying to muster up the words to say to him. When his eyes close I check his pulse. He's out, but he has a faint heartbeat. I direct my attention to the front of the car. "Look at me." I state, my tone playing no games. "Go to the hospital."

Leo looks at me through the rear view. "I'm sorry, miss. But you heard him." His heavily accented voice echoes through the suburban.

"I will jump out of the car if you don't stop." I threaten.

This elicits a smile from the man, "I have orders."

"Are you my guard?" I ask, trying to think of a way to get him to listen to me. He nods. "Then I order you to go to a hospital. He's going to die if you don't!"

He continues to drive, ignoring me. Howard is losing the battle, I can tell. "My boyfriend was killed last night, I will not fucking lose anyone else!" I scream at the stranger.

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Leo turns his head to the backseat. His eyes meet mine for a split second, then they pan down to a still Howard. Leo nods once.

He stops the car, then he peels out back towards the city.

When we arrive at the hospital Leo flings open the back door. "Stay." He orders. I shake my head.

With annoyance he removes the black cap he just put on and places it on my head. Shoving it as far as it will go to hide my face.

I didn't really think about what we would do when we arrived, but I can't just leave Howard here alone. "Where do we go? The front door?" I ask as Leo lifts Howard from the car, and places him in a nearby wheel chair. His body is slumped and his skin is cold to the touch.

Walking beside Leo's long legs is a struggle. "We're going in the back, I have a friend here. He's a doctor we will get him taken care of."

With a small ounce of relief we make our way in through a back door, Leo's friend looks over Howard and his lips tighten. He gestures to a room, "Here." He says while he makes his way around the room gathering supplies quickly.

"Put pressure on the wounds." The doctor tells me, Leo shakes his head. "No, I don't want her to see any of this." He turns is attention to me. "Please go sit in the room right there." He points, gesturing to an adjacent room. My eyes pan around and it looks like were in a small surgical room probably for students to watch over on mock surgeries.

I shake my head, refusing to leave Howard's side. "Stubborn." Leo mutters under his breath.

The minutes are long as the doctor checks for bullets, painstakingly digging through each hole. Moments pass by as I watch the Doctors hands work their magic.

He claps his gloved hands together, his expression somber. "Good news is all the bullet holes are clear and sealed." His eyes dart around Howards body. "Bad news, now we wait. I don't know if he will make it. He's lost too much blood."

I realized I haven't caught his name. "I'm Emilia, what's your name?" I ask, looking over to see Leo with an amused expression.

"I'm Dr. Francis."

"Okay, Dr. Francis. I need you to do whatever you need to do. Just save him."

Dr. Francis's mouth opens, he's ready to deliver more bad news, I'm not having any of it.

"She won't give up." Leo says, a smile playing on his lips. "I won't." I agree with him.

"He needs a blood transfusion, I need to run test to find his blood type. I'm going to do that now but it's not looking good. I just need you to prepare for that."

I squeal, "Doesn't matter, I'm universal. Use me." I beg.

Leo steps next to me, his lean frame obstructing my view as he leans over Howards body. "Run the test, see if I'm a match."

I push him back with difficulty. "No, Use me." I state with finality in my voice. Leo throws his hands up, "How has he protected you all this time?" He mutters.

We decide on a direct transfusion, we have no time to spare. I squeam when he inserts the sharp needle into my wrist, connecting me to Howard.

The procedure took longer than I thought. Leo makes me eat crackers and ginger ale afterwards.

I sit and wait, sitting next to Leo. His demeanor is calm, not panicked like mine. I try to draw from his strength. I don't know him but I'm thankful he listened to me. Howard should be just fine.

And thankfully he is.

So now it's my turn to shut down.

💔

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