Last Train Home (5SOS and 1D)

Chapter 48

VICTORIA'S POV

"Who are you?"

I felt my smile slowly fade. Did Ashton just ask me that question? I looked into his eyes, searching for a sign that he was just kidding.

"Ashton," I said. I turned to Luke and the others. They were speechless as well.

"Come on, Ash," Calum said, not believing the situation. "Don't you...don't you remember Victoria?"

This couldn't be happening. This couldn't be real. I didn't wait for Ashton to answer Calum. I turned on my heel and made my way out of the ward. I wasn't going to cry in front of him.

"No, Princess! Come back!"

I stopped dead in my tracks. Relief washed over me. I slowly walked back to the ward and tears of mixed emotions ran down my face.

"What the fuck, Ash?" Luke said as I stood by the bed.

"What was that for?" I said, slapping Ashton's shoulder. I was relieved that he was just joking but it got me mad too.

"Ow," Ashton winced in pain and I forgot that I wasn't supposed to do that. Now he didn't act that.

"Oops. I'm sorry," I apologized, forgetting he was beaten up pretty bad. Luke and the others went outside for a while, giving me and Ashton a moment alone. "No, wait. I'm not. I'm not sorry."

"I know, I really deserved that," Ashton said. His voice was a bit raspy and he coughed a lot. His hand found mine and held it.

"Don't you ever do that again. You scared me," I said, poking him on the cheek.

"I'm sorry, Princess," he said seriously and I couldn't get mad at him anymore.

"Doctor said that you should wake up by twelve thirty," I said quietly.

"Sorry for being late."

"He said if you didn't wake up within ten hours, you might have some complications," I rambled on. "You were still unconscious by then and I started to think that you'd never wake up."

Ashton slowly reached up but his face contorted in pain so he put his hand down. "Wipe your tears for me, Catherine." A small smile played on his lips and he breathed out.

"I love you," Ashton said.

I was about to reply but someone else had answered.

"I love you too!" Michael said and walked back into the ward with Luke and Calum.

I was going to let Ashton rest for now. He'd been through a lot. Once he gets transferred to a private room, I'd start looking for the person who was responsible for all this. I wouldn't mind being hellbent on searching. I would make them pay for this.

***

The private room of the hospital wasn't just a room. It was a suite. When Ashton got transferred here, I took a look at the details of the room at the nurse's station and saw that Louis had made some arrangements. I was just feeling so happy that my friends were looking out for Ashton.

"Oh my God," Michael said and started laughing at the video he and Ashton were watching. As Ashton laughed, had a coughing fit and then he winced. I stood up and walked to him.

"Ash?" I said. "You okay?"

Ashton was breathing a bit shallow and he was catching his breath. His face was red. "Its hurts to laugh. Wait, that sounds so contradicting. But it really does hurt to laugh too much."

"I don't know how to control that," I said. "But, look, it's time to drink your medicine." I adjusted the inclination of the bed and gave Ashton the medicine.