Loving Toby (Completed)

Chapter 42

The calmness and coldness of the night as Luna drove on the road going to the nearest beach located a few towns from Oakwood at exactly two in the morning still felt surreal, her hand resting on the steering wheel while the other one was holding Toby's cold hand next to her. He was looking outside the half-opened window of her car, eyes closed in peace as he let the cold wind meet his pale skin. 

The weeks passed in peace after the graduation ceremony. While everyone was enjoying their last summer before college began, Luna on the other hand devoted all her time with Toby. She will be leaving Oakwood with her friends in a month or two. Her admission letter arrived in the mail three days ago, aside from Caleb, no one knew yet. Partly because she couldn't bear to leave Toby in Oakwood without anyone but his family. 

Toby will be undergoing a new treatment the day after tomorrow, his condition was getting worse and yet here they were, driving like complete idiots even though she knew that they couldn't leave the hospital. Toby was persistent, he wanted to leave the hospital tonight, and wouldn't take no for an answer. Dr. Morris gave up after hours of lecturing him about what could go wrong because of his decision, yet Toby didn't even bulge. Even Tyra gave up with a somber look on her face that tore Luna apart. 

"Cooper, it's time to roll that window up,"

"Five minutes babe," he replied with a childish grin on his choppy lips. Luna stopped the car near the bay walk area, grabbing another set of thick blankets on her trunk and wrapping Toby in the warmth of it in no time.

"I know you wanted to see the ocean at night, but you know that I can't risk you getting a cold right? Come on, let's close the window," Getting Toby to do her wishes was getting harder now, he kept on doing things that worries her for the past week.

"You sounded a lot like mom these days Ms. Greene," He teased as he buried half of his face in the lump of blankets covering the rest of his body, his eyes lingering on hers. Those blue orbs tugging every string of her fragile hearts.

The ride went on in peace and before they knew it, the pitch-black ocean was now in front of them. Luna lay a thick comforter on the beach. Toby came down from their car, blankets and hoody still intact. He looks so silly walking with it, but Luna could care less as she rushed to him in panic.

"You, and your stubbornness Cooper," Luna sighed in frustration, Toby was grinning like a fool at her, and just like that, Luna gave in. 

The walk to the beach was slow, Toby leans on her for support, their footsteps leaving traces on the sand that they walked through. The melodic sound of waves and the scent of the ocean filling the air, the past few weeks felt like a never-ending dream. One moment was blissful, while the next came full of silent cries and desperate call for salvation. It was a lot to take in, but Luna had to be the pillar that holds Toby together. They can't fall apart at the same time, one of them has to be a little stronger than the other. It was their only way of surviving. 

"What are you thinking Cooper?" she asked curiously, Toby's been silent for a while now. It was getting colder, and Luna knew that they have to leave in a few minutes. 

"Just stuff," he mumbled, a small smile on his lips. Eyes still lingering on the pitch-black ocean in front of them.  Luna did not dare to ask anything more and decided to stay a few more minutes by the beach. But when the wind turned colder, they had to leave at once. 

"Luna," The two of them were back on the road in no time, the fear of Toby catching a cold the longer they stayed out of the hospital was enough fuel for her to keep driving ahead. 

"Hmm?" 

"I love you," Toby mumbled, she could feel his gaze on her as she takes a turn towards the path leading them back home. 

"And I love loving you," she replied softly glancing at him for a moment, Toby smiled without another word. The drive back to the hospital was filled in silence, Toby fell asleep halfway through, leaving Luna alone with her thoughts. 

"We're here Cooper," she tried waking Toby up when they reached the hospital, but he was not responding. 

"Toby?" Fear creeping into her mind as she rushed out of the car to open the other side of the door, Toby falling coldly on her arms as she unbuckled his seatbelt. He was breathing heavily, cold swears dripping down his pale face. Luna was quick to call the front desk asking for help.

"Cooper!" Luna's cries filled the emptiness of the night; everything happened so fast that she wasn't sure how she ended up in a hospital bed. The last thing she remembered was Toby's being carried inside the hospital, Tyra's worried face and Timmy's sleeping soundly on the couch, and then everything turned black. 

"You're up?" Luna could barely recognized Tyra's broken voice, seeing the woman beside her bed making her anxious. 

"Tyra, where's Toby?" she muttered anxiously, looking around her surrounding and realizing that she was in Toby's hospital room but there was no sign of him anywhere.

"He's in the ICU for now, thankfully, you two made it back in time. It was pneumonia, he'll have to stay in ICU for the a few days," Tyra's word sounded like a death march, Luna felt a sudden rushed of anxiety taking over her entire being. She was running out of the room before Tyra could even speak another word. 

"Luna!" Seeing Toby was all she could think of right now, she needed to know that he was okay, that he will be okay. 

Luna could feel her knees shaking at the sight of Toby's lying inside the ICU room, there was a lot more machine attached to him than normal. He was unconscious, oxygen mask intact, and the sound of his heart beating through the monitor was enough to break ever part of her being. 

"It was all my fault," she mumbled breathlessly, if she didn't listen to Toby's plea, maybe things would have been different.

"No, it's not. Don't blame yourself for it dear. My son knew what he was doing, he has always been stubborn you know," 

"Will he be alright?" Luna asked in a voice that she could barely recognized. 

"Oh dear, he will be," Tyra wrapped her into her warm arms, as they watched Toby through the glass door that was separating them from him. 

Luna stayed outside the ICU for hours, she couldn't find the strength to leave Toby alone, too scared that he will slip out of her sight for good.  Tyra gave up on getting her back to Toby's room after several tries. Timmy woke up from his slumber and was now accompanying her. 

"Hey Luna, do you like my brother?" The child asked out of nowhere, he was holding a book on his little hands while his eyes looking curiously at her. 

"I like him, a lot," She admitted shamelessly, what's there to hide now that everyone knew about her feeling about him anyway? 

"But Toby's sick," Timmy mumbled softly, his innocent eyes brimming with questions that she wasn't confident that she could satisfy his curiosity. 

"Timmy, do you like your brother?" 

"Yeah, I like him a lot," Luna watches him contentedly, Timmy's eyes twinkling like stars, his contagious smile lightening her mood. 

"Even if he was sick?"

"I like him more because he's sick," the puzzled look the cute child's face making her smile.

"Now, do you understand? Just because he's sick doesn't mean we like him less, right?" Timmy nodded as he returned on reading the book on his hands, Luna watches him in silence wondering if he really understands what they just talked about. 

The night went on slowly, it was a long one and yet she couldn't find the urge to fall back into slumber. Timmy fell asleep next to her on the couch after finishing the book that he was reading, the two of them stayed outside the ICU for hours. 

"Wake up now, Toby," she mumbled softly, closing her eyes for a second, chanting a prayer to the god watching them from above. Hoping that when she opens her eyes again, Toby would be there looking at her with a smile and things will be just fine.