The doctor cleared his throat feeling 5 pair of eyes staring at him intently. "Well there were some complications the accident caused a head trauma along with a few broken ribs, but what is a major problem is that it also caused some blood vessels to break and she is going to need a blood transfusion, we gave her some but our stocks are low..." he explained her situation while everyone tried to understand what was going on with her, whether or not she was okay. "Is she going to be okay? The words quickly slipped from Tom's lips a frown creasing upon Tom's face he could feel his chest tighten to the point where there was no oxygen inside of his lungs.
"We did our best but I would urge you to find a blood donor as soon as possible she lost a lot of blood and although we already transfused some it's not enough," the doctor paused for a second searching for the right words to say.
"Her state is critical right now and she will be transferred into intensive care right now," he continued and Tom felt as though every ounce of blood has left his body, his brain kept repeating 'critical, critical, critical all because of you.'
"She is okay for now we'll be monitoring her." The doctor finished the sentence tugging lips upwards in a small smile. A wave of relief seemed to wash through everyone, as they seemed to relax that Avery was alright.
Tom felt the oxygen finally getting to his lungs he inhaled deeply before exhaling in relief. A grateful smile placed itself upon his lips "Thank you so much for saving her."
"No problem, it's my job, if any of you have the same type of blood as her which is type AB contact the front desk nurse she will take you to donate." The doctor added before leaving. Tom's eyes trailed off to the cart being pulled out of the emergency room, he stared at Avery's body, her eyes were closed, an oxygen tube down her throat.
"Who has type blood AB-? Mine is type O. " Andi broke the silence wrenching Tom away from his thoughts. All five of them looked over each other shaking their heads.
"Bugger..." Mumbled Tom under his breath realizing he forgot to call Saloni, Avery's sister. "I'll call Saloni." He sighed pulling his phone from his pocket.
"What you didn't tell her earlier? It's her sister mate." Rupert's eyes widened and Tom shook his head no as he held his phone next to his ear.
"She will murder you!" Said Rupert earning a jab in the ribs from his fiancee
"Although she probably will, don't tell him that!" She whispered to him, Rupert instantly shut his mouth.
Tom's heart pounded loudly in his chest every time the phone beeped and Saloni didn't pick up. He rang again and again he almost lost all hope when he heard her voice "Bloody hell Tom why you calling at 5 in the morning?" She sounded both irritated and sleepy.
"Look Saloni it's important," he paused searching for the right words to say this, well aware she was going to kill him for this "Avery had an accident, she was hit by a car she needs blood transfusion please come to the hospital." He finished literally pleading her.
"W-what?" She stuttered, he heard her voice breaking on the phone as she started sobbing.
"Saloni please I'll explain everything later just come to Saint Bartholomew," Tom's voice was low barely audible but she heard him.
"I'll be right there." She managed to say between sobs and ended the call. He pushed the phone back in his pocket.
"Do you think they'll let us see her?" Dakota pushed her raven colored hair out of her face while Daniel wrapped an arm around her shoulder.
"Why don't we just as-" Daniel couldn't even finish his sentence because Tom was already in front of the front desk talking to the nurse. They followed standing behind him as he spoke with her.
"You can see her sweetie but 5 to 10 minutes tops and only one of you, she needs to rest." The nurse said with a warm smile Tom just nodded.
"Go mate!" Ruppert tapped his shoulder offering an encouraging smile "We'll wait up here for Saloni." Added Andi offering him a small smile before he headed towards intensive care following the nurse.
Tom's heart sunk down to his stomach the second he saw her through the glass window of her room. Just her laying there, being attached to the machines burned him on the inside. He scratched the back of his neck nervously the words still echoed in his mind 'Critical! Critical! All because of you critical!
"She's gonna be okay." The nurse reassured offering a genuinely warm smile. Tom couldn't help but twitch his lips upwards into a small smile in gratitude for all her support. She opened the door and Tom found himself hesitating, his feet glued to the floor tiles he slowly dragged his feet into the room feeling his heart beating loudly in his chest. He wished he was the one there instead of her, he wanted to trade places with her. The door behind him closed leaving him alone. No he wasn't alone, he was with her and his conscience, and it was eating him alive as every second passed. His feet moved to where she was sleeping peacefully, her long brown hair was flat against her pale face framing it. A low whimper escaped his lips when he eyed the machines that were attached to her monitoring her heartbeat, the visible livid bruises on her arms he moved closer carefully slowly he sat down on the bed next to her watching not to touch her or hurt her in any way.
"I'm so sorry love, for everything I didn't mean what I said. I never meant to hurt you." He whispered softly taking her small cold hand into his warm hand warming it instantly, he planted a kiss on her knuckles. Broken on the inside he took another look onto her face and blinked hard as the image of her collapsing on the street haunted him yet again, he hated himself at that moment.
"You deserve so much better than me," he let the tears slip from his molten silver eyes right onto the her hand " you deserve someone who would put the sky and the stars at your feet, not someone like me," his lip quivered, saying it out loud hurt him more than just the thought of it he knew he didn't deserve her yet he loved her, he loved her with all had.
"I love you though no matter what, no matter who, I love you more than anything in this world." He whispered yet again never letting go of her hand.
***
Tom stood barely a few feet from Saloni who had just donated blood. She seemed utterly calm, almost too calm, like a calming before a huge storm. No one dared to say a word as she rested her head on the cold hospital walls sitting down. Eyes shut tight, with the tears streaming down her cheeks it made his heart wrench yet again. Matt held tightly on her hand whispering into her ear yet she seemed oblivious to all. The tension between them into that hallway was unbearable.
Tom hesitated before he crossed the distance till he was standing right in front of her. She opened her eyes blinking hard when their gazes met. He felt as though her eyes burnt holes into his.
"Why was I last to find out about this?" Surprisingly her voice was calm and low but the emotions in her eyes were undeniable he could see the hurt, the sadness and sorrow fill into her big brown eyes.
He took a step back carefully thinking over his words, he opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out, "I..." he faltered as she stared at him intently anger building up inside of her tiny body. "I honestly forgot with all that was going on I'm sorry." He averted his gaze from hers.
"Sure...you just told everyone else but me." She said sardonically, he pressed his lips into a tight line unsure of what to say next, he knew he was wrong and she was looking straight through him.
"How did this happen?" She let go of Matt's hand and stood up standing just barely a couple of inches away from Tom.
Tom swallowed hard staring at her, she was tiny compared to him but an angry Saloni was never a good idea and he knew that the words to leave his lips would be a death wish in the making. "Uh..." he breathed out she didn't cave in, she kept staring at him intently waiting for an answer. "Avery and I were fighting because she saw when Melissa kissed me," he started and saw the anger burning into Saloni's eyes.
"You did what?!" She spat at him venomously throwing her hands up in the air in frustration.
"Please, just let me finish, I pushed Melissa off me, I do not like Melissa like that I love Avery." He pleaded while Saloni tapped her foot angrily onto the tiles.
"Sal it's not his fault." Chimed in Rupert but she quickly retorted "I want to hear it from Tom," she looked over where their friends stood and turned her glare back at Tom. She didn't say a thing just glared at him initiating he should go on.
"I was so upset with myself, with the fact that I couldn't find her that I ended up drinking," his voice was low as he down casted his eyes away from her glare "I did explain it to Avery and she believed me but then we started arguing again." There it was the moment of truth he bit on his tongue, the next sentence was so hard for him to say out loud, it was the one that will forever burn into his soul, it was branded inside of his mind.
"Oh what did you do to upset her more?" Her voice a notch louder as she clenched her fists so tightly that her blood completely left them as she fought the tears that sprung into her eyes.
"I accused her of cheating... and she ran away it's when the accident happened..." he whispered looking down ashamed, whatever was coming at him he deserved it.
"You did what?!" She snapped at him finally letting the tears cascade down her cheeks, she instantly saw red as anger took over every sane thought she had.
"I'm sorry Sal I didn't mean it." He said locking his silver eyes to her brown ones as she clenched her jaw tightly.
"You're sorry? You're sorry for hurting her? All you do is hurt her and now you're costing her her life!" She spat at him as hot tears streamed down her face, she felt her legs giving out on her, her sister did not deserve that especially from the person she loved the most.
"I know I'm an idiot okay, I'm sorry I wish it was me who was hurt." He cried out feeling his own tears sliding onto his face.
"But you're not the one hurt!" She retorted making Tom's heart ache, he quickly pulled her into a hug, she pounded her fists onto his chest angrily as she sobbed trying to push away but his grip onto her was stronger.
"I'm so sorry Saloni." He let out a low whimper into her brown hair as he held her close "We will get through this, she will be better..." he whispered to her, she slowly stopped the pounding on the planes of his chest and just cried into it.
"Please forgive me, " he held on her tightly planting a kiss on the top of her head. He felt a slight relief rush through his body when she finally wrapped her arms around his waist
He felt his shirt drenching in tears "I'm sorry I'm going hard on you." She mumbled into his chest. Tom opened his mouth to say something but was cut of by Saloni who hugged him tightly sobbing into his chest "I'm sorry...just everything is been crazy since our dad died, and now Avery...I can't lose her." She whimpered as her body shook uncontrollably.
"Shhh it's okay. She will be better." He spoke softly holding her close trying to convince himself of his own words, the ones he whispered into his mind the entire night 'she will be okay.'