MOONBIN POV:
I sat there feeling utterly hopeless and destroyed as we waited in nervous, fearful cloying silence as we waited for a phone to ring. For the news to come that all was good.
I felt devastated. I had been the last one to see her, be with her and I had willingly let her enter that heathen's arms. I couldn't forgive myself but at the same time I knew I couldn't have stopped her. If it hadn't been me playing that role then it would've been someone else. Being her friend, her platonic soulmate meant that I wasn't there to stop her from making stupid decisions, it was being there for her in the aftermath to help pick up the pieces. It meant being there for her, supporting her and letting her grow and learn as a person.
But now...with no news coming in and no idea what was happening I felt that I had failed myself, but more importantly...I had failed her.
I sunk my head into my hands, wallowing in despair. The other boys sat some distance away from me, not intentionally I didn't think, but they were a family and right now they were trying to hold each other together.
I looked up to see the younger members wrapped in the arms of one of their hyungs. They had expressions of shock, fear, some were silently crying but one. Yoongi. Sat frozen as though the world had come crashing down and his face was eerily blank and stoic. An impenetrable statue carved from marble.
I jolted slightly as the shrill ringtone of my phone pierced the air, I fumbled to take my phone out of my pocket, hands shaking as I bought it up to answer and press it to my ear.
"Binnie get to the hospital. (Y/N)'s there, she's undergoing treatment and you're registered as her guardian. But Binnie... t-th-thank god. It's all over. We've got him." and it was the first time in my life I had ever heard Vick's voice waver and break.
I hoped it was from relief, but gut instinct told me that he was trying to suppress tears, and (Y/N) was in hospital? That was bad news.
"I've sent you the address..." before the phone was cut off.
I stood up on shaky legs, trying to mentally collect myself, closing my eyes to steel against the tears of relief threatening to fall.
"What is it? What did they say?" Jin asked frantically, rushing forward, eyes blown wide.
"They got him..." before Jin started muttering prayers and thanks having cut me off.
"She's in hospital. I'm leaving now." I added watching his face fall again.
I turned to rush out of the room, not bothering to see if they were coming but I could hear the thundering of feet as they rushed after me.
My lips trembled but I knew I couldn't crumble. What I needed now was to be strong, the backbone. (Y/N) needed me and I wasn't going to fall weak when she was at her most vulnerable.
The drive to the hospital was silent but tense. The car sped to the hospital and I didn't wait for Jin to stop driving before throwing the door open and jumping out. I had already been sent the details of where (Y/N) was kept and right now I only had one intent in my mind as I barrelled through to the private room at the end of the second floor. I didn't bother waiting for the elevator, every second mattered and so I dashed up the stairs entering her room panting for breath as I bent over. Vick, Trace and Will were all there and they got up as I entered, the guys not too far behind me. I straightened up hesitating at what I would see.
I slowly approached the hospital bed and burst into tears.
KOOKIE POV:
We all ran after Moonbin, a lump in my throat as I followed him up the stairs, the hyungs right at my feet. He rushed into the room bending over to catch his breath whilst we clustered at the doorway. He straightened up and moved forward tentatively and suddenly burst into tears.
My breath caught at the broken sound, pure sorrow in every sob, I didn't think I could move forward to see what state she was in. The Moonbin I had in my mind was incredibly tough, protective, and strong from the last time I'd met him and to see him, so shattered, made me fear what I was going to see.
A gentle nudge pushed me forwards as the hyungs entered the room, Hobi hyung's hand slipping around mine as he gripped it tightly. I clutched onto it, needing some sort of comfort as I carefully edged forward and froze.
(Y/N)'s body seemed to be dwarfed by the bed and the sheets she was under. She was pale and it was the bloodless pallor of her skin that made the bruises around her neck scream prominently in vicious large marks. They weren't finger shaped, and I felt a sinking realisation as I realised that the marks made were by teeth and his filthy mouth. He had marred her throat viciously with a brutal animalism. The entirety of her throat and the skin above her collarbones were coloured in a garish shade of red, some of them beginning to purple.
Her arms were above the sheets and I could see bandages wrapped around her wrists. There were large fingerprint bruises on her upper arm, and she was connected to some drips. Next to the bed Moonbin had sunk to the floor, hand loosely clutching (Y/N)'s as he cried. His crying was making my eyes water and my wall to keep my tears at bay, weaken.
I could hear sniffling from around me and the hand around mine clutch at me tightly.
I saw Will bend down next to Moonbin and hug him from the side but from the shaking of his body, I could tell he was crying too.
"Hyung, is she going to be okay?" I whispered, my voice cracking and I rubbed furiously at the tears slipping down my face.
I could feel Hobi hyung shake.
"I, I hope so." And for once I couldn't detect the optimism in his voice. It made my heart shatter.
Jin hyung walked past me, squeezing my shoulder briefly as he passed, he rubbed his eyes fiercely and picked up the clipboard attached at the end of her bed.
He scanned the medical report, shoulders slumping, why I couldn't tell.
"She's gonna be fine, she's gonna be fine." Jin hyung repeated, turning to face us with a broken, watery smile.
Hope lightened the heavy rock weighing down on my chest.
"As I was saying, when the paralysis drug leaves her system, we're gonna have her transported back to her house. She'll recover better in a safe, comfortable environment." Trace spoke up, entering with a doctor.
The doctor walked over to monitor her vitals, examining one of the machines.
"She had quite a bit of it in her, so there may be some lingering aftereffects as her body tries to get used to movement again. Make sure she takes it easy, no unnecessary movement." Before leaving to get I'm presuming the people who will transport her back.
The rest of the members came forward, eyes wet as they looked down at (Y/N). But the suffocating fear wasn't there anymore.
She was coming home.
She was going to heal.
And from the look on everyone's faces, Jin hyung's especially, I knew none of us intended to let her out of sight for a while.
A soft chuckle left my throat at the thought. I couldn't wait for her to be back.
----
(Y/N) POV:
When I cracked open my eyes, it was with fear that I was still trapped in that hell. But slowly, I began to register the soft cushioning of the sheets, the blankets swaddling me and the comforting smell of my room and the diffuser I liked to keep. I tried to wriggle my hands and toes, sighing with a profound relief when I realised, I could move them.
But...for some reason I couldn't move the rest of my body at all. Panic flooded me as thoughts of permanent paralysis plagued me, was this how it was going to be? Immobile for the rest of my life? I shook my head to clear my vision from the tears when it registered. I could move my neck. The last conscious memory I had was of my neck going immobile, I twisted my head carefully and realised the reason behind my inability to move.
Draped onto me from either side was one of the boys. They had their arms trapping my waist and their bodies pressed as close as they physically could to me. On one side was Jiminie and behind him was Yoongi oppa, and on the either side it was Kookie with Tae pressed against his back. I felt like I was being smothered but I felt the warm tenderness behind the act. They weren't under the same blankets as me though but instead seemed to have fallen asleep on top of my own, trapping me further.
I waited for my eyes to clear up a bit before trying to sit up to read the time. As soon as I tried to sit up, the tightness of the blankets caused me to flop back down, the added weight of the boys on top didn't help either and I struggled to free myself but failed miserably. I couldn't tell if anyone else was in the room, I huffed giving up for now. The door was open, but I didn't know who to call out to.
I squirmed a bit, trying to loosen the blankets around me, body feeling hot from the added heat coming off the boys. As I wriggled, I ended up nudging Kookie's arm a bit hard which jerked back and on instinct his body did too. His eyes flew open.
"(Y/N) stop moving." He said half-asleep before the words seemed to catch upto his brain and register that I was awake.
"(Y/N)'s awake!" he yelled jerking back, his action triggering a chain reaction.
His body jerked into Tae's which flailed wildly before tumbling off the side of the bed. The thud seemed to awake two members who were spread out across the floor. I heard a yelp as someone's arm flung out and hit Joonie oppa, guessing by the yell, before the sound of two people fumbling to get up. On the other side of me, Jiminie's eyes cracked open at the noise, the crescent of his eyes blowing wide open before beaming at me, he wriggled excitedly causing Yoongi oppa behind him to groan in annoyance as an arm came to swat at Jiminie. I leaned out to grasp it before it whacked Jiminie, somehow Yoongi oppa registered that the hand holding his was mine and he bolted upwards, narrowed eyes widening before a gummy smile burst across his face.
One member was missing.
Speaking of that member, at that moment a figure filled the doorway and Jinnie oppa stood there, mouth gaping as he stared at the chaos in the room before his eyes met mine and he positively BEAMED before rushing in.
"(Y/N)-ah, you're awake! Do you know how much I missed you? And how much I wanted to shove these heathens out and stay with you? And feed you too! You're looking a bit peaky honey..." he spurted out, bringing a tired smile to my face.
The chaos as the members tried to straighten up and crowd around me was a warming sight, bringing a smile to my lips.
Immediately, there's hands at my side fluttering slightly before gently cupping my face, I meet Jinnie oppa's eyes and beam at him.
"Alright, that's it. All of you OFF the bed now! Stop smothering her!" he demands hands leaving to whack the boys away, swatting at them impatiently. He helps me sit up slightly, propping a few pillows behind me, before sitting down next to me.
The other boys crowd around the bed, glaring outright at Jinnie oppa who seems unaffected by it all. If that had been me, I'd be withering under their glares and grovelling. Maybe. But I'd probably hold my ground as long as I could.
"I get to sit with her because you've been hogging her ALL night and after breakfast." He states, eyes narrowing threateningly at Tae's attempts to subtly slide closer to the foot of the bed.
He refocuses his attention to me.
"So, how are you feeling? Hungry, no doubt." He asks making my focus go to my stomach which is growling with hunger.
I flush slightly, nodding.
"No wonder, you've been out of it for at least 12 hours. Yoongi go get the stew I've just finished making. Hobi, bring the pink lemonade. Kookie, bring in the fruit skewers I've put in the fridge. Second thoughts, Jiminie you go instead of Kookie." He listed orders. Yoongi oppa grumbled but allowed himself to be dragged by Hobi oppa and Jiminie.
Namjoon oppa came forward, albeit a little hesitantly.
"(Y/N)-ah, can we cuddle? The boys kept saying I'd break you if I got near you." He said looking downcast.
I understood their teasing, but I knew he felt slightly bothered by it.
"Yah!" Jin oppa got out before I answered.
"Of course, Joonie oppa! Cuddles now please..." I said making grabby hands in his directions.
His dimples popped out, deepening as he got onto the bed. I pulled the blanket a bit, gesturing at him to get in.
"Hey no fair!" Tae whined just as the others returned to the room, carrying an assortment of stuff between them, other sounds of protests coming from the members.
"Jin hyung, you forbade us to! And Joon-ah gets to?!" Hobi questioned, pointing an accusing finger in Joonie oppa's directions.
"(Y/N)-ah asked me to." A smug voice rang out beside me as he wrapped his arms around me.
Before any more complaints rang out, the boys bought the tray forward.
Yoongi oppa moved to put the tray in front of me, pulling back slightly when Jinnie oppa moved to grab it.
"Eat up (Y/N)-ah. Never worry us like that again." Yoongi oppa scolded before moving back, hand lingering on my head after he ruffled it.
I felt slightly queasy after I'd finished eating, a sense of nausea rising inside me. I hadn't stuffed myself to the brim, it wasn't being bloated.
Forcing down gulps of air and praying for my stomach to settle I turned frantically to Hobi oppa who was taking the tray off my lap.
"Oppa, I would never dare ask this. But...I need you to rush me to the bathroom." Voicing my urgency, I think he thought I needed the toilet. Chuckling slightly, he swept me into his arms¸ not realising the movement made my stomach churn. I clamped my mouth shut, forcing the bile down my throat as he carried me to the bathroom, he set me down gently.
I bolted to the bathroom, forgoing to close the door and hunching over to hurl up everything I had just consumed.
The acrid taste of bile and vomit making my eyes sting as my throat spasmed and stomach heaved again. I barely registered the cursing before a large hand pulled my hair away from my mouth and the other rubbing soothingly on my back.
I slumped against the edge of the bathtub afterwards, gasping a bit before rising on shaky legs to hobble over and rinse my mouth out before brushing my teeth. Hobi oppa's hand didn't stray away from its hold on my waist. My knees would've buckled by now if he hadn't been holding me up.
I didn't know why my body felt weak though. I hoped it wasn't anything permanent and I prayed that whatever drug I had been injected with didn't end up damaging my nerves. He helped me back to the bedroom, but my legs gave out midway. Instead of sweeping his arms under my knees again he clasped my arms around his neck and asked me to hold on before gripping the bottom of my thighs and cautiously making his way back to my room. I think he realised that the swinging motion wasn't the best.
"I'm sorry Hobi oppa, that you had to see that." I whispered in his ear, head bent towards him.
"Aigoo...no. Don't be sorry, we were told you might have a few aftereffects." He said warmly.
The other boys reacted when we re-entered, commenting on our odd position for a toilet break before they registered my pale face and the loose hold, I had around Hobi oppa's neck as well as the twist of his mouth- his face was very expressive.
"(Y/N)-ah threw up. Her body is still weak from the drug I guess." He said, voice reverberating through my body due to his hold on me.
He carefully bent down in front of my bed, waiting for Jiminie to help guide me back into my bed.
I hated being so weak, so needy and dependent. I could see worry in their eyes and I hated that I had seen it directed at me too much.
Before Jin oppa could open his mouth to mother me again, I pulled at Jiminie tugging him to sit down before burrowing my head into his lap.
"Can you guys stay? I want to be with my family. And I don't want to be stuck in here alone." I said, meeting Jiminie's eyes as I looked upwards.
His eyes crinkled as he gave me a soft smile.
"Of course, we will. Family sticks together. And we're not letting you go." He said, looking down at me before pressing a soft kiss to my forehead.
I snuggled into his hold, grateful for them all.
They all clambered onto the bed, fitting themselves into comfortable positions easily.
I knew they would help me heal, and when I did. I was going to be their backbone and support system in the same way they were for me.
(I HOPE THIS SATISFIED THE SOFTNESS AND FLUFF WE ALL NEEDED. SOMEHOW WRITING IT MADE MY HEART SETTLE, LIKE A SENSE OF REASSURANCE I GUESS KNOWING THEY WERE ALL TOGETHER AGAIN. IT'S NOT OVER YET DON'T WORRY! WE GOTTA HAVE A HEALED (Y/N) BEFORE IT DOES. WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN NEXT, I GUESS SHE'LL GET CLOSURE AND FINALLY BE ABLE TO SEE HER HORRID PAST LEAVE HER. NOT TO MENTION SHE HASN'T ACTUALLY REFLECTED ON THE EVENTS AT ALL YET, IT'LL COME! HOW WAS IT? I HOPE YOU KNOW THAT AS THIS SCENE ENDS, THEY ALL CUDDLE EACH OTHER FOR A LOOONG TIME, NOT READY TO SEPARATE FROM EACH OTHER AND ESPECIALLY NOT YOU! LOADS AND LOADS OF LOVE AND CUDDLES AND PLATONIC KISSES. WHOO HOO! PLEASE COMMENT YOUR THOUGHTS, I LOVE LOVE HEARING THEM! I DON'T KNOW IF YOU KNOW BUT I DID IT! I UPLOADED THE FIRST TEASER/PROLOGUE CHAPTER FOR MY NEW SOULMATE FANFIC! SOMETHING TO GIVE YOU TO ANTICIPATE -HOPEFULLY- WHEN THIS FIC COMES TO AN END! THANK YOU FOR ALL THE SUPPORT, THIS FIC WOULD'VE NEVER GROWN OR PERHAPS EVEN BEEN CONTINUED HAD I NOT BEEN GIVEN SO MUCH SUPPORT AND MOTIVATION FROM YOU ALL! THANK YOU FOR GOING DOWN THIS JOURNEY, I'M SORRY FOR PUTTING YOU THROUGH SO MUCH WITH THE PLOT! YOU GUYS ARE MY BACKBONE AND SUPPORT SYSTEM SO REALLY REALLY THANK YOU! LOVE YOU ALL!)
BORAHAE! 💜💜💜
PurpleQueenie <3