Chapter 22

twenty-two

Phoebe

My body hurts, and my head is pounding. I try to open my eyes, but I can't. Why can't I open my eyes? I panic; my heart rate is accelerating. Suddenly, I hear, "She's crashing! Get the crash cart in here!"

"Phoebe?" Sergi? He sounds so far away; where is he?

"Phoebe, no!" Alex?

God, he sounds like he's in so much pain. I feel a jolt go through my body, and it suddenly goes quiet. Where did they go?

I don't know how long it's been, but I hear voices again, whispering in my ear while I feel a warm tingle on my hand and on my cheek.

" Malen'kaya ptitsa , come back to me, sweetheart, I need you; it's been too long since I've seen those beautiful green eyes. S'agapó. " I feel warm lips against the corner of mine. He said "I love you"; he learned Greek, my Alex, but he's struggling with something.

I try to wake up, but I can't; I was leaving him again, everything fading.

Suddenly, I hear Juan. "Come on, sweetheart, you need to open your eyes; Alexandr needs you. He's gone on a rampage, killing many Romanians with Sergi's help. We need you back, your family needs you." Why is Juan here and not in Spain? Fuck, why can I not wake up? My body is tired again, and everything fades.

Suddenly I heard shouting, "Where are you fucking taking her? Phoebe!" Alex is in so much pain.

"Alexandr, she's got internal bleeding; we need to operate again, or we'll lose her."

The voices fade. My body is relaxing again. My mind is fading.

Alex.

"Come on, my mikrí prinkípissa , you need to wake up now. Alexandr…he needs you, and Damian is struggling to keep him under control. And I need you, I need to make things right, my daughter. Please, I can't lose you, too." My father is sobbing, and my heart aches.

Daddy.

"Father?"I hear Selene and my father growls.

"I told you to wait outside."

She replies snidely, "She's still my sister."

I don't hear his reply; I'm fading again, stupid fucking body.

I hear someone crying softly. "You're my best friend. Please come back to us; we all need you. Sergi has lost it, and Alexandr needs you. Please."

Abby!

Fuck no, no fading—wake up! My body relaxes again, for fuck's sake!

"Phoebe Pie, I need you to wake up. I hate that I'm in control of your medical shit. I'm honored, but I hate it. I need you. You'll be living on this ventilator for the rest of your life if you don't fucking wake up. I'll never let them unplug you, so you need to wake up.

Al, he's falling apart, he barely sleeps, he's out of control without you. God, why did you have to leave the club that night?" He sniffs, and everything comes back to me. My heart starts to ache because my family is in pain. I thought leaving would be okay; I thought they'd be fine. That's why I wasn't afraid when Mihai attacked, but I guess I was wrong. I shouldn't have walked away; I should have kicked Alex's ass and fought for us, instead of walking away, thinking it would have been easier on my already fragile heart. "Avery, she won't talk to me; she found out about who we are and who I am…she looked at me in disgust and refused to let me anywhere near her. She didn't run, but she also hasn't let me in. I need you, Phoebs, so please wake up. Please."

I feel wetness on my cheek, and I know it's Sergi's tears. They need me.

Move body, move— no , don't you fucking dare, no fading. No!

I feel a presence leaning against my body—a body I know well, my Alex. I feel his head on my shoulder, and then I hear someone whispering, "Should we wake him?"

Sofia!

I hear another voice saying, "No, Malyshka , this is the only time he sleeps with his love."

Damian…he sounds so sorrowful.

Sofia sniffles. "She's been in a coma for too long, Damian."

He sighs. "I know, baby, but Al and Serg aren't ready to give up just yet, and neither am I. She's my sister; they may not be married yet, but she's still my sister."

Sofia sobs. "I don't want to lose my friend, and I really don't want Mila to lose her favorite aunt. She needs to wake up; if we lose her, we lose Al, too."

Hurt, pain, sorrow—my family is struggling.

Why can't I fucking wake up? I'm fading again.

Seriously?!

I feel a light touch across my face, and my heart hurts hearing Alex's soft cries.

"Sweetheart, malen'kaya ptitsa , please, please , I can't do this anymore. I need you. You're the reason I breathe, please. Come back to me, please. If you go, I go. Please, baby, there is no life without you."

I feel his body shake with his soft cries. He really does love me, and he needs me.

Everything starts to go black again. I'm fading. I try to fight it, but I can't.

Please, I don't want to disappear again. Alex needs me, please.

I hear shouting and banging. "Alexandr, calm down." Damian?

Alex's growls and shouts, "Calm down? Fucking calm down? Basil is trying to get power of attorney so he can switch off her fucking life support! I won't calm down!"

There's another crash, then a heart-breaking roar.

Alex!