Ethan hung up and leaned in, gently brushing the hair from her forehead. "Come on, love… you're almost there. Just a little more." Her eyelids fluttered. And then, her lips moved.
It was barely a whisper. But he heard it. "...my baby…"
Tears sprang to Ethan's eyes as he dropped to his knees beside the bed, kissing her hand.
"Yes. Yes, Mara. We'll find him. Just come back to us." Moments later, Stefan burst into the room with his medical bag, rushing to her side, checking her vitals, eyes wide with hope.
Then the others arrived, Steve first, then Stanford and Stanley. They crowded the room, none of them speaking at first, too afraid to hope.
But Stefan looked up.
"She's fighting. She's not out of the woods, but… she's coming back." Stanford exhaled hard, his hand going to his mouth as if he might cry.
Steve crossed to her other side, brushing her cheek. "Come on, princess… open those eyes."
