Nooooo!!!
Ross stirred awake slowly, his vision drowned in sleep. The ceiling above him swam in and out of focus. He lay flat on his bed, a drip connected to his arm, a medical machine beside him humming softly as it monitored his vitals, searching for any anomaly that might disrupt his recovery.
His senses returned one by one, booting up, sluggish and imperfect. Sound came first: the faint beeping of the machine, the soft rhythm of breathing. Then light. His vision sharpened, brightness settling into clarity.
And when his eyes fully opened, the first thing he saw was Marie.
She sat beside the bed, smiling brightly. Silent, but her heart was loud, overflowing with things she didn't yet know how to say.
Thank God she's okay, Ross thought.
Maybe he had done something right that night after all. Giving up half his glory to heal her didn't erase his loss to Zabi, but it softened the blow.
"Marie…"
His voice was hoarse, fragile.
"Yes, Ross. I'm here. I'm with you."
