That evening the hospital room finally became quiet.
Ella, Freya, Grace, Rakki and Percy had all gone home.
The nurses finished their rounds.
The corridor lights were dim.
Only the soft sound of the heart monitor filled the room.
Jay was sitting on the bed, resting against the pillows.
Keifer was sitting beside her chair.
For the first time in many days…
They were alone.
Neither of them spoke for a while.
Jay watched him quietly.
Keifer looked calm outside.
But she could see the tiredness in his eyes.
The dark circles.
The tension in his jaw.
She softly called him.
"Keifer…"
He turned to her.
"Yeah?"
Jay tilted her head slightly.
"Come here."
Keifer frowned a little.
"I'm already here."
Jay stretched her arms slowly.
"Closer."
Without asking anything else, Keifer stood up and walked to the bed.
Jay gently held his hand.
But the moment she touched him…
Something inside Keifer broke.
He suddenly bent down and hugged her tightly.
Very tightly.
His face buried in her shoulder.
Jay froze for a second.
Then she slowly wrapped her arms around him.
"Keifer?"
His shoulders started shaking.
Jay realized he was crying.
Again.
His voice came out broken.
"I thought you were going to die."
Jay's heart clenched.
Keifer held her even tighter.
"I saw the knife."
His breathing became uneven.
"There was so much blood."
Jay gently ran her fingers through his hair.
Trying to calm him.
But Keifer continued speaking.
"I couldn't breathe."
"I couldn't think."
"I kept thinking…"
His voice cracked badly.
"What if I lose you?"
Jay's eyes slowly filled with tears too.
Keifer looked up at her finally.
His eyes red again.
"I was so scared."
Jay wiped the tears from his cheek softly.
"I'm here."
Keifer shook his head slightly.
"You jumped in front of me."
Jay smiled weakly.
"Of course."
Keifer stared at her.
"Why would you do that?"
Jay looked at him quietly.
Like the answer was obvious.
"Because it was you."
Those simple words broke him again.
He hugged her once more.
More carefully this time because of her injury.
Jay rested her chin gently on his head.
"Keifer."
"Hmm?"
"You're not allowed to cry anymore."
Keifer sniffed slightly.
"Too late."
Jay chuckled softly.
"Idiot."
Keifer finally smiled a little.
Still holding her like he never wanted to let go again.
Because the thought of losing her…
Had scared him more than anything else in his life. 💙