Chapter 24 - Part I

"Alyssa!" Someone's panicked voice annoyed me out my trip to Death.

"What?! I told you...I told you to let me die...in peace!"

*Why is it getting so difficult to breathe?

"Keep your eyes open! You are not going to die on us!" The voice sounded distant, but I knew it came from somewhere near me, "You cannot die on me." It reduced to a harsh, desperate whisper, "I love you, Alyssa, I need you. I...I have been an ass —"

"Terrence?" I whispered. Yes, breathing was now a tough job and it was interfering with what could be my last words, "I lied...I don't hate you...I love you. And I didn't take Raine and Ryan away."

"I know, I know," Soft lips kissed my forehead and I sighed, ready to just die. I always wanted a natural death, or something like dying in my sleep. This agonising kind of death — it was not me. I wanted to get this over with as soon as possible.

"Don't leave me," he sobbed above me, "Just stay for a little while, the ambulance will reach soon. Then we will get you to the hospital —"

"Can I leave after that?" Words escaped me in one breath.

"God, no, Alyssa. Don't say things like that. You're not going anywhere. I'm so sorry, Alyssa...I...I love you so much but I've been doing everything wrong. I just can't...please, just a few minutes more, baby, then you'll be fine."

"I can't do this, now, Terrence..." I couldn't even feel the tears running down my cheeks, "I'm tired." I took in a breath, "And if you really... really want to prove that you're ... sorry... make sure she doesn't get her hands on them ever again. And when they grow up tell them that no one can love them more than I do."

"No fucking way!" His words were a harsh sob disguised in an order, "Because you are going to show Raine and Ryan yourself how much you love them!" I didn't know why he was panicking so much. Like me, he should've accepted by now that there was no saving me.

"I..." I coughed a little, "I don't think so!"

"Get away from her you fucktard!"

There. There was the voice of my stubborn warrior and best friend, Allie.

"I'm not going anywhere!" Terrence bellowed and I wished I had the energy to sock him I'm his face because his screaming was annoying me. I just wanted to fucking die now!

"Oh, really? Don't you touch her!" She was screaming, "She's lying in her own pool of blood like that because of you and your fucking nutcase family! The farther you are from her, the more chances that she's going to get through this!"

Another body came beside me, and I was held gently by Allie, "Stay here with me, Liz. You're not leaving me alone. You're going to fucking get through this and then we're going to shoot Terrence and his entire family in their asses - except the twins of course. Keep your eyes open, take in a deep breath."

"I love you, Allie. Stop...being so... difficult about everything. I..."

I took in my last deep breath before fading into the darkness.

"...can't."

""**********""

*"She's in a critical condition. We are going to keep her under observation."

*Someone mumbled something.

*"I'm sorry, Sir. We cannot say anything now. She has lost blood, and her injuries will take a lot of time to heal. We don't know how much struggle her body can take. A bullet wound in the shoulder, concussion, bruised ribs, broken ankle are only a few of the things we have to worry about."

*She had a bad aim. I'm pretty sure I heard three gunshots or more.

**************

*"Calm down, Dree. She will be fine."

*"Fucking shut up, Aaron! You can take sides with your friend if you want, but don't you fucking ask me to calm down! He and his idiotic father are why I'm going to lose the only person who stuck with me for so long!" The voice sniffed, "He has his father, he has the twins, he has you, Lucy, Victor, Aria, Jonah, his money, his minions, his power!"

*The sob broke my heart.

*"I don't have anything. I don't have anyone. Grandpa died, and now she's going to die, too. All because of you! Fucking you! This is how you fucking show your gratitude - by killing her!"

*"Alexan —"

*"Aaron, she's right."

*"But...but Terrence, you had no idea – Terrence! Stop!"

*There was silence for a moment.

*"What are you waiting here for? Fuck off! Go after your best friend."

*"Don't do this to him, Dree. Bringing him out of his depression after his mother's death was difficult enough. This will kill him!"

*"I don't care. He deserves it anyway."

*Didn't I tell Allie to stop being so difficult?

************

*"Alyssa."

*Oh, Terrence.

*"Alyssa, I'm so sorry," he sniffed, "I love you so much. Please..." His voice broke, "Please come back to me. I can't see you like this, anymore. It's killing me."

*More muffled and sniffling noises reverberated in the room before he choked out his words again, "I swear I didn't mean for this to happen. If... If I had known this would happen... Fuck! I shouldn't have let you go that day, Alyssa. I shouldn't have fallen for that custody trap. But I didn't do this to you, Alyssa, I'd rather die myself than do this to you.

*"I love you, come back to me. I'll do anything for you, and I will be on my knees at your beck and call forever but just come back. Everyone... Your best friend, Raine and Ryan think that I did this to you. Please tell them how much I love you. You know that, right? You know what I feel for you, right? Don't you ever dare doubt that.

*"The babies are too quiet, Alyssa. They are not bouncing and squealing anymore. If they didn't snuggle into me every time I took them in my arms, I would've had been sure that they hated me, too. Come back for them...come back for me.

*"Come back and tell your best friend," he sobbed, "Tell Allie how much I love you. Tell her! Please! She never lets me see you. That's her way of punishing me, and she keeps on saying that I am the reason why you're here. Please, Alyssa, get up and tell her. I want to stay by your side day and night but I have to sneak in at night when Allie goes back to rest. The first time I tried to go against her, she almost called the cops on me. I had begged on my knees, Alyssa, she still didn't hear a word I said.

*"As much as I'm ready to face the cops for you, I couldn't do that! I'm not done with Larissa yet.

*"I love you, Alyssa, even if Allie says I have everyone and everything in the world, I'm just as alone as her without you."

*I love you, too, Terrence. I love you, too.

**************

*"So Dree did let you in finally, huh?"

*"No. I sneaked in just as she disappeared somewhere."

*"I was worried - we couldn't find you anywhere. So I thought you'd be camped out outside her room like always and came here. I was surprised to find you inside."

*There was silence for a few moments.

*"You should be with Allie right now."

*"She's making me chose between you and her. I can't do that. As much as I want to be with her right now, she is being irrationally stubborn. I just want to help her, comfort her, but she's not even talking to me. I tried so many times, and she still doesn't trust me. That's what actually the most, she still has no idea how much I love her."

*"Her trust has been broken many times from those she least expected it from. As far as I know, only her grandfather stuck to her for most of her life. Her parents can compete with Larissa when it comes to their greed, although I don't think they'll try to kill her for money. After you, Aaron, her trust was broken completely, and Alyssa was the only one who could get in."

*"What about her ex boyfriend, Darren?"

*"She admired him, liked him, but she knew that her heart was safe from heartbreak. He never had the kind of power you have over her. They were both using each other to forget someone else and it worked for them for quite some time. You have always been the one who can break her heart or piece it back together. She just doesn't trust you that you won't ever misuse that kind of power like you did before. Give her time, she loves you, she will come around."

*"I hope so, too. I love her so much, and it hurts to see her pushing me away."

*"I know. Now go to her."

*"I can't leave you alone, Terrence. I don't want you to fall back right to the time when Lorraine had that accident. You are not going to blame yourself for this."

*"I am not alone, I have Dad."

*"And you're not even talking to him. Talk to him. I think that's one thing you can sort out till she wakes up. He's alone too. He had just been betrayed by the woman he loves and now even his kids are not talking to him."

*"Go Aaron, just go."

**************

*All I could hear was soft feminine sobs.

*It went on for a while, but were interrupted by just a formal greeting,

*"Miss Evans?"

*"Go away."

*"I brought Raine and Ryan."

*"Then send for a portable crib and leave them here. Your presence is not required."

*"I promise I won't disturb you, I will just sit in one corner."

*There was no reply.

*A shuffling sound. After a few moments, a wheeling sound. Another few moments and just two voices.

*"Momo. Momo. Momo seep."

*Oh my. My babies.

*A soft hand touched my forehead, and my skin tingled. It was the first time I could feel a touch.

*Maybe there was hope.

*Maybe, like every cliche story, I would recover like a miracle and everything will be fine.

*"Momo!" It was a squeal, "Momo!"

*"Excuse me, but will they stay alright? Is it alright to keep them near her?"

*"They are smart. They know their mother is resting. So they won't do anything that will wake her up and make her throw a tantrum. What they don't know is that we all want her to wake up."

*"I'm sorry."

*"You don't have to be. It's not as if you are the reason behind why she is here. It was for the best you threw her out and decided to stick to that bitch's side - and didn't trust your son. If she had stayed with you, maybe she would have been already dead."

*Silence.

*But my babies filled it with their soft touches.

**************

*I could feel his touch.

*I could feel my entire arm tingling with every caress of Terrence.

*"I love you."

*"And although I'm ready to wait for you for an eternity, I can't wait anymore. Wake up. The doctors said you're responding. Things are looking up and I can't wait for the day when I'll be able to see your beautiful eyes again."

*"I'm talking to dad, now. I'm worried about his heart's condition, medically and metaphorically. He has been really strong that he survived through this heartbreak."

*"Even the twins look forward to everyday. Every time, they notice me and dad readying things for an outing, they always know that we're coming to see you. Allie now even lets me see you when I have them with me. Even the twins want you to wake up soon. Wake up, baby."

*"I can't live without you. We have to get married, have more kids, and raise them all together. There's so much to do, babe, and I'm just waiting for you to wake up."

*Me too, Terrence, me too.