Chapter 98: The Last Harbor
Agatha’s footsteps came to a halt in front of the double doors guarded by two burly men. She took a long, deep breath. The scent of antiseptic seeped into her nose. Pierre had told her earlier that Xavier’s condition was stable, but her husband was still refusing to settle down.
Clek.
Agatha pushed the door open slowly. The atmosphere inside the room was chaotic. The heart monitor was beeping at a rapid pace. Bip. Bip. Bip.
"Take these cables off, Pierre! I said take them off!"
That deep voice sounded hoarse and full of rage. Agatha saw Xavier trying to sit up straight on his hospital bed. His face was pale with several bruises starting to turn blue. His hand, which had an IV line attached, moved wildly as he tried to peel the adhesive sensors off his chest.
"Sir, please calm down. You just passed the critical stage. That gunshot wound could reopen," Pierre’s voice sounded pleading.
"I don't care! Where is Agatha? You said she was safe, but why isn't she here? You're lying to me!" Xavier shouted again. He struggled until his body almost slid off the bed.
Agatha stood frozen in the doorway. Her eyes began to sting at the sight. The man who usually looked so tough and invincible now looked so fragile just because he was worried about her.
"Xavier," Agatha called out in a soft voice.
The chaotic atmosphere suddenly went silent. Xavier froze. He slowly turned his head toward the door. His eyes, red from lack of sleep, widened. He stared at the woman standing there in clothes still dirty with dried bloodstains.
"Sweetheart? Is that really you?" Xavier whispered. His voice trembled violently.
"Yes, it's me. I'm here," Agatha answered. She stepped into the room.
Xavier didn't wait a single second. He ignored all of Pierre's warnings. He jerked his body forward with force.
Brak!
Tret!
A loud tearing sound was heard. The heart monitor cables attached to Xavier's chest detached instantly. The IV needle in the back of his hand was pulled out by force until blood started dripping onto the floor. Xavier didn't care about the sting. He jumped from the bed and ran toward Agatha with staggering steps.
"Xavier! Don't run!" Agatha cried out in a panic.
Gubrak.
Xavier almost fell flat if Agatha hadn't immediately caught his body. The man immediately wrapped his arms around Agatha's waist very tightly. He buried his face in the crook of his wife's neck.
"Ugh," Agatha groaned softly due to the impact of Xavier's quite heavy body.
"You're alive. You're really alive. I thought I had lost you, Agatha. I almost went crazy," Xavier muttered amidst his suppressed sobs.
Agatha returned the hug with the same strength. She rubbed Xavier's broad back. She felt the man's body trembling violently. The smell of medicine and cold sweat was strong from her husband's body.
"I'm okay, Xavier. Calm down," she whispered.
Agatha realized she saw blood dripping from Xavier's hand. She released the hug slightly so she could see her husband's face. She looked at Xavier's chest, which was now covered in leftover medical adhesive and wounds that hadn't dried yet.
"Are you crazy? Why did you run like that? Look at this, all the equipment came off! Your hand is bleeding, Xavier!" Agatha scolded her husband. Her voice rose but still sounded soft with affection.
Xavier just stared at Agatha's face with a look of adoration. He held Agatha's cheek with his trembling hand. "I don't care about those tools. I just want to hold you. I just want to make sure you're not just my imagination."
"Still, you shouldn't be reckless. What if your wound opens up again? You're scaring me," Agatha grumbled softly while trying to wipe the bloodstains on Xavier's hand with the edge of her clean sleeve.
"Let it open. As long as you're here holding me," Xavier replied stubbornly.
"Good grief, Mr. Xavier! You really are the worst patient!"
Pierre’s voice came from behind. The doctor arrived with a panicked face. He carried a tray of new medical equipment. Behind him, Melynda, Frans, and Don Cardios entered the room. They all stood still seeing the scene in the middle of the room.
Agatha and Xavier were still in a hugging position. Xavier leaned his entire body weight on Agatha, while Agatha held Xavier's waist so the man wouldn't fall. They seemed to be in their own world. The dim room light added an intimate feel between them.
"Astaga, look at these cables scattered on the floor. Sir, you could get an infection if the needle is pulled out like this," Pierre grumbled while crouching to pick up the monitor cables.
"Just leave them be for now, Pierre. It looks like they are performing a healing procedure more effective than your medicine," Frans quipped suddenly.
Frans' loud voice immediately broke the silence. Agatha was startled. She just realized there were other people in the room. She turned and saw her family and her new grandfather, Don Cardios, watching them with various expressions. Melynda seemed to wipe away tears of joy, while Cardios just stood silent with an unreadable look.
"Uh, how long have you all been there?" Agatha asked with a face that started to turn red.
"Since Xavier jumped from the bed like a track athlete," Frans answered with a wide grin. "Man, if I knew there would be this many spectators, maybe I would have brought popcorn."
Xavier didn't look embarrassed at all. He actually tightened his grip on Agatha's waist. He glanced briefly at Frans with a sharp look.
"All of you, get out. I want to talk to my wife alone," Xavier ordered with an absolute tone.
"Sir, but these tools must be reattached," Pierre protested.
"Attach them later. Out, now," Xavier cut him off.
Cardios cleared his throat softly. "Leave them. Pierre, take your equipment outside first. Give them thirty minutes."
Melynda approached and kissed Agatha's forehead briefly before leading the others out. "Rest, dear. We're outside if you need anything."
The room door finally closed again. Silence enveloped the room once more. Xavier looked at Agatha again. He led his wife to the spacious hospital bed. He sat on the edge of the bed and pulled Agatha to sit beside him.
"Don't ever leave me again, Agatha. Don't ever do anything gila like that alone," Xavier said. His voice now sounded very tired.
Agatha rested her head on Xavier's shoulder. "I did it to save us all, Xavier. I had to finish them so we could live in peace. There was no way I could just stay quiet when I opened my eyes and you were already lying there."
Xavier pulled Agatha's chin up so she would look at him. He saw a small wound at the corner of Agatha's lip. He wiped the wound with his thumb very carefully.
"I'd rather die with you than live without you in the peace you mean," Xavier said.
"Don't talk about dying. We're safe now," Agatha replied.
Xavier moved his face closer. He could feel Agatha's warm breath hitting his skin. He stared at Agatha's lips, which looked pale but still tempting in his eyes. The longing that had been held back all this time finally peaked.
Xavier landed a kiss on Agatha's lips. At first, it was just a soft, hesitant touch, but it soon turned into a deep and demanding kiss. Agatha responded by wrapping her arms around Xavier's neck.
"Mmhh," Agatha moaned softly in the middle of their kiss.
A sense of sweetness and warmth spread through Agatha's entire body. She could feel Xavier's heartbeat, which was now much calmer under her palm. That kiss was a release of all the fear, anger, and longing they had experienced over the last few days.
Xavier broke the kiss for a moment to catch his breath. He looked into Agatha's eyes with a very deep gaze. "I love you, Agatha. I love you so much."
"I love you too, Xavier," Agatha answered softly.
Agatha then remembered the news she had just received from Pierre. She wanted to tell Xavier about her pregnancy. She wanted to see her husband's reaction. However, she saw Xavier's eyes starting to close due to the effects of the medication and extreme exhaustion.
"Xavier, there's something I want to tell you," Agatha whispered.
"Just say it, sweetheart. I'm listening," Xavier replied with a voice that had almost vanished.
Agatha took a long breath. She took Xavier's hand and placed it on her still flat stomach. She wanted to whisper those words in her husband's ear before they both fell asleep.
"Xavier, actually I..."