Chapter 70 – Always

Isabelle Reinhart.

The water from the shower had left my skin tingling, and I got out from the bathroom, wrapping myself in my bathrobe. Just as I settled onto my bed, damp tendrils of hair clinging to my skin, my phone's ringtone pierced the air.

Frowning, I picked up my phone from the bedside table, seeing Alex's name flashing on the screen. What more could he possibly want? We’d been together almost the entire day.

With a sigh, I brought the phone to my ear,"Couldn't stay away for—"

Before I could finish my sentence, his voice cut through, urgent and nervous. "He's awake, Belle."

The phone slipped from my suddenly numb fingers, landing on the bed with a soft thud. My heart pounded in my chest, the room spinning around me.

He's awake.

The words echoed in my mind, filling my senses with an intoxicating mix of disbelief and hope.

I practically lunged towards my closet, my hands trembling as I yanked out a pair of jeans and an old, crumpled t-shirt. I didn't have time to worry about appearances; all that mattered was getting to the hospital, to him, as quickly as humanly possible.

Within moments, I was out of my apartment, my heart racing as I descended the stairs in a near-sprint. The cool air of the evening slapped my cheeks, my breaths coming in ragged gasps as I headed for the station, my thoughts a chaotic whirlwind of emotions.

I ran through the hospital entrance. The receptionist's welcoming smile greeted me, a hopeful expression now taking over her otherwise sympathetic smiles. For the first time in what felt like eternity, the hospital held a sense of promise.

I dashed to the elevator, my heart thudding so loudly I was convinced it could be heard by anyone standing nearby. My steps echoed down the corridor as I reached the floor, my anticipation building with each stride. The door to his room came into view, and I couldn't control the tears that gathered in my eyes.

And there was Alex, leaning against the wall outside the room, his arms crossed over his chest. His gaze met mine, and a wide, joyful grin spread across his face. The sight of him, of his happiness, was almost too much to bear. The reality that Ace was awake, that I might finally see those brown eyes stare into mine once more, was a rush of emotions too powerful to contain.

My breath caught in my throat, and I stumbled forward, my legs carrying me to him. Tears spilled from my eyes, my vision blurry as I reached Alex. His grin only widened.

He stepped forward to hug me but I ignored him and shot towards the doorknob.

“Belle, no,” Alex’s voice stopped me from behind but I didn’t care. I didn’t give a damn about medical procedures at the moment. I had to see him. I needed to see him.

I pushed the door open, my heart pounding, my breath held in a mixture of hope and fear. My eyes scanned the room, and there he was, sitting on the bed, surrounded by medical staff. My gaze locked with his, and the world around me seemed to fade away.

My Ace.

He was looking right at me, his eyes filled with a mixture of surprise and relief. The room was a blur, the medical personnel mere background noise. All that mattered was him.

The doctor's voice reached my ears, breaking through my trance. "Ma'am, you can't be in here. We understand your concern, but we need to carry out some tests," she explained gently.

I barely registered her words, my attention solely on Ace. Tears streamed down my face as I stood there, my emotions too overwhelming to put into words. My heart felt like it was going to burst out of my chest as I locked eyes with him.

It seemed as if he felt the same way as he gave me a small nod, the all too familiar nod and a sob escaped my lips.

A sigh escaped the doctor as she lightly touched my shoulder, guiding me out of the room. The door closed behind me, and I finally broke out of my trance. Of course, medical procedures were important, and I had to let them do their job.

I turned to Alex, my voice trembling as I whispered, "He's back, Alex. He's really back."

Alex chuckled softly, his eyes warm with understanding. "I wasn't lying when I told you he was," he said, his words carrying a mixture of amusement and relief.

*****

Alex and I had found a spot in the corridor, waiting with bated breath for any news. Our anxiousness was joined by Emily and Noah's hurried arrival, their faces a mix of restlessness and hope.

"Have you seen him? Has anyone?" Noah's voice carried a mixture of desperation and hope.

With a chuckle, Alex glanced at me and said, "Well, someone couldn't wait and had to sneak a peek."

Emily's eyes widened, a mix of surprise and curiosity on her face. "Really, Isabelle?"

I grinned, "Couldn't resist, you know?"

We all waited in the corridor, our impatience barely contained. The tension seemed to stretch on forever until finally, the doctors stepped out of the room. They delivered the news – Ace was surprisingly alright, considering. He'd need medication for a few months to help his body heal and stabilize.

Alex nodded absently, absorbing the information. The doctor gave him a reassuring smile and left, allowing us our moment. As the medical staff filed out, we found ourselves standing in front of the door, a mixture of emotions washing over us.

Noah reached for the doorknob and peeked inside, then turned to us with a relieved smile. "You can go in now."

As we stepped into the room, Ace was there, lying on the bed with his eyes closed. It was like a weight had lifted, seeing him right there, alive and present.

We all stood there, dumbfounded and a bit scared. We exchanged nervous glances, not sure how to approach him.

But then, his voice broke the silence, his familiar sarcastic tone cutting through. "Well, gonna stand there and stare all day, dumbfucks?"

“Oh, my God!”

“Yep. That’s him.”

“Holy fucking hell!”

“I can’t believe this.”

All of us broke out at the same time. Emily and Noah practically lunged forward, embracing Ace like they were afraid he'd vanish again. Alex clapped him on the back with a grin.

I stood there for a moment, almost in disbelief. Months of waiting and then this moment, so surreal and yet so real. As I looked at him, all these words I'd imagined saying just evaporated. My heart was pounding, and I felt like a deer caught in headlights.

Ace looked up at me, his eyes finding mine in the midst of the surreal moment. My heart raced in my chest. But as I stood there, just a few steps away from him, I felt rooted to the spot. Alex moved behind me and gently nudged me forward.

I took a shaky step, then another, until I was standing beside Ace's bed. His gaze was warm, a mixture of relief and affection. I could feel the weight of the months we had spent apart, the longing and the ache, all converging into this single moment.

“We’ll give you guys some privacy,” Emily practically dragged Alex and Noah leaving Ace and me alone in the room. The door closed softly behind them, enveloping us in a cocoon of intimacy.

Little did they know that we could clearly see them peeking inside the room from the small glass window.

Ace shifted on the bed, making space for me beside him. His presence was magnetic, drawing me in, and I eased myself onto the bed, our eyes never leaving each other.

He reached for my hand, his touch a gentle reassurance that sent shivers down my spine. The contact was electric. I could feel the unspoken emotions between us, the relief, the happiness, the disbelief that he was actually here, awake and looking at me with those familiar brown eyes.

A tender smile played on his lips, and he leaned in to place a soft kiss on my forehead. My heart swelled, and a single tear slipped down my cheek. "This feels unreal," I whispered, my voice trembling with emotion.

His fingers brushed away the tear, his touch feather-light against my skin. "I know," he murmured, his voice soothing. "But I'm here now. Back to you. Back to my home."

His words eased the knots of anxiety that had gripped me for so long. I leaned into him, my head finding the nook of his shoulder, and his arms wrapped around me. His embrace was warm, comforting, and I let myself melt into it, finally letting go of the tension that had held me captive.

His lips brushed against my forehead again, a gentle kiss that sent ripples of tenderness through me. "I missed you so much," I confessed, my voice muffled against his chest.

His hold tightened, his arms around me a shield from the world. "I know," he whispered, his words a comforting affirmation. "I heard you."

I lifted my head, meeting his gaze once more in confusion. "I heard you evert day, Princess. Whenever you laughed beside me, whenever someone would say something about me not waking up and how your fingers would tighten around mine. How you ranted me to about your day and told me that I gave better company that most of the conscious people you were with all day. You were my light at the end of the tunnel," he said softly, his thumb tracing soothing circles on the back of my hand.

Tears welled up again, but this time they were tears of relief, of happiness. "And you were mine," I replied, my voice quivering.

“You know how hard it was for me to not be able to soothe you when you cried sitting here? To not being able to tell you that I love you and that it’s all going to be alright,” he rested his forehead against mine as tears escaped our eyes.

His fingers interlaced with mine and I stilled. He interlocked our fingers exactly the same way I had been all this time and it felt like coming home.

As he pulled me closer, wrapping me in his warmth, I couldn't help but break into a sob. The months of uncertainty, the nights spent sitting by his side, they all surged to the surface.

"Thank you for waiting for me, Princess," he murmured against my hair, his lips pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. His words held a weight that touched my soul, and I hugged him tightly, as if trying to convey all the emotions I had felt in his absence.

“Always,” I whispered.

In that moment, with his arms around me and his heart beating against mine, I knew that I was finally home.