Their Perfect Moment

Their Perfect Moment
Isabella’s POV

The darkness didn’t disappear all at once. It loosened its grip slowly, like my body was climbing back toward the surface after being held under for too long.

Sensations came before thought. The rough pull of a hospital sheet against my shoulders. A deep, stubborn ache low in my side…hot, heavy, unmoving, like pain that’s decided to settle in and stay. My mouth tasted wrong…like metallic old blood and something stale, even though my tongue feels thick and dry, like it hasn’t moved in days.

Then sound crept in.

Beep… beep… beep…

A low murmur of voices overlapping…familiar, worried, exhausted.

Someone was crying quietly. Agnes, I think. The kind of crying that’s been going on so long it’s become background noise.

Closer… I felt Damien. His voice was wrecked, barely above a whisper, like he’s been talking to me for days without stopping.

Somehow that made me sad. Thinking about how they must all feel. How long was I unconscious for? Days? Weeks? A month?!

“…please, baby. Just… come back. I’ll do anything. I’ll burn it all down if that’s what it takes. Just open your eyes and look at me…please.”

His hand was wrapped around mine like we’ve been glued together for days. They were warm but trembling in a way that had my chest gripping with sadness.

I tried to squeeze back.
Nothing happened at first. My fingers felt like they belonged to someone else. Like they were not a part of me.

I forced my eyelids up…squinting at the sudden intrusion of light flooding into my eyes.

The room was too bright. Too white. Too many faces swimming into focus as I glanced around weakly.

Damien was right there…forehead pressed to our joined hands, shoulders hunched like he’s shielding me from the world even now. Unshaven. Eyes bloodshot and hair a disaster. He looked like he hadn't slept since the last time I saw him conscious.

Agnes was curled in the chair beside him, knees to chest, face buried in her hoodie sleeves. Ellie was standing at the foot of the bed, arms wrapped around herself, tear tracks dried on her cheeks. 

Mom…oh God, my mom…was sitting on the edge of the bed, one hand stroking my hair back like I’m five again and having a fever. My stepdad loomed near the door, arms folded, jaw tight, eyes suspiciously shiny like he had cried.

Wait, my parents are here? How do I explain everything and me being in LA to them? They were all here. Waiting for me to wake up and I’ve been a good little sleeping beauty.

I tried again. This time…barely…a twitch.
They don’t notice at first.

I tried to speak but my throat felt lined with gravel.
I swallowed despite the hurt and tried again.

“Did… someone die?” My voice was a rasp, barely audible. “Or are you all just rehearsing for my funeral?”

The room froze. Then exploded as everyone jumped up in relief towards me.

Damien’s head snapped up so violently I heard his neck pop.

For one endless second he just stared…eyes wide, disbelieving…like I’m a hallucination that might vanish if he blinked.

Then his face collapsed in a heap of tears and relief.
“Bella—”

He was on the bed in a heartbeat, careful of the wires and tubes, arms sliding around me so gently it hurt more than the wound. His face buried in my neck as he held me close. I felt the hot, silent tears hit my skin as he muttered ‘thank you for waking up, baby.’

Agnes made a shattered sound and scrambled towards me on the bed, practically pushing Damien away to press her forehead to mine.

“You’re awake,” she sobbed. “You’re actually awake, you absolute bitch! Why did you have to be a hero?”
My mom let out a broken laugh-sob and cupped my face with both hands as Damien got up, his face red as he muttered an excuse and went over to the window.

I knew he was crying. Big baby.

“Isabella Marie Barnes,” my mother said in a tone I knew very well. “Don’t you ever…ever…do that to me again. Don’t you ever scare me like that!”

I smiled weakly and tried my best to nod. “I’m sorry, ma,” I said to her.

My father stepped closer, but he didn’t speak. Just reached out and laid one big hand on my ankle over the blanket. Then he squeezed once. Hard. Like he’s anchoring himself.

Ellie bursts into fresh tears. “Oh my God, Bella…you’re okay.”

The room was in chaos. Everyone talking at once and expressing their happiness and relief. Nurses rushed in to examine me. Monitors were beeping faster while someone yelled for the doctor.

I tried to laugh but it came out as a weak cough.
Agnes lifted her head and stared at me like she wanted to confirm that I’m really awake. She looked like a heartbroken raccoon.

“You look like shit,” I croaked.

She snorted through tears. “Says the girl who got shot and decided to take a four-day nap. Meanwhile your boyfriend was so mean…didn’t even let me near you,” she cried.

Damien was back like he never left after crying in private. He didn’t let go of my hand again. His arms were like steel bands around me, face hidden against my shoulder now. I felt him shaking slightly with the aftershock of crying.

“Hey,” I whispered, lifting one heavy hand to his hair. “I’m here now.”

He pulled back just enough to look at me. Eyes red, terrified and relieved all at once.

“I know,” he whispered. Like saying it out loud might make it real. “I know, sweetheart.”

I managed a tiny teasing smile. “You grew a beard. Trying out for a lumberjack movie?”

A startled, broken laugh punched out of him. “Shut up,” he muttered, pressing his forehead to mine. “Just… shut up and stay awake.”

Agnes wiped her face on her sleeve. “I told you if you didn’t wake up I was coming after you. I had a whole plan. Dramatic double suicide. Very Romeo and Juliet. Or Juliet and Juliet in our case. Minus the poison. More like carbon monoxide and bad decisions.”

I raised one eyebrow teasingly. “Ow really? You were gonna leave Jace for me?”

She sniffed and shrugged. “He’d survive. He’s got protein shakes and deadlifts to keep him company.”

Jace…leaning in the doorway…snorted. “I can hear you, you know.”

I didn’t even see him until now. We exchanged a look and he smiled. I returned it as everyone burst out laughing at Agnes…a breath of relief escaping everyone’s lips.

“So it’s me over Jace…right?” I teased her further weakly. 

She scooted away from me and confidently walked towards Jace with a tight smile.

“Bella… if you came back to pick someone to accompany you, go with Damien. I need to stay back to take care of your parents, sip some cocktails and enjoy Jace’s money. What if I join you and Jace and Damien get other women? We both lose!” She shrieked and everyone laughed at her outburst.

“And to think I took a bullet for you,” I said, faking a cough and holding my chest.

“Don’t mind her, Bella,” Ellie said as she came over and squeezed my legs gently. “I’ll gladly go with you.”

Agnes left Jace’s side in an instant and ran towards me. “Uh-uh. She’s mine. My bestfriend. Don’t worry, Bella. I’m going with you,” she said childishly.

“No one is going anywhere,” Damien said coldly. Like the idea itself is a crime. 

Mom leaned in just then and kissed my forehead long and hard.
“You’re grounded,” she whispered. “For life.”

“Too late,” I murmured. “I already got shot. Think that counts as punishment served. And besides, I’ve been grounded for over two months now,” I said, eying Damien.

She swatted my arm lightly. Then she started crying again as my father pulled her into his arms.

The doctor arrived minutes later to check vitals. Then he asked me questions about how I’m feeling and if there’s any discomfort and I answered in monosyllables.

Everything hurts. Everything felt surreal, like I’m watching a movie of my own life.

But I’m alive and I’m seeing everyone I love.
Eventually they cleared out…nurses, doctor, even Ellie and Jace and Agnes get gently herded toward the hall with promises of coffee and updates.

Mom and Stepdad lingered a bit longer.
Mom squeezed my hand. “We’re right outside if you need anything. Okay?”

I gave a slight nod before they left.
The room became quiet afterwards. Just the beep of the monitor accompanied by the soft hiss of oxygen.

And Damien.

He didn’t move from the bed. Just shifted so he’s lying beside me…careful, awkward, perfect. One arm over my waist. Face tucked into my neck again.

We stayed like that for a long time.
No words.
Just breathing together.

We stayed quiet until his phone vibrated on the side table. He tensed and didn’t reach for it.

I felt the shift in him. The way his heartbeat kicked up against my side.
“Damien?”

He exhaled slowly. “Later,” he murmured against my skin. “I’ll deal with it later.”

I didn’t push.
For now, I just closed my eyes… Feeling his heartbeat sync with mine.

And let myself believe…for one fragile, perfect moment…that we might actually get to keep this.