Chapter 60: Chapter Sixty

Camilla POV

My head was throbbing, pain like nothing I'd ever experienced clawing at the back of my eyes. I tried to open my eyes, but the tiniest bit of light was piercing.

"Miss Patron, I'm going to need you to open your eyes so I can assess you," the nurse whispered quietly. "I will leave you alone after that."

"No," I whispered. "It hurts."

"What hurts?" she asked.

"My head. Opening my eyes makes it worse."

"I see," she said too loudly. "Let me ask the doctor about some medication for that, I will be right back. Just know that I have to look, even if it hurts."

I groaned as she exited the room, my eyes still closed. I could sense that someone else was in the room, and it was confirmed when I heard a rustle of fabric from across the room. "Who's that?" I asked sharply, then winced with the pain it caused me to speak so loudly.

"Sorry," I heard Nicholas say from across the room. "I was trying to be as quiet as possible." I heard his footsteps as he approached the bed, then his hand laid on top of mine. "How do you feel?" he whispered.

"Awful. This headache is dreadful. The light kills my eyes. It's like spikes shooting through them," I admitted.

"I'm sorry," he said softly, his thumb now rubbing over the back of my hand. "You have to let them do the job they are here for though, even if it hurts. Otherwise, Dr. Moreno won't let me take you out of here."

I focused on his words. Who was Dr. Moreno and where exactly was I?

"Dr. Moreno?" I said his name like a question, trying to keep as still and quiet as possible, so the pain would be less.

"He's the neurosurgeon here. We are at Mount Sinai in the city, I had you relocated here from Chicago as soon as I could," he replied softly.

"Michael?"

He's in Chicago, waiting for an opportunity to get Thomas Cain. Don't worry about that stuff Camilla, we have it handled. You focus on getting well."

"Why?" I asked.

"Why what?" he replied

"Why do you care?" My words came out so quiet that I wasn't sure he heard me, especially when he took so long to respond.

"I care about you." He paused. "A lot."

I felt his hand slip away from mine and dared to open my eyes just a slit to watch as he carefully picked up a chair and placed it next to the bed, sitting down in it. He looked up and caught me watching him. His small smile was enough to fill me with warmth, so I smiled back and then winced at the strange jolt of pain it sent to the back of my head with the movement. "Good grief," I muttered. "Every movement hurts my head. What the hell is wrong with me?"

"You hit your head pretty hard; you had some swelling in your brain. They had a drain in for a while to keep the pressure from getting worse, but they took that out. I imagine you're pretty bruised."

What he said sunk in and I shuddered at the knowledge that I nearly died. My next thought was what else had happened to me. I felt something scratching on my neck when I swallowed. I reached my hand up and felt something on my neck. "What's this?" I asked, my hand resting on it.

Nicholas reached up and pulled my hand away. "Just a little dressing. They said that it would come off today. You were," he stopped and took a deep breath. "You were cut there, you have a few stitches, but it really isn't that bad."

"Hmmm," I hummed in my throat. Talking was hurting my head, so I decided that I was done with questions and let myself relax back into the pillow.

Nicholas was quiet next to me for a few minutes, then he took my hand again. He didn't say anything, just held my hand. His hand was warm against my skin and as he wrapped his fingers in mine, it felt right. I didn't pull away. I felt him lie his head next to my arm, neither of us saying anything.

I must have drifted off because I awoke to the nurse's voice again. "I'm giving you a low dose of pain medication in your IV, then I'm going to need you to try and allow me to do my assessment Miss Patron."

I said nothing, because the more I talked or moved, the worse I felt. I was going to let her do what she needed, just so I could have peace and quiet. I could hear her moving about, felt warmth flush up my arm as she administered the medication, then felt a strange feeling as the medication flooded my system.

"Okay," her voice was very close to my face, and I could feel her hovering over me. I'm going to have to shine a bright light into your eyes but it's just for a few seconds. Then you can close them again. I will need you to open them again though, but the lights will be dim. I just need to do a neurological exam, but you have to be able to see to answer the questions. Do you understand?"

"Yes," I squeaked out.

The nurse directed me to open my eyes and not close them, while she quickly shined a light in each one of my eyes and then pulled it away. I followed all her commands, following her finger with my eyes, telling her how many fingers she held up in my peripheral vision and reading off words and sentences on a piece of paper she held in front of me. Then she let me close my eyes as she directed me to tell her where she was touching me, with my eyes closed. She had me perform a few exercises with my arms and legs, but let me keep my eyes closed for that, never lifting my head from the pillow, which I was grateful for.

"Well?" Nicholas asked her as she stepped back and he sat back down in the chair next to me, taking my hand again. "What's all that mean?"

"She's neurologically intact as far as I can tell. Dr. Moreno will be by later to see her. I understand you asked for her to be discharged in her care. Are you her next of kin?" the nurse asked.

"She has a brother and a grandmother, but they can't be here. I'm her," he paused. "I'm her fiancé."

"Okay, are you her medical power of attorney?" the nurse asked. "Do you have paperwork designating you as such?"

"What?" Nicholas sounded angry but he was quiet in his response. "No, but you can call her grandmother or brother if you really want to. Otherwise, Camilla here can make her own choices."

"Yes, she can. If the doctor deems that she's mentally capable now that her brain swelling has gone down. I will notify him of my findings this morning. Let me know if I can get you anything," and she softly shut the door as she exited.

"My fiancé huh?" I asked.

"All of that, and this is what you choose to focus on," Nicholas chuckled.

"Yes, it is."

"I may have told a few people that," he admits.

"Why?" I ask, noticing a slight flutter in my heart as I listen to everything he's saying.

Nicholas clears his throat, and I can hear him take a deep breath. "Perhaps it's because it's what I want us to be to each other. Perhaps it's a way to keep these people from asking stupid questions," he states. "Either way, in the end, it's your choice what we are to each other."

I sit there, my mind reeling. Is it my choice what we mean to each other? Did he say that it's what he wants? Did I hear him correctly?

"Nicholas?"

"Yes?"

"Are you asking me to marry you?"