Dad

*Her*

Fuck.

I groaned when I felt the bright light against the lids of my eyes. My tongue was dry, felt like sandpaper in my mouth, but I could taste the remnants of blood.

The beeping beside me increased in speed, the sound beginning to irritate me while I tried to catch my breath.

Where was I?

I moved, attempting to sit up but the ache that traveled my body like a wave of electricity brought forth all of the frightening memories of metal against metal.

I heaved for breath, snapping my eyes open only to be assaulted by bright white and an overly chemical smell.

The IV in my arm stung and I reached for it, unknowingly moving the IV bag that hung beside me.

I was alone in the room and the feeling sent my heart rate soaring, increasing the sound around me.

It was all too much.

But a familiar sound carried into the room and my breathing immediately slowed down.

Rick stood outside the door, and I was sure he was wearing his uniform and pulling his weight around.

I never thought I’d want his comforting voice, or his arms in a warming hug. But right now, that was all I wished for.

“Rick,” I tried calling for him.

The word hurt my throat and I scowled when I realized I had barely made a sound. I blew a huff of air, trying to regain some energy to try and call his name again.

An unfamiliar voice came with his, “We would like to have you tested. She needs blood.”

“I can’t,” Rick’s voice replied.

I frowned.

“We can just test you, you might not be a match.”

“No, I can’t.”

The other voice, I assume belonged to the doctor, sighed, “I’ll have to look for another donor.”

“Please do what you can.”

My chest expanded in burning curiosity. Why wouldn’t he want to get tested? I wondered if something was wrong with him. But I knew he took no medication, I knew he didn’t see a doctor.

The thought that he didn’t want to donate blood to me quickly turned my curiosity to anger.

He sighed loudly as he began to walk into the room, freezing when he saw that I was awake. His dark brown eyes widened and his mouth parted in shock.

“Inny.”

He looked ages older as he approached me. The white hairs that framed his face suddenly became much more visible.

He cupped my face with his hands, the warmth sending tears streaming down my eyes.

“You’re okay, sweetheart. You’re okay.”

It took me a moment to realize that I was crying. He pulled me in a tight hug and I hissed, pain radiating from my head and my arm.

“I’m sorry,” He pulled back, “How are you feeling?”

“Tired,” I whispered.

He nodded.

“I heard you.”

His eyes widened and he pulled his hands from my face, “Heard me?”

I swallowed, looking down at my fingers, “Y-you don’t want to give me your blood?”

“It’s not what you think, Inesa.”

So I was right. I looked away from him, tears streaming down my face, “I guess it’s a good thing I’m leaving for college when this is over. You won’t have to deal with me then.”

If he hated me, it was my fault. I had alway been a brat with him and it wasn’t until now that I regretted it.

“What?” He whispered, frowning as he jerked back.

“You don’t want to get tested for me. I knew I’ve been a burden-“

“I would give my life for yours. Honestly Inesa how can you not see that?”

I shook my head, “No, you wouldn’t.”

“We’re not compatible, Inesa. I can’t give you my blood. I would if I could. I would give you all of it.”

My chest clenched, “What? How do you know that?”

He smiled softly, “You don’t remember? When you were younger?”

I shook my head.

“You were really sick, for months. Your mom and I were so worried. So lost. We both got tested in case you would need blood.”

I tried digging through the back of my mind, trying to find the memories I had buried away. As I looked around the room, the smell became familiar, scratching an itch in my brain I did not remember.

“I remember being in the hospital, I must’ve forgotten,” I frowned as I spoke. Who would forget that?

Rick nodded, looking away while his throat moved as he swallowed. A new, dark sadness covered him and it filled me with absolute dread.

“What’s wrong, Rick?”

He frowned for a second before letting his eyes travel across my face. His lips pursed tightly and he shook his head, pressing his fingers to the bridge of his nose.

“I should tell you later.”

I shook my head, “No, Rick. Tell me now.”

He sighed, sitting on the chair beside the bed, letting his elbows rest on his knees, “When I got my blood tested.”

I nodded.

“That was also when I found out that I wasn’t, that I’m not your biological father.”

The machine beeped louder, faster, “What? Who-? How-“

Not my father? The air around me seemed to thin and my head spun.

“All this time, you didn’t say anything?”

His warm hands caressed my cheeks, “You’re my daughter, Inesa. Blood has nothing to do with it.”

I doubled over as I cried, “All this time, it was mom? Mom was the cheater?”

His eyes grew sad and he nodded.

“You let me believe it was you for all this time? Let me treat you like shit? God, I was a fucking brat.”

“You loved her, I didn’t want you to hate her. She was your mom. You’re actual blood. I felt like I wasn’t enough. I didn’t want to- you deserve to have at least one parent that didn’t fail you. It was okay for me, that it was your mom. I just wanted you to be happy.”

I grabbed his hands, tightening my hold on them as I cried, “You didn’t fail me, dad.”

Tears pooled in his eyes, but before I could lean over to hug him, a nurse came in to check on me.

As Rick sat back and the nurse checked on my IV, my eyes widened when I remembered the pregnancy tests I had bought.