I've been in and out of consciousness for some time now, I don't know for how long, whether minutes or hours, I don't know.
The cold has made me numb, my body feels stuck and I can't move. I've even reached the level of not shivering anymore but staying still. My heart pumping is the only thing telling me that I'm still alive, it's a hard and painful task to breathe, my nose has gone dry and as seconds go on by, it feels worse.
I can't think straight and I believe I've reached the level of hallucination, when I think I hear another banging sound. Maybe I've gone crazy now, wanting to believe so much in anyone finding me.
The banging sound continues and that's when a tear slips out, because my beating heart tells me, no let me rephrase that, my every frozen being tells me that I've been found.
I want to scream and call out, but I can't. It's so frustrating and my closed eyes, feel heavy with threatening tears.
The threatening tears, the distant banging sound and then the fridge shaking, despite it vibrating, is the last thing I remember before my body falls into unconsciousness.
" Angel?" Pat in the cheek." Angel come on." I hear at a distance.
Then I feel it, something wet on my cheek, the same wetness that knocks me out of my unconscious state. The first thing my body is aware of, is the cool air and the ice cold that is melting from my body. My mouth feels free to move and my lips part, breathe coming out.
The minute air enters through my mouth and nose, it hits at my tight and dry throat at a painful speed, that I gasp in shock.
" Goddammit she's alive!" The voice says in a gasp, before something presses against my skin, something warm and I want to move away from the contact, it's a bit painful to feel something opposite the cold.
Guess I was in the cold for too long.
I believe my whimper brings the person to attention and they mutter a sorry.
" I'm sorry, angel, please, I need to see your beautiful eyes." Keith.
He'd always be the first one I want to hear. And like my prayers have been answered, he's here.
"Come on baby, I've just found you, I can't lose you again, please."
I do my best to push through my stubborn eyes, until there's movement and my eyes slowly open. I have to close them again, to get accustomed to the air and light, but once I do again, blue is the first thing I see.
His blue eyes are my first sight and I thank God for it, because they calm me before I can panic over thought, of still being locked in there.
" Hey baby girl. You have no idea how happy I am to see those gorgeous browns, we are going home now and I promise to never let you out of my sight." He says before he closes the distance and presses his lips against mine.
The feel of his lips against mine, is something I've missed and I can only sigh in response.
I want to tell him that I love him so bad but I can't get a word out, my throat doesn't allow me to do so.
I stare at him as he leans back and looks down at me, I try stay awake as long as possible before my lids become heavy, forcing me to go back to sleep.
******
Warmth is what I wake up to, it feels so foreign, as much as it is to feel the soft surface against my back. I could stay like this for a while with no disturbance but just silence. I want to move but something heavy presses down on my stomach, I move my hand with slow movement, towards the object. My fingers make contact with something so soft, that they run through it.
Once my fingers move around and away from the softness, which I've discovered is hair, my heart picks up when I become more aware of who laying on me is. Keith.
His head moves and then picks up when my fingers leave his hair, I try look down at him as his chin is resting on my stomach .
I try speak but my throat is dry and I want to speak so badly. I guess he notices the conflict in my eyes and his head picks up, he moves from his chair to settle down beside me on the bed.
" Do you need anything?"
" W-wa-ter." I force out, coughing right after.
With no questions asked, he first helps me to sit upright, before he reaches to the bedside table and pours me water. "Here, careful, careful." He tells me, the minute I start drinking from the straw, rushing to cool my throat.
I lean back when I've had enough and just stay in place, watching him and try convince myself, that he's finally here in front of me.
He too stares at me, his blue eyes twinkling and almost unblinking, the shy feelings in me, expressive in his own eyes." Hi." I say shyly, looking down at my lap.
" Don't keep them away from me, please." My head is tilted up. " I just need a moment to take you in, to convince myself that you're here, okay and breathing, unharmed and- ."
" I'm here, I'm here." I grab ahold of his hand, squeezing it and offering a small reassuring smile.
He blinks twice before his eyes get moist. Looking at his whole face, I notice a small stubble on his face, the dark circle around his eyes show how exhausted he is, but even so, it still doesn't take away from his handsome face.
The 'Keith Salvatore' is showing me his vulnerable side, he's been holding on for too long and at any minute, he might just break.
"I have no words." He looks anywhere but at me, his voice cracking up.
" Keith." I murmur, his head snapping in my direction.
I don't say anything more , moving a bit and creating space for him, just as I hold up my arms, opening them for him. He doesn't waste anytime in laying on my side, his arm already around me and pulling me to him, leaving little to none space.
The minute he rests his head on my tummy, I feel it, the wetness. His body lays still, his breathing almost at normal level but the wetness is evidence enough, of his silent cry.
My fingers make contact with his hair, combing through it and massaging his sculp, letting him release all that he has been keeping within. All I can do is be there for him, be his strength at the time he's most vulnerable.
Time has gone and he has cried himself to sleep, though my body feels a bit numb, I still don't wake him, he needs rest and he needs physical contact. He's still battling with his emotions, the tightening of his hold on me, is his way of convincing himself that I'm really here.
There's a knock on the door.
" Come in." I answer.
The person enters and a smile makes its way onto my face.
" Sorry, couldn't help myself." Joey says sheepishly.
"I'm happy to see you too." I tell him, noticing his eyes move on to the sleeping figure beside me, well half ontop of me.
" He'll get so possessive now, we'll probably never see you for the next 2 years."
I chuckle at that, smiling down at Keith, who's cuddling me like a kid does to his favourite stuffed toy.
I look up at him again, his face now serious.
" I would have killed them if you died."
I do all I can to not think of him doing that.
" I'm alive and back with everyone, isn't that what's important?"
" Yes but justice is too." He argues.
" How did you guys find me?"
He holds up his hand, pointing at his ring finger. Looking down at my engagement ring, I frown a bit in confusion.
"It has a tracking device."
"Who's idea was it?" I ask, looking up at him again.
" Don't be mad at him, he was just being careful."
I shake my head." I'm not, I'm just grateful for being alive and having this wonderful man in my life."
" We were miserable without you, especially after that night."
" Don't think about it."
" I can't I'm sorry, I almost lost my sister because of someone's obsession, I'm just glad she's gone."
My heart sinks at those words.
" Gone?"
" Yeah. Since jail wasn't a better fit for her, a psychiatric ward was." I don't say anything. I don't have any words but just to stare at him, not knowing how to voice a question that nags in my mind.
" Before you ask, it was Keith and Vince, they left no room for discussion. "
" And her parents?"
" Her parents passed years ago and Mr and Mrs Salvatore took her in."
" That's sad."
" Don't you dare feel sorry for her." He points at me in warning.
" I'm not. So what about the doctor?"
" Arrested but should be dead." Keith says, surprising me.
He picks his head up, facing me and just remain staring at me.
" You need rest." I tell him.
" No, I need to see your face."
" You'll be seeing my face for the rest of your life, you'll get tired of it."
" Never." He shakes his head, leaning back and rubbing at his eyes.
He looks so cute with him rubbing at his eyes, his bed head standing at a standstill. He finally looks at me, noticing me staring.
" What?" He frowns.
" Nothing, you just look so cute, I want to kiss you." I trail off, averting my eyes to my lap.
" You what?" He says close but I shake my head, refusing to repeat.
"But I didn't hear it?" He says, kissing both my cheeks, making me blush when I sneak a peek at a smirking Joey.
Keith glances over his shoulder at Joey, who doesn't hide his amusement.
I don't know what look Keith gives Joe, but it's enough to have him sigh and roll his eyes." Okay, okay, I'm gone." He holds up his hands in surrender before heading to the door.
Keith turns to me , not wasting time to give me a chaste kiss.
" The doctor's here." Joey says, earning our attention.
Keith leans back and turns to face the door, pulling my hand onto his lap.
Joey nods to us before letting the doctor in, walking out after that.
I don't know what I expected when I saw Doctor Mathews, maybe I expected to see the other doctor, that he'd lie and manipulate me. The next thing I know, he'd poison me.
I swallow down the lump at thoughts of what I went through.
The doctor notices my wary look and remains where he is.
" Mrs Salvatore, I know you must not trust me or any doctor right now, I understand completely. I want to offer my deepest apologies for what you went through, especially with one of our own, being part of - ."
" You aren't going to inject me with anything right?" I ask.
" Uh Mrs Salvatore- ."
" Keith, please don't let him inject me. " I plead to Keith, tugging at his arm.
He turns to look at me, cradling my face." He won't, I promise." He says with a determined expression on his face.
I see truth in his eyes and I sigh, leaning my forehead against his chest, sighing in relief. A kiss is placed on the top of my head.
" Mr and Mrs Salvatore, I'm sorry to disturb you but I've got some news I think you need to know."
This has our attention that I move away from his chest, still holding onto his arm.
" Firstly I want to express how I am amazed by your strength, it's a miracle that you're alive today."
" I'm one lucky man to not be a widower."
The doctor nods before he speaks up again." About the news."
" What news?" Keith asks.
" I did some blood tests on Mrs Salvatore, to see how much the poison had moved in your system and if there were permanent damages to be aware of."
" And?"
"And it seems that the amount of poison you consumed, might just be the reason for a scarring in your uterus?"
"Are you saying my womb is damaged?" I ask, blinking a few times, to try understand what he's telling me.
"The first tests done showed the signs, but we still want to do more tests, to be sure."
" Okay then do the tests." I tell the doctor, determined.
" Kea." Keith starts but I squeeze his arm, looking at him.
" This is important, our future. I need to know."
He opens his mouth to protest but I plead with my eyes, needing him to understand my reasons.
He sighs before nodding and turning to face the doctor again.
"Doctor, what if the new results say the same thing?"
A new look takes over his face, one I don't like at all.
His next words make my heart sink.
" This may mean you're infertile."