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Diana
My leg jiggled while my hand ran through my hair. I’d been in the hospital waiting room in nothing but my robe for hours. I’d sat there, calling people from Ethan’s cell phone I managed to grab out of the hotel before I slipped on my flats and left with the paramedics. I refused to leave Ethan alone. I hopped into the back of the ambulance and rode with him into the hospital.
And things didn’t look good.
He passed out from blood loss due to the bleeding from his stomach. I ran alongside his rolling bed as we barreled through the emergency room doors, but then one of the nurses led me to a waiting room to sit and be called upon. I demanded to be updated on his condition. That I loved him. That he was the man I saw myself with for the rest of my life, and I expected their cooperation.
That was the last I had seen of any doctor, and that had been four hours ago.
I’d managed to call people I knew would want to know of Ethan’s condition. I called Liam and told him to update the team. I ran down what happened as tears poured down my face. I called my father and told him how brave Ethan had been. How he had sacrificed himself to save me. Then, I called his mother. And I listened as she wept over the phone.
It was an experience I never wanted to repeat ever again.
My hands shook as people began filtering into the hospital waiting room. Liam with the team. My father, surprisingly enough. And Rebecca. They all piled into the waiting room with me and I managed to stand up and hug all of them. I knew the looks they were giving me. The odd looks of me in nothing but a robe. Liam and Rebecca grinned at one another. A reaction I didn’t quite understand, and didn’t care to make sense of. The only thing running through my mind was Ethan.
Ethan and all of that blood on his damn robe.
If he died, I knew he’d take my heart with him to the grave. I’d never be able to love anyone the way I loved that man. He was my everything and the thought of losing him terrified me.
“It’s going to be okay, sweetheart. He’s going to pull through.”
I felt my father’s hand running up and down my back. The last time he had ever comforted me like that was during my mother’s funeral. I caved underneath the warmth of his touch. Underneath the smooth comfort of his voice. I placed my cheek against his chest and sobbed. Outright sobbed in front of everyone, not caring how I looked.
“They won’t tell me anything because I’m not family, Daddy.”
“I know, sweetheart. They do have protocols, but I’m sure we can find a way around them,” he said.
“He can’t die, Daddy. Please. Don’t let him die.”
“The doctors are going to try their best. I can promise you that, sweetheart. Let me go talk to one of them and make sure. Maybe they just need a swift kick in the ass.”
I sniffled as my father slid away from his chair, standing with all the reverence in the world. I wiped at the tears falling from my eyes as Liam stood with him, and the two of them marched over to the nurse’s station. A very wealthy Republican Senator and an ex-military badass with hair that made women jealous and a grip that could crush a windpipe.
What a fucking duo they were.
The waiting room doors flew open while Liam and my father were talking with the nurse at the station, and I stood. It had to be the doctor. It had been hours since Ethan and I had arrived. Surely they had something to say. But instead, it was Rebecca. Coming back from the bathroom.
And she must have seen the disappointment on my face.
“Come here, honey,” she said.
She opened her arms to me, her eyes just as puffy as mine. I strode into her embrace, feeling her wrap me up as I slid my arms around her. I laid my head on her chest. I continued to cry, not knowing if my tears would ever run dry. I felt helpless. Powerless to help Ethan.
“He saved my life, Miss Stark. He’s my hero,” I said breathlessly.
“My son would have done anything to protect you, Diana. And I know that he’ll pull through this, and I know he’ll never regret the moves he made to make sure you were okay.”
“I’m sorry. I’m sorry I put him in danger. I’m sorry I put all of you in danger. Please forgive me. I’m so sorry.”
“Hush now. It’s over. It’s not your fault. Come here, Diana. It’s okay.”
“I never should have run away. I never should have ditched security. It’s my fault Ethan’s dying and I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it.”
“It’s not your fault, little one,” she whispered.
Then, my body broke down.
I collapsed into her arms and the two of us fell to the floor. I felt the team rush me. I felt them stand around me, shielding me from prying eyes. I heard my father push through all of them before he dropped to his knees and ran his hands through my hair. I sobbed into Rebecca’s neck while my father tried to comfort me.
And when my tears finally subsided, I heard Liam’s hard boots-steps approach us.
“I let the nurse know that I’d be twisting heads off if they didn’t put us in touch with Ethan’s doctor for some sort of information,” he said.
“I appreciate it,” Rebecca whispered.
“Diana?”
I lifted my eyes to Liam as the men slowly dispersed from around us.
“Thank you for being there for Ethan. That man is my best friend. We’ve weathered a lot together. Thank you for looking out for him,” he said.
“Yes. Thank you, sweet girl,” Rebecca said.
“Don’t thank me, Liam. This is all my fault. This my fault and my fathers for putting you guys in this situation to begin with,” I said.
“She’s got a point,” my father said.
“This is nowhere near your fault. That’s ridiculous,” Rebecca said.
“She’s right. This is Ethan’s job. This is his career choice. He’d do it a thousand times over in a heartbeat,” Liam said.
“Besides that, my son would willingly get shot a thousand times trying to protect you.”
I turned my head to look into Rebecca’s eyes as she cupped my cheek.
“And I wouldn’t be able to fault him for a single one of them,” Rebecca whispered.
“I don’t understand,” I said.
“You’re family now.”
“What?” I asked.
“Diana, if my son loves you the way I know he does—the way we all have a feeling he does—you can’t be anything but.”
I looked over at my father and watched the surprise cross his face. I wanted it to be true. I wanted it to be so true I actually smiled at the prospect of it all. But inside, I still wasn’t sure. Did Ethan love me? I thought so, when he defended me the way he had. But, Liam had a point as well. It was his job. His choice of career. He would have done that anyway, no matter the person. He hadn’t told me he loved me. Wasn’t that a requirement? If you loved someone, you said it. Out loud. Right?
Damn it. I didn’t even know anymore. All I knew was that Ethan had to pull through this.
I wouldn’t make it myself if he didn’t.
I stood to my knees and heaved a heavy sigh. Liam murmured something about going to find the doctor himself and Rebecca helped me back into a seat. I slumped into the chair, staring at the wall as my father offered his hand to Rebecca. The two of them walked off somewhere. I didn’t really care where. My mind swirled a thousand miles a second as I sat there in that waiting room, blocking out all sounds and thoughts and movements. I knew Ethan felt something for me. That much was obvious. But was it love? The kind of love I felt for him?
I wasn’t sure. And my fear was that I’d be constantly measuring up to the ghost of his high school sweetheart. Could I measure up to someone like that? Someone as innocent and perfect and cute as Layla? She was adored. It was obvious. By everyone around her. By an entire time that had been affected by her death.
What if Ethan stopped fighting so he could go be with her?
The thought pushed more tears over my cheeks as I sat there, helpless to the train of thought my mind had tossed me down.
“All right, everyone. Listen up. This is Ethan’s doctor.”
Liam’s voice pierced the silent waiting room and I jerked up from my chair. I flew to my feet as everyone surrounded the doctor, and the man had a very frightened look on his face. I grinned at Liam before I nodded, and he released the doctor’s arm. I watched the man rub the place where Liam had been gripping him tightly, then he cleared his throat.
“Ethan’s surgery has taken us a while. He needed a substantial amount of blood. But, we managed to retrieve both bullets that pierced his abdomen.”
“Both?” I asked.
“Yes. There were two bullets, and one had fragmented on impact. We have everything out and we were finally able to chase down the one sliver that kept evading us. He’s going to need a great deal of rest after this. No physical activity for some time. And he’ll have a stint overnight in the ICU to monitor him closely. But, if all goes well through the night, he’ll be moved to a regular room in the morning.”
“So, he’s alive,” I said.
The doctor turned his gaze towards me before he nodded.
“Yes, ma’am. Mr. Stark’s alive.”
Relief flooded me at such a quick pace that I collapsed back into the chair. I felt my body sliding, almost collapsing to the floor as a smile crossed my face. My hands clenching my heart as cheers and claps resounded out in the empty waiting room.
Ethan was alive.
The love of my life had made it.
